§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what direct consultation is taking place between his Department and organisations working with homeless people in its review of homelessness; and when the results of the review will he published.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend announced the conclusions of the review on Wednesday 15 November. In conducting the review, we have appreciated the advice and information which organisations working with homeless people were able to give us.
§ Mr. MaplesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has completed his review of the homelessness legislation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenWe are publishing the full conclusions of our review of the homelessness legislation today, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
Our review has looked at the role and purpose of the homelessness legislation and at its effects. The legislation—now part III of the Housing Act 1985—was enacted in 1977 as the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act, an all-party measure. Briefly, it requires local housing authorities to find accommodation for people they judge to be homeless according to the criteria specified in the Act.
We believe that the Act remains important, as a "long stop" measure to help people in need who have become homeless through no fault of their own. The present terms of the Act strike a reasonable balance between the interests of the genuinely homeless and others in housing need. We do not intend therefore to change the law, but we have proposals to make it work better.
We have also concluded that local councils remain the right bodies to take the lead responsibility in helping homeless people; and some of them are very good at it. However, it is clear from my Department's research and other reports that there is room for improvement. Some councils need to be much faster processing applications, for example; some need to try harder to keep families out of temporary accommodation like bed and breakfast; and in general all councils ought to aim for a better, more consistent service. I propose to amend the code of guidance (to which councils must have regard) and my Department will shortly put a draft out for consultation.
The pressures of homelessness vary around the country. Statistics are neither as reliable nor as sensitive as I would like. For example, those figures most quoted—the numbers of homeless acceptances—can be affected as much by local policy as by real needs. But it is apparent that the problems are concentrated in London and the south-east. I propose to designate those regions as 244W "pressure areas" and to target to them additional resources and help. In particular, we are providing an extra £250 million for these areas over the next two years>—£148 million next year, and £102 million in 1991–92—to help councils and housing associations provide more homes for homeless people. This £250 million is on top of the major increase in the Housing Corporation's programme which will be more than doubled from £815 million this year to £1,736 million in 1992–93. We are reviewing with the Housing Corporation and the National Federation of Housing Associations how this programme can best be distributed to make the maximum impact on housing need, including homelessness.
We must also make the most of the housing we already have; and this means effective management. Councils and housing associations have empty houses they must bring into use and the extra resources will help where necessary. Helping tenants to move, where they want to, is also important especially if this frees vacancies in the pressure areas. I will provide 100 per cent. funding and support for a new mobility organisation, formed from the three existing bodies, to provide a better targeted service.
I will continue to encourage the important contribution of the voluntary sector and greatly increased grant aid will be available from next year for homelessness projects. We also want to stop people becoming homeless, as well as helping them when they have got to crisis point. Good practical advice can be vital and I want to set up a comprehensive, national service. Urgent discussions will be held with the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux and other voluntary bodies.
There is concern—which we share—about proper protection and help for young people who leave home and come to live in our inner cities. This affects the responsibilities of a number of Departments, which are reviewing at present the way their policies work together. The Government will make further announcements about this soon.
We believe it is essential to make this concentrated attack on the problems of homelessness, but these must not be regarded as separate issues, outside the scope of housing policies in general. We cannot just try to treat symptoms, when causes lie deeper. The real and long-term remedies are to be found in an effective housing strategy, based on the contributions of the private and the public sectors, on the harnessing of the market to deliver opportunities and choice, on the targeting of resources to meet needs and on the efficient management of the stock. That is the strategy of the Government and we shall pursue it vigorously for the benefit of the community and those who are homeless or in need.
§ 1989. Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the annual cost of keeping a homeless family in hotel accommodation in(a) 1985, (b) 1988 and (c)
§ Mr. ChopeThe estimate of the average annual cost of keeping a household in bed and breakfast accommodation based on figures provided by English local authorities to the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in 1985–86 is £9,500 (£7,000 net of offsetting income such as DSS allowances). For 1987–88 the estimate is £12,500 (£9,500 net of offsetting income). Figures for 1988–89 are not yet available. There is a wide range of costs for authorities in different areas.