Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)

It is welcome to hear there will be targeted measures. It is unfortunate there will not be a second tier of child benefit in this budget. It comes back to the real issue about homelessness. We know it from all around the country.A ban on evicting could be introduced quickly and easily which would stop the eviction of a family who has received a notice to quit until social housing is built. I acknowledge the commitment to build more social housing but, in the meantime, children are being evicted into homelessness and we know the impact of that will live with them for the rest of their lives. I am disappointed to hear that this issue cannot be addressed in this budget but I appreciate the Minister coming in. We still have a week to go before the budget is announced so I hope that will be something that can be looked at again to bring in a ban on evicting children into homelessness.