Best value performance indicator (BVPI) BV212 measures the average time taken to re-let local authority housing. BV212 does not differentiate according to the type of tenure the person was in prior to the letting, nor does it look at the effect a local authority let has on the financial circumstances of the a tenant who was previously housed in the private rented sector. Targets set against BV212 are determined by individual local authorities themselves and not by the Government.
Professor Hills is due to present the findings of his assessment of social housing to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in December 2006.
On 1 October 2006 there were nearly 2,000 housing associations; there were 108 local authorities who had opted directly to manage all their social housing and there were 53 local authorities with social housing run through arm’s-length management. There were a further 52 who had opted to either transfer their homes to a housing association or set up an ALMO but they have yet to complete the process and so are currently managing some or all of their stock directly. Some local authorities have more than one management structure for their social housing.
Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected in respect of households rather than persons. The number of households accepted by local authorities in England as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and consequently owed the main homelessness duty, in each year since 1997-98; and the number of households in temporary accommodation arranged by the authority under homelessness legislation as at 31 March of each year, are in the following table. From 1998, information has also been collected on the number of people who sleep rough—that is, those who are literally roofless on a single night—and these are presented in the tables.
Households accepted1 as owed a main duty during the year Households in temporary accommodation2 at end of year (31 March) 1997-98 102,430 47,520 1998-99 104,260 56,580 1999-00 105,580 65,170 2000-01 114,670 75,200 2001-02 116,660 80,210 2002-03 128,540 89,040 2003-04 135,430 97,680 2004-05 120,860 101,070 2005-06 93,980 96,370 1 Households eligible under homelessness legislation, found to be unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category, and consequently owed a main homelessness duty. 2 Households in accommodation either pending a decision on their homelessness application or awaiting allocation of a settled home following acceptance. Excludes those households designated as "homeless at home" that have remained in their existing accommodation and have the same rights to suitable alternative accommodation as those in accommodation arranged by the authority. 3 Mid-year estimates Source: DCLG P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly); and Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (annual) (for Rough Sleepers data)
Rough Sleepers1 (number of persons) June 1998 1,850 1999 1,633 2000 1,180 2001 703 2002 596 2003 504 2004 508 2005 459 2006 502 1 Mid-year estimates.
Data on acceptances and households in temporary accommodation for each local authority area since 1997-98, and rough sleeper figures back to 1998, have already been placed in the Library this month (PQ 8631 the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Rosindell)).
There is no general definition of 'unsuitable' housing. The available estimates for the number of unfit homes (as defined by Section 604 of the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act) are provided in the following table.
Number (thousand) Percentage of all homes 1991 1,498 7.6 1996 1,522 7.5 2001 902 4.3 2003 1,005 4.7 2004 985 4.6 Note: 1. Unfit homes are those which fail the statutory minimum standard as defined by the Fitness Standard. From 2006 figures will be based on the Housing Health and Safety Rating System which replaced the Fitness Standard following the 2004 Housing Act. Source: DCLG : English House Condition Surveys
Each local authority makes its own independent assessment of unfitness which it reports in its annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix. These figures are also published by my Department and are available on the DCLG website from 2001-02 at the following address:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1156544
For methodological reasons the figures from the English House Condition Survey are used as the most reliable national estimate of the overall scale of unfitness and indicator of any trend.
For the number of empty properties in each local authority in Suffolk in each year since 1997 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Rogerson) on 25 July 2006, Official Report, column 1604W.
I have been asked to reply.
Rural housing enablers (RHEs) work with rural communities, local authorities, landowners, and housing associations to help identify rural housing needs and find appropriate solutions. There are currently 40 RHEs in post, supported by funding from local authorities, housing associations and Defra. They act independently of any single organisation, usually located in the offices of the county rural community council, while some sit within the offices of the local authority. Defra has committed funding to support RHEs through the rural social and community programme, this is fixed until March 2008.
(2) what provisions in the Housing Act 2004 remain to be implemented; and what the timetable is for their implementation.
The information requested is in the following table.
Provision/Part Proposed timetable for implementation and regulations Parts 2, 3, 4 and 7—HMO and Selective Licensing Regulations relating to section 257 HMOs and Rent Repayment Orders will be laid later in 2006 Part 5—Home Information Packs Amendments in respect of The Home Information Pack Regulations will be laid in early 2007 Part 6—Tenant Deposit Protection Regulations relating to Tenancy Deposit Protection schemes will be laid in early 2007
No, the key worker living programme is for public sector workers only. Teachers employed in state maintained nursery (early years) primary or secondary schools and some further education institutes are eligible to apply for assistance.
Each scheme is dealt with on an individual basis taking into account the marketing activities of the registered social landlord and local market demand and supply. There is flexibility which allows for changes to tenure and widening of the eligibility criteria where local evidence demonstrates that this is needed and where no added grant is required. Scheme review will be triggered only where units have been empty for at least three months.
Discretionary or mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) may apply to (i) hotels, (ii) bed and breakfasts and (iii) hostels if the individual establishments (a) fall within the definition of an HMO and (b) either is a category of HMO to which a discretionary scheme applies or is one that meets the criteria for mandatory licensing.