HC Deb 07 August 1975 vol 897 cc360-2W
Mrs. Hayman

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) which local authorities in Hertfordshire have now assumed responsibility for homelessness;

(2) which of the local authorities in Hertfordshire that have taken responsibility for homelessness make provision for the priority groups designated in the Department of the Environment circular 18/74.

Mr. Armstrong

The information I have is that all the Hertfordshire district councils have accepted responsibility for accommodating homeless people, and all provide for the "priority groups".

Mrs. Hayman

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many units of temporary accommodation are available in each district council area in Hertfordshire;

(2) how many homeless families in Hertfordshire are currently accommodated in bed and breakfast hotels.

Mr. Armstrong

The number of units of accommodation used temporarily for homeless people by the Hertfordshire district councils, and the number of families in bed and breakfast accommodation, varies according to circumstances, and the availability of permanent housing. They are not in themselves a measure of the help district councils give overall to the homeless.

1974–75 1975–76 Percentage change
£ million £ million
Motorways and trunk roads … 33.4 41.0 +23
Local authority roads … 232.7 232.7 —
Based on these figures the average expenditure per mile is:
Motorways and trunk roads … £5,210 £6,290 +21
Local authority roads … £1,550 £1,540 −1

For motorways and trunk roads, local authorities act as agents and all costs are met by the Government. Local authority roads are financed from the rates, rate support grant and transport supplementary grant, and it is not possible to identify the proportion of the costs met from the rates.

I regret that comparable figures for individual counties are not available.

I understand that on Monday 4th August there were five families in bed and breakfast accommodation, and that the following numbers of units were regarded as available for use temporarily by the homeless:

Broxbourne 24
Dacorum 1
East Hertfordshire 35
Hertsmere 24
North Hertfordshire 41
St. Albans Not fixed
Stevenage 12
Three Rivers 65
Watford 32
Welwyn and Hatfield Not fixed