Agenda item

Nigel Adams MP will be attending the meeting to take questions from Members.

The Committee welcomed Nigel Adams MP to the meeting.

Mr Adams updated the Committee on his recent ministerial roles in government in housing (focusing on homelessness and rough sleeping) and health (mainly looking at mental health); he was currently a minister in the Wales Office.

Members noted that Brexit and the complicated arrangements for leaving the EU were taking up a lot of time and resources in government, but that the preparations were progressing steadily.

Mr Adams explained that his constituency casework continued as usual, and that he enjoyed working closely with Selby District Council to resolve issues for constituents.

Members asked Mr Adams a number of questions on varying topics, as detailed below:

·           In response to a query about the availability of land for social housing, Mr Adams agreed that all kinds of homes needed to be built, including council housing. Mr Adams explained that there were some challenging rules for Councils to adhere to in relation to borrowing to build new homes, and emphasised the importance of meaningful engagement with local communities about where future homes would be built.

·           Mr Adams asked that Members provide further information to him regarding the retention of the Green Energy payments which the Council received from Drax; once he had this information he would do what he could to support the Council continuing to receive the payments following the upcoming government review of business rates.

·           In relation to the campaign by WASPI (Women Against State Pension Inequality), Mr Adams acknowledged the difficulty of the situation for the women affected, but that it would be difficult to resolve due to the large costs involved; it was hoped that a compromise could be reached. Members emphasised the effect the changes were having on not only the WASPI women themselves in Selby District, but also their families, who may be relying on them for support once they had retired.

·           In response to a question about the economic future of the country and Selby district in the light of Brexit, Mr Adams was of the opinion that after leaving the EU, Britain would have the opportunity to be more global in its approach to trade, but that a good deal with Europe was essential.

·           Mr Adams expressed his support for NYCC maintaining the PRU (Pupil Referral Unit) in Selby, and explained that whilst he felt it was better to keep children in the mainstream system, there needed to be an alternative option for those pupils that were particularly disruptive. It was essential that all children were given the best start in life, and that the public’s views about the importance of well-funded education be acknowledged by the government. Mr Adams was pleased to inform Members that Liz Truss MP, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, was currently visiting North Yorkshire County Council to talk about their ‘No Wrong Door’ approach to providing support to young people on the edge of the care system.

·           The Committee asked Mr Adams about the causes of homelessness and the impacts of the government’s changes to social housing waiting lists on current homelessness rates. Mr Adams explained that there were a number of factors contributing to homelessness and rough sleeping, and that the differences between the two needed to be taken into consideration. Mr Adams explained that the main reason rough sleeping figures went up in cities was due to the operation of begging gangs and the associated problems these gangs brought with them.

·           Members raised the issue of new homes and developments being built with inadequate off street parking, and the subsequent problems that this was causing. Mr Adams encouraged Councils to think carefully about the provision of parking when considering new housing schemes, as well as commercial developments that often also required adequate parking for employees.

·           The Committee asked Mr Adams whether he believed there was a link between the increased use of foodbanks and the implementation of Universal Credit. Mr Adams explained that the ability to refer people to food banks and issue vouchers for its use had been widened, but he was not sure that the implementation of Universal Credit was solely to blame for the increase in use. Members noted that whilst it was inevitable that there would be some issues with the switch over to Universal Credit, the new arrangements would simplify the current complicated system. In addition, Mr Adams explained that support had been put in place should there be delays with payments, and as such, no recipient should have to go without money for any period of time.

The Committee thanked Mr Adams for attending the meeting, and indicated that he would be invited to come back to talk to the Committee in a year’s time.