HC Deb 25 November 1994 vol 250 c383W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish the most recent available figures for outcomes from local authority inquiries in Great Britain under the homelessness legislation.

(2) if he will publish the most recent figures for the number of homeless households in Great Britain, found accommodation by local authorities, analysed by priority need category.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

The latest available information on homeless households dealt with by local authorities in England is for the quarter ending June 1994. During the quarter, notifications of completed inquiries were issued in 67,880 cases. Of these, 30,680 households were accepted for permanent rehousing, 29,680 of whom were in priority need; 16,150 households were found to be homeless but not in priority need and were given advice and assistance; 19,940 households were found not be homeless; and 1,110 households were found to be intentionally homeless.

The number of households accepted for permanent rehousing in each of the priority need categories were as follows:-

Household with dependent child(ren) 17,420
Household member pregnant 3,440
Household member vulnerable:
Old age 1,540
Physical handicap 1,630
Mental illness 1,680
Young 960
Domestic violence 1,740
Other 1,010
Homeless in emergency 260
Total accepted and in priority need 29,680

For information about Wales and Scotland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland.