Written question asked by Linda Perham (Labour) on Wednesday, 30 April 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 12 May 2003. It was answered by Barbara Roche (Labour) on Monday, 12 May 2003 on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Question: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what plans he has to relieve homelessness in the London Borough of Redbridge. - Includes figures and ref to The Homelessness Directorates report 'More than a roof'.

Answer: Linda Perham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to relieve homelessness in the London Borough of Redbridge. [111746] Mrs. Roche: The Homelessness Directorate's report "More than a roof" sets out specific measures to tackle homelessness backed up by a £125 million investment in 2002-03 and £260 million over the following three years. The Homelessness Directorate has allocated funding to the London Borough of Redbridge which consists of: (a) £426,245 in 2002-03 and a further £260,000 for 2003-04 to help them reduce the number of homeless families with children in bed and breakfast hotels (B&B) and meet the national commitment of ensuring that by March 2004, no homeless family with children is placed in B&B other than in an emergency and even then for no more than six weeks. (b) £32,000 in 2002-03 to develop homeless services and £32,000 in 2003-04 to help them support a voluntary sector provider to carry out a mediation and reconciliation service to prevent homelessness amongst young people, and to provide a floating support and tenancy sustainment service for those to whom a homelessness duty is accepted where prevention is not possible. This aims to prevent a re-occurrence of homelessness and rough sleeping. In relation to the number of people sleeping rough, figures show that over the past few years Redbridge has maintained a very low number of no more than five people sleeping rough on any one night.

Secondary information