I support the report; it is a valuable and timely piece of work. Last year in Parliament Buildings there was a presentation on homelessness by young people who had been in care or who had been homeless. It certainly demonstrated the unacceptable level of young people who have left home for a number of reasons - the break up of their parents' relationship, the loss of a job, the death of a parent, and, of course, intimidation, to name but a few.

Those young people gave a wonderful insight into how a co-ordinated strategy can help young people. At that time, it was estimated that over 2,000 young people under the age of 16 had left home during the previous year, and, as others have said, the number is increasing. That is totally unacceptable - words that will be used more and more in the debate.

Another unacceptable fact is that Northern Ireland is the worst region for homelessness in the UK. People - and some of them are actually in Government - obviously feel that we do not have the same problem as there is in London, Dublin, or elsewhere because we do not see large numbers of street dwellers. In those cities you can actually walk over people in the streets at any time of the day or night. That opinion is definitely not the case: we do have that problem. As another Member said, homeless people are hidden, but they are there. A visit to the Simon Community, Shelter, the Council for the Homeless, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive or the Probation Board for Northern Ireland would soon put people right on that point. I want to take the opportunity to place on record my party's appreciation of the organisations that work with the homeless in Northern Ireland, including my organisation, the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.

It is clearly established under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that people have the right to a safe, secure, and permanent roof over their heads. That requires a co-ordinated approach by all relevant Departments - Health, Social Services and Public Safety; Employment and Learning; and Education - along with the relevant organisations which work directly with the homeless, such as the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the other bodies I have mentioned. The report clearly indicates and supports that co-ordinated approach.

A constantly developing strategy is needed to deal effectively and practically with the problems facing people with no fixed abode. I agree with the Committee that homelessness is a serious social and economic issue that must be given the highest priority.

The fact that the number of homeless people is increasing reflects badly on our society, and the Assembly must take that on board. We must all play our part in supporting the eradication of homelessness, and ensuring that proper legislation is passed to define the joined-up approach that can achieve that goal. As the Committee stated, this will give a much higher profile and sharper focus within the political context. I agree with other Members who said that it is not just a question of putting a roof over people's heads, and that is why we need a joined-up approach.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive, together with the Departments, can be the leader in improving the situation in association with homeless organisations. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive must also be to the forefront in redefining homelessness, and our own Executive would do well to note the Committee's suggestion that the definition of homelessness could be the absence of a safe and accessible place to stay. Mr ONeill touched on the problem of people being intentionally homeless. I support his comments, having witnessed much of that. A person presenting as homeless should be guaranteed housing promptly. There should be a review of hostel accommodation, including specially designed emergency and/or permanent housing for all - especially the young.

Mr ONeill related a story about emergency placements in his area, and every Member could give examples of that. Only last week a woman with two young children contacted me. The children are educated in Bangor and the woman works in Bangor, but she was told that they would have to go to Portadown or Newcastle to live. Schools and employment were not taken into account because there is a lack of suitable temporary accommodation in north Down.

Scotland and Westminster have adopted legislation providing for a strategy to deal with homelessness that focuses on prevention. The duty to relocate is enforced in that legislation. I also commend the Irish 'Homelessness - an Integrated Strategy', which has recommended that the employment services appoint a person specifically to consider employment and homelessness in Dublin and to provide an assessment of skills and training needs. Those initiatives could be followed here to reduce our level of homelessness.

I agree that we need to develop a clear and coherent strategy, and the report states that clearly. An action plan that sets clear targets for reducing homelessness is also needed. Joined-up government in all respects is essential. The report highlights the need to recognise that the problem does not just exist at Christmas but needs attention all year round.

My party and I support fully the Committee's call to the Executive to demonstrate political leadership and direction in promoting a joined-up approach. I, therefore, commend the report and congratulate the Committee members and staff for their excellent and timely inquiry.

