§ Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish statistics on the numbers of homeless young people; and what advice he has given to local authorities on the subject of housing provision for such young people.
§ Mr. TraceyThe statistics that we collect from local authorities on homelessness do not contain a breakdown by age or household composition.
Individual homeless young people may fall into one of the priority need categories (including the vulnerable) for whom authorities have a duty to secure accommodation. In our code of guidance we have asked authorities to treat as vulnerable young people at risk of sexual or financial exploitation, and, where resources permit, to do all they can to ensure that accommodation is secured by homeless people outside the priority need categories. Authorities also have a duty under section 22 of the Housing Act 1985 to give a reasonable preference to homeless people among others in the selection of their tenants, and we have urged authorities to allocate tenancies on the basis of housing need. It is, however, for individual authorities to decide on their own housing priorities within their areas.
§ Mr. Robert Atkinsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department is taking to deal with the problem of homeless young people.
§ Mr. TraceyYoung people stand to benefit from a range of Government measures, including new housing association schemes for young people wishing to move to take up employment, our hostels initiative, the facilitating of subletting by council tenants and other more general measures to relieve homelessness. We are also helping to fund a leaflet by the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless Trust aimed at preventing homelessness among young people and advising them on accommodation prospects before they take the decision to leave home.