§ Mrs. BrintonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) on what evidence his Department's projections of the increase in the number of households by the year 2016 are based; [13028]
(2) what representations he has received concerning the accuracy of the projected increase in the number of households by the year 2016. [13067]
§ Mr. RaynsfordDescriptions of the methodology and main statistical assumptions underlying the household projections to 2016 are set out in the annexes to "Projections of Households in England in 2016", published by the Stationery Office in March 1995. A copy of this publication is in the Library of the House.
My Department has received many representations about the accuracy of the household projections and they have been subject to considerable scrutiny since their publication. Much of this work has been published, for example by the Environment Committee in evidence for its report on Housing Need in 1996. Further discussion of the household projections was given in the Green Paper, "Household growth: where shall we live?" which was published last November and the Government are currently considering the responses to that consultation. I am satisfied that the projections were the best that could be made with the available data and that they accurately reflect recent trends.