I wonder whether anyone in the Chamber ever considers how he would behave if he were homeless. Homelessness is almost unimaginable to us, but it is a major factor in people's lives outside the Chamber. We cannot begin to conceive what it must be like to have nowhere safe to live. We can only imagine the effect that it must have on the employment, health and educational prospects of a person or family, not to mention self-esteem. However, we can deal with the effects of homelessness on the welfare of communities and society here as a whole.

Homelessness used to be a Cinderella issue here. As many know, I was head of the Housing Executive for several years. In those days, it was not seen as something worth significant care. Homelessness was a transient condition experienced by few. It did not receive much priority, partly because it was not so great a problem, dwarfed, as it was, by sectarian and terrorist strife and the curse of unemployment. One curse is still with us, while the other is not so prevalent.

We can ignore homelessness no longer, and the Committee for Social Development, under its Chairperson, my Colleague Fred Cobain, has not been ignoring it. The figures are so serious that they demand our attention. I am sure that Members are bored hearing how serious the matter is, but I want to put the figures into a different context. The proportion of those who are homeless in Northern Ireland is double the figure in England and Wales and higher than that in Scotland, so this constituent nation of the United Kingdom has the most serious homelessness problem.

The worst thing is that the figures are rising. That is due partly to social disturbance caused by the problems we have with living together, which I mentioned earlier. However, that is only part of the reason. Homelessness here is rising by 15% a year. Some of the reasons for that are obvious and derive from the basic underlying problems of this society for which there are no simple solutions. If there were, we would not be engaged in the current political process. However, the lack of sufficient affordable social housing is not a problem of the same order. It is not beyond the competence of the Minister, the Department and the Assembly to at least bring Northern Ireland's proportion of households presenting as homeless into line with that in England and Wales.

When I took over the Housing Executive after coming back from India, it had 240,000 social housing units, and it is now responsible for 120,000. Fewer than 1,500 - 1,200 is the average - new houses are being built by housing associations each year, while 5,000 houses are being made available under the right to buy. I support that right, and every Member in the Chamber probably supports it at heart, but those houses are lost to those who require social housing. There is an annual deficit of around 4,000 houses available for social need - and that is quite a large number in this Province.

Mr ONeill referred to youth homelessness, which has increased by 15% since the Assembly first met. Most of those who present as homeless are accepted as being eligible for housing, despite many of them being from vulnerable backgrounds in some kind of social care. Single young men are especially affected and are most likely to be homeless for a considerable period because they are not eligible for priority housing.

While the Committee, with the exception of Mr ONeill, is not recommending that priority status be extended automatically to people purely on the grounds of their youth, I would like to see special help for those from a care background, who are statistically more likely to find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Their needs must be assessed in detail before they leave care - whether in an institution, jail or borstal - and I am concerned that that is not happening adequately at present. Growing up in care and moving to homelessness is not the kind of start in life that is conducive to living a worthwhile, lawful existence.

Our report makes sensible, coherent recommendations. It sets out a revised definition of homelessness to include all those who do not have a safe and accessible place to stay. It also recommends a much more interdisciplinary approach to those presenting as homeless. The Housing Executive must have the lead role, of course, but it is important that other inputs be received and taken into account in determining an individual's or family's needs. Care conferences - conferring between the various bodies with responsibility - have a valuable part to play.

The needs of homeless youths require a specific approach that takes into account their particular needs and problems. Those young people who are not eligible for priority status must have an adequate referral system that takes account of their situation and does not leave them outside the door of the Housing Executive office with nowhere to turn. The back streets of London, Dublin or Manchester are no place for them.

Looking after the needs of youths coming out of care is what might be called a preventative strategy. We can learn from best practice in Scotland. We need to set targets. However, there is also an onus on those presenting as homeless. Many of them need training in the life skills that we take for granted if they are not to become recurrently homeless. Basic financial management and the prioritisation of housing costs in a household budget may seem of obvious importance. For some, however, that approach needs to be taught, as Mr ONeill reminded us; it does not come naturally.

The French foyer system, which has been adopted here on a small scale, provides simple, affordable dwellings, each of which accommodates four or five young homeless people. Those young people are trained in homemaking, and, if they wish, trained in an employment skill. One such scheme operates in Derry and two in Belfast. The Department for Social Development will shortly carry out a study of those schemes to find out whether the system could be extended.

