§ 34. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health how many families and persons within local authority areas in the County of Essex are now in emergency accommodation pending transference to suitable accommodation; and what record he has of those who have been residing in such accommodation for six months, one year and two years and over, respectively.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Patricia Hornsby-Smith)The county council is at present providing temporary accommodation for sixty-one families, comprising sixteen men, sixty-one women and 198 children; of these, nineteen families have been accommodated for periods up to six months, thirteen families for six to twelve months, fourteen families for one to two years, and fifteen families over two years.
§ Mr. SorensenIn view of these figures, does not the hon. Lady consider that something more should be done to try to get some of the more unfortunate inhabitants of these rest houses out of them and into more appropriate accommodation?
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithI have great sympathy with the point made by the hon. Member—indeed, I am sure the county council would be delighted if that wish could be fulfilled—but the allocation of housing accommodation is a matter entirely for the local authorities, which, in some cases, are very loath to take back families who may have come to the centres as problem families or because of arrears of rent. We are, however, in touch with the local authorities and are doing our best to obtain permanent housing accommodation for them; but as I have said, the allocation is entirely in the hands of the local authority.