§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What research has been initiated into the correlations and connections between bad housing and urban crime and rioting.
§ Lord BelsteadThe relationship between crime and the environment, including housing, has been the subject of much research. The precise effect of sub-standard housing, whether public or private, on crime and civil disorder is difficult to discern. A conference convened last year by the Home Office, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, considered aspects of this subject, and the proceedings will be made available shortly.