§ Lord Jacobsasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is (a) the estimated average number of people sleeping on the streets at night; (b) the estimated number of hostel beds; and (c) the estimated average number of unfilled hostel beds each night, in (i) London and (ii) Birmingham; and what is the population of each city. [HL145]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty)(a) In June 1998 estimates based on single night street counts recorded 621 people sleeping rough in Greater London and 56 in Birmingham, on any one night. Further counts were undertaken in June 1999, and the results will be published shortly.
(b) (i) The London Hostels directory contains listings for around 26,000 hostel bedspaces. This covers a wide range of supported accommodation schemes. Only a fraction of these, probably fewer than 3,000, are in what are described as direct access hostels. These provide emergency, short-term accommodation, which is theoretically accessible to people who have slept rough. The Rough Sleepers Unit has recently commissioned an audit of provision for rough sleepers in London. This will provide a 31WA breakdown of the level and type of provision available, and will be published in the New Year.
(ii) There are over 1,000 hostel bedspaces in Birmingham, of which 520 are in direct access hostels.
(c) (i) Robust information does not exist on levels of vacancies in hostels in London. Indications, however, are that occupancy rates are at around 96 per cent, with the remaining 4 per cent (around 800 beds) accounted for by beds which are closed for redecoration and refurbishment, as well as vacancies. For direct access hostels in London, the audit of provision will provide more detailed information on vacancy levels. Indications, however, are that vacancies on any one night are generally in single figures, representing an occupancy rate of over 99 per cent.
(ii) For direct access hostels in Birmingham, there are, on average, 10 vacancies each night, representing an occupancy rate of over 98 per cent. Information is not available on levels of vacancies in other hostels.
The population of London in mid-1998 was recorded as 7,197,300 and of Birmingham as 1,013,400.