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Employment Service Overheads (New Deal)

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which overheads incurred by the Employment Service are attributable to the implementation of the New Deal. [141694]

Ms Jowell [holding answer 11 December 2000]: The Employment Service funding for all New Deals is determined on a marginal cost basis on the assumption that these programmes will be delivered through the existing ES infrastructure of offices and IT. The Employment Service overheads which are attributable to the implementation of the New Deals are therefore those specific costs related to project design; implementation; marketing and publicity and limited refurbishment in some offices for the individual New Deals.

15 Feb 2001 : Column: 206W

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Expenditure Limit

Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes will be made to the Departmental Expenditure Limit and Running Costs Limit for her Department in 2000-01. [151103]

Clare Short: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, for Class VIII, Vote 1: Department for International Development, the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) for 2000-01 will be increased by £68,000,000 from £2,121,732,000 to £2,189,732,000 for voted expenditure giving a total of voted and non-voted expenditure of £2,827,768,000. The increase is the net effect of:



The increase will be met by a claim on the DEL Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

15 Feb 2001 : Column: 207W

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

Housing Investment Programme (Wandsworth)

Mr. Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much the Government Office for London allocated to Wandsworth Council's housing investment programme for (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02; and if he will make a statement; [148139]

Mr. Robert Ainsworth: The allocations made to Wandsworth to support the authority's housing capital programmes in 2000-01 and 2001-02 are as follows:

£ million

2000-012001-02
Housing annual capital guidelines20.59211.386
Private sector renewal(8)--1.500
Disabled facilities grants0.2400.237
Total housing investment programmes allocations 20.83213.123
Major repairs allowance (MRA)(8)--14.773
Total20,83227.896

(8) Not applicable


The MRA, which was introduced for 2001-02, is ring-fenced for works on council housing. The resources allocated through housing annual capital guidelines provide unhypothecated support for authorities' housing capital programmes which cover expenditure on private sector renewal and support for new provision by housing associations as well as work on council housing.

Allocations made to Wandsworth doubled between 1997-98 and 2001-02.

Special Advisers

Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the special advisers working for him will relinquish their posts on the dissolution of Parliament. [149318]

Ms Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 13 February 2001, Official Report, column 130W.

Planning Appeals

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many planning appeals were lodged with his Department against decisions of (a) Brentwood council and (b) planning authorities in Essex in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how many such appeals were dismissed by his Department in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [149811]

15 Feb 2001 : Column: 208W

Ms Beverley Hughes: The provision of information on planning appeals is the responsibility of the planning inspectorate. I have asked the Inspectorate's chief executive, Mr. Chris Shepley, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from C. J. Shepley to Mr. Eric Pickles, dated 12 February 2001:



Year/ Local planning authorityAppeals receivedAppeals determinedAppeals dismissed
Brentwood
1994544723
1995403823
1996524634
1997696344
1998857546
1999777240
2000553825
Basildon
1994585337
1995544831
1996514231
1997403324
1998585844
1999464128
2000513325
Braintree
1994292617
1995352220
1996343226
1997353021
1998333123
1999303025
2000462616
Castle Point
1994454124
1995414224
1996494320
1997514624
1998514922
1999615735
2000352212
Chelmsford
1994686043
1995827049
19961039058
1997817040
1998958653
19991059558
20001076843
Colchester
1994594236
1995665230
1996675235
1997595530
1998695630
1999534525
2000512614
Epping Forest
19941079058
1995918051
1996896844
1997887756
1998887852
19991058955
20001107654
Essex
1994532
1995532
1996832
1997200
1998111
1999000
2000410
Harlow
199413106
1995553
19961063
1997432
199810108
1999553
2000221
Maldon
1994453627
1995433723
1996333118
1997373112
1998262214
1999514027
2000564428
Rochford
1994292614
1995342816
1996514531
1997393116
1998403323
1999282113
2000383220
Southend
19940--0
19950--0
1996220
1997111
1998292716
1999292816
2000412616
Southend-on-Sea
1994454125
1995292516
1996363317
1997363018
1998222
1999000
2000000
Tendring
1994645639
1995453926
1996243926
1997554735
1998474328
1999464329
2000563723
Thurrock
1994242216
1995403523
1996382619
1997262112
1998372715
1999433923
2000433219
Uttlesford
1994393531
1995545439
1996434030
1997424026
1998585430
1999645933
2000543629

15 Feb 2001 : Column: 210W

Planning

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to provide a bias in favour of conservation in future planning legislation. [150026]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Our planning policy guidance note 1 "General Policy and Principles" reflects the Government's commitment to the principles of sustainable development. It advises that a sustainable planning framework should include provision for the nation's economic and social needs while conserving the cultural and natural heritage. Other planning policy guidance notes advise planning authorities on the extent to which they should take conservation issues into account in preparing development plans and in reaching decisions on planning applications. The weight that should be given to conservation issues relative to other material considerations in deciding a planning application is for the planning authority to determine in the first instance and will depend on the circumstances of the particular case.

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 23 January 2001, Official Report, column 528W, if he will review the operation of planning legislation with particular reference to the rights of objectors. [150129]

Ms Beverley Hughes: We have no immediate plans to change planning laws that would affect the current rights of objectors.

Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will issue guidance to local authorities on making public pre-application discussions between planning officers and applicants or their representatives. [150128]

Ms Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his previous questions on 13 February 2001, Official Report, column 115W.


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