HC Deb 29 January 1985 vol 72 cc164-6W
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current annual cost of the Camberwell resettlement unit; what is the cost of other such units; what plans he has for these units; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Whitney

The information about the cost of Camberwell resettlement unit and the other units is as follows:

Annual expenditure 1983–84 (latest available figure, excluding major capital works)
£
Camberwell 2,549,447
Brighton 203,490
West End House, Soho 554,016
Pound Lodge, Willesden 398,651
Lancelot Andrewes House, Southwark 389,615
Camden (women only) 300,705
Cedars Lodge, Battersea 515,020
Spur House, Lewisham* 837,801
Bridge House, Notting Hill* 538,368
Alvaston, Derby* 371,221
Fazakerley, Liverpool* 404,688
Bishopbriggs, Glasgow* 495,744

£
Leeds* 436,020
Leicester* 452,907
Newbury* 359,601
Plawsworth, Co. Durham* 500,511
Crown Quay Lodge, Sittingbourne* 376,165
Southampton* 456,464
South Wales, Nr. Bridgend* 334,245
Walkden, Manchester* 489,182
West Midlands, Stourbridge* 481,750
Winterbourne, Bristol* 325,402
Woodhouse, Sheffield* 437,793
* Denotes combined resettlement unit and re-establishment centre.

We hope to make a statement about the future of resettlement units soon.

Mr. Geoffrey Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date he intends that the Camberwell resettlement unit will be closed by his Department.

Mr. Whitney

Camberwell resettlement unit will close on 27 September 1985.

Mr. Geoffrey Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total cost in 1983–84 to his Department of maintaining the 23 resettlement units provided by his Department; and what is his estimate of the cost per capita for each occupant of the units.

Mr. Whitney

The total cost of maintaining the 23 resettlement units in 1983–84 was £12,208,806. This includes the cost of re-establishment centres where the sites are shared. The average annual cost per occupied bed in 1983–84 was estimated to be £6,450.

Mr. Geoffrey Robinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many persons staying in the 23 resettlement units provided by his Department, on the night of 30 November 1984, had formerly been an inpatient of a mental hospital or a mental handicap hospital; and how many of the persons staying at the Camberwell resettlement unit on that night had formerly been in such hospitals.

Mr. Whitney

This information is not collected centrally.

Mr. Geoffrey Robinsion

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many men, and how many women, are currently living in his Department's reception centres; and if he will give comparable figures for each year since 1974;

(2) how many persons stayed in the 23 resettlement units provided by his Department on the night of 30 November 1984; how many of those were eligible for housing accommodation from a local housing authority by virtue of being vulnerable through old-age, mental illness or handicap, physical disability or pregnancy, under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977; and what arrangements exist between each of the 23 resettlement units and local housing authorities for the rehousing of those homeless people who are vulnerable under the Act;

(3) how many beds were provided in each of the 23 resettlement units during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; and what was the average rate of occupancy for each unit during the same period;

(4) during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, how many individuals were provided, when leaving each of the 23 resettlement units, with accommodation under the following categories: (a) local authority tenancies, (b) housing association tenancies and (c) local authority part III accommodation.

Mr. Whitney

I shall let the hon. Member have replies as soon as possible.