§ 89. Mr. Geraint HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give figures for the number of households accepted as homeless in Wales in(a) 1979 and (b) 1987; and when he expects the number of households accepted as homeless in Wales to fall below the level recorded for 1979.
§ Mr. GristThe number of cases accepted as homeless in Wales in 1979 and 1987 was 4,676 and 5,294 respectively. The 1987 figure represents an 11 per cent. decrease over 1986. It is impossible to predict when the number of cases accepted as homeless will reach the 1979 level. This will depend on social behaviour as well as availability of housing. I welcome the decrease in 1987 and hope that it will continue and I note that the 1987 figure was lower than the one for 1980.