HL Deb 24 January 1990 vol 514 cc1058-60

2.57 p.m.

Baroness Fisher of Rednal asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will quantify the financial and other resources made available to local authorities in order to fulfil their obligations to house the homeless arising from the recent review of the homelessness legislation by the Department of the Environment.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Hesketh)

My Lords, the Government's overall aim in their housing policy is that a decent home should be within reach of every family. This will be achieved through much improved targeting of public expenditure.

Baroness Fisher of Rednal

My Lords, in addition to the remarks that he has just made, can the Minister say how many new lettings he expects to be provided as a result of these new statistics? Further, can the Minister say how far they go towards satisfying the demands of the homeless?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, in 1990–91 the total capital expenditure on housing will be some £4.41 billion. I am sure that the noble Baroness will be aware that, on top of that figure, over the next two years the Government have a commitment to provide £250 million specifically for the relief of homelessness.

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, while we bounce statistics across the Dispatch Box to one another, the Government's own report on this subject shows a requirement for a million new homes to be built for rent by the turn of the century? Is the Minister further aware that the consensus opinion of the people grappling with this problem is that the only way to solve it is through a substantial increase in the building of low-cost property for rent so that a low level of rent can be reflected in the cost of the housing? Have the Government any plans for dealing with this matter? The present building programme is totally inadequate to deal with this problem and its current dimensions.

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, in answer to the first part of the noble Lord's question, I am sure he does not believe that this question provides a suitable means for dealing with the matter of housing requirements in this country between now and the year 2000 and the provision of a million units, to which he referred. However, I can assure your Lordships that the £250 million to which I referred relates to some 15,000 units in London and the South-East. The Association of London Authorities has referred to a figure of some £208 million. It is clear from those two figures that the Government have more than met the demand in the greatest area of pressure that we face today; namely, to remove the homeless from bed and breakfast accommodation.

Lord Dean of Beswick

My Lords, if that is the case, will the Minister explain why, day by day, the number of homeless people in other major cities is increasing dramatically? What is the answer to that problem, or do the Government not have one?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the Government certainly do have an answer to the problem raised by the noble Lord. With the new capital resources introduced by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, we have produced the new generalised needs index, which we believe will accommodate those requirements outside the pressure area of the South-East and London.

Lord Murray of Epping Forest

My Lords, given the fact of the high and rising proportion of homeless people who are former in-patients of psychiatric hospitals, can the Minister confirm that resources are to be made available under the new mental health grant scheme to house between 300 and 500 of those people? Can he also say what provision will be made for the rest of these people, as at least 1,000 people discharged from psychiatric hospitals are not in squats or in bedsits but are now sleeping rough on London's streets alone?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the Government are well aware of the problems raised by the noble Lord. Part of the problem goes wide of the Question on the Order Paper. The Government have nonetheless recognised the problem of homelessness. We have suggested and produced a figure of £250 million, which, as I pointed out earlier, is in excess of the figure suggested by the Association of London Authorities to alleviate the problem in London and the South-East.

Lord Murray of Epping Forest

My Lords, perhaps I may point this out. More than 40 per cent. Of homeless people on the streets of London have histories of mental instability and of being in psychiatric hospitals and my question was far from being wide of the Question on the Order Paper. It dealt with the central issue of homelessness which is referred to in the Question.

Viscount Brentford

My Lords, in addition to the financial contribution being made for people released from institutions and those who are members of homeless families, is my noble friend contemplating any provision for the single homeless of whom there are many around our streets?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the Government recognise that "homeless" as a definition encompasses all of the population, and not only families.

Earl Russell

My Lords, will the Minister comment on the work done by the Salvation Army in providing shelter for the homeless, and in particular on the recent financial difficulties of Salvation Army hostels? How far might these result in problems in the system of payments by the Department of Social Security, especially in regard to the habit of paying benefit in arrears?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, the Government recognise and welcome the contribution made by the voluntary sector. I would point out that within the financial package for the homeless which I mentioned earlier, some £2 million is allocated to the voluntary sector.