Clause 23 - Abolition of duty under section 197
Homes Bill
5:00 pm
Mr Nick Raynsford (Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions; Greenwich and Woolwich, Labour)
I thank the hon. Gentleman. In cases where the authority has transferred its housing stock to another landlord, there has to be, as part of the transfer, an agreement with the receiving body, the registered social landlord, to accept nominations to enable the authority to meet its homelessness obligations. That contractual relationship between the local authority and the large-scale voluntary transfer authority—in some cases, the relationship could be with a number of other RSLs—is the mechanism by which the authority can refer homeless applicants to such accommodation.
Certainly, as part of their homelessness strategy, which is dealt with in one of the earlier clauses of this Bill, it is obviously necessary for local authorities to ensure that they have good relationships and arrangements, whether contractual or simply a voluntary understanding, with registered social landlords in their area to enable them to have access to the necessary number of premises and to meet their obligations.
I hope that the Committee will accept this sensible clause .
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 23 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 24 ordered to stand part of the Bill.