asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of homeless families in the Greater London area to the last convenient date; and how this compares with previous figures.

My information relates to families in temporary accommodation maintained by local authorities. On 30th September this year there were 2,787 families living in such accommodation in Greater London. This compares with 2,359 families at the end of 1969 and 2,016 at the end of 1968.