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Homelessness

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people on housing benefit were (a) re-housed by local authorities following eviction by private landlords and (b) moved to a lower category of accommodation by local authorities because of rent arrears, in the last 12 months. [2868]

Mr. Clappison: The data provided by local authorities on homelessness acceptances include information on the main reason for the homeless households' loss of last settled home.

There were some 1,150 households for which local authorities in England accepted responsibility to secure accommodation, under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act, as a result of private sector rent arrears, in the 12 months ending June 1995. It is not known how many of these households were in receipt of housing benefit.

Information is not available in the Department on the numbers of people on housing benefit who were moved to a lower category of accommodation by local authorities because of rent arrears.

Mr. Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve housing facilities for homeless people. [2869]

Mr. Clappison: The latest homelessness statistics collected by my Department from English local authorities show that the number of households in temporary accommodation has been declining since September 1992. The "Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities", to which authorities must by law have regard, makes clear that all temporary accommodation must meet acceptable standards.

30 Nov 1995 : Column: 801

Ribble Valley (Pollution)

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is taking following Ribble Valley council's recent vote in respect of the inspectorate. [2912]

Mr. Clappison: I regret the council's vote, but HMIP must complete its consultations on health issues before announcing a decision.

Cemfuel

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications for the use cemfuel of the distinction made by his Department between waste and fuel; and if he will make a statement. [2874]

Mr. Clappison: In so far as cemfuel constitutes waste, the provisions of the hazardous waste incineration directive (94/67/EC) will apply by 30 June 2000, which is the date specified in the directive. In the meantime, HMIP is applying equivalent controls to the use of wastes in cement kilns and waste incinerators.

Waste Regulation Service

Mr. Walden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what minimum standards will apply to ensure that the waste regulation service under the new Environment Agency will be delivered locally and to a standard not less than that achieved by the existing waste regulation authorities. [2891]

Mr. Clappison: The agency will have the same statutory responsibilities as the existing authorities for regulating the management of waste so as to prevent pollution of the environment or harm to human health. The Secretary of State will issue guidance to the agency on the discharge of these functions. It is for the Environment Agency to determine its geographical structure in line with its management statement, and reflecting the need for the efficient delivery of all its services. The management statement states that the agency should develop a close, responsive relationship with local communities.

30 Nov 1995 : Column: 802

Cement Industry Working Party

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include in membership of the cement industry working party a person of independent standing to offer advice on pollution limits from industrial processes. [2913]

Mr. Clappison: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution does not use working parties to draft guidance on pollution limits from industrial processes. Consultants are appointed to provide an independent international overview of up-to-date pollution control techniques. This forms the basis for HMIP guidance which is then subjected to wide consultation across a broad spectrum of consultees, many of which are independent of the industry concerned, before publication.

The guidance does not set statutory pollution limits, but provides benchmarks of current best practices within the industrial sector.

Local Government Finance

Sir Irvine Patnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings he proposes to hold with representatives of Sheffield city council following the local government settlement statement. [3202]

Mr. Curry: It is open to all authorities, including Sheffield, to request a meeting with Ministers during the consultation period which follows the provisional settlement announcement.

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the basis of his calculations of the distributable amount of non-domestic rates for 1996-97. [3698]

Mr. Curry: The distributable amount of non-domestic rates in England for 1996-97 will be £12,736 million. This is based on non-domestic rate multiplier of 0.449 and includes an allowance of £429 million for an Exchequer payment to the non-domestic rates pool, to compensate for the shortfall which would otherwise occur as a result of regulations to be made under section 58 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to further phase in the effects of the 1995 revaluation on rate bills.

