Affordable Housing

Mr. Stewart Jackson
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Trusts Services Authority issues guidance to local authorities on obtaining information on the sexual orientation of social tenants and leaseholders.

Mr. Ian Austin
The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 make it unlawful for public authorities (which includes local housing authorities) to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services, the disposal and management of premises and the exercise of public functions (among other things).

New statutory guidance for local authorities in England, published on 4 December 2009, advises that monitoring and evaluation systems should be put in place and lettings outcomes published so that people can see that the allocation scheme is being complied with and is fair, and that the authority is meeting its duties under the equalities legislation.