§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each of the last 10 years, in London(a) the number of local authority dwellings built, (b) the number sold, (c) the number built by housing associations, (d) the number of homeless persons arid (e) his estimate of the number sleeping on the streets.
§ Mr. YeoThe latest available information about the numbers of dwellings built by London boroughs and by housing associations in London can be found in tables 1.1 to 1.10 inclusive of "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Areas 1980–1989", a copy of which is in the Library.
Tables of council house sales showing year-by-year sales for each local authority are regularly placed in the Library. A table showing sales to September 1990 will be placed in the Library shortly.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure accommodation for households who have been found to be homeless, or threatened with homelessness, under part III of the Housing Act 1985. The numbers of households accepted and found accommodation are reported quarterly to the Department. Estimates for London for the years 1980–1989 are set out in the table.
Year Number of households accepted and found accommodation 1980 17,480 1981 18,470 1982 21,110 1983 24,050 1984 25,180 1985 27,390 1986 29,740 1987 29,710 1988 29,320 1989 33,160 Having consulted front-line voluntary organisations, my Department estimates that some 2,000 or 3,000 people sleep on the streets in London. A count of persons sleeping rough is to be carried out as part of the 1991 population census.