House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 9 Jan 2003 (pt 15)

9 Jan 2003 : Column 346W—continued

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Affordable Housing

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has (a) to increase the supply of affordable housing in areas of shortage and (b) to make changes to reduce the loss of housing stock through the Right to Buy. [88546]

Mr. McNulty: In his statement to the House about sustainable communities on 18 July 2002, Official Report, column 438, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister promised to return to the House with a comprehensive long-term programme of action to tackle a number of housing and planning issues in order to deliver a step change in the Government's policies for building successful, thriving and inclusive communities in all regions. The statement, which will be made shortly, will set out how the additional funding announced in the 2002 spending review will be used and what it will buy over the three years up to 2005–06. It will cover the provision of affordable housing in areas of shortage.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is concerned about some aspects of the way in which the Right to Buy is operating, and about exploitation of the rules, and is looking at ways of addressing this.

Homeless People

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homeless people, broken down by local authority, have been placed in hotel annexes of self-contained accommodation where meals were not provided in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [89125]

Mrs. Roche: Information distinguishing the number of households accommodated in self-contained hotel annexes has only been collected since March 2002 (previously, local authorities recorded such accommodation either as bed and breakfast or as private sector accommodation). These annexes are not necessarily directly attached to a hotel, and meals may or may not be provided, but the household has exclusive use of all facilities.

Information on households in such accommodation confirmed, or not reported, by local authorities in England at the end of each quarter since March 2002 is presented in the table; authorities not listed reported nil returns.

Homeless households accommodated by local authorities in self-contained hotel annexes during 2002, as at

30 March 30 June 30 September

Adur 2 ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Arun 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Babergh ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Barking and Dagenham 1 0 0

Barnet 482 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 682

Basildon ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Bexley 40 34 34

Boston 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Bradford 0 0 5

Brent 16 11 4

Bromley 36 37 30

Broxbourne 17 9 22

Calderdale 2 0 0

Camden 310 305 376

Carrick 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Chelmsford ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Chesterfield ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Christchurch 3 0 8

City of London 13 12 12

Colchester 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Craven 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Crawley 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Dartford 1 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 1

Doncaster 2 2 0

Dudley 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Ealing 9 19 68

Easington 0 0 1

East Cambridgeshire 0 18 0

East Riding of Yorkshire 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

East Staffordshire 1 0 0

Eastbourne 22 0 0

Elmbridge 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Enfield 820 833 827

Epsom and Ewell 0 0 1

Erewash ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Fylde ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Greenwich 3 29 2

Guildford 0 0 1

Hackney ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— 92

Halton ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Hammersmith and Fulham ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Harborough ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Haringey ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Harrow 4 10 8

Havering ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Hertsmere 0 6 7

Hillingdon 120 119 88

Hounslow 0 0 45

Ipswich 0 0 1

Islington ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— 297

Kensington and Chelsea 0 294 349

Kirklees 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Knowsley 2 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Lambeth ⁽¹⁶⁾— 130 183

Leicester ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Lewes 1 0 0

Lewisham ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Luton 66 37 69

Macclesfield ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Medway 7 ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Merton 0 6 2

Mid Sussex 1 0 0

Newcastle upon Tyne 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Newham ⁽¹⁶⁾— 184 198

Northampton 0 0 1

Nottingham City ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Oxford ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Penwith 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Portsmouth 9 13 14

Preston 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Purbeck 0 1 8

Redbridge 91 122 91

Richmond upon Thames 1 21 18

Richmondshire 1 0 0

Rotherham 0 2 0

Solihull 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

South Bedfordshire 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

South Gloucestershire 0 0 7

South Somerset ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Southwark ⁽¹⁶⁾— 7 20

Spelthorne 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Stockport 0 11 17

Sunderland 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Surrey Heath 3 4 3

Sutton 5 6 3

Tameside 1 5 6

Tamworth 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

Three Rivers 0 1 0

Torbay 16 16 0

Torridge 0 0 2

Tower Hamlets 177 149 99

Tunbridge Wells 6 9 6

Walsall 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Waltham Forest 193 225 249