The calculation for 1996-97, and the prior-year figures on which this is based, are set out in the table:

30 Nov 1995 : Column: 801

National non-domestic rates--calculation of distributable amount

	1993-94	1994-95	1995-96	1996-97
	Final outturn £ million	Provisional outturn £ million	Provisional outturn £ million	Estimated in-year contribution £ million
1. Income from Local Lists
Multiplier (p)	41.6	42.3	43.2	44.9
Gross Rate Yield	12,423	12,269	12,763	13,355
(i) Reliefs
(a) Net Transitional Relief	-540	-117	-460	-419
(b) Empty properties	-1,224	-1,172	-1,072	-1,145
(b) Charitable	-387	-413	-430	-478
(d) Discretionary	-21	-21	-24	-28
Net Yield after reliefs	10,251	10,547	10,777	11,285
(ii) Collection Costs/Reductions to Contributions
(a) Costs of collection	-67	-69	-75	-77
(b) Losses on collection	-181	-186	-190	-205
(c) City of London offset	-25	-7	-7	-7
Total contribution in respect of year	9,979	10,285	10,506	10,996
(iii) Adjustments
(a) Repayments/interest payments	-891	-1,635	-556	-154
(b) Revisions to contributions at outturn (95-96 only)			-86
Total adjustments	-891	-1,635	-642	-154
Net Local Yield	9,088	8,649	9,864	10,842
2. Income from Central List
Net Central List Yield	1,095	1,114	1,192	1,258
3. Income from Crown Contributions in Aid
Net Crown Yield	445	548	541	525
Total NDR Yield	10,628	10,311	111,597	12,626
4. Exchequer Contributions
(a) Local List Transition	591	425	600	419
(b) Central List/Crown	42	20	20	10
Total Exchequer contributions	633	445	620	429
Total NNDR Pool payments (1+2+3+4)	11,261	10,756	12,217	13,055
5. Adjustments
Surplus brought forward	-954	-1,252	-1,182	-319
Combined total	10,307	9,503	11,035	12,736
Distributable amount	11,559	10,685	11,354	12,736
Surplus carried forward	-1,252	-1,182	-319

Notes: 1. Item 1: The gross calculated rate yield represents the total value of non-domestic hereditaments on local rating lists times the multiplier. For the years to 1994-95 the yield is the amount recorded in the post-end year (NNDR3) returns. For 1995-96 it is the amount underlying authorities' provisional contributions to the non-domestic rating pool including the prescribed amount for Enterprise zones. 2. Item 1(i)(a): The transitional decrease adjustment includes the estimated amount of rates that will not be recouped locally due to the revised transitional arrangements under the provisions of the Non-Domestic Rating Acts 1992, 1993 and 1994. 3. Item 1(i)(b): The empty property relief adjustments include voids and partially occupied hereditaments. Figures up to 1995-96 are as reported by authorities. The 1996-97 figure includes an allowance for the increase in the gross rates yield. 4. Item 1(i)(c): Charitable rate relief. As for empty property relief. 5. Item 1 (I)(d): Discretionary relief granted to charities, non-profit making organisations and for other reasons. As for charitable rate relief, with a further adjustment to allow for increased relief following the move to take these reliefs outside capping. 6. Item 1(ii)(a) and (b): The allowances for the costs and losses incurred by local authorities in collecting non-domestic rates from ratepayers, including the latest estimates of additional billing an software costs arising from the Non-Domestic Rating Acts. 7. Item 1(ii)(c): City Offset--a preliminary estimate for 1996-97 (£6.5 million of the amount which the City of London will not be required to pay into the non-domestic rating pool on account of the local rate in the City. It is the amount which will be retained by the authority to meet its own expenditure. 8. Item 1(iii)(a): Net adjustment in respect of appeals an other amendments to the rating list affecting liability for previous years rates settled in that year. 9. Item 1(iii)(b): The revisions to contributions line applies only to estimated outturn revisions to the provisional contributions for 1995-96. For earlier years all figures are already based upon the outturn contributions. 10. Item 2: The rateable value of non-domestic hereditaments on the central rating list times the multiplier, and adjusted for appeals and other changes in respect of previous years. The 1996-97 figure is calculated as the estimated rateable value times the multiplier, less the effect of the transitional arrangements. 11. Item 3: The 1996-97 figure for crown properties includes an allowance for the effect of transition. 12. Item 4(a) and (b): The contribution from central government to offset the amount of the Secretary of State's estimate of income foregone arising from the provisions of the Non-Domestic Rating Acts 1992, 1993 and 1994.

30 Nov 1995 : Column: 803

30 Nov 1995 : Column: 803

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