HC Deb 03 March 1987 vol 111 cc544-5W
Mr. John Fraser

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest 12-month period which is available for the total number of people who applied to be treated as homeless; how many were accepted as homeless under the Homeless Persons Act; and how many were offered non-permanent accommodation.

Mr. Tracey

On the basis of information provided to the Department by local authorities, in the period 1 October 1985 to 30 September 1986, inquiries under the homelessness legislation were completed for 217,740 households, and authorities accepted responsibility to accommodate 101,280 households. The Department does not collect information on the number of households placed in temporary accommodation. However, information published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy shows that in the financial year 1985–86 authorities placed at least 39,432 households in temporary accommodation.