Above all, we need a sustained building programme of affordable social housing. We read eternally of new apartment developments in exclusive locations, many of which, I might add, are white elephants. There are not enough Executive - with a capital "E" - homes. The volume of new-build social housing is critically low, given the rapid increase in our population compared with other regions of the UK. Northern Ireland has the highest population growth in the UK. Unless we tackle the situation with political will married to adequate resources, our homelessness problem will continue to grow. The Committee saw special merit in specialised transitional housing units to deal with disadvantaged groups such as young people and those emerging from care into the community.

Homelessness is no longer a Cinderella subject. The Committee for Social Development, on which I am proud to serve under the chairmanship of my Colleague Fred Cobain, has made homelessness a real issue. The situation is verging on a crisis. I am sorry that the new housing Bill has taken so long to emerge. I look forward to the Assembly's debate on it, with reference to the needs and priorities identified by the Committee. Above all, I hope that the Minister recognises the need to prevent homelessness. Only through a proactive policy will we do any more than alleviate the worst effects of homelessness on the homeless themselves and on the whole community. I support the motion.

I support the motion. We are privileged to have had the involvement of two Deputy Chairpersons of the Committee for Social Development, each of whom worked on half of the report. I welcome the Minister's presence, and I thank the Committee staff for their help.

Members mentioned their constituencies, Madam Deputy Speaker, so I hope that you will allow me to mention mine. There is an increase in the incidence of homelessness in my constituency, where new houses are being allocated either this week or next week. Homeless people require 180 points to qualify for priority housing. Someone who presents himself as homeless will be given 70 points; however, other priority needs must be demonstrated in order to acquire 180 points.

A young single female parent with two children, one of whom has a health problem, is homeless in my constituency. She suffers from depression. Most GPs will tell you that many people who have been on the homeless list for a year, as many in my constituency have been, will suffer from depression.

That is why I support the Chairperson of the Committee for Social Development when he says that the effects of homelessness should be the responsibility of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Department of Education and the Department for Employment and Learning. The Health Department has an obvious responsibility because the health of a young mother with two children who has to live in, and move between, bed and breakfasts and hostels will suffer.

Some people say that there is adequate hostel provision in the Derry area - and there is good hostel provision - but the hostels are full, and those people who cannot get into a hostel have to go to bed-and-breakfast accommodation which, as my Colleague Mr ONeill said, they have to vacate after breakfast. If a young mother with two children is faced with that experience, Members will understand how much she and her children will have suffered at the end of a year or more.

The waiting list for houses is growing because of the lack of new build. In the past the Assembly has debated Housing Executive cutbacks. At one time the Housing Executive's budget was a high priority, but its importance has slipped. That priority should be reintroduced to sort out homelessness. I am glad that the Committee for Social Development has prioritised the issue. I know that the Minister will give homelessness the same priority, because any time that he has spoken to the Committee, or to concerned individuals, he has been positive about the issue.

It is not only the Minister for Social Development who is responsible for the homeless. Other Ministers must become involved to ensure that adequate funding is granted to housing when the subject is discussed by the Executive. Social and affordable housing is required, but it will not be the answer to every problem because, as Mr ONeill has said, homeless people face many problems. However, if there were enough houses, the homeless waiting list would not increase year in, year out. If things continue as they are and the same funding is provided by the Housing Executive, there is no reason to believe that the numbers on the waiting list will decrease. I hope that the report's recommendations will go some way towards ensuring that proper funding will be given to housing and that a decrease in the waiting list will be visible.

Other issues and Departments are given priority, so serious consideration must be given to the issue of homelessness. The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Chairperson of the Health Committee have spoken about the prevention of homelessness. If the Assembly is serious about prevention, this is where it begins. If a young mother and her two children are moved from house to house and from hostel to bed and breakfast, what must be the condition of their health?

