HC Deb 03 April 1984 vol 57 c503W
Rev. William McCrea

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimate of the number of homeless people in (a) Mid-Ulster, (b) Belfast and (c) Northern Ireland.

Mr. Chris Patten

I understand from the Chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that the number of persons registered for permanent accommodation and accepted by the Housing Executive as in need of emergency rehousing was, at 1 March 1984:

Number
Mid-Ulster 12
Belfast 78
Northern Ireland 252

A working group on the problem of the homeless has been set up to establish:

  1. (i) the nature and extent of homelessness;
  2. (ii) how successfully the present dual approach by the Department of Health and Social Services and the Housing Executive is meeting need;
  3. (iii) who is being helped and by whom;
  4. (iv) the extent of the unmet need.

The working group will report by Easter.