§ Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the "Hostels Initiative" 169W launched by the Government in 1980, he will ensure that in the coming financial year registered housing associations will be enabled not only to expand their provision of hostels and similar accommodation, but also to provide sufficient tenancies into which special needs groups will be able to move on; and when he hopes that the Housing Corporation's budget for these purposes will be announced.
§ Mr. StanleyThe Housing Corporation's budget for 1982–83 will be announced as soon as possible after the necessary decisions on housing public expenditure in the next financial year have been taken. I am not able to indicate the likely timing at present, nor the scale of the provision for hostels and accommodation for special needs, but I am conscious of the importance of maintaining the momentum of the "Hostels Initiative".