Squatters (Hansard, 17 December 1993)

§ Mr. Pike
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to local authorities of dealing with squatters in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

§ Mr. Maclean
I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment that this information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. Pike
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has as to the number of squatters there are currently in England; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
The nature of squatting makes it impossible to assess the number of squatters with any degree of accuracy, but estimates as to the total number of people squatting in England and Wales generally range between 30,000 and 50,000. More precise information is, however, available about the number of local authority dwellings under unauthorised occupation: on 1 April 1993 there were 2,963 local authority dwellings so occupied, of which 88 per cent. were in inner London: Hackney—1,152; Lambeth—327; Tower Hamlets—232; Camden—153; and Islington—135—being among the areas worst affected.

§ Mr. Pike
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representatives he has received from(a) local authorities and (b) other sources in the last 12 months regarding squatters.

§ Mr. Maclean
During the last 12 months, we have received one representation from a local authority about squatting, and 139 representations from other sources including hon. Members, organisations supporting the homeless, retail groups and individual members of the public.

§ Mr. Pike
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of incidents in the last 12 months where squatters were required to move and of the type of ownership applicable in the properties concerned; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
Squatters may be required to leave property in certain circumstances under the provisions of the Criminal Law Act 1977. No information is, however, collected centrally about the number of occasions on which this power is used.
From October 1992 to September 1993, 28,981 orders for possession were made by the civil courts as a result of actions for possession where the action was not a consequence of a default in mortgage payments. Of these, 8,203 orders were granted to private landlords, 5,715 to housing associations, and 15,063 to other social landlords, including local authorities. It is important to bear in mind, however, that these figures do not indicate how many properties were actually repossessed, as not all the orders made will have resulted in the issue and execution of warrants of possession. It should also be noted that not all actions to repossess property are in respect of squatters, and there is no information as to what proportion of the figures given in fact relate to instances of squatting.