Homeless people often cannot cope in hostels, and sometimes they are taken in by friends or family members. However, that can lead to overcrowding, which is also difficult to cope with. If a homeless person decides to move out from a friend's or family member's house to try to better themselves, or because of circumstances in that house, they are classed as intentionally homeless. Therefore, the homeless person - and in the case of my example, a mother with two children - is classed as intentionally homeless and is placed at the bottom of the waiting list. If the person is not classed as homeless, he or she may have to wait a couple of years to be housed. Where does that leave the young mother and her two children?

I make that point because it is an example of the kind of case that comes to my office and to the Housing Executive. The Housing Executive should be the body to recommend who should be regarded as homeless; it has been used to working with the issue. The record shows an increase of 15% in the level of homelessness. However, many people are not put on the homeless list, so the situation is worse than has been stated today.

I congratulate the people who made oral and written submissions. It shows the urgency of the problem of homelessness and the priority that they give to it. It is important that Members do the same. Most Members have sat on councils where they have fought and argued for proper funding. They are now in a position to get that funding and to get the relevant Ministers to join with the Minister for Social Development to push for proper funding. I urge the Minister for Social Development to consider making his case to the Executive. I say that not for political point scoring - the Minister makes an excellent case for homeless people and for housing in general. However, if he were to make that case to the Executive, I am sure that the proper funding would be made available.

When the Committee was preparing the report, it was clear that one of the problems over the past few years has been a decrease in the funding available for housing. If that trend continues, we will never come to terms with homelessness problems. In some cases, it is not being treated as a priority, because we do not see cardboard boxes on the streets like those in London and elsewhere. However, as Sir John Gorman pointed out, the figures show that Northern Ireland has the highest rate of homelessness. We are lucky here that friends and relatives step in, but it is getting to the stage where cardboard boxes may be seen on our streets. If that happened, the matter might be treated with the seriousness it deserves, but by then it would be too late because the amount of money required will be even greater. If we get the money that is needed now, we can prevent the cardboard box scenario and stop young people sleeping on the streets. That is what we face unless we take this matter seriously and allocate proper funding to housing.

I congratulate the Committee members who participated in the lengthy deliberations. The Committee Clerk made sure that we went through the subject bit by bit to get this right. I hope that the Minister and the Executive will take the recommendations on board so that the proper funding will be made available. Also I hope that the Minister will join us in supporting the recommendations: no doubt he will. I commend the report to the House.

I support the Committee's recommendations and congratulate it on its work. I want to highlight some of the recommendations and points that have come to my attention.

The recommendations are relevant and helpful, and the need for them has never been more apparent than it is today. I want to highlight some of the facts and figures on homelessness in Northern Ireland. Sometimes statistics can prove what you want them to, but these statistics paint a dark and stark picture of the needs of people in the Province.

The number of people presenting as homeless to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has increased by 15·5%. That is due to increasing social pressures, street violence, deprivation, and - one of the big issues - the lack of affordable and accessible accommodation.

Single people make up a large proportion of those who present themselves as homeless, and they do not always receive the number of points that will adequately reflect their needs or priority. The current points system should be changed - and the quicker, the better. If people are coming to my advice centre about the issue, then others must be going to advice centres across the Province.

Single homeless people can wait a long time, sometimes months, without any hope of accommodation. Homelessness, or potential homelessness, should receive sufficient points to ensure prompt housing. When people come to my advice centre with, for example, 100 to 130 points and we cannot house them, I ask myself, "What is wrong when people have so many points but cannot get housing?" It is particularly worrying.

Several people in my constituency have been in hostels for 12 months while waiting for housing. It must cost the Housing Executive a small fortune to accommodate people on a short-term basis. It is unacceptable and unbelievable in this age. It is unfair for a young family, whether it is a mother with two children, or a mother and father with two children, to live in such accommodation. Fair points allocation would move them through the system long before 12 months pass, and that issue must be addressed. The Minister has indicated that we will examine the issue soon.

