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Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Answer

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Castle Point families were housed in bed and breakfasts (a) in each of the last five years for which figures exist and (b) on 1 April 2003. [117996] Yvette Cooper: Information reported by Castle Point District Council to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on the numbers of homeless households housed by the authority in bed and breakfast (including any hotel annexe accommodation where some or all basic facilities are shared) is as follows: Castle Point DC: Homeless households in bed and breakfast at end of quarter _________________________________________________________________________________________________. March June September December 1997 14 0 12 6 1998 10 3 1 6 1999 n/r 46 34 n/r 2000 41 18 32 22 2001 n/r 12 10 n/r 2002 20 22 17 n/r 2003 6 -- -- -- _________________________________________________________________________________________________. n/r = not reported. Note: Figures include households accommodated pending completion of inquiries by the local authority. Source: ODPM P1(E) housing returns (quarterly) Last year the Government announced a new commitment to ensure that by March 2004 no family with children will be placed in bed and breakfast accommodation other than in an emergency, and even then for no more than six weeks. Corresponding information has been collected since March 2002, as part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's monitoring of authorities' progress towards this target. Castle Point DC: Homeless households with dependent children or an expectant mother in bed and breakfast at end of month _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Number Of which: resident more than six weeks 2000 March 16 not collected June 18 not collected September 15 not collected October 16 15 November 17 n/r December 19 15 2003 January 23 19 February 19 16 March 6 3 April 10 2 May 12 4 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Source: ODPM quarterly P1E returns; monthly monitoring returns (since October)

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

117996; 407 c416-7W;407 c418-9W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Children Bed and breakfast accommodation Families Standards

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk