§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to release empty residential property belonging to his Department for use by homeless people.
§ Mr. ChopeThere are no empty properties owned by the Department of the Environment at present suitable for use as temporary accommodation for the homeless.
Should empty residential properties not be required for further Government use and they cannot be sold because of legal restrictions or sold within six months due to market conditions they are offered first to the local housing authority and then to a housing association.