Deputy Prime Minister written question – answered at on 22 February 2005.
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to achieve the Government's targets of (a) ending child poverty by 2020 and (b) halving it by 2010; and if he will make a statement.
Tackling disadvantage is one of the five key aims for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Achieving government child poverty targets is an important part of this work.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made a significant input into the Child Poverty Review, which includes measures to contribute towards the long-term goal of halving and eradicating child poverty, including:
a 50 per cent. increase in the rate of social house building by 2008 providing 10 000 extra dwellings per year as outlined in Sustainable Communities: Homes For All" to help achieve the target to halve the number of households living in Temporary accommodation by 2010; increasing investment in homelessness prevention;
Providing £1.7 billion per year through the Supporting People (SP) programme to help vulnerable people sustain independent living including teenage parents or women fleeing from domestic violence, with benefit to their children; a £1.2 billion market renewal programme up to 2008; a new PS A target: by 2010, to bring all social housing into a decent condition.
Progress
The proportion of vulnerable households—including families with children—living in decent homes in the private sector, increased from 57 per cent. in 2001 to 63 per cent. in 2003. New data from English Housing Condition Survey confirms the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is ahead of expected progress towards its PSA target for the private sector.
We have succeeded in ending the scandal of homeless families having to raise their children for long periods in cramped B&B hotels. There were 96 per cent. fewer families with children living long-term in B&B hotels in September 2004 than in March 2002.
The Housing Act 2004 contains measures aimed at helping the most at risk from poor conditions and irresponsible landlords. Part 1 of the Act contains provisions to replace the housing fitness standard (also one of the criteria of the decent home standard) by an evidence based risk assessment procedure, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). HHSRS will help focus decisions about housing conditions on the hazards which impact on the health and safety of vulnerable occupants, including children. The measures are likely to be implemented this autumn.
The Housing Act also enables us to amend the statutory overcrowding standards through secondary legislation. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to consult on this.
Yes1 person thinks so
No1 person thinks not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.