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Homelessness
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many families were made homeless within (a) Sefton and (b) Merseyside in each year since 1993; [94580]
- (2) how many people have been homeless during the last five years broken down by gender in Merseyside. [94648]
Mr. Mullin: Data on homelessness activity are reported each quarter by local authorities and this includes the number of households accepted as homeless and in priority need under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts. Further classification by gender, or numbers of people, is not collected. The following table summarises information provided by authorities in Merseyside since 1994:
| Year | Sefton | All Merseyside |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 218 | 3,235 |
| 1995 | 191 | 2,900 |
| 1996 | 166 | 2,557 |
| 1997 | 106 | 2,093 |
| 1998 | 109 | 1,995 |
| 1999 1st half | 68 | (7)1,030 |
(7) An estimate for non response from one authority is included in this figure
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to further reduce homelessness among (a) families and (b) young people. [94582]
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Mr. Mullin:
The Government have a Manifesto commitment to impose a new duty on local authorities to protect those who are homeless through no fault of their own and are in priority need. This includes families with children and others who are regarded as vulnerable, which can include young people. Since taking office, we have already strengthened the legislation to give homeless people reasonable preference in the allocation of long-term social housing.
My Department has set up an official-level sounding board with the local authority associations, Shelter, the Chartered Institute of Housing and others to discuss further proposals for change, on which we would propose to consult more widely in due course. In particular, we will be looking at ways of encouraging more partnership working at a local level, through the development of local homelessness strategies and preventive initiatives. We will also be considering further measures to ensure that housing solutions are sustainable in order to reduce the risk of homelessness recurring.
The Department has also established a Youth Homelessness Action Partnership, again with both the voluntary and statutory sectors, to look at the particular problems faced by young people and to develop proposals for tackling them. Our revised Code of Guidance on the Allocation of Accommodation and Homelessness, due to be published around the end of the year, will recommend local authorities to treat young care-leavers, especially, as being vulnerable under the homelessness legislation.
My Department is also contributing to follow-up work on the Social Exclusion Unit's reports which have a particular bearing on young people, including "Bridging the Gap" and the "Report on Rough Sleeping". These measures include: the extension to young homeless people of the Education Maintenance Allowance pilots (which aim to encourage young people to remain in full-time education and so improve their life-skills); the introduction of a new Youth Support Service, with links to statutory and voluntary housing and homelessness agencies; and the establishment of the new Rough Sleepers Unit, which is co-ordinating Government action to achieve our target of reducing the number of people sleeping rough in England by two-thirds by 2002.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to use lottery funding to support projects and organisations which help the homeless. [94649]
Mr. Mullin:
None. Responsibility for distributing proceeds from the National Lottery rests with a number of distributing bodies which make their decisions independently of Government.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the recommendations contained within Lord Donaldson's report on a five-year strategy for HM Coastguard. [94509]
Mr. Hill:
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions accepts all of the recommendations contained in Lord Donaldson's Review of the Five-Year Strategy for HM Coastguard.
19 Oct 1999 : Column: 502
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if any dedicated frequencies are going to be allocated for marine safety information broadcasts; and if there have been any operational difficulties utilising existing frequencies for marine safety information broadcasts. [94646]
Mr. Hill:
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have applied to the Radiocommunications Agency for two additional VHF working frequencies which will be used primarily for Maritime Safety Information broadcasts. The MCA application was placed before the National Frequency Assignment Panel (NFAP) on Friday 15 October 1999.
Operational difficulties utilising those frequencies assigned to Maritime Safety Information broadcasts have been limited to some mutual interference between HM Coastguard transmissions and those of port operators in Clydeport, Liverpool and Medway. Those difficulties have been overcome by avoiding transmissions on a frequency in use by the other authority and HM Coastguard's use of an alternative working frequency not normally assigned to Maritime Safety Information.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how the new equipment used by HM Coastguard for Medilink Services varies from the original equipment used by BT coast radio stations; and what difficulties have been involved in its introduction. [94626]
Mr. Hill:
The Medilink equipment, known as TeleConnect, installed in HM Coastguard Co-ordination Centres is specifically designed for simplex communications. This mode of communications allows only one operator to speak at any time. Hospital medical staff who might not be familiar with this mode of communications have received appropriate training from HM Coastguard.
BT Coast Radio Stations were fitted with Medilink equipment which differs from HM Coastguard's equipment in that it provides duplex communications. This mode of communications is similar to that used, for instance, in normal telephone calls. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has applied to the Radiocommunications Agency for two of the hitherto BT duplex channels following closure of BT Coast Radio Stations.
No difficulties were encountered with the introduction of Medilink equipment into HM Coastguard Co-ordination Centres. The TeleConnect Units installed for Medilink purposes have been used successfully on each occasion medical advice has been sought by vessels at sea.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many incidents, by category, have been handled by each coastguard station during the last five years. [94644]
Mr. Hill:
The following tables detail incidents, by category, handled by each Coastguard station during the last five years.
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Notes:
Assistance Rendered--SAR Unit despatched and rendered assistance to a casualty.
Assistance Not Rendered--SAR Unit called out or despatched but casualty resolved problem, others assisted first or False Alarm with Good Intent.
Hoax--SAR Unit Called Out or despatched based on call with Malicious Intent.
Persons Assisted--SAR Unit used to transfer or escort persons to safety but not from a life threatening situation.
Persons Rescued--SAR Unit used to evacuate or escort persons to safety where but for the intervention lives would probably have been lost.
19 Oct 1999 : Column: 505
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