HOUSING FOR CHILDREN

That this House notes that, according to official statistics, over one million children in the UK are homeless or in housing which is either overcrowded or unfit for human habitation; further notes that all available research indicates the major impact of this on their health, education and future prospects; further notes that Shelter estimates that an extra 20,000 new social rented homes are required annually to meet acute newly-arising housing need in the UK, particularly in London and parts of the South East, and to meet the Government's target of halving the number of homeless households trapped in temporary accommodation; further notes that the Government will be making a formal response to the Baker Review before the end of the year; and calls on Ministers to make a new commitment to tackling this housing need by committing to a significant and sustained increase in the number of social rented homes being built to help end bad housing for the next generation of children.