§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what consideration has been given to extending the coverage of the rough sleepers initiative to Scotland; [34928]
(2) what is the amount of public funding which has been specifically targeted on people sleeping rough in Scotland in each year since 1991–92; and how many units of accommodation have been provided through such funding. [34925]
§ Mr. Raymond S. RobertsonInformation is not available centrally on publicly funded services provided specifically for rough sleepers by housing, health and social work agencies, including voluntary bodies receiving grants from public funds. Facilities for rough sleepers are usually also used by other categories of homeless people; though some will be of particular benefit to rough sleepers, for example temporary accommodation and drop-in centres. We would expect local housing authorities, which have the primary statutory responsibility for tackling homelessness, to give particular priority to assisting those who are, or are at risk of, sleeping rough, and to work closely with other agencies. Future policy on rough sleepers will be informed by research into the prevalence of rooflessness in Scotland, from which findings will be available in mid 1996.