HC Deb 21 March 1977 vol 928 c376W
Mr. Stephen Ross

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the fact that all local authorities are required to make returns regarding numbers of homeless families in bed and breakfast on the Department of the Environment's H.2. forms, he will explain why these returns have not been published and further publish in the Official Report the number of homeless families in bed and breakfast in all local authority areas as at 1st January 1975, 30th June 1975, 1st January 1976, 30th June 1976, and 1st January 1977.

Mr. Armstrong

My Department's statistics have indicated the number of homeless households in all types of temporary accommodation.

Separate figures about the number in bed and breakfast accommodation have not been included, because of incompleteness in returns and because of more detailed technical difficulties. I can assure the hon. Member that consideration is being given to ways of overcoming these.

A recent analysis, however, has indicated that about 1,500 homeless households were accommodated in bed and breakfast in London on each of the dates 30th June 1975, 31st December 1975 and 30th June 1976.