§ Dr. TwinnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those authorities which have accepted(a) more than 200, (b) 150 to 199, (c) 100 to 149 and (d) 50 to 99 asylum-seeking or refugee households in the last year;
(2) what is the estimated average cost of housing a refugee and asylum-seeking family of four in (a) local authority temporary accommodation and (b) local authority permanent accommodation in (i) the London borough of Westminster, (ii) Birmingham, (iii) Manchester and (iv) Uttlesford;
(3) how many refugees or asylum seekers were provided with (a) local authority temporary accommodation, (b) local authority permanent accommodation and (c) private sector accommodation in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
§ Sir George YoungIn the year ending 30 June 1993, 13 local authorities in England reported accepting responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 for 50 or more households where the reason for the loss of their last settled home was "refugee or asylum seeker". The authorities concerned and the numbers accepted are set out in the table. Other authorities which did not provide returns for all quarters may also have accepted 50 or more refugees or asylum seekers.
50 to 99 acceptances 100 to 149 acceptances 150 or more acceptances Brent Camden None Enfield Lambeth Greenwich Hackney1 Hammersmith and Fulham Harrow Hounslow Kensington and Chelsea1 Newham Waltham Forest Westminster 1 Based on returns covering nine months only. Source: Quarterly PIE returns.
Information is not available centrally, and my Department has no estimates, on the types of accommodation provided to refugees and asylum seekers, nor on the average costs of housing them.
§ Dr. TwinnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the costs to local authorities of rehousing refugees and asylum seekers are reflected in the standard spending assessment calculaltions.
§ Mr. BaldryThe costs of rehousing refugees and asylum seekers are reflected through the use of information about the numbers of pupils, estimates of the resident population, the numbers of children of income support claimants and the social characteristics of local areas as measured by the latest population census. Authorities where refugees and asylum seekers tend to concentrate have above average standard' spending assessmentts to reflect these and other unusual spending pressures.
The review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95 has considered the relevance of including an indicator of homelessness in addition to incorporating 1991 census information. This would be of some benefit to 826W local authorities where refugees and asylum seekers qualify for permanent housing. Work on the review has now finished and my right hon. Friend will announce the outcome later in the autumn as part of his proposals for revenue support grant for 1994–95.