Thousands of people are risking health problems because of the substandard housing in which they live, the British Medical Association has warned.

In a report, the doctors say that too many families are temporarily placed in overcrowded bed and breakfast accommodation and older people are left on their own in old, cold and damp homes, while others face increased stress from mortgage arrears and debts.

A spokeswoman for the ODPM told ePolitix.com: "The government shares the BMA concerns about children growing up in unsuitable B and B accommodation. That's why we have set an ambitious target that, by March 2004, no homeless family with children should be placed in a B and B hotel.

"This sends out a clear message that we should not tolerate children being forced to stay in over-crowded and expensive B and B hotels. For too long families with children have lived in unacceptable conditions. Children have not had enough space to place or study.

"Families have had to share washing and toilet facilities. It's been impossible to cook healthy meals. Living in bed and breakfast accommodation is stressful for everyone. The government is working closely with local authorities to make sure it is avoided.

"In addition, the draft Housing Bill, published for consultation on March 31, proposes to ensure a better quality of housing by replacing the existing housing fitness standard with a more effective one to enable local authorities to enforce against unacceptable housing conditions."The draft Housing Bill also proposes to improve controls on Houses in Multiple Occupation. This includes a mandatory national licensing scheme, to tackle poor physical and management standards and will give council's powers to license all landlords in areas of low housing demand or similar areas where the growth and poor management of the private rented sector frustrates efforts to create sustainable communities."

Forum Response: Shelter

A spokesman for Shelter told ePolitix.com: "Shelter endorses the findings of the BMA's report into health and housing. The report confirms the devastating effect that poor housing has on people's lives.

"Every day we see families with children forced to live in B and Bs or stuck in damp and overcrowded homes. Their health, children's education and long-term well being are ruined by the place they live in.

"There simply are not enough decent homes available caused by years of under investment. It is crucial that we create the homes that these people desperately need."

Forum Response: British Property Federation

Ian Fletcher, commercial and residential director at the British Property Federation, told ePolitix.com: "The British Medical Association's report has highlighted an important issue in examining the link between poverty, poor housing and health. In the UK we have very old housing stock and poor conditions in part of the owner-occupied, social rented and private rented sectors, and we welcome the cross-tenure focus of the report.

"However, the approach that the BMA is proposing may not be the most effective way of tackling the problem and it is not the best placed organisation to recommend solutions. History has shown that regulation has not always proved successful in housing policy. There are already many regulations that seek to ensure appropriate standards in residential accommodation, however, not all of these have proved workable or enforceable.

"To solve the problems identified in the BMA report requires a more comprehensive review of the tax, subsidy and regulatory regimes across all tenures, and a more coherent approach to housing policy in general."

Forum Response: National Consumer Council

Gill Bull, acting chief executive of the National Consumer Council, told ePolitix.com: "The government's target to end fuel poverty by 2010 is hugely ambitious.

"The department of health has a major part to play in the fuel poverty strategy and should devote more of its resources to prevention, rather than treating the victims of cold related illnesses."