Hostels: Finance

Mr. Slaughter
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what reports she has received of the effects of changes in (a) revenue funding and (b) numbers of bed spaces on the submission of bids by charities and registered social landlords for funding under the hostels capital improvement programme.

Yvette Cooper
Since the launch of the hostels capital improvement programme in December 2004 I have received update reports from my officials regarding the programme on a regular basis. We are not aware of any particular problems with revenue funding or bedspaces and my officials continue to closely monitor progress.

One of the criteria for funding under the hostels capital improvement programme (HCIP) is that there is agreed supporting people or other revenue funding to ensure that high quality support services are continued as capital works are completed. As regards bedspaces, hostel residents are housed elsewhere during building work and there has been no identified impact on the numbers of people sleeping rough.

Mr. Slaughter
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to extend the Hostels Capital Improvement Programme beyond 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper
The current £90 million Hostels Capital Improvement Programme runs through until March 2008. Future investment under the programme will be dependent on the comprehensive spending review which is under way.