I want to give another example - I like to use examples because they help to clarify the issues. In many cases hostel accommodation is unavailable in the areas where people live and where their children go to school. Instead, it is available in places that are completely divorced from their area. For example, people looking for hostel accommodation in Newtownards are being told that there is no accommodation available there, or in Bangor, and that they will have to go to Downpatrick or Larne. It is incredible that people whose children go to schools in the Newtownards area have to find hostel accommodation somewhere else.

Another issue that came to my attention is that people have to go to hostel accommodation in parts of the Province where they do not feel safe. Hostel accommodation can become "hostile" accommodation, and it is a problem for some people.

Young people are especially vulnerable. We have all read the briefs from some organisations, which show that there has been a 50% increase in homelessness in young people in the past four years. Unfortunately, the Housing Executive does not always consider young people to be vulnerable because of their age. However, it should; the social needs of young people show that there is real need. The legislation should be extended to include the 16- to 18-year-old bracket solely on age grounds, and many of us would agree with that.

There is a problem about private accommodation, and that problem occurs regularly. I will use examples again - so forgive me, Madam Deputy Speaker. Minimal private accommodation is available in Ards borough, and what is available is at an exorbitant rent. In many cases, the rent for private two-bedroom accommodation can be between £400 and £500 a week. We all know how housing benefit works, but it cannot cover that level of rent, especially for people who are on other benefits or have special financial circumstances.

The Housing Executive can make a discretionary payment. However, shortfalls occur, especially in rent payments for tenants in private accommodation. The housing benefit system and the availability of discretionary payments need to be reviewed to help people with specific needs or financial problems.

The intentionality clause is sometimes difficult to understand. The Housing Executive decided that some of my constituents became homeless intentionally. Circumstances can, and do, change, not always through the fault of the applicant. The system should be more flexible as regards intentionality.

Recommendation 9, which states that the Housing Executive should be the lead organisation, is an appropriate and helpful suggestion that would focus attention. The Executive was responsible for all housing until a short time ago. It makes sense to allow the Housing Executive to take the lead role in implementing an agreed strategy.

Social housing is a major issue, given the number of people who are looking for a house but cannot get one. Recommendation 21 refers to social housing provision and calls for a review of new-build policy. Such a review would be crucial to ensure that appropriate changes take place in my area. Recently, I asked the Minister for Social Development how many people were on the housing waiting list in the Ards Borough Council area. The number has risen dramatically over recent years, mainly because insufficient accommodation is available. In my discussions with the Housing Executive over the past few weeks, officers said that they could not remember there having been such a slow turnover of housing as there has been during the past month to six weeks. Some applicants with a high number of points cannot get a house; that must frustrate them, because accommodation is normally given to people in that points bracket.

Recommendation 21 states that land must be made available for new-build social housing so that accessible and affordable accommodation can be built in Northern Ireland. Housing associations are not slow to pinpoint or try to obtain land. Unfortunately, however, they do not have as many financial resources as developers or private housing associations, so they cannot buy as much land. The legislation must be changed so that new-build social housing can be addressed as a separate category.

I congratulate the Minister, who has worked hard to deal with the housing problem. Mr Tierney said that if the Minister were a Housing Executive official, much more money would be made available for housing. If Mr Tierney and Housing Executive officials already know about the housing need, they too should address the matter. The Minister and the Committee have worked hard, and the report's recommendations will address the problem.

Recommendation 22 refers to the need for housing units, especially in rural areas. It is often forgotten that not all housing is situated in towns or villages; some of it is in the countryside. I have been approached by many constituents who want a house in the countryside, often because they were brought up there and want to return to their roots. It is unfortunate that there is no strategy to provide rural housing; therefore I commend recommendation 22, which addresses the needs of those who want to live in the countryside.

I commend the report; it contains some good points.

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I join other Members in congratulating the Committee staff for enabling us to carry out the investigation and the thorough way in which they looked for responses to it. The Committee took a wide-ranging look at the entire issue of homelessness and how to eradicate it. The Committee received several submissions, both oral and written. Some responses were very honest, forthright and straightforward; the Committee needed to hear those in order to make the recommendations in the report.

