Homes Bill

Mr Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne, Conservative)

On a point of order, Mr. Gale. You were not here this morning, but during this morning's debates, the Minister accused me of quoting figures that were misleading and inaccurate. The Minister normally chooses his words carefully, so I took some time during the adjournment to check the figures that I quoted. I have them in front of me. They come from a table produced on 12 September by his Department and available on his Department's website, which I commend to him.

There is also a press release, again from his Department--unless somebody is going around with a John Bull printing press claiming to be the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions--which also sets out some statistics that show that homelessness is rising. I shall not quote it in extenso, because this is just a point of order. What it states, roughly, is that the increases are getting less, rather than that homelessness is decreasing. It might help the good-natured debate that the Committee has become used to if the Minister were to withdraw what he said this morning.

Mr Roger Gale (North Thanet, Conservative)

As the hon. Gentleman is well aware, all hon. Members are responsible for their own statements and their own statistics. Happily, that is not a matter for the Chair. It has now become a matter of record and a debating point, and if hon. Members wish to refer to it later, no doubt they will find an excuse, a manner or a way in which so to do. Clause 16 Duty of local housing authority to formulate a homelessness strategy