Homeless Persons (Hansard, 30 July 1984)

§ Mr. Craigen
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will produce all eight tables of information relating to Scottish applicant households under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 for 1981–82 and 1982–83 in the form as published in Scottish Housing Statistics Nos. 6, 10 and 15.

§ Mr. Ancram
All the information required to produce the eight tables in Scottish Housing Statistics Nos. 6, 10 and 15 is no longer collected centrally. Tables giving details of the operation of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 in 1981–82, based on the information now collected centrally, were published in Scottish Housing Statistics No. 19. Tables giving similar information for 1982–83 are as follows:
93W

Reason for loss of accommodation Type of priority need Total

Household with dependent children Household Number Pregnant Household member vulnerable because of: Household homeless in emergency Household not in priority need Number Percentage

Old age Physical disability Mental illness Other special reasons

Other 1,134 188 207 89 63 352 53 548 2,634 17.2

— — — — — — — — — —

Total: Number 8,739 1,424 681 301 137 1,074 513 2,451 15,320 100.0

Percentage 57.0 9.3 4.4 2.0 0.9 7.0 3.3 16.0 100.0

Table 3

Applicant household by circumstances as assessed by the authority and type of accommodation secured 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983

Type of accommodation secure Total

Circumstances as assessed by the authority Both permanent and short-stay accommodation Permanent accommodation only Short-stay accommodation only None Transferred to another authority Accommodation to be provided but type not yet determined Number Percentage

Priority homeless, unintentional, local connection 1,878 3,175 626 36 3 36 5,754 40.2

Priority homeless, unintentional, no local connection, threat of violence 55 45 49 2 — 3 154 1.1

Priority homeless, unintentional, no local connection, threat of violence 12 17 33 24 57 1 144 1.0

Priority homeless, intentional 117 55 238 46 6 7 469 3.3

Non-priority homeless 18 32 341 727 — 2 1,120 7.8

Priority potentially homeless, unintentional 236 249 305 28 6 73 897 6.3

Priority potentially homeless, intentional 24 47 89 147 1 8 316 2.2

Non-priority, potentially homeless 10 47 93 446 2 10 608 4.2

Neither homeless, nor potentially homeless 64 91 319 937 5 10 1,426 10.0

Contact lost, etc. 5 29 5 3,386 1 — 3,426 23.9

Total number 2,419 3,787 2,098 5,779 81 150 14,314 100.0

Total percentage 16.9 26.5 14.7 40.4 0.6 1.0 100.0

Table 4

Homelessness in Scotland Summary of district returns 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983

Applicants Applications assessed as in priority groups

Area Number Per 1,000 households Number Number intentionally homeless Number of applicants for whom permanent accommodation secured Number of applicants for whom only short stay accommodation secured Number of applicants in short stay accommodation on 31 March 1983

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

SCOTLAND 14,314 7.8 1734 785 6,206 2,098 696

Borders 57 1.5 55 1 32 22 8

Berwickshire 10 1.5 9 — 9 — 2

Ettrick and Lauderdale 23 1.8 22 1 21 — 1

Roxburgh 24 1.8 24 — 2 22 5

Tweeddale — — — — — — —

Central 775 8.1 591 15 530 54 23

Clackmannan 288 17.1 228 2 230 — —

Falkirk 152 3.0 149 5 103 44 8

Stirling 335 11.9 214 8 197 10 15

Dumfries and Galloway 277 5.4 233 22 208 21 17

Annandale and Eskdale 57 4.4 54 1 53 1 6

Nithedale 148 7.4 126 16 108 15 6

Stewartry 52 6.3 35 5 30 3 2

Wigtown 20 1.9 18 — 17 2 3

Fife 693 5.6 479 53 384 95 24

Dunfermline 292 6.5 254 10 246 12 13

Kirkcaldy 216 4.0 167 31 107 64 11

North East Fife 185 7.7 58 12 31 19 —

Grampian 929 5.4 383 96 167 148 14

City of Aberdeen 714 9.1 217 54 62 118 6

Banff and Buchan 12 0.4 12 — 11 1 3

Gordon 19 0.9 14 2 13 3 4

Kincardine and Deeside 16 1.1 14 — 13 1 —

Moray 168 5.8 126 40 68 25 1

Highland 134 2.0 93 10 41 51 27

Badenoch and Strathspey — — — — — — —

Caithness 8 0.8 8 3 2 6 3

94W 95W

Applicants Applications assessed as in priority groups

Area Number Per 1,000 households Number Number intentionally homeless Number of applicants for whom permanent accommodation secured Number of applicants for whom only short stay accommodation secured Number of applicants in short stay accommodation on 31 March1983

