Concerns of White Paper

Concerns that White Paper on housing will be "significantly weaker" than expected

In response to changing the name of the long-awaited White Paper on housing by the Welsh Government, Cymdeithas yr Iaith have warned that it may turn out to be "significantly weaker" than expected and that it will not include a sufficiently radical policy shift to address the housing crisis facing the people of Wales.

As part of the Cooperation Agreement with Plaid Cymru, signed in 2021, the Welsh Government committed to “publish a White Paper to include proposals for a right to adequate housing” before the end of this Senedd term. The White Paper is expected to be published before the end of the month.

However, in a scrutiny session at the Senedd's Local Government and Housing Committee meeting on 10 October, the Welsh Government's Deputy Director of Housing Policy referred to the White Paper as one on "housing adequacy, fair rents and affordability", omitting the word "right ” completely.

The "right to adequate housing" is a principle promoted by the United Nations, and several organizations in Wales, including Cymdeithas yr Iaith and Shelter Cymru, are campaigning for its establishment in Welsh law. Enshrining the right would place a duty on the Welsh Government to ensure that suitable, affordable housing is available locally to everyone in Wales.

Expanding on the movement’s concerns, Jeff Smith, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s Communities Group, said:

"It would be extremely disappointing if the Welsh Government dropped the core principle of the White Paper it committed to three years ago, which is to establish the right to adequate housing. Without that, the value of publishing the White Paper must be questioned.

"Communities across Wales can testify to the crisis they face due to the failure of the open housing market to provide homes for local people. Unfortunately, the Welsh Government does not seem to understand this crisis.

"Cymdeithas yr Iaith are calling for the introduction of a comprehensive Property Act which would, among other things, incorporate the right to adequate housing into Welsh law, alongside the already established rights to education or healthcare. That is the only way to ensure a future for our communities, but the Welsh Government's White Paper is likely to be significantly weaker than that."