My Colleagues on the Committee for Social Development, and others, have outlined many of the problems that homelessness creates and many of its causes. There is, as we all know, a strong correlation between homelessness and mental illness. A vicious cycle is also created between alcohol and drug abuse and violence. Support services have been unable to cope with people who have been labelled as unco-operative or who make certain lifestyle choices, creating a cycle between prison, hostels and the streets.

Those presumptions must be challenged. They are a cop-out; a way of rationalising and making excuses for the level of homelessness in the Six Counties. There must be a safety net, a link between social services, medical services and the Housing Executive. Educational support for adults is needed to help people to rebuild shattered lives, regain confidence and earn a living. We must also enable people to acquire the skills to run and keep a home. More health education is needed, as is more awareness in the health agencies of homelessness and its detrimental effect on health.

I welcome pilot schemes and initiatives by the Department of Education to help with peer education. The Department has brought young people into schools to talk to their peers about homelessness, how a person might become homeless and the difficulties of living on the streets, which are often glossed over. Young people can often romanticise the notion of being homeless, but bringing other young people in to talk to students about the harsh reality of homelessness and how it impacts upon them has been a big help. I congratulate the Minister of Education for introducing that initiative and encourage other Ministers to do likewise.

We must also bring services to homeless people, as they often cannot avail of services on a 9-to-5 basis. Services must cater to people's needs. If services are provided but not used, they are often removed. We must ensure that the services that are provided are easily accessible and that homeless people avail of them. A more progressive definition of homelessness must be developed. There is legislation on the horizon from the Minister for Social Development, Nigel Dodds, but Sinn Féin will try to ensure that the best definition is arrived at to make sure that people do not fall through the safety net.

There must be an immediate increase in the number of available hostel beds. That came through strongly in compiling the Committee's report. We must ensure that people are not caught in the traps created by the definition of homelessness. Initiatives such as the one in Strabane have identified a specific need and catered for it accordingly. More funding is needed for that type of hostel accommodation. That kind of imaginative approach has been lacking, and we must ensure that we think outside the box and come up with new ideas to try to completely eradicate homelessness.

The issue of catchment areas must also be addressed. Homelessness, by its very nature, means that people drift from one area to another and can end up falling between two stools. Now that we have started to get rid of the loopholes, we must create a watertight safety net to ensure that people cannot fall out of sight and to ensure that people get the services that they need. Let us take as an example the reduction in the number of psychiatric beds in the Twenty-six Counties in the 1980s from 20,000 to 2,000. That reduction, which was mirrored in the Six Counties in the Thatcher era, was staggering and created huge problems.

More psychiatric beds alone are not the answer. We must ensure that those leaving hospital are given appropriate accommodation and, more importantly, support. That does not happen now. People with varied problems are often placed in environments which are not good for them, and they cannot cope. The effects of the ending of transitional housing benefit must also be examined, as must the introduction of the Supporting People programme and its impact on the number of homeless people.

We must deal too with young homeless women. The increase in the number of women with mental illness has been well documented, but the number of women facing domestic violence has increased. They have to flee unsafe relationships, and it was clear to the Committee that hostel facilities specifically for women are inadequate. We need accommodation which is secure and safe from violent partners, and other hostel residents for women and children. Women's Aid does sterling work, but more funding is needed to ensure that such women have a safe haven.

Rural homelessness is often hidden. People feel isolated because there are no facilities at all and end up sleeping on friends' floors. The extent of rural homelessness does not show up in the statistics. The levels of unfitness in rural areas must be investigated. I have previously said here that Fermanagh's level is 17·5%, and tackling that would lower the number of homeless people.

Furthermore, we have young people who leave care and find themselves homeless. There are no support services to help them get on their feet. More imaginative ways of helping such young people to find and keep a home must be considered. Eileen Bell referred to the event earlier this year at which we spoke to several children in care. They asked about the likes of the cost of a television licence, a huge expense to a 17- or 18-year old who is trying to get by on a small amount of money. We often take such things for granted, but children who leave care have more problems maintaining a home.

