Homelessness (London) (Hansard, 8 May 1990)

§ Q1 Mr. Corbyn
To ask the Prime Minister what further plans she has to alleviate homelessness in London.

§ The Prime Minister (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)
My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning announced on 27 March additional allocations of £88 million to London boroughs in 1990–91 to relieve homelessness, in particular to move homeless families out of unsatisfactory bed and breakfast accommodation. The Housing Corporation has also announced details of £45 million-worth of schemes to help the homeless over a two-year period. This year, we are increasing to £2 million the support that we give to voluntary organisations who help and advise the homeless.

§ Mr. Corbyn
Will the Prime Minister accept that, 10 years ago, in 1979, there were 2,750 households in temporary accommodation in London, that the current figure is over 25,000 and that a further 2,000 people are sleeping on the streets? When her Government asked the local authorities what resources they required to deal with the homeless problem in London, they asked for at least £480 million. They were given less than one sixth of what they wanted. Does she agree that, when people sleep on the streets of our capital city, when people are charged exorbitant rents and when children are brought up in bed-in-breakfast hotels it is a disgrace to a civilised country?

§ The Prime Minister
I announced considerable extra expenditure to relieve homelessness. The hon. Gentleman will also be aware that a considerable number of council properties are empty which, if they were brought into use more quickly, could reduce the number of homeless. For example, in Islington, there are 1,162 empty properties. If the properties were turned around much more quickly, that would make a great contribution to relieving homelessness.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
Four out of five are private.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order.

§ Sir George Young
Is my right hon. Friend aware that homelessness in London will be tackled more effectively following the gain by the Conservatives of Ealing council last Thursday, when a Labour majority of 20 was converted into a Tory majority of 10? Does she agree that the cause of homelessness is not served by leaving properties empty for long periods or by allowing squatters to take control of them, and that a Conservative administration is pledged to make the best possible use of the housing stock?

§ The Prime Minister
Yes. I wholly agree with my hon. Friend. The Conservative administration will manage the housing stock very much more efficiently in the interests of everyone and will manage the whole of the local authority's expenditure more economically and better than the Labour authority of the past.