Homelessness (Hansard, 18 April 2002)

§ Dr. Murrison
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many homeless people there were(a) in absolute terms and (b) as a proportion of the population in each local authority district or unitary authority in England and Wales, at the latest date for which figures are available. [49037]

§ Ms Keeble
Summary information on activity under statutory homelessness provisions is reported to the Department each quarter 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.
1094W
National and some regional information on local authorities' activity is provided in a quarterly Statistical Release published by the Department. Key summary information at local authority and regional level is set out in associated supplementary table; this includes the number of households accepted, and this number is also expressed as a rate per thousand households living in the local authority area. Copies are available in the Library, and also via the Department's website. The latest version, published on 14 March, presents statistics for the period October to December 2001.
For corresponding information about Welsh authorities, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

§ Mrs. May
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what funding will be available to local authorities in order to help them to implement the new duties imposed on them by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the Priority Needs Order. [50528]

§ Mr. Byers
The Government have provided an additional £8 million per annum (through the local government finance settlement, with effect from 2001–02) to compensate local authorities for the revenue costs of implementing the Homelessness Act and the priority needs order.
In response to the homelessness report, 'More than a roof', I confirmed that the Government will allocate additional resources in order to help local authorities deliver the priority needs order. A further announcement on this will be made when the election purdah period is over.

§ Mrs. May
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what funding will be available to the National Homelessness Directorate over the next three years; and how much money will go to(a) the BBU, (b) the RSU and (c) the Hostels Inspectorate. [50529]

§ Mr. Byers
The DTLR has allocated £35 million to the Bed and Breakfast Unit and £30 million to the Rough Sleepers Unit for this financial year. Funding from April 2003 onwards is dependent on the outcome of Spending Review 2002.
As was stated in the document 'More than a roof' we are currently exploring the feasibility of establishing a hostels 'inspectorate'.