Written question asked by Andrew Rosindell (Conservative) on Monday, 16 October 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 18 October 2006. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Monday, 6 November 2006 on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Housing

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of social housing provided in the south east of England is allocated to (a) asylum seekers, (b) foreign nationals who have indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom and (c) foreign nationals who have further leave to remain in the United Kingdom.

Answer: Information on the allocation of local authority dwellings is collected quarterly on the Department for Communities and Local Government’s P1(E) form. Between April and June 2006 (the most recent quarter for which data is available), 60 out of the 67 authorities in the south eastern region reported data. Data on lettings by Registered Social Landlords is not collected by these categories of foreign nationals.(a) Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing.(b) Between April and June 2006, local authorities in the south east region reported 14 out of an estimated 2,855 total new local authority lettings when to foreign nationals who had refugee status or indefinite leave to remain.(c) There is no specific class of eligibility for social housing for persons granted further leave to remain. However, persons granted exceptional leave to remain, discretionary leave or humanitarian protection will be eligible to be housed. Between April and June 2006, local authorities in the south east region reported three out of an estimated 2,855 total new local authority lettings went to foreign nationals who remained here on grounds of either exceptional leave to remain, discretionary leave or humanitarian protection.The most recent data available on ““total”” new LA lettings comes from the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix, and is for 2004-05. There is estimated to have been a total of 2,855 new LA lettings in a quarter.

Secondary information