House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 28 Oct 2002 (pt 4)

28 Oct 2002 : Column 525W—continued

Local Government Finance (Service Men)

Mr. Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the guidelines to local authorities are for imposing council tax concerning servicemen with homes in the UK but who spend considerable amounts of time abroad on duty. [77762]

Mr. Leslie: When a local authority determines council tax liability, a member of the armed services who spends time abroad is treated in the same way as anyone else who spends time abroad. Section 6 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 sets out the basis of liability to pay council tax. A key factor in determining liability is whether the property is the person's sole or main residence. There is significant case law on this subject for local authorities and their legal advisors to call upon.

28 Oct 2002 : Column 526W

Police Authority Budgets

Ian Lucas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on which occasions a police authority budget has been capped since 1984. [76627]

Mr. Raynsford: I am only able to provide information on which English police authorities have their budgets capped. Since the creation of the National Assembly for Wales, local government finance has been a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Assembly. Prior to the creation of the National Assembly, capping in relation to authorities in Wales was the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales.

Since 1984, the following English police authorities have had their budgets (or precepts) capped for the purpose of the limitation of council tax (and its predecessors):

1986/87

Greater Manchester Police Authority

Merseyside Police Authority

West Yorkshire Police Authority

1988/89

Greater Manchester Police Authority

Northumbria Police Authority

West Midlands Police Authority

West Yorkshire Police Authority

1995/96

Lincolnshire Police Authority

West Midlands Regional Assembly

Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the members of the West Midlands Regional Assembly; where they are from; what their function is; how they were chosen; how they can be dismissed; what they cost; and how they are paid for. [77097]

Mr. Raynsford: The West Midlands Regional Assembly is a voluntary regional chamber designated under the Regional Development Act 1998. Its membership is a matter for the Assembly. The Government has awarded the Assembly #600,000 in 2002/03 to enhance its scrutiny role and strengthen regional accountability.

Schemes and Initiatives

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the schemes and initiatives sponsored by his Department and its agencies which are not the subject of national roll out, showing (a) the authorities or areas covered by the scheme and (b) the budget of the scheme in the last year for which information is available. [75677]

Mr. Leslie: The schemes and initiatives sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its agencies which are not the subject of national roll out are shown in the table, together with the budget for 2002–03 and the areas covered.

Programme/areas Budget 2002–03 (# million)

Coalfields 17.951

Alnwick, Amber Valley, Ashfield, Barnsley, Bassetlaw, Blyth Valley, Bolsover, Broxtowe, Cannock Chase, Canterbury, Castle Morpeth, Chesterfield, Chester-le-Street, City of Durham, Derwentside, Doncaster, Dover, Easington, Erewash, Gedling, Hinckley & Bosworth, Kirklees, Leeds, Lichfield, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, Newcastle under Lyme, North East Derbyshire, North Warwick, North West Leicestershire, Nottingham, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rotherham, Rushcliffe, St Helens, Sedgefield, Selby, South Derbyshire, South Staffordshire, South Tyneside, Sheffield, Staffordshire Moorlands, Sunderland, Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth, Wakefield, Wansbeck, Wigan

European Regional Development Fund 175.431

For Objective 1 and 2 areas see map at page 7 of the DTLR Introductory Guide to the European Regional Development Fund at http://www.urban.odpm.gov.uk/proqrammes/erdf/pdf/intro.pdf

Urban Regeneration Companies⁽²⁾ —

Bradford, Camborne, Corby, Hull, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Swindon, Tees Valley, Sunderland

