Can the perpetuation of homelessness be blamed on well-meaning people?
Malcolm Bruce: Giving people soup doesn’t solve the problem of homelessness. The system has made people homeless and many people are not able to solve the problem alone. Young people are denied access to the housing list and affordable council housing is being sold and not replaced. Deborah Orr: I agree, but having a Rough Sleepers’ Unit only addresses one symptom of a much broader structural problem. Jonathan Edwards: Lots of people give huge amounts of time to help the homeless. Mother Theresa was also accused of the same thing. Mo Mowlam: I’m in charge of the Rough Sleepers’ Unit and on the board of the Big Issue. They provide sensible help to get people off the streets. We can’t stop human kindness but as a government we have a combination of things we have to do. David Willetts: The attack on the Big Issue was a serious mistake because it’s trying to help people into jobs. I’m not sure this joined-up government is going to solve it. It’s a complicated issue. Return to the top of t