§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grant was made by his Department in respect of homelessness to(a) the Bayswater Hotel Homelessness project, (b) the British Refugee Council, (c) the Central London Housing Advisory Service Id) CHAR, (e) Community House Information Centre, (f) Empty Property Unit, (g) Homes for Homeless People, 27W (h) Housing Debtline, (i) National Association of Voluntary Hostels, (j) National Council for One Parent Families, (k) Specialist Information and Training Resource Agency and (l) Resource Information Service for Work on Homelessness, in each of the last three years; and what grant he is giving for the 1990–91 financial year.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThis year we have trebled the funds available under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 to £2 million. Comparing grants for individual bodies between this year and last is likely to be misleading because the nature of the programme has changed. In previous years, the emphasis was on providing core funding for voluntary bodies. This year, half the funds will go to a new national advice service based on citizens advice bureaux with specialist assistance from Shelter and SHAC; and half to specific projects providing direct assistance and practical help to single homeless people.
Of the organisations funded under section 73 in previous years, substantial increases in the level of grant have been made to Shelter and SHAC. Shelter will receive a 400 per cent. increase from £144,490 in 1989–90 to £454,554 in 1990–91. SHAC will receive a 200 per cent. increase from £199,439 in 1989–90 to £407,236 in 1990–91. Increased grants are also being offered to Housing Advice Switchboard, the London Diocesan Fund and the Bristol Cyrenians but final details have yet to be agreed. Organisations receiving section 73 grant for the first time are: WECVS, Centrepoint, Riverpoint Single Homeless Ltd., the Hillingdon project, Portsmouth Housing Trust, St. Basil's centre, Birmingham, Newark (Nottingham) Young Single Homeless Trust, Leicester night shelter, Brighton Housing Trust, Housing Aid for Youth, National Foster Care Association, Lodgers, Chester lodging support project, Key House, The Passage, St. Martins-in-the-Fields social care unit, Thames Reach, Threshold, St. Vincent's hostel, North Lambeth day centre, London Connection, Coventry Day Centre for the Homeless Ltd., Reading emergency accommodation project and Resource Information Service. Detailed offers will shortly be agreed with these bodies.
Grant in each of the last three years to the organisations listed by the hon. Member was:
28W
1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 £ £ £ Bayswater Hotel Homelessness Project 12,000 13,840 15,390 British Refugee Council 10,590 21,400 21,230 Central London Housing Advisory Service 12,760 17,000 16,865 CHAR 34,630 36,200 35,920 Community House Information Centre 11,870 14,000 13,890 Empty Property Unit 18,430 27,300 27,080 Homes for Homeless People 29,680 31,000 30,750 Housing Debtline 30,414 32,500 32,250 National Association of Voluntary Hostels 21,630 22,600 22,435 National Council for One Parent Families 21,990 22,970 23,010
1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 £ £ £ Specialist Information and Training Resource Agency — 25,000 24,780 Resource Information Service 26,700 34,000 33,545 Of these bodies, only Resource Information Service has been offered grant this year; details are yet to be agreed.