Iain Wright MP, Labour’s Housing Minister, has challenged the Tories to take rough sleeping seriously on the launch of a new Government action plan.

The Housing Minister said: “Over the last ten years, we’ve seen major reductions in the number of rough sleepers. But we can do more to drive this figure down further. Our ambition should be to get rough sleeping down to as close to zero as possible. We need to change all hostels from simply beds for the night into places where an individual can learn skills that will help them back into a stable home and a stable working life.

“When the Tories were last in power the numbers of rough sleepers were not consistently recorded. With Labour the number of people who are sleeping rough is down to fewer than 500 – a reduction of 73 per cent.

“It’s all very well for the Tories’ housing spokesperson to spend a night sleeping outdoors for a PR stunt – but the Tories need to get serious and promise to match Labour’s biggest ever cash injection to help Britain’s most vulnerable off our streets.

“And until the Tories stop opposing new housebuilding and get behind our ambitious targets, those in need of more affordable housing to rent or buy will not be able to take them seriously. David Cameron must show some leadership and stand up to NIMBYs in his party.”

The new action plan is to reduce rough sleeping to as close to zero as possible, with new measures to help those who have remained entrenched on the streets.

The cornerstone will be the £70 million Places of Change capital investment in homeless centres, providing personalised support to meet the individual needs of homeless people and increase their aspirations around training and employment.