§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether following the starred Questions of April 15th (cols. 436–9) and 16th (cols. 598–601) they will include young persons coming out of the care of local authorities within the priority categories under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977.
§ Lord SkelmersdaleThe Government decided in 1982, following a full review of the Act, that the priority need categories should not be extended. However, it is open to individual local authorities to secure accommodation for some or all homeless young people leaving care in their area either by including them in the priority need category of the "vulnerable" for this special reason or by taking the view that securing accommodation is the "appropriate assistance" due in their case even though they are outside the priority need categories. Twelve per cent. of those accommodated under the Act in the first half of 1984 were treated in one of these ways and some young people leaving care will no doubt have been included in this figure.