FAMILIES SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FACE YEARS ON THE HOUSING LIST JUST TO GET SOMEWHERE DECENT TO LIVE - KEETCH

5.19.52pm GMT Wed 16th Nov 2005

Paul Keetch MP for Hereford today spoke out about homelessness and the shortage of affordable housing in the county.

Figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats reveal that over 1.5 million families in England are waiting for a council house. The shocking figures also show that this number has risen by over 50% since Labour came to power.

Commenting Mr Keetch said:

"In Herefordshire the number of people on the housing register has risen by 249% since 1997. Now, just over 43 households are on the waiting list per 1000 people in the county - this one of the highest in the West Midlands and totally unacceptable!

"House price inflation in Herefordshire and the comparable low wages in the area had contributed to the severe increase in people being on the housing register.

"These figures reveal the massive scale of the housing crisis in this county. With house prices so high that home ownership is just a dream for most people, more and more are turning to councils for help finding a home. But every year there are fewer and fewer affordable homes for the people who need them. The Government and Herefordshire council need to address this situation immediately.

"Families shouldn't have to face years on the housing list just to get somewhere decent to live. Frankly, this Conservative Council is not doing enough to address this situation," Mr Keetch added.

ENDS

Notes To Editors

1) Figures given on households on Local Authorities Housing Registers taken from a Parliamentary Answer given on 17th October 2005 Column 811W this can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm051017/text/51017w45.htm#51017w45.html_sbhd5

Full table of households on Local Authority Housing Registers set out below.

2) Figures to show that 5 times as many social houses were sold under right to buy (92,146) than built (18,577) in 2003/04 (The latest year for which stats are available) these are available here: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=1156033 (Houses Built) and here: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=1156375 (Houses Sold)

3) Figures to show that homelessness has doubled since 1997 are available here: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=1156308

They show that in Quarter 2 of 1997 there were 43,720 homeless families compared with 101,030 in Quarter 2 of 2005.