§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the voluntary organisations which provide accommodation, information about accommodation, or both, to homeless adolescents and young people in major conurbations in Scotland; and which of these organisations receive grants from his Department.
§ Mr. AncramMany voluntary organisations including hostels, housing advice centres, housing associations, citizens advice bureaux and other bodies provide accommodation, or information about accommodation, to young homeless people. Grants are given by my Department under section 13 of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 to assist the administrative costs of projects with national significance or which have the potential for wide application; organisations presently grant-aided in this way are the Scottish Council for Single Homeless, Scottish Women's Aid and SHELTER. Local groups normally negotiate assistance from local authorities under the same section of the 1977 Act.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the number of homeless adolescents and young people known to be 144W seeking accommodation in major conurbations in Scotland in an average 24-hour period; how many obtain accommodation through local authority services and through voluntary organisations, respectively; and how many remain unaccommodated in the same 24-hour period.
§ Mr. AncramThe age of applicants for accommodation under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 is no longer collected centrally.