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

Inverness 5 0.3 1 — 1 1 13

Lochaber 77 11.8 44 5 36 15 —

Nairn 44 12.6 40 2 2 29 5

Ross and Cromarty — — — — — — —

Skye and Lochalsh — — — — — — 6

Sutherland — — — — — — —

Lothian 1,591 5.9 706 220 365 379 36

East Lothian 272 9.5 207 11 88 91 4

City of Edinburgh 945 5.6 284 117 192 175 18

Midlothian 210 7.6 96 59 15 46 7

West Lothian 164 3.5 119 33 70 67 7

Strathclyde 9,051 10.8 4,631 312 4,001 1,289 498

Argyll and Bute 111 4.8 60 5 56 2 —

Bearsden and Milngavie — — — — — — —

Clydebank 124 6.8 89 2 53 34 13

Clydesdale 23 1.2 23 — 22 1 11

Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 261 13.0 156 11 136 7 —

Cumnock and Doon Valley 33 2.2 27 2 24 1 2

Cunninghame 181 3.8 155 1 120 32 3

Dumbarton 337 12.4 91 13 114 13 —

East Kilbride 257 9.3 191 19 33 171 32

Eastwood 8 0.4 8 — — 8 1

City of Glasgow 4,509 16.2 1,974 40 1,928 79 323

Hamilton 362 9.8 255 63 111 220 9

Inverclyde 306 8.7 146 13 137 24 14

Kilmarnock and Loudoun 83 2.8 57 7 47 7 2

Kyle and Carrick 240 5.9 201 21 163 38 15

Monklands 468 12.9 91 24 6 336 8

Motherwell 930 18.3 499 48 453 279 36

Renfrew 595 8.2 433 35 441 23 27

Strathkelvin 223 8.0 175 8 157 14 2

Tayside 694 4.7 487 51 444 27 18

Angus 167 4.9 102 8 81 25 6

City of Dundee 189 2.7 174 31 171 2 10

Perth and Kinross 338 7.7 211 12 192 — 2

Islands Council 113 4.6 76 5 34 12 31

Orkney 5 0.7 4 2 1 2 1

Shetland 69 9.0 39 2 2 7 18

Western Isles 39 3.8 33 1 31 3 12

§ Mr. Craigen
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why his Department has stopped collecting part of the data about applicant households under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977; and what consultations preceded this decision.

§ Mr. Ancram
In the review of the Government statistical services carried out in 1980–81, Sir Derek (now Lord) Rayner recommended that the information collected to monitor the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 should be reduced. The information now collected centrally in Scotland reflects the recommendations of a working group set up to give effect to the Rayner recommendation. The group included representatives nominated by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

Reason for loss of accommodation	Type of priority need	Total
	Household with dependent children	Household Number Pregnant	Household member vulnerable because of:	Household homeless in emergency	Household not in priority need	Number	Percentage
			Old age	Physical disability	Mental illness	Other special reasons
Other	1,134	188	207	89	63	352	53	548	2,634	17.2
	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total: Number	8,739	1,424	681	301	137	1,074	513	2,451	15,320	100.0
Percentage	57.0	9.3	4.4	2.0	0.9	7.0	3.3	16.0	100.0

Table 3
Applicant household by circumstances as assessed by the authority and type of accommodation secured 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983
	Type of accommodation secure	Total
Circumstances as assessed by the authority	Both permanent and short-stay accommodation	Permanent accommodation only	Short-stay accommodation only	None	Transferred to another authority	Accommodation to be provided but type not yet determined	Number	Percentage
Priority homeless, unintentional, local connection	1,878	3,175	626	36	3	36	5,754	40.2
Priority homeless, unintentional, no local connection, threat of violence	55	45	49	2	—	3	154	1.1
Priority homeless, unintentional, no local connection, threat of violence	12	17	33	24	57	1	144	1.0
Priority homeless, intentional	117	55	238	46	6	7	469	3.3
Non-priority homeless	18	32	341	727	—	2	1,120	7.8
Priority potentially homeless, unintentional	236	249	305	28	6	73	897	6.3
Priority potentially homeless, intentional	24	47	89	147	1	8	316	2.2
Non-priority, potentially homeless	10	47	93	446	2	10	608	4.2
Neither homeless, nor potentially homeless	64	91	319	937	5	10	1,426	10.0
Contact lost, etc.	5	29	5	3,386	1	—	3,426	23.9
Total number	2,419	3,787	2,098	5,779	81	150	14,314	100.0
Total percentage	16.9	26.5	14.7	40.4	0.6	1.0	100.0

Table 4
Homelessness in Scotland Summary of district returns 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983
	Applicants	Applications assessed as in priority groups
Area	Number	Per 1,000 households	Number	Number intentionally homeless	Number of applicants for whom permanent accommodation secured	Number of applicants for whom only short stay accommodation secured	Number of applicants in short stay accommodation on 31 March 1983
(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)	(f)	(g)	(h)
SCOTLAND	14,314	7.8	1734	785	6,206	2,098	696
Borders	57	1.5	55	1	32	22	8
Berwickshire	10	1.5	9	—	9	—	2
Ettrick and Lauderdale	23	1.8	22	1	21	—	1
Roxburgh	24	1.8	24	—	2	22	5
Tweeddale	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Central	775	8.1	591	15	530	54	23
Clackmannan	288	17.1	228	2	230	—	—
Falkirk	152	3.0	149	5	103	44	8
Stirling	335	11.9	214	8	197	10	15
Dumfries and Galloway	277	5.4	233	22	208	21	17
Annandale and Eskdale	57	4.4	54	1	53	1	6
Nithedale	148	7.4	126	16	108	15	6
Stewartry	52	6.3	35	5	30	3	2
Wigtown	20	1.9	18	—	17	2	3
Fife	693	5.6	479	53	384	95	24
Dunfermline	292	6.5	254	10	246	12	13
Kirkcaldy	216	4.0	167	31	107	64	11
North East Fife	185	7.7	58	12	31	19	—
Grampian	929	5.4	383	96	167	148	14
City of Aberdeen	714	9.1	217	54	62	118	6
Banff and Buchan	12	0.4	12	—	11	1	3
Gordon	19	0.9	14	2	13	3	4
Kincardine and Deeside	16	1.1	14	—	13	1	—
Moray	168	5.8	126	40	68	25	1
Highland	134	2.0	93	10	41	51	27
Badenoch and Strathspey	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Caithness	8	0.8	8	3	2	6	3