§ Mr. Whitakerasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government, what is the approximate number of people who are on housing waiting lists and homeless, respectively, in Greater London; and what is his estimate of the number of people, at the standard area for council flats, who could be housed in the area of empty new offices in Greater London.
§ Mr. GreenwoodComprehensive figures about families now on housing waiting lists in Greater London are not available. At 31st March, 1968 there were 9,034 homeless people in temporary accommodation provided by the London borough councils. Office buildings would need costly adaptations to convert them into satisfactory dwellings and the money and labour required can be better used in providing purpose-built dwellings in areas more appropriate for residential use. Such dwellings are being provided 305W on an increasing scale. I do not, therefore, feel able to make the estimate requested by my hon. Friend.