HC Deb 26 June 1995 vol 262 cc536-8W
Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of all new secure local authority lettings has been allocated to households accepted as homeless under part III of the Housing Act 1985 in each year since 1985; [30526]

(2) what proportion of all new housing association lettings has been allocated to households accepted as homeless under part III of the Housing Act 1985 in each year since 1985. [30527]

Mr. Curry

The available information for England, which relates to financial years, is given in the table:

New secure local authority lettings Housing association lettings (excluding transfers)1
Total (000s) Percentage to homeless households Total (000s) Percentage to homeless households
1984–85 229 20 49 n/a
1985–86 236 24 51 n/a
1986–87 232 25 52 n/a
1987–88 229 28 54 n/a
1988–89 223 28 57 n/a
1989–90 208 31 60 n/a
1990–91 215 35 62 14
1991–92 207 39 69 21
1992–93 204 39 90 25
1993–94 213 35 112 25
n/a = not available
1 Figures for housing association lets in 1988–89 and earlier are estimates based on England and Wales data.

Source:

Local authority—Annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP1) returns.

Housing association—annual HAR10/1 returns.

Mrs. Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of repossessed owner-occupiers was accepted by local authorities for permanent rehousing under part III of the Housing Act 1985 in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [30529]

Mr. Robert B. Jones

The data provided by local authorities on the numbers of households for which they accept responsibility to secure permanent accommodation accepted under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 include information on the main reason for the homeless households' loss of their last settled home. Eight per cent.—10,230—of households accepted in England in the 12 months ending March 1995 were as a result of mortgage arrears; cases where the mortgage arrears led to repossession are not separately identified.

Mrs. Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of new lettings by private landlords in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available would have been of suitable size and rent for the average household accepted as homeless by local authorities under part III of the Housing Act 1985. [30531]

Mr. Jones

The size and composition of households accepted as homeless are not recorded centrally, nor is the rent they could afford unaided. The rents of households on low incomes, however, can be met by housing benefit.

The most recent figures available are for 1993–94, when about half of all new lettings by private landlords were accessible to the public and in self contained accommodation with three or more rooms-including bedrooms.

These estimates are from the 1993–94 survey of English housing. Like all estimates from sample surveys, they are subject to sampling error.

Mrs. Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what analysis with regard to any additional expenditure local authorities may incur in implementing and administrating the proposed new duties towards homeless people as announced by the Minister for Housing on 18 July 1994,Official Report, columns 25–34 and if he will place this information in the Library. [30528]

Mr. Jones

In his statement to the House last July,Official Report, columns 25–34, the then Minister for Housing, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young), said that the Government estimated that the cost of the proposals for reform of the homelessness legislation would be broadly neutral, although it would depend on the timing of legislation and its interpretation. We are still analysing the likely financial effects of the proposals.

Mrs. Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many submissions he has received from private landlords in response to (a) the consultation paper"Access to Local Authority and Housing Association Tenancies" published in January 1994 and (b) announcement on the proposed arrangements for homeless people by the Minister for Housing on 18 July 1994 Official Report, columns 25–34, and what percentage was (i) in support and (ii) opposed to the proposal that homeless households should be rehoused in the private sector. [30530]

Mr. Jones

Nine responses to the consultation paper were classified as being from private landlords. Three of these were supportive of our proposal that local authorities could discharge their duty by placing homeless households directly with private sector landlords. Correspondence about the 18 July 1994 announcement was not recorded separately from general correspondence.

Mrs. Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of homeless applicants has been accepted for permanent housing by local authorities under the provisions of part III of the Housing Act 1985 in each year since 1985. [30525]

Mr. Curry

The information requested is not available. Data are collected from local authorities on applications/inquiries made but the data areas not reported on a common basis—they reflect differing local administrative practices—and cannot, therefore, be used for national or regional estimates of applications/inquiries.