§ Harry CohenTo ask the Minister for Women what assessment she has made of the rehousing criteria of housing authorities with respect to gender sharing and the effect this has upon young women and their mothers; and if she will make a statement. [58751]
§ Mr. McNultyI have been asked to reply.
Housing authorities must ensure that their allocation scheme is framed so as to give reasonable preference to certain categories of people. The categories are as set out in s167 (2) of the Housing Act 1996 and include people occupying overcrowded housing. Statutory overcrowding is defined in terms of the room standard and the space standard, which are set out in Part X of the Housing Act 967W 1985. The room standard is contravened when two persons of opposite sexes (over the age of 10), who are not living together as husband and wife, are required to sleep in the same room.