HC Deb 24 October 2002 vol 391 cc489-90W
Sandra Gidley

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the amount spent by local authorities on bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless people in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [76406]

Mrs. Roche

Latest available information is published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in their report "Homelessness Statistics 2000–01 Actuals". Total estimated expenditure by local authorities in each of the past five years, based on information supplied to CIPFA, was as follows:

Local Authority Expenditure on Bed & Breakfast Provision: England
Gross £m Net £m
1996–97 51,190,208 17,483,026
1997–98 56,689,680 24,075,766
1998–99 117,837,868 53,840,470
1999–00 151,651,900 70,804,741
2000–/01 178,222,459 80,466,675

Notes:

B&B accommodation includes privately owned or managed hotels/guest houses with some shared facilities, but excludes hotel annexes of self-contained accommodation where meals are not provided.

Expenditure excludes any apportionment of central or departmental administration. Net expenditure takes into account income arising from charges to clients, and housing benefit subsidy.

Source:

Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Homelessness Statistics—"Actuals" annual reports.

Sandra Gidley

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the progress of the Bed and Breakfast Unit in reducing the number of homeless families with children living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation. [76405]

Mr. McNulty

The most recent statistics on statutory homelessness showed that numbers of families with children in B&B at the end of June 2002 remained at around 6,700, the same as the equivalent figure for the end of March 2002.

In March 2002 a £35 million programme was launched to help local authorities ensure that by March 2004 no homeless family with children is in a Bed and Breakfast hotel other than in an emergency, and even then for no more than 6 weeks. The Bed and Breakfast Unit has now funded the 44 authorities with the highest number of families with children in B&B to implement Bed and Breakfast Action Plans and will be monitoring progress closely.