Community Chest⁽³⁾ 19

Community Empowerment Fund⁽³⁾ 12

Neighbourhood Renewal Fund⁽³⁾ 300

Allerdale, Ashfield, Barking and Dagenham, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolsover, Bolton, Bradford, Brent, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Burnley, Camden, Coventry, Croydon, Derby, Derwentside, Doncaster, Dudley, Baling, Easington, Enfield, Gateshead, Great Yarmouth, Greenwich, Hackney, Halton, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hartlepool, Hastings, Hyndburn, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kerrier, Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees, Knowsley, Lambeth, Leeds, Leicester, Lewisham, Lincoln, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newham, North Tyneside, Nottingham, Oldham, Pendle, Penwith, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Redcar and Cleveland, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sedgefield, Sefton, Sheffield, South Tyneside, Southampton, Southwark, St Helens, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Tameside, Tower Hamlets, Wakefield, Walsall, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Wansbeck, Wear Valley, Westminster, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

Neighbourhood Management 11

Ashfield, Barnsley, Basildon, Bolton, Bournemouth, Camden, Chester, Chesterfield, Derwentside, Easington, East Staffordshire, Gloucester, Greenwich, Hastings, Kirklees, Lancaster, Newcastle under Lyme, Rotherham, Stockton-on-Tees, Tameside

New Deal for Communities 170.95

Birmingham⁽²⁾ , Bradford, Brent, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hartlepool, Islington, Kingston upon Hull, Knowsley, Lambeth, Leicester, Lewisham, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newham, Norwich, Nottingham, Oldham, Plymouth, Rochdale, Salford, Sandwell, Sheffield, Southampton, Southwark, Sunderland, Tower Hamlets, Walsall, Wolverhampton

Neighbourhood 4.5

Allerdale, Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton

Wardens

Burnley, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Gateshead, Hackney, Hastings, Islington, Kerrier, Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees, Knowsley, Leeds, Lewisham, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesborough, North Tyneside, Nottingham, Oldham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Rotherham, Salford, Sedgefield, Sheffield, South Tyneside , Southwark, Stevenage, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Tower Hamlets, Wakefield, Walsall, Wansbeck, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

Street Wardens 10

Allerdale, Barking and Dagenham, Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolsover, Bradford, Bristol, Burnley, Camden, Coventry, Doncaster, Easington, Gateshead, Great Yarmouth, Greenwich, Hackney, Halton, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hastings, Hyndburn, Islington, Kerrier, Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees, Leeds, Lewisham, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Mansfield, Middlesborough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Preston, Redcar & Cleveland, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sheffield, South Tyneside, Southwark, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on- Trent, Sunderland, Tameside, Tower Hamlets, Walsall, Wandsworth, Wansbeck, Wear Valley, Westminster

Business Brokers 3.3

Burnley, Easington, Hastings, London (Brent and Newham), Luton, Nottingham, Sheffield, Stoke on Trent, West Cornwall

Programme/areas	Budget 2002–03 (# million)
Coalfields	17.951
Alnwick, Amber Valley, Ashfield, Barnsley, Bassetlaw, Blyth Valley, Bolsover, Broxtowe, Cannock Chase, Canterbury, Castle Morpeth, Chesterfield, Chester-le-Street, City of Durham, Derwentside, Doncaster, Dover, Easington, Erewash, Gedling, Hinckley & Bosworth, Kirklees, Leeds, Lichfield, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, Newcastle under Lyme, North East Derbyshire, North Warwick, North West Leicestershire, Nottingham, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rotherham, Rushcliffe, St Helens, Sedgefield, Selby, South Derbyshire, South Staffordshire, South Tyneside, Sheffield, Staffordshire Moorlands, Sunderland, Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth, Wakefield, Wansbeck, Wigan

European Regional Development Fund	175.431
For Objective 1 and 2 areas see map at page 7 of the DTLR Introductory Guide to the European Regional Development Fund at http://www.urban.odpm.gov.uk/proqrammes/erdf/pdf/intro.pdf

Urban Regeneration Companies⁽²⁾	—
Bradford, Camborne, Corby, Hull, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Swindon, Tees Valley, Sunderland

