§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many battered women and their children are 425W currently homeless and in bed and breakfast accommodation.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergI regret that this information is not available centrally.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes and hostels for battered women and their children have been forced to close in the last year; and how many places were lost in each.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe Department does not collect this information.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that there is adequate housing provision for battered women and their children; what steps he is taking to increase this; and what financial help he proposes to give.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergIt is for individual housing authorities to assess the housing needs of their areas, including taking decisions on how to use the resources available to them for housing investment. In addition, funds from the Department's urban aid programme help some voluntary groups operating refuges in major towns.