Report to the People
No Rough Sleeping by the End of this Parliament
Can you think of a more potent symbol of social exclusion than the sight of a human being living on the streets without a roof over his head? The right to shelter is a basic human right which has been denied to too many Scots in the past.
Over the past few years, however, the first steps have been taken in tackling this problem. The Scottish Parliament is now playing its part and the Executive is committed ensuring that no-one has to sleep rough by the end of the current Parliament.
Of course the scale of the task cannot be under estimated. It is a tough challenge and will require careful consideration and a concerted effort on all sides if it is to be met. It was important, therefore, that we had a chance to discuss this subject in the Parliament’s final debate in Glasgow.
Central to the Executive’s strategy for tackling rough sleeping is the Rough Sleepers Initiative in Scotland. Introduced in 1997, the Initiative has enabled the Government to focus resources on ensuring that no-one in Scotland will have to sleep rough because of a lack of accommodation, information, advice or support. It was allocated £16 million in its first two years and has provided 138 extra accommodation places and 100 support workers. It helped 1,360 rough sleepers in the first year alone.
The Initiative now pays special attention to preventing rough sleeping occurring in the first place. And, in September last year, an additional £6m was invested in the Initiative. The new money brings five-year spending to £36 million. Indeed, spending on the programme in the next two years will rise by over 40 per cent.
But this is not just an issue for our cities. Rough sleeping is also to be found in towns and rural areas. And Inverclyde, sadly, is not immune. That is why the Executive is supporting a total of 57 projects throughout Scotland which help address rough sleeping beyond the central belt.
When I look around Inverclyde I am proud of our recent achievements. Our continued regeneration is a testament to our determination and hard work. But the fact that, in the 21st century, people are forced to live on our streets and in our stairways is a sad reminder that there is more to do.
It will not happen overnight, but, through initiatives such as this, we can work to end this scandal for good.
[ HOME ] [ News ] [ Calendar ] [ Contacts ] [ Links ] [ E-Mail ]
[ Copyright ] [ Open Government ] [ Scottish Parliament ]