§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many(a) statutory single homeless people and (b) non statutory homeless people are (i) in bed and breakfast, (ii) in hostels, (iii) in squats and (iv) sleeping rough; and what plans he has to reduce the numbers of non-statutory homeless people. [20534]
§ Mr. ByersOn 30 June 2001, the total number of households being accommodated by local housing authorities in bed and breakfast hotels under existing homelessness legislation was 11,340 and a further 295W 9,440 households were being accommodated in hostels. Information about the proportion of these which were single person households is not held centrally.
It is estimated that there are 532 people sleeping rough in England on any one night in autumn 2001, compared to 1,850 in 1998.
Information is not held centrally about the number of households living in squats or the number of households who are self-placed in hostels or bed and breakfast accommodation.
The Homelessness Bill, when enacted, will require local authorities to conduct a review of the levels, and likely future levels, of all forms of homelessness in their area and to develop a strategy for preventing homelessness and ensuring that sufficient accommodation and support is available for those who are or may become homeless.
296WMy right hon., noble and learned Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning also announced yesterday that a new Homelessness Directorate will be set up to bring together and invigorate existing work to help homeless people, as well as develop new work to help prevent homelessness, and investigate its underlying causes.