Thank you for contacting me about the Vagrancy Act 1824 and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill.
I recognise your concern with the Vagrancy Act, specifically in regard to its provisions for rough sleepers. As a piece of legislation that is almost 200 years old, it is right that the Government is undertaking a review into the Act to ensure it is fit for purpose.
As you might be aware, under the Cross-Government Rough Sleeping Strategy published in 2018, the Government committed to review legislation around homelessness and rough sleeping, including the Vagrancy Act, to ensure the best measures are in place. It is my understanding that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has noted that this is a complex issue and is looking at all the options. I am told that an update on the Government's findings will be provided in due course.
On the issue of rough sleeping, I am delighted that work continues in this area to ensure vulnerable people are helped off the street for good. For example, the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (2021/22-2023/24) is helping local authorities and registered providers to offer move-on homes and accompanying support services to people rough sleeping or those with a history of rough sleeping.
Originally announced in May 2020, the Government committed £433 million to this programme which aims to provide 6,000 homes to achieve a sustainable reduction in rough sleeping. This represents the largest ever investment in longer-term move on accommodation for this group and will provide some of the most vulnerable in society with a place to live and help them to rebuild their lives.
As part of the passage of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, Peers voted to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824. While I agree, of course, that no one should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live or for sleeping rough, I do not think it is appropriate or wise to make such a drastic change to the statute book without fully understanding its ramifications. The Government is fully committed to reviewing the Vagrancy Act and it is important that due consideration is given to how and why the Act is still used to tackle begging and what impact any changes to the Act will have. This includes consideration of any legislative gap left by repeal that may impact the police’s ability to deal with begging.
Please be assured that the Government has confirmed its intention to repeal the outdated Act and replacing it with much more modern, fit-for-purpose legislation when parliamentary time allows. Until the review into the Act is complete, however, its repeal would be premature, possibly leaving concerning gaps in legislation.
House building
Everyone deserves a home to call their own and affordability is key to ensuring people can do so. I welcome the Government's commitment to building 300,000 new homes of all tenures each year by the mid-2020s, and great progress has been made with over 240,000 homes delivered in 2019-20 - the highest number in over 30 years.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Craig Whittaker MP
January 2022