There must be a holistic approach to eradicating homelessness. It is not for the Department for Social Development and its Committee alone to investigate homelessness and its effects. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Department of Education and the Department of Finance and Personnel must examine the position. Funding must be made available, and I echo John Tierney's call for the Minister to ask the Executive for increased funding to ensure that the number of homeless people is reduced. It is an indictment of the Assembly that the number continues to rise. We must ensure that that trend is reversed and that homelessness is eradicated.

I shall be brief. Although I am not a Member of the Committee for Social Development, I firmly believe that it is right for all Members to support this report. I thank the Committee for Social Development, led by Fred Cobain, and everyone who was involved in the research.

I am shocked by the startling homelessness statistics, which show that there are homeless people throughout Northern Ireland. The death rate for rough sleepers under the age of 30 is 40 times the Northern Ireland average, and their lives are characterised by ill health and disability.

The report highlights an increase in the number of homeless people, which is extremely worrying. That suggests that the present system does not help the situation and is not, therefore, satisfactory. New legislation that will get to the core of the problem is needed. In days gone by, we could have blamed direct rule, but, with the devolved Administration, we no longer have that excuse.

It is also worrying to note that Northern Ireland has a higher proportion of homelessness than other parts of the United Kingdom. From a moral perspective, everyone should acknowledge the problems that the report highlights. The homelessness issue is not simplistic, and, therefore, any proposed measures must be carefully considered. As the Committee Chairperson said, it is not only a matter for the Minister for Social Development, but one that should involve the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Minister of Education and the Minister for Employment and Learning. A co-ordinated, well-organised and proactive campaign is needed. The Council of Europe's study group on homelessness recognised that fact. It stated that

Homelessness also affects people's health, with 30% to 50% of homeless people having mental health problems. Therefore, the Mental Health Commission must become involved. However, as Members know, that group is underfunded and overstretched. Homeless people often find it difficult to register with a GP or a dentist. Undoubtedly, that is linked to people's perceptions of the homeless, thus an educational campaign would be helpful. Therefore, I welcome recommendation 20 of the report.

There must be appropriate legislation to minimise the problem of homelessness. Since the Assembly was established, there have been calls for legislation. However, nothing has come before the House, but, as Members have been told, that may change in the next few weeks. The Minister for Social Development understands the seriousness of the issue, and I welcome any legislation aimed at tackling the root of the problem.

I am sure that Members recall the name of Fred West, the multiple murderer. Many young people, and probably many more about whom we did not know, lost their lives. It is important to point out that those people were young and homeless. West's crimes are significant because they represent the pinnacle of evil. Many thousands of young people may not quite meet the same fate as Fred West's victims, but their suffering and poor health, which they continue to endure, are important.

I congratulate the Committee for Social Development on its excellent report. I also congratulate the Chairperson of that Committee, Mr Fred Cobain, on writing to me as Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety inviting my Committee to participate in the inquiry. My Committee's contribution was relevant.

The Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety welcomes the report. It is useful and timely, and it addresses the real needs of a vulnerable section of our community. The sign of a caring society is the extent to which it meets the needs of all sections of the community, including the homeless. Several of the recommendations are particularly relevant to the Health Committee. We are now dealing with the Children (Leaving Care) Bill, which addresses the needs of vulnerable young people who leave care. The Committee has welcomed the action that the Bill proposes to ensure that suitable accommodation is provided for those young people. Departments and agencies must liaise with each other to ensure that accommodation is made available.

The report proposes that there should be a revised definition of homelessness. I would welcome that.

is a good definition that can be recommended.

Recommendation 3 mentions a "'case conferencing system'". Wearing my GP's hat, and as one who participated in many case conferences about child abuse over the years at which social workers, community nurses and others were present, I welcome that recommendation. Case conferencing is the most effective way to deal with that matter. I strongly welcome the case conferencing system and encourage its establishment.

I do not like the expression "intentionally homeless." Some people are intentionally homeless, but that requires definition. Young people leave their homes for many reasons; perhaps there are problems in the home, or the young person could have their own problems.

