asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the response of local authorities in Essex and elsewhere to his Department's Circular 18/74 on homelessness.

Most housing authorities are in the process of accepting responsibility for accommodating the homeless; we have asked all authorities concerned for information about the extent to which they have adopted the main recommendations in the joint circular on homelessness. In Essex there has been notably good co-operation between the county and district authorities: all but one of the district housing authorities now undertake responsibility for housing the homeless in their areas.