§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of stock transfer on the availability of social housing for homeless people; [130235]
(2) what account will be taken of the need to provide housing for homeless people in the proposed selection criteria set out in the Housing Green Paper for applications for stock transfer. [130237]
§ Mr. MullinThe Government consider that stock transfer is an important way of improving the quality and availability of affordable social housing. The proposed selection criteria do not explicitly address the issue of homelessness because, following the transfer of their housing stock, local housing authorities retain their obligations towards homeless households under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996. They must also continue to keep a register of applicants who qualify for the allocation of accommodation. To ensure they have access to accommodation to enable them to discharge their housing functions, authorities generally negotiate nomination rights with the transfer landlord of between 50 per cent. and 75 per cent. of the transferred stock.