§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to combat homelessness in the Manchester and Greater Manchester areas; and what further measures he intends to take.
§ Sir George YoungResources for housing are allocated through the housing investment programme for local authorities and through the Housing Corporation for housing associations. The general needs index, which determines local authority allocations under the housing investment programme, has been revised to take greater account of homelessness pressures. For 1991–92 local authorities in the Greater Manchester area have been allocated £113.948 million through the housing investment programme. For 1991–92 housing associations in the north-west region, including Greater Manchester, have been allocated £104.5 million through the Housing Corporation. Also in 1991–92 three Manchester-based voluntary organisations concerned with homelessness—SHADES city centre project, Hulme Action research project and Selcare Trust outreach and resettlement project—will be receiving grants from my Department under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 for the first time.