Warrington ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

West Berkshire 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0

West Lindsey ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

West Oxfordshire 1 0 1

West Somerset 0 1 0

West Wiltshire 0 0 4

Westminster 107 90 134

Winchester 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾— ⁽¹⁶⁾—

Windsor and Maidenhead 1 0 0

Woking ⁽¹⁶⁾— 0 0

Wokingham 0 2 20

Wolverhampton 0 0 ⁽¹⁶⁾—

	30 March	30 June	30 September
Adur	2	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Arun	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Babergh	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Barking and Dagenham	1	0	0
Barnet	482	⁽¹⁶⁾—	682
Basildon	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Bexley	40	34	34
Boston	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Bradford	0	0	5
Brent	16	11	4
Bromley	36	37	30
Broxbourne	17	9	22
Calderdale	2	0	0
Camden	310	305	376
Carrick	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Chelmsford	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Chesterfield	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Christchurch	3	0	8
City of London	13	12	12
Colchester	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Craven	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Crawley	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Dartford	1	⁽¹⁶⁾—	1
Doncaster	2	2	0
Dudley	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Ealing	9	19	68
Easington	0	0	1
East Cambridgeshire	0	18	0
East Riding of Yorkshire	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
East Staffordshire	1	0	0
Eastbourne	22	0	0
Elmbridge	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Enfield	820	833	827
Epsom and Ewell	0	0	1
Erewash	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Fylde	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Greenwich	3	29	2
Guildford	0	0	1
Hackney	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	92
Halton	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Hammersmith and Fulham	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Harborough	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Haringey	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Harrow	4	10	8
Havering	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Hertsmere	0	6	7
Hillingdon	120	119	88
Hounslow	0	0	45
Ipswich	0	0	1
Islington	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	297
Kensington and Chelsea	0	294	349
Kirklees	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Knowsley	2	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Lambeth	⁽¹⁶⁾—	130	183
Leicester	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Lewes	1	0	0
Lewisham	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Luton	66	37	69
Macclesfield	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Medway	7	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Merton	0	6	2
Mid Sussex	1	0	0
Newcastle upon Tyne	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Newham	⁽¹⁶⁾—	184	198
Northampton	0	0	1
Nottingham City	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Oxford	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Penwith	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Portsmouth	9	13	14
Preston	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Purbeck	0	1	8
Redbridge	91	122	91
Richmond upon Thames	1	21	18
Richmondshire	1	0	0
Rotherham	0	2	0
Solihull	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
South Bedfordshire	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
South Gloucestershire	0	0	7
South Somerset	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Southwark	⁽¹⁶⁾—	7	20
Spelthorne	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Stockport	0	11	17
Sunderland	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Surrey Heath	3	4	3
Sutton	5	6	3
Tameside	1	5	6
Tamworth	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
Three Rivers	0	1	0
Torbay	16	16	0
Torridge	0	0	2
Tower Hamlets	177	149	99
Tunbridge Wells	6	9	6
Walsall	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Waltham Forest	193	225	249
Warrington	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
West Berkshire	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0
West Lindsey	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
West Oxfordshire	1	0	1
West Somerset	0	1	0
West Wiltshire	0	0	4
Westminster	107	90	134
Winchester	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—	⁽¹⁶⁾—
Windsor and Maidenhead	1	0	0
Woking	⁽¹⁶⁾—	0	0
Wokingham	0	2	20
Wolverhampton	0	0	⁽¹⁶⁾—

⁽¹⁶⁾ Not reported

9 Jan 2003 : Column 348W

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which of the top 44 authorities have indicated that they anticipate meeting the commitment that no homeless family with children will live in bed and breakfast accommodation by March 2003, as stated in Issue No 5 of the Bed and Breakfast Unit Newsletter. [89126]

Mrs. Roche: The Government have made a clear commitment that by March 2004 no local authority should place a homeless family with children in Bed and Breakfast accommodation other than in an emergency, and even then for no more than six weeks. In April 44 of the highest using B&B authorities were required to produce bed and breakfast action plans detailing how they would meet the commitment by March 2004. Some authorities set out ambitious plans to meet the commitment a year early in March 2003, 10 currently appear on target to do so:

London borough of Camden, Brighton and Hove city council, London borough of Richmond upon Thames, Colchester borough council, London borough of Waltham Forest, Poole unitary council, City of York council, Royal borough of Kingston,Hastings borough council, London borough of Harrow.

Homelessness Act

Mr. Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what evaluation has been undertaken of the implementation by local housing authorities of the Homelessness Act 2002 and associated statutory instruments; and if he will make a statement. [89397]

Mrs. Roche: The Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) Order 2002 (si 2002/2051), made under the Housing Act 1996, and the main homelessness provisions of the Homelessness Act 2002 came into force on 31 July 2002. The Homelessness Directorate within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is monitoring implementation of the new provisions, including local housing authorities' progress in carrying out a homelessness review in their district and preparing a homelessness strategy for adoption and publication by 30 July 2003. In addition, local housing authorities have been asked to submit a statement to the directorate indicating how they propose to spend their share of #10 million, allocated by the directorate in 2002–03, to assist with the cost of implementing the Homelessness Priority Need Order. The provisions of the 2002 Act which amend part 6 of the Housing Act 1996 (allocation of housing) will not come into force until 31 January 2003.

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