Chamber
Plenary, 09 Nov 2000
09 Nov 2000 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Homelessness
I will clarify the figures. Provision of hostel beds in Glasgow stands at about 2,200, with an average 90 per cent occupancy rate. The overall number of people who end up sleeping rough or in hostels on more than one occasion is counted as 6,500 in any given year. However, that figure represents a much smaller number of individuals who repeatedly end up on the streets.
Part of the current problem with hostels is that they are like a revolving door. People get a place in a hostel, they misbehave—their chaotic behaviour can have other underlying causes—and they get barred and end up back on the streets. We need to address the underlying problems, rather than simply creating more revolving doors.
We are convinced that the extra resources that we have put into the rough sleepers initiative—£40 million—will help us to improve provision. We are convinced that the co-operation that exists between local authorities, health boards, the voluntary sector and others who work in homelessness provides a well-resourced framework that can meet our commitment that no one in Scotland should have to sleep rough by 2003.
It is incumbent on the Executive and Parliament to do their utmost to ensure that that commitment is met. Like Robert Brown, I am aware that Christmas is coming up. It is a cold time of year, when it is a tragedy to be homeless. We are working with the relevant agencies on the ground. We are conscious that Edinburgh needs to reprovision its hostels quickly and that it needs to make interim accommodation available. We are also aware that, in Glasgow, the Big Issue in Scotland works well for people over the Christmas period. We are interested in the plans that are in place, but we remain absolutely committed to ensuring that nobody in Scotland has to suffer the indignity of sleeping rough.
Part of the current problem with hostels is that they are like a revolving door. People get a place in a hostel, they misbehave—their chaotic behaviour can have other underlying causes—and they get barred and end up back on the streets. We need to address the underlying problems, rather than simply creating more revolving doors.
We are convinced that the extra resources that we have put into the rough sleepers initiative—£40 million—will help us to improve provision. We are convinced that the co-operation that exists between local authorities, health boards, the voluntary sector and others who work in homelessness provides a well-resourced framework that can meet our commitment that no one in Scotland should have to sleep rough by 2003.
It is incumbent on the Executive and Parliament to do their utmost to ensure that that commitment is met. Like Robert Brown, I am aware that Christmas is coming up. It is a cold time of year, when it is a tragedy to be homeless. We are working with the relevant agencies on the ground. We are conscious that Edinburgh needs to reprovision its hostels quickly and that it needs to make interim accommodation available. We are also aware that, in Glasgow, the Big Issue in Scotland works well for people over the Christmas period. We are interested in the plans that are in place, but we remain absolutely committed to ensuring that nobody in Scotland has to suffer the indignity of sleeping rough.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business this morning is a statement by Jackie Baillie on street homelessness in Glasgow. I am afraid that a copy of the spee...
The Minister for Social Justice (Jackie Baillie):
Lab
I am pleased to be able to bring before Parliament the report of the Glasgow street homelessness review team, which has been conducting a fundamental and str...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the minister for her statement, which I understand is an extension of the announcement that was made in Glasgow in June. On behalf of the Opposition,...
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
I thank Fiona Hyslop for her initial comments. It is important that Parliament concentrates its efforts on tackling homelessness and rough sleeping, which is...
Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con):
Con
The Conservatives offer a general welcome to the report and the proposals that it contains, as well as to the—if not glossy, very handsome—brochure that arri...
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
Bill Aitken is absolutely right to say that the Dickensian conditions that exist in Glasgow are no longer appropriate. We must do something about those condi...
Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the minister for her statement, which echoed much of the work on street homelessness that was undertaken by the previous ministerial team.I wish to r...
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
I would welcome a meeting with Frank McAveety. He does not need to ask me formally for a meeting—I would meet him if he were to ask me informally.Frank McAve...
Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD):
LD
I apologise for arriving in the middle of the minister's statement—there were difficulties with my transport arrangements. On behalf of the Liberal Democrats...
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
I will clarify the figures. Provision of hostel beds in Glasgow stands at about 2,200, with an average 90 per cent occupancy rate. The overall number of peop...
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I also welcome the minister's statement. I particularly welcome her determination to tackle the fundamental structural problems that stand in the path of lon...
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
We acknowledge the acute problems that exist in Glasgow. However, I stress that overall unemployment levels have dropped substantially. Since 1997, when the ...
Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
I, too, apologise to the minister for being late and for missing a large part of her statement. Unfortunately—or otherwise—I shared a carriage with Mr Brown....
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
I should point out that, since Labour came to power, the number of children in poverty in Scotland has dropped by 70,000, which is welcome.I accept that the ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I apologise to the members whom I have not called to speak. I gave priority to Glasgow members.