HC Deb 24 October 2001 vol 373 c223W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what was(a) the number of homeless priority acceptances, (b) the number of those living in temporary accommodation, (c) the number of those living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation and (d) the number of children living in homeless households, by region, in each year since 1997. [8956]

Mr. Byers

Summary information on activity under statutory homelessness provisions is reported to the Department by local authorities in England. This includes the number of households accepted under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts as being eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and the number of those households resident in various types of temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter.

National and some regional information on local authorities' activity is provided in a quarterly Statistical Release published by the Department. Copies are available in the Library, and also via the Department's website. The latest edition, published on 12 September, presents statistics up to the end of June 2001.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish figures for the level of empty council housing, by local authority in England, in(a) 1997 and (b) 2001 to date; and if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to reduce the level of empty council housing. [8959]

Mr. Byers

I have placed the information requested in the Library. It presents data showing the level of empty council housing by local authority as at 1 April 1997 and 1 April 2000 (the latest available) respectively.

We expect those housing authorities with high levels of vacant properties to set challenging targets for reductions through improved management performance or action to improve or dispose of unpopular stock in the Business Plans they are now required to produce.