To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households were in temporary accommodation in (a) Merseyside and (b) Crosby constituency in each of the last five years; and what the average time spent in such accommodation was. (283181)

Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected at local authority level. Merseyside comprises Knowsley, St. Helens and Wirral Metropolitan borough councils, Liverpool city council and Sefton council. The constituency of Crosby falls within Sefton.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 June 2009, Official Report, column 843W, given to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink).