To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary’s statement on 21 March 2007, Official Report, column 288WH, on households in temporary accommodation, what discussions her Department has had with the Department of Work and Pensions on extending the pilot Working Future scheme for homeless families. (133731)

Working Future is a pilot led by the Greater London Authority and East Thames Group testing the use of a central block grant to subsidise the cost of procuring temporary accommodation in the private sector, which also promotes affordable rents and allows increased access to employment services and training opportunities for 100 households in three London boroughs. There is ongoing dialogue between my Department and the Department of Work and Pensions regarding ‘Working Future’. An evaluation is under way, the result of which will feed into future policy development in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will break down by area of expenditure the costs associated with the pilot Working Future scheme for homeless families. (133732)

Households participating in Working Future pay an affordable rent based on the average weekly council rent for the area, the cost of which is met through housing benefit. The remaining housing costs, which reflect the higher rental and management costs associated with temporary accommodation, are funded separately through a direct central Governmentgrant. £2.28 million was made available at the start of the pilot. CLG provided an additional £60,000 in 2006-07 to fund support services to increase employability among homeless households placed in the subsidised temporary accommodation. ‘Working Future is a pilot led by the Greater London Authority and East Thames Group and these and other partner bodies have also contributed.