§ Mr. RaynsfordTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many organisations are currently receiving grants under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985; how many of these grants are due to(a) expire or (b) be reduced for March 1995; and what proposals he has to assist these organisations to secure replacement funding.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesOne hundred and fifty six voluntary sector projects are receiving grant in 1994–95 under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 to assist single people in housing need. Organisations are aware that grant is normally given for up to three years on a tapering basis while they seek other sources of funding. For 1995–96, I will consider applications from the 106 projects which are part way through their cycle of funding and, on their individual merits, bids from the 50 schemes which are approaching the end of their funding.
In addition, as part of the rough sleepers initiative in central London, 28 organisations are currently funded under section 73 powers.
§ Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment when he intends to publish formally the material included in the supplement to the homelessness code of guidance for local authorities issued earlier this year; and what plans there are for further revisions of the code.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesMy right hon. Friend the Secretaries of State, in conjunction with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health and for Wales, is publishing today a revised third edition of the homelessness code of guidance for local authorities. This new publication consolidates the body of the third edition of the code, issued in 1991, with an amendment about assessing people from outside the United Kingdom, and supplementary guidance on applications from asylum seekers. That amendment and supplement were issued jointly by my Department and the Welsh Office in typescript form in February of this year. No other changes have been made to the code, and we have no present plans to make further revisions.