§ Mr. Allasonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the responsibility of Ministers for ensuring that local authorities provide temporary accommodation for the homeless, in the light of Schedule 23 to the Local Government Act 1972.
§ Sir K. JosephI propose to give a direction to local authorities to continue after 1st April 1974 their duty under Section 21(1)(b) of the National Assistance Act 1948 to provide temporary accommodation in certain circumstances for homeless people. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Wales and I intend to issue to local authorities a circular setting out the Government's view that accommodating homeless people should increasingly be seen as a 374W housing responsibility. The policy of the Government is to seek to improve the general provision for the homeless without altering the particular responsibilities placed on local authorities by the National Assistance Act.