§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the composited report on national conditions in hostels which was undertaken by the central building services unit.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerEach hostel in the survey has received its own report and assessment, and a report of general findings will be sent to probation and voluntary managing committees by the end of the year.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria were used by his Department in drawing up the A, B and C lists of hostels derived from the hostel conditions survey;
(2) if he will publish the A, B and C lists of hostels which have been derived from the hostel conditions survey.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe main criteria for the three lists were the amount of space per resident, the proportion of single rooms, running costs and the likely costs of repairs and refurbishment to bring the hostel to an acceptable standard.
The three lists are as follows:
List A Hostels assessed as unsuitable for economic refurbishment to a standard which would extend their minimum life as approved hostels to 50 years: Name Location Highfield House Accrington Carpenter House Birmingham Cecil Road Boscombe Walmer Villas Bradford Hoole House Elswick North Road Kew Cardigan House Leeds Howden House Leeds Charnwood Lodge Leicester Channing House Liverpool Westbourne House North London E7 Shenley Road 1London SE5 Bedford Hill 1London SW12 St Mungo's London SW11 Southbank Middlesborough Bridgewood House Northampton Stone House Northants Milton Keynes Great Holm Lawson House Plymouth Emroch House Port Talbot The Grange Purbrook Elizabeth Fry Reading Lichfield Road Stafford St Albans Watford Wellesley House Windsor Blackburn Hostel Blackburn 1Operates as one hostel 467W
The following hostels were on list A but have now been closed: Name Location Stoke Green Coventry Fir Tree Grange Durham Windyridge Essex Dover Bail Hostel Kent Hollywood Manor Kent St. Vincents London SE4 West Park London SE9 Dudley Centre Newton Abbot
The following hostels were on list A but have now been closed: Name Location Centre 45 Sheffield Bewsey Street Warrington Marshall House Wolverhampton
List B Hostels below standard but capable of economic refurbishment as approved hostels. Name Location Ashley House Bristol Meneghy House Cambourne Bowling Green Carlisle Elm Bank Cleckheaton Burdett Lodge Derby Astral House Hucknell The Cottage Ipswich Kenilworth Road Leamington Spa Ripon House Leeds St. Johns Hostel Leeds Howard House Leicester Wordsworth House Lincoln Southwood Hostel Liverpool Adelaide House Liverpool Seafield Lodge London NW2 Corfton Road London W5 St. Edmunds London W16 Tulse Hill London SW2 Napier Road Luton Wenger House Newcastle under Lyme John Boag House Norwich Southwell House Nottingham Trent House Nottingham Peterborough Peterborough St. Leonards Reading Aldridge West Midlands Braley House Worcester Plas-y-Wern Wrexham 468W
List C Hostels assessed as broadly Satisfactory Name Location Felmores Basildon Beckenham Road Beckenham Crowley House Birmingham Elliott House Birmingham Welford House Birmingham Bridge House Bristol Brigstocke Road Bristol St. Josephs Eccles Dickson House Fareham Queens Road Hull Lightfoot House Ipswich Fleming House Maidstone manor Lodge Old Windsor Maudsley House oxford Katherine Price Hughes London N5 Camden House London NW1 Kelly House London SW1 Withington Road Manchester Ozanam House Newcastle upon Tyne St. Christophers House Newcastle upon Tyne Norfolk Park Sheffield Weston Hostel Weymouth Wellington Road Wolverhampton Ellison House Inner London
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources will be given to the police to deal with the enforcement of summonses and warrants issued for the non-compliance of community orders and hostel rules.
§ Mr. MacleanNo specific additional resources will be provided for this work. General police funding covers all operational activities and it is for chief officers to prioritise tasks, taking account of the resources available.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if hostel occupancy figures are determined by beds committed or beds occupied overnight.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerHostel occupancy is measured by beds occupied as a proportion of total approved places.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the hostels on the A list, drawn up from the hostel conditions survey, will be disposed of.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe Home Office is discussing the future of List A hostels with the probation committees and voluntary management committees concerned. Although the buildings concerned may not have a long term future, they may be able to operate satisfactorily for some time.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the occupancy rate for the hostels at(a) Cecil road, Boscombe, (b) Walmer villas, Bradford, (c) Cardigan house, Leeds, (d) Howden house, Leeds, (e) Canning house, Liverpool, (f) Westbourne house, London E7, (g) Shenley road, London SE5, (h) Bedford hill, London SW12, (i) The Stone house, Northamptonshire, (j) Lawson house, Plymouth, (k) the Grange, Purbrook, (l) Elizabeth Fry, Reading and (m) Wellesley house, Windsor, at the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe occupancy rate of these hostels for the month of August 1994 is set out. Shenley road, London SE5 and Bedford hill, London SW 12, whilst being two separate properties, constitute a single hostel known as Bedford/Shenley probation/bail hostel.
Per cent Cecil Road, Boscombe 84 Walmer Villas, Bradford 81 Cardigan House, Leeds 91 Howden House, Leeds 84 Canning House, Liverpool 61 Westbourne House, London E7 72 Bedford/Shenley, London SE5 62 Stone House, Northampton 85 Lawson House, Plymouth 81 The Grange, Purbrook 80 Elizabeth Fry, Reading 69 Wellesley House, Windsor 48
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of places available in bail hostels; and what will be the number in 12 months' time.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThere are at present 2,474 places available. Following the 1993 public expenditure survey, provision was planned for an increase to 2,560 by 31 March next year and 2,680 by 31 March 1996: these plans are subject to review in the current survey.
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§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources will be made available to hostels on the B list, drawn up from the hostel conditions survey, to assist them with refurbishment.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe Home Office plans to finance the refurbishment of these hostels as resources permit. A capital grant budget is maintained for the refurbishment or redevelopment of approved hostels premises or sites: provision in the current financial year is £4 million.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of persons accepted for hostel places are actually remanded into custody.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerFigures on this are not held centrally.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice and assistance will be given to hostel managers to increase successful completion rates for hostel residents from 48 to 70 per cent. in 1995.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerThe framework within which hostels operate is given by the "National Standards for the Supervision of Offenders within the Community". A revised draft is currently subject to consultation. There are plans to issue a hostels handbook giving additional more detailed guidance for all hostel staff in the new year.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will remove the discretion of hostel managers to report minor breaches of hostel rules to the police and the courts in the final version of the national standards.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerDraft revised national standards are currently the subject of consultation, and my right hon. and learned Friend will wish to consider any representations before deciding the wording of the final version.