This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Award for Homelessness Act
06/11/2003
The Executive's progressive approach to tackling
homelessness has won an international human rights
award and has been praised as a model for other
countries.
The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE),
based inSwitzerland, has awardedScotlandthe Housing Rights Protector Award for passing the
Homelessness (Scotland) Act 2003, as an example of legislation that
protects human rights and safeguards human
dignity.
Communities Minister Margaret Curran said:
"I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of
the Scottish Executive. The Homelessness Act was the
culmination of a long process which began with the
establishment of the Homelessness Task Force in 1999.
After two years of research, their recommendations
formed the basis for our legislation.
"In those four years, we have transformed the
rights of homeless people. Homelessness is a
multi-faceted issue which will not be resolved
overnight. We have allocated considerable resources -
£127 million over three years - to implement our
policies and ensure services match the needs of
homeless people.
"In accepting this award I would like to thank local
authorities, homelessness groups and our other partners for
helping shape the legislation and for their commitment to
delivery. Our aim is that every homeless person inScotlandwill be offered permanent accommodation by 2012. We
still have work to do, and that goes on, but I am delighted
that our achievements so far have been
rewarded."
Scott Leckie, Executive Director of COHRE
said:
"By giving the Protector Award this year to the
Scottish Executive, we are making the important point that
housing rights are real rights, capable of full
implementation by Governments, and able to be enforced by
homeless and inadequately housed people. We encourage all
countries to take housing rights as seriously asScotland."
Deputy Communities Minister Mary Mulligan
said:
"The greatest challenge, but also certainly the
greatest opportunity, in delivering change in homelessness
services is effective joint working. The process of
looking at issues - homelessness, housing supply, housing
support - strategically depends on a partnership approach.
A homeless person requires suitable
accommodation - like all of us they may require other
services too.
"We must ensure that homelessness does not make
services inaccessible to people. We must ensure that
services are provided at the right time and in the
right way, and we must ensure that in delivering change
together, the emphasis is on the 'together'."
The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions is an
international human rights Non Governmental Oranisation
(NGO) devoted to economic, social and cultural rights. A
formal presentation to the Executive is expected to take
place in early 2004.
Visit the
COHRE website for
more information about their work.
The
Homelessness (
Scotland
) Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament on5th March 2003.