Homosexual Rough Sleepers

HL Deb 27 July 1998 vol 592 c165WA

Earl Russell

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to paragraph 2.8 of the Social Exclusion Unit's Report on Rough Sleeping, whether homosexual rough sleepers are sometimes reluctant to use hostels because of fear of homophobic assault. [HL2894]

Baroness Hayman

My Lords, the Government do not collect information on the sexual orientation of rough sleepers. An independent evaluation into the second phase of the Rough Sleepers Initiative,From Street to Home published in 1996, found that the most commonly cited reasons for refusing to accept a place in a hostel were; the behaviour of other residents, not feeling safe, the extent of drink or drug use in hostels and a lack of privacy or space.