HC Deb 27 July 1966 vol 732 cc272-3W
45. Mr. Faulds

asked the Minister without Portfolio why there has been a delay in the publication of the provisional figures of rough-sleeping and homeless single persons from the survey undertaken by the National Assistance Board in December, 1965.

Mr. Houghton

I regret the delay. The reason is the care taken by the National Assistance Board in conducting this survey and their desire to make it a deep and worthwhile study of the problem. The full report is nearly ready and will be published as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the following figures are available:

Survey of Homeless Single Persons
On the night of 6th December, 1965 the total number of single persons sleeping rough, using reception centres and living in lodging houses and hostels was as follows:
Sleeping rough 965
In reception centres 1,254
Living in lodging houses and hostels 28,921
Total 31,140

The search for people sleeping rough was made by 1,250 officers of the Board and about 150 voluntary workers and covered about 2,800 different places. The 965 persons comprised 920 men and 45 women. Of these, 827 men and all the women were found in England; 40 men were found in Wales and 53 in Scotland.

The lodging houses and hostels comprised some 550 establishments, which catered, even if only marginally, for the type of unsettled single person with whom the Survey was concerned. The 550 establishments provided accommodation for about 32,000 men and 2,600 women. The 28,921 persons accommodated on the night of 6th December comprised 27,118 men and 1,803 women and therefore about 5,000 beds for men and 800 for women were unoccupied. Some 340 of the 550 establishments were stated, however, on occasion to have to turn people away because of lack of accommodation.

In addition to the count of persons and establishments the Survey covered interviews with lodging-house residents, users of reception centres and persons who were without accommodation when they made application at a Board's office in the week beginning 6th December, 1965; and also the medical examination of reception centre users at a later date.