§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the housing needs of people over 80 years in Stoke on Trent, North constituency and in the United Kingdom as a whole.
§ Mr. BaldryThe Department commissioned Ernst and Young management consultants to carry out an independent study of the housing needs of elderly and disabled people, including those aged 80 years and over. The study has been completed and a series of reports covering different elements of the programme of research is being prepared.
The Ernst and Young study is restricted to England and will produce representative findings at national and regional levels. Separate studies of the housing needs of elderly and disabled people have been undertaken in recent years by the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Office.
Guidance to local housing authorities will be produced, using the Ernst and Young research, on methods for assessing the needs of elderly people and the comparative costs of different housing and care options to meet their needs. This guidance is referred to in paragraph 18 of the joint circular (10/92) issued by my Department and the Department of Health on housing and community care.