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Development Land Trusts
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards development land trusts. [37468]
Ms Keeble [holding answer Tuesday, 26 February 2002]: XDevelopment Land Trusts" is not a term that the department is aware of. If my hon. Friend would care to write to me, I will investigate further.
Deaths at Work
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many deaths at work occurred in London in 2001. [45180]
Dr. Whitehead: Twenty six employees and self-employed people were fatally injured at work in Greater London in 2001.
Planning Inquiries
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will set out the criteria by which a public inquiry on planning is designated as a major inquiry. [45449]
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Mr. Byers: A Code of Practice, XPreparing for Major Inquiries in England" outlines procedures for handling major inquiries under the Planning Acts in England. The Code is set out in Annex 4 of DETR Circular 5/2000 XPlanning Appeals: Procedures (Including Inquiries into Called-in Planning Applications)".
Paragraph 4 of the Code indicates that it is intended for application in cases where the development proposal is of major public interest because of its national or regional implications, or the extent or complexity of the environmental, safety, technical or scientific issues involved, and where for these reasons there are a number of third parties involved as well as the applicant and the local planning authority.
Housing
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what information his Department has collated on the proportion of former council tenants who purchased a property on the open market with the aid of a cash incentive scheme grant and who were subsequently unable to maintain their mortgage payments; [44464]
- (2) what proportions of local authority properties released for letting as a result of the cash incentive scheme in each Government office region in each of the past four years were let to (a) a homeless household, (b) a transfer applicant and (c) a waiting list applicant. [44462]
Ms Keeble: Forty six local authorities have been running cash incentive schemes in 2001–02. The detailed information requested is not available centrally.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will commission research to update the Review of the Cash Incentive Scheme 1994–97. [44463]
Ms Keeble: Two substantial research programmes have already been carried out into the Cash Incentive Scheme. Both showed that Cash Incentive Schemes could play a valuable part in freeing up council housing for households in housing need and in supporting moves into home ownership. We have no plans at present for any further research work on these Schemes.
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the banding status of local housing authorities since performance bandings in the Housing Investment Programme were first introduced. [43025]
Ms Keeble: I am arranging for a copy of a table showing the performance banding assessments for all housing authorities given in the annual Housing Investment Programme exercise since these were first published in 1997 to be placed in the Libraries of the House. Six authorities—Bolton, Derby, Ipswich, New Forest, Portsmouth and Southampton—have been assessed in the top performance band in each of the five years.
Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the average management costs are for large scale voluntary transfer housing associations in the most recent year for which figures are available. [46370]
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Ms Keeble: The Department does not hold this information.
Housing Transfers
Mr. Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much expenditure has been incurred by each local authority in transferring its stock to RSLs; and what he estimates the cost will be in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04. [46365]
Ms Keeble: The Department does not hold this information.
Introductory Tenancies
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many introductory tenancies have been terminated on the grounds of (a) antisocial behaviour and (b) rent arrears each year since their introduction. [43071]
Ms Keeble: This information is not collected centrally.
Property Management
Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he intends to consult on how to tackle poor standards amongst certain managers of property let on residential long leases; and if he will make a statement. [46928]
Ms Keeble: My Department intends to issue a consultation paper entitled XImproving the Standard of Residential Leasehold Management" on Friday 5 April. The paper is a response to widespread concern about the variable standards of management in the residential leasehold sector. It explores various options for improving standards, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The Government is issuing this paper to stimulate a constructive and informed debate which will assist us in making our decision. Copies of the paper will be placed in the House Library.
Noise Insulation
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what requirements for noise insulation exist in the case of the conversion of residential dwellings into a larger number of units. [45749]
Ms Keeble: The sound insulation between dwellings is controlled under Part E of the Building Regulations. Building Regulations 5 and 6 deal with Material change of use and sub-paragraphs 5(g) and 6(e) make it clear that Part E applies when a building which contains at least one dwelling undergoes a change of use such that it contains a greater or lesser number of dwellings than it did previously.
Starter Homes Initiative
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he
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will list (a) the areas and (b) the number of households within each area which have benefited from the Starter Homes Initiative so far; [44985]
- (2) what the outturn expenditure so far incurred each year under the Starter Homes Initiative by his Department is; [44984]
(3) what the estimated public expenditure expected to be incurred each year under the Starter Homes Initiative by his Department is. [44983]
Mr. Byers [holding answers Thursday, 21 March 2002]: We have provided #250 million for the Starter Home Initiative over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04. Outturn expenditure figures for 2001–02 and the numbers of key worker households that have benefited are not available at present.
Following the allocations in September 2001, schemes have been set up in local areas; priorities have been agreed with employers; and applicants have been assessed and instructed to select properties.
Regional Assemblies
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much the Government contributed to each of the regional assemblies in the last year for which figures are available. [46186]
Dr. Whitehead: In 2001–02, the Government is contributing #500,000 to each voluntary regional assembly.
Regional Assemblies
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans the Government have to establish regional assemblies in England; and what the implications will be for the shire counties. [45835]
Dr. Whitehead: The forthcoming Regional Governance White Paper will set out our proposals for elected regional assemblies for England, including the implications for local government.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much the regional assembly board in the South West is paid; and what payments members are entitled to. [45282]
Dr. Whitehead: This is a matter for the Assembly which is a voluntary body.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what role the South West Regional Assembly has in determining Government policy in the South West. [45273]
Dr. Whitehead: The South West Regional Assembly has an important role in the region in both scrutinising the regional development agency and in acting as a strategic focal point for the region. The Government is keen to take account of the Assembly's view, but there is no direct role in determining Government policy in the South West.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
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how much funding the regional assembly in the South West receives from (a) Government and (b) local sources. [45283]
Dr. Whitehead: The South West Regional Assembly (SWRA) is a voluntary body funded by local authorities and others in the region. Last year the Government announced #500,000 worth of funding for the SWRA as part of the #15 million fund for regional chambers over three years. The SWRA have recently submitted their plans for 2002–03 and 2003–04 amounting to a bid for #1.2 million from the fund. Other elements of the Assembly's budget are a matter for the Assembly.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what type of projects in the South West Regional Development Agency's area the regional assembly may (a) reject and (b) recommend. [45277]
Dr. Whitehead: The assembly has no role in the SWRDA's decisions on projects.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria he has set for joint working between regional development agencies and regional assemblies; and which is the lead organisation. [45276]
Dr. Whitehead: The Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 allowed for the Secretary of State to issue directions to require a RDA to have regard, in formulating and reviewing its strategy, to any views expressed by the chamber. No directions have been issued under this provision as the voluntary arrangements between the RDAs and chambers have precluded the need for this.
Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what role the regional assembly has in scrutinizing the working of regional development agencies; and if the regional assembly may turn down recommendations made by regional development agencies. [45281]
Dr. Whitehead: The Regional Development Agencies Act 1998 allowed for the Secretary of State to designate a voluntary grouping of stakeholders in the region as the regional chamber for the regional development agency (RDA), and each region now has a designated chamber (or assembly). It also allowed for the Secretary of State to issue directions to require a RDA to have regard, in formulating and reviewing its strategy, to any views expressed by the chamber. No directions have been issued under this provision as the voluntary arrangements between RDAs and chambers have precluded the need for this.
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