§ Mr. Aitkenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons in the Thanet area were homeless at the last available date.
§ Mr. KaufmanFigures for the Thanet area on its own are not available. The number of people in temporary accommodation in Kent at 30th September 1974 was 2,275.
§ Mr. Douglas-Mannasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the next steps the Government propose to take on their review of homelessness.
§ Mr. FreesonThe Department, in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Security and the Welsh Office, has sent a joint consultation paper to the local authority associations and to a number of voluntary organisations and other bodies concerned. It invites views on, in particular, the need for legislation to clarify the rôles of housing and social services authorities, and the range of statutory provisions under which they operate; and also on methods of improving co-operation within and between local authorities and departments. At the same time, the Departments have asked all local authorities in England and Wales with housing or social services responsibilities a number of questions about their implementation of the joint circular on homelessness of February 1974. The information received will also be vital background to the views being sought on the consultation paper from representative organisations. While the review is going forward I consider it essential for local authorities to observe the recommendations in the joint circular.