Community Chest⁽³⁾	19
Community Empowerment Fund⁽³⁾	12
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund⁽³⁾	300
Allerdale, Ashfield, Barking and Dagenham, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Birmingham, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolsover, Bolton, Bradford, Brent, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Burnley, Camden, Coventry, Croydon, Derby, Derwentside, Doncaster, Dudley, Baling, Easington, Enfield, Gateshead, Great Yarmouth, Greenwich, Hackney, Halton, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hartlepool, Hastings, Hyndburn, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kerrier, Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees, Knowsley, Lambeth, Leeds, Leicester, Lewisham, Lincoln, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newham, North Tyneside, Nottingham, Oldham, Pendle, Penwith, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Preston, Redcar and Cleveland, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sedgefield, Sefton, Sheffield, South Tyneside, Southampton, Southwark, St Helens, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Tameside, Tower Hamlets, Wakefield, Walsall, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Wansbeck, Wear Valley, Westminster, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

Neighbourhood Management	11
Ashfield, Barnsley, Basildon, Bolton, Bournemouth, Camden, Chester, Chesterfield, Derwentside, Easington, East Staffordshire, Gloucester, Greenwich, Hastings, Kirklees, Lancaster, Newcastle under Lyme, Rotherham, Stockton-on-Tees, Tameside

New Deal for Communities	170.95
Birmingham⁽²⁾ , Bradford, Brent, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hartlepool, Islington, Kingston upon Hull, Knowsley, Lambeth, Leicester, Lewisham, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newham, Norwich, Nottingham, Oldham, Plymouth, Rochdale, Salford, Sandwell, Sheffield, Southampton, Southwark, Sunderland, Tower Hamlets, Walsall, Wolverhampton

Neighbourhood	4.5
Allerdale, Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton

Wardens
Burnley, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Gateshead, Hackney, Hastings, Islington, Kerrier, Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees, Knowsley, Leeds, Lewisham, Liverpool, Manchester, Middlesborough, North Tyneside, Nottingham, Oldham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Rotherham, Salford, Sedgefield, Sheffield, South Tyneside , Southwark, Stevenage, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Tower Hamlets, Wakefield, Walsall, Wansbeck, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton

Street Wardens	10
Allerdale, Barking and Dagenham, Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolsover, Bradford, Bristol, Burnley, Camden, Coventry, Doncaster, Easington, Gateshead, Great Yarmouth, Greenwich, Hackney, Halton, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Hastings, Hyndburn, Islington, Kerrier, Kingston upon Hull, Kirklees, Leeds, Lewisham, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Mansfield, Middlesborough, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Preston, Redcar & Cleveland, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sheffield, South Tyneside, Southwark, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on- Trent, Sunderland, Tameside, Tower Hamlets, Walsall, Wandsworth, Wansbeck, Wear Valley, Westminster

Business Brokers	3.3
Burnley, Easington, Hastings, London (Brent and Newham), Luton, Nottingham, Sheffield, Stoke on Trent, West Cornwall

⁽¹⁾ 2001–02 figure. #52 million has been made available under the scheme to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for the period 2001–04.

⁽²⁾ URCs do not receive any central government funding. Running costs are met by the main partners(the local authority, the Regional Development Agency, English Partnerships (in some cases), the private sector and other key partners.

⁽³⁾ Community Chest, Community Empowerment Fund and Neighbourhood Renewal Fund are available to each of the 88 listed Neighbourhood Renewal areas.

28 Oct 2002 : Column 529W

Travellers

Michael Jack: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on local authority reactions to his recently published proposals to deal with travellers. [75344]

Mr. McNulty: Since the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Office joint news release outlining the Government's proposals to tackle unauthorised Traveller camps was issued, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received an overall positive response from local authorities to the new approaches.

Local authorities will continue to be kept informed on the progress of the forthcoming joint guidance, and will also be consulted on the findings of the recently published research on the provision and condition of local authority Gypsy/Traveller sites in England.

Next Section

Index

Home Page