To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the current number of homeless in the United Kingdom, and of those how many suffer from (a) alcoholism or drug dependency, (b) AIDS and (c) mental illness.
[holding answer 15 June 1990]: Latest estimates of households accepted as homeless in England appear in table 1(a) of "Local authorities" action under the homeless provisions of the 1985 Housing Act:England. Results for the fourth quarter 1989. Supplementary Tables", which is in the Library.
My Department has no estimates of how many of those accepted were suffering from alcoholism, drug dependency or AIDS. Estimates, in percentage terms, of those who were accepted because of mental illness appear in table 3 of the same publication.
For information about Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Northern Ireland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.