asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the number of people living on residential boats; and what steps are being taken to ascertain the exact number;(2) if he is satisfied that residential boats have, in law, sufficient security of tenure and protection against harassment;(3) why residential boats were not included in the mobile homes review; and what are the results of the examination elsewhere.

Information about the number of residents is not available, but a small scale survey carried out in 1975 indicated that the number of residential houseboats in England and Wales was probably not more than 1,500. There are no proposals for a further survey. In my view, legislation to give statutory rights of security of tenure on moorings would be of doubtful value. Houseboats were not included in the mobile homes review because they involve different policy and legal issues.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the application of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act by local authorities in respect of displaced residential boat owners.

In the first half of 1978, some 2 per cent. of the homeless households for whom local authorities accepted a responsibility to secure accommodation under the Act had last been living in either a mobile home, caravan or houseboat before becoming homeless. The statistics collected do not indicate how many of these had been living in a houseboat.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the specific authority granted to the British Waterways Board to issue houseboat licences he will introduce legislation to correct the present imbalance between houseboat and pleasure boat licences and to increase the number of residential licences, particularly on or near existing moorings, to deter vandalism on the waterfront.

The numbers of houseboat registration certificates and pleasure boat licences issued on the inland waterways of the British Waterways Board is a matter for the Board's judgment in the exercise of its statutory duties. I am not aware of any need for the legislation sought by my bon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward legislation to enable those who live afloat to become eligible for the same reliefs as land dwellers, in particular, rent and rate rebates.

Consideration is being given to extension of rent assistance to houseboat dwellers renting their houseboats Although rates are paid on moorings, the houseboats are almost always exempt and occupiers could become eligible for rate reliefs only if the houseboats were brought within the scope of rating; the arguments for this are finely balanced.