HLG12
Legislation Committee No 2
Response to Consultation on Proposed (Legislative Competence) (Housing and Local Government) order 2010
The Presbyterian Church of Wales
1 Information about the Presbyterian Church of Wales
Our purpose is to worship God and spread the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as it is revealed in the Holy Scriptures and expounded in our doctrinal standards, by establishing and maintaining fellowships of people worshipping God and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
We seek to achieve this purpose by
preaching the Gospel, administering the sacraments, pastoral care of local churches, holding meetings for fellowship and prayer.
religious Biblical education and training in the Faith at home, in Sunday school and in classes.
missionary work and evangelising at home and abroad, setting people aside for this work.
providing and publishing literature.
setting an example of Christian life and good works.
serving our communities and our country through practical activity.
taking a stand for justice and peace in our world.
safeguarding our environment in every possible way.
making use of new and experimental methods decided upon from time to time.
Our evidence is presented on the basis of our responsibility for serving our communities and our country through practical activity.
In our Churches, we have over 30,000 members, and 5,000 children and young people attend Sunday School.
We do not specialise in the field of housing, but a substantial proportion of our older members live in social housing. We believe that it is vital to ensure that the people of Wales have quality housing and that it helps to reduce health problems, including mental health, to reduce poverty and to improve education and social inclusion.
2 Our responses to the consultation questions
2.1 Our views on the general principle
We welcome the proposed Order, and we are in favour of conferring legislative competence on the Assembly Government in the field of Social Housing and meeting the need for housing. After all, these policy fields are already devolved, therefore it is reasonable to expect that the Assembly Government should have legislative rights in these fields. Without these legislative rights, the Assembly Government’s ability to take action in the field of social housing and to meet the need for housing is substantially restricted, and this will continue.
2.2 Our views on the terms of reference
We feel that the proposed terms of reference are acceptable, and they most certainly should not be restricted.
We also agree that the same rights should be given to tenants occupying houses provided by councils, housing associations and the new stock transfer bodies.
2.3 Our opinion on the matters contained in the proposed Order
2.3.1 We welcome the intention to broaden the definition of social housing to include the entire social sector.
2.3.2 In an earlier consultation by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Presbyterian Church of Wales expressed concern about the problem of affordable housing in rural areas, stating that the right to buy had compounded the problem. It is vital that the Assembly Government is given legislative powers in relation to the right to buy.
2.3.3 We support the intention to include assisting people as part of assistance in the field of housing.
2.3.4 There is no doubt that a better definition of homelessness is needed and we are in favour of the broader definition that is suggested. We welcome the intention to enable the Assembly Government to do more to prevent homelessness.
2.3.5 We support the intention to give more flexibility to County Councils in relation to housing strategy. It is important to ensure that the proposed powers enable councils to tackle problems such as that of summer homes/second homes in Wales. This is a big problem in rural areas.
2.4 Our views about the paragraph on the interpretation of the field
None
2.5 Additional comments relating to the proposed order
None