I have nothing but praise for the outstanding work that the Housing Executive has done. Its former chief executive, Sir John Gorman, is present in the Chamber and spoke earlier in the debate. If somebody is homeless the Housing Executive does its best, but if a primary-care worker, such as a GP, wants to involve a social worker for assessment purposes, I often find that social services say that the request must come from the Housing Executive. That makes that principle farcical. The people with whom you deal in the Housing Executive are not social workers; that is an important point.

Doctors working for the Eastern Health Board write reports based on a GP's letter or another document that has come before them, even though they may not have seen the person involved. That is important if we consider the idea of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Department for Social Development and other relevant Departments working hand-in-hand.

The Minister of Health wrote to Mr Cobain drawing attention to 'Investing for Health', which acknowledges the negative impact of homelessness on health. "Negative impact" is an understatement. The Minister goes on to say that it is well known that surveys have shown high levels of mental illness among people living in temporary shelters or sleeping rough. They have complex needs. 'Investing for Health' goes on and on about that.

One of the most important parts of the Children (Leaving Care) Bill provides for personal advisers for young people leaving care. I appreciate that homelessness relates to everyone who is homeless, but I will concentrate on young people. Personal advisers, who will be appointed by the relevant trusts, will play a key role in helping young people towards adulthood through education and training, and will help to prevent homelessness.

Recommendation 6 of the report states:

The report also goes on to state the need to ensure that

I assure the members of the Committee for Social Development and the Minister that the clauses in the Bill are most relevant to the issue.

A young person may not have parents, for one reason or another, or the parents may not be available. Therefore, it will be important that the Housing Executive and all relevant authorities work through the personal adviser to help the young person towards adulthood.

The Bill also contains provision for a pathway plan for the young person who is being released into the community. The plan will cover education and training, but it will also help to prevent homelessness. The plan will cover the young person's health up to the age of 21. Members can see that it will be important that the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Department for Social Development work closely together in this aspect.

It is vital that the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety define what is meant by "suitable accommodation" for young people leaving care. It is also vital that landlords be suitable and care for this vulnerable section of our community. The Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety will be scrutinising the actions of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in the coming months to ensure that guidance to boards and trusts addresses those accommodation needs. That will be the key to preventing homelessness. Many of the young people have low self-esteem.

Clause 6 in the Children (Leaving Care) Bill deals with the transfer of benefits from the Social Security Agency to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Many of the bodies that the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety spoke to, including the National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children, were anxious that the clause should be withdrawn. However, the Committee, having discussed the matter with departmental officials, understands why it is necessary to transfer benefits - the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety will be taking a parental role for those young people. I am not entering into that debate at the moment. The Committee is aware of the issue but has not made up its mind as to whether to accept clause 6, and the Minister is aware of the matter.

The Department for Social Development, the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and other relevant bodies, such as the Health Promotion Agency, need to be involved and need to liaise on the matter. Health boards and trusts have a major role to play in promoting health.

Earlier, John Tierney spoke about the new system for borrowing money that was announced after the visit from the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Although it will be a loan, a great deal of money will be made available that should be used to tackle the problem of homelessness.

Although I welcome the entire report by the Committee for Social Development, I am not happy with recommendation 9, which states:

I could not disagree with that. However, the recommendation continues by stating that the approach should be

I am a great supporter of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I also support the idea that an interdepartmental group with expertise in that field should be set up. In particular, such a group should include the Department for Social Development and the Department of Heath, Social Services and Public Safety. However, I totally disagree with the proposal that that group should be led and managed by the Housing Executive. I have nothing but respect for the Housing Executive, but so many professionals would need to be involved and so much expertise would be required. The Housing Executive would need to employ many professionals in the fields of health, social development and other areas, so I do not see it as the leader of such a group.

As a public representative, I have been dealing with the Housing Executive for more years than I care to count. I am glad that the Minister is present when I say that I would prefer the people with expertise to be brought together in an interdepartmental group that could work side by side with the Housing Executive. Some might argue that it does not matter who leads whom, but the Housing Executive, which is not a departmental body, should not lead the group. I agree with the spirit, but not the substance, of recommendation 9.

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