HC Deb 24 March 1983 vol 39 cc482-3W
Mr. Strang

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many bed spaces are currently available for occupation by single homeless men and women in London in (a) Department of Health and Social Services resettlement units; (b) local authority hostels and (c) hostels run by voluntary organisations; and what are the corresponding figures for each of the past five years, and the expected figues for each year up to 1985.

Mr. Newton

I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who is responsible for policy on hostels, that information in the form requested at(b) and (c) is not held by his Department.

The figures for resettlement units are as follows:

Unit Number of bed spaces
1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 Proposed 1985 Proposed
Camberwell 850 550 550 550 550 *300 †300
Spur House 150 150 150 150 150 150 150 150
Pound Lodge 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80
Bridge House 120 120 120 120 120 120 120 120
Lancelot Andrews House 60 60 60 60 60 60 60 60
West End House 80 80 80 80 80 50 50 120
Cedars Lodge:
men 70 70 70 70 70 *100 100 100
women 30 30 30 30 30 *
Camden: women 35 35 35 35 35 40 40 40
TOTAL
men 1,410 1,110 1,110 1,110 1,110 *860 †860 660
women 65 65 65 65 65 *40 40 40
* Proposed figures as from autumn 1983.
† A further reduction in capacity at Camberwell will be made during 1984.

Note:

Under the Camberwell replacement scheme the Housing Corporation, Department of the Environment and DHSS will be funding 985 new hostel bed spaces over the next five years to replace Camberwell resettlement unit.