§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many rough sleepers were counted in market towns in the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [37799]
§ Ms KeebleOn 3 December 2001 the Prime Minister announced that the Rough Sleepers Unit had achieved its target of reducing rough sleeping by at least two-thirds by 2002.
Local authorities and voluntary agencies conduct rough sleeping counts and collate the information. Tables showing all the local authority estimates and street count results for 1998, 1999, 2000 and the latest figures for 2001 were placed in the Libraries of the House on 11 December 2001. Local authorities not listed in the tables for those years submitted either an estimate of 0-10 or no estimate in their HIP returns.