GOVERNMENT plans to prevent single mothers and homeless people jumping

the housing queue were unveiled yesterday by English Housing Minister

Sir George Young.

However, his proposals drew fierce fire from housing and lone-parent

groups who denounced the Government for seeking ''scapegoats'' for the

lack of affordable housing.

Under the plans, councils will only be obliged to provide temporary

accommodation to those in urgent need.

Under the present rules, anyone who becomes homeless or is in

''priority need'' of accommodation, for example single mothers, goes to

the top of the housing queue.

However, Sir George told a news conference at Westminster: ''It isn't

fair that those who wait patiently should see others, whose housing

needs may be no greater, take precedence over them.

''What we intend to do is to create a system that is fair to

everyone,'' he said.

The new regulations will not apply in Scotland, where a review on the

operation of Government guidance to councils will be published soon.

A code of guidance to local authorities, based on the 1987 Housing

Scotland Act, was published in 1991 and councils have a statutory duty

to have regard to that guidance.

Housing charity Shelter condemned the Government's plans as a return

to the era of Cathy Come Home. The disturbing BBC television play from

1966 told of a couple whose children are put into care after they are

evicted from their home.* Sir George Young once told how he would never

forget watching Cathy Come Home.

''Carol White's vivid portrayal of despair struck home to my wife and

me. We were the same age as 'Cathy' and also starting a family, but the

contrast in our positions could not have been more dramatic.''

In an ironic twist, Sir George -- who was writing in The Times three

years ago on the 25th anniversary of the founding of Shelter's campaign

for better housing -- recalled: ''It was at this time that my interest

in housing issues began.''