To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on powers available to local authorities to remove tenants convicted of drug dealing. [104176]
The Housing Act 1996 provides a ground for possession where the tenant or their associate has been convicted of using the dwelling for immoral or illegal purposes (such as drug dealing from the premises) or has committed an arrestable offence in the locality of the tenancy.Furthermore, the Home Office published an Anti-Social Behaviour White Paper on 12 March which proposes to give police the power to close down premises—rented, owner occupied or otherwise—where Class A drugs are being sold or used and where this has resulted in serious nuisance to the local residents and wider community.
| Region | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| East Midlands | 3,924 | 5,099 | 5,363 | 4,511 | 3,878 | 5,185 |
| Eastern | 3,911 | 4,393 | 4,461 | 4,129 | 3,986 | 4,433 |
| London | 13,067 | 18,596 | 21,071 | 19,800 | 21,834 | 19,127 |
| Merseyside | 1,087 | 1,269 | 1,793 | 1,719 | 3,789 | 1,542 |
| North East | 1,970 | 2,285 | 3,003 | 2,353 | 2,353 | 2,660 |
| North West | 5,883 | 5,506 | 6,804 | 6,318 | 5,456 | 5,797 |
| South East | 6,076 | 6,635 | 6,996 | 5,519 | 6,085 | 5,948 |
| South West | 2,939 | 3,245 | 3,655 | 2,549 | 2,041 | 3,441 |
| Wales | 2,036 | 2,593 | 3,075 | 3,090 | 3,079 | 3,439 |
| West Midlands | 4,639 | 5,255 | 6,755 | 6,145 | 7,556 | 6,023 |
| Yorkshire and Humber | 4,333 | 4,825 | 5,747 | 5,448 | 5,563 | 5,103 |
| England and Wales | 49,865 | 59,701 | 68,723 | 61,581 | 65,620 | 62,698 |