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Forensic Science

Mr. Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish the accounts of the Forensic Science Northern Ireland for the year 2001–02. [73436]

Dr. John Reid: The accounts have been published today and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Life Sentence Review Commissioners

Mr. Cawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends publishing the annual report of the Life Sentence Review Commissioners. [73446]

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Dr. John Reid: The annual report has been published today and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Basingstoke on 4 July on the future of the full-time police reserve in Northern Ireland, ref 68440. [73534]

Jane Kennedy: The question referred to has now been answered.

Full-time Reserve

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full time reserve police officers there were in Northern Ireland on 1 April in each year since 1990. [68458]

Jane Kennedy: The numbers of full-time reserve police officers in Northern Ireland in each year since 1990 are as follows:

Number of officers
1990 3,007
19912,969
19923,072
19933,199
19943,211
19953,181
19963,066
19972,898
19982,963
19992,858
20002,668
20012,459
20022,123

Police strengths are calculated at the end of each month. Therefore the figures illustrated in the table reflect the number of full-time reserve officers on 30 April in each year.

Mr. Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of the full-time reserve in Northern Ireland. [68460R]

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Gentleman for Lagan Valley on 27 June 2002, Official Report, column 1040W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Grant Distribution

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will revise the exemplifications of each of the options

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set out in "Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper" to take account of the comprehensive spending review decisions. [72907]

Mr. Leslie: We are not intending to revise the exemplifications set out in the consultation paper, because using the spending review figures would introduce a new source of variation between the figures 2002–03 and those produced by the options we have set out. This variation would obscure the consultation's focus on options for the new system.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the proposed percentage rates are of the floors and ceilings in relation to the transition to the new local government funding methodology set out in "Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper"; [72904]

Mr. Leslie: We will take decisions on the movement between the old and new grant distribution systems, including the duration of the transition and the levels of floors and ceilings, ahead of the 2003–04 provisional local government finance settlement. As in previous years, we will announce those decisions around the end of November as part of the provisional settlement process.

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate for each London borough the effects of each of the options set out in Chapter 9 of "Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper". [72906]

Mr. Leslie: The effects on each London Borough of the options contained in Chapter 9 of "Formula Grant Distribution: A Consultation Paper" are set out on page 112 of that document.

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out illustrative grant charges for Wokingham DC and West Berkshire DC for the current year on the assumption that each of his possible changes to grant distribution was taking effect this year. [72896]

Mr. Raynsford: The question cannot be answered except at disproportionate cost.

Area-based Initiatives

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list for each area-based initiative for which his Department is responsible the amount originally budgeted for in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02, stating in each year what funds budgeted for were not spent and if they were carried forward. [71464]

Mr. Leslie: The RCU Area-based Initiative (ABI) website lists 11 ABIs that are currently the responsibility of Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The details requested are as follows:

£ million

Area-based Initiative2000–01Carried paforward2001–02Carried forward
Coalfields5416527
Community Chest00103
Community empowerment fund00127
European regional development fund2394(33)20489
Neighbourhood management006n/a
Neighbourhood renewal fund00200n/a
Neighbourhood wardens4050
New deal for communities(34)166129240160
Single regeneration budget79469872n/a
Street wardens0050
Urban regeneration companies(35)————

(33) ERDF funding carried over into the next FY can be called upon at any time during the programming round (2000–06).

(34) The partnerships wrote their delivery plans after the provision had been made and planned to spend £49 million in 2000–01 and £129 million in 2001–02.

(35) URCs do not receive any central Government funding. Running costs are met by the main partners themselves—the local authority, the Regional Development Agency, English Partnerships (in some cases), the private sector and other key partners.

Note:

All figures rounded to nearest million.

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Improvement and Development Agency

Mr. Steen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the annual cost is of the Improvement and Development Agency to public funds; how many staff have been employed there in each of the last four years; and what evaluation has taken place as to its effectiveness. [72745]

Mr. Leslie: The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) received £14.2 million of revenue support grant for 2002–03.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding with the ODPM the Local Government Association is required to assess the IDeA's effectiveness at intervals of no more than five years. The first review is due within the next 18 months.

The IDeA from time to time receives additional financial support to implement particular projects. For example, with support from the capital modernisation fund it has undertaken work on the preliminary stages of a platform for a national electronic electoral register. In line with other Government-funded IT projects this has been subjected to a Gateway Review process, designed to review the arrangements for leading and managing the project.

The approved number of permanent full-time staff as at 1 April for each of the last four years were as follows:

Permanent full-time staff
1999193.5
2000185.2
2001204.0
2002210.0

Council Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which councils retain control of council housing. [73032]

Mr. McNulty: The 251 local authorities in England with council housing are in the following list. A few of the 103 authorities which have carried out whole stock transfers continue to own a small number of dwellings.


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