HC Deb 13 May 1986 vol 97 cc441-2W
Mr. Tom Cox

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what survey his Department is taking as to the number of bed and breakfast establishments in each of the 32 London boroughs; and if he will make a list of them;

(2) what survey is taken by his Department of the general conditions of the bed and breakfast accommodation which are now available under the bed and breakfast regulations;

(3) what survey his Department has taken of the number of people who have been forced to move from the London borough of Wandsworth as a result of the bed and breakfast accommodation regulations;

(4) what survey his Department has made in the London borough of Wandsworth of the number of bedspaces now available to unemployed homeless people;

(5) what survey his Department has taken as to the number of bed and breakfast establishments which charge within his Department's limits; and if he will make a statement;

(6) what is the present number of bed and breakfast units available for homeless people within the London Borough of Wandsworth.

Mr. Newton

I regret that comprehensive information is not available centrally on the number of hotels and other board and lodging establishments, their charges and available bedspaces in Wandsworth, London or Great Britain. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Accommodation standards in houses in multiple occupation—which include board and lodging establishments—are a matter for individual local authorities who have a wide range of powers. As part of the current review of board and lodging limits, information has been collected about the charges in a sample of different types of boarder accommodation throughout the country and findings will be made available in due course. The results of recent surveys of boader claimants, which will also be made available, indicate that most claimants seen thought their lodging provided good value for money, and that very few moved to a different board and lodging area following the introduction of new rules in April and November 1985.