§ 9. Simon HughesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Government expect to meet their target that there should be no families in bed and breakfast for more than six weeks in London boroughs; and what steps he will take to sustain this policy. [159910]
§ Yvette CooperOfficial figures show that the number of families in bed and breakfast accommodation for more than six weeks halved between September 2002 and September 2003. Monitoring by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister shows considerable progress has been made since then. From April local authorities will have a statutory obligation not to house families in bed and breakfast for more than six weeks.