During Commons questions to the Communities and Local Government Ministers yesterday the Shadow Housing Minister Jack Dromey said:
Under Labour, homlessness fell by 70%.
There are some different definitions used. But the generally accepted one is of statutory homelessness. Those are households placed in temporary accommodation by local authorities who have accepted them as homeless under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act.
In the second quarter of 1997 there were 43,720 such households. That is when Labour came in.
In the second quarter of 2010 there were 50,400 such households. That is when Labour went out.
How is that a 70% fall?
The Speaker, of course, would be cross if any MP accused Mr Dromey or anyone else on the opposition front bench of telling lie. But perhaps it should be pointed out that Mr Dromey may have "inadvertently misled the House."