Mr Nick Raynsford (Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions; Greenwich & Woolwich, Labour)

I am sorry, Mr. Gale. I hope that there has not been any question of misleading the House. This morning I informed the Committee that we proposed to make available two documents. A research study on the working of allocations systems was presented to the Committee this morning. This afternoon we have made available a summary of the elements that are likely to form the basis of the strategic review of homelessness that we debated this morning. The right hon. Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) asked a number of pertinent questions about that, and I am delighted that we have been able to respond with such rapidity to his request. I hope that he will find the information in the document helpful.

I had just begun to respond to the debate this morning. I was highlighting the importance of having an effective framework in place to ensure that people who face the trauma and misery of homelessness are helped. The causes of homelessness are varied and complex. Some are broad, national issues, which can be, and are being, tackled by Government initiatives outside the Bill. One such issue is the supply of affordable housing. Other causes of homelessness are localised, and some are personal to the individuals concerned.

Turning to the national causes, the hon. Member for Eastbourne made a number of allegations about the Government's failure to tackle the problem of homelessness. During the latter years of the Conservative Government, there were continual, year-on-year cuts in housing expenditure and investment, which led to a steep decline in the sums being allocated for the construction of new social housing and for the renovation of existing homes. We have reversed both those declining trends.

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