§ Mr. Charles Irvingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in increasing the availability of modern hostel accommodation through housing associations; which groups are primarily catered for; and how this compares with the position in May 1979.
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§ Mr. StanleyUnder the present Government the Housing Corporation had up to 31 March 1983 approved hostel and other shared housing schemes providing over 7,000 bedspaces in newly built or newly improved accommodation. This includes the accommodation approved under the programme for replacing the Camberwell reception unit. Over two thirds of the 7,000 bedspaces are for single homeless people including the elderly, and about a quarter is for ex-offenders, former psychiatric patients and the mentally handicapped. The remainder is for other groups including unmarried mothers, battered wives, refugees, former drug addicts, ex-alcoholics and the disabled. The number of hostel bedspaces approved in 1982–83 was approximately three times greater than in 1978–79.