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29 Oct 2002 : Column 688W—continued

Park Homes

Mr. Watts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish the report on the economics of the park homes industry. [78414]

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Mr. McNulty: I am pleased to announce today the publication of the research report on the economics of park homes and the park homes industry, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The report will help us consider options for reform, as part of our wider aim of addressing issues of concern to park home residents.

Public Utilities (Statutory Obligations)

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers he has to intervene where local authorities have failed to make public utilities comply with their statutory obligations. [77839]

Mr. Raynsford: Any specific powers for the Secretary of State to intervene in such cases would be set out in the relevant legislation. Generally, enforcement of utilities' obligations is entirely a matter for the relevant regulatory body including, in some cases, local authorities.

Regional Assemblies

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the evidence used by his Department to support proposals for the devolution of powers and functions to elected regional assemblies. [76219]

Mr. Raynsford: This information is set out in the regional governance White Paper XYour Region, Your Choice" (Cm 5511) as part of the rationale for the Government's proposals to give each English region the opportunity to choose whether to have an elected assembly. Elected regional assemblies will have real power and funding to improve the quality of life of people in their region—particularly by improving regional economic performance.

Assemblies will have powers to make a difference in key areas such as jobs, transport, housing, culture and environment. And their block grant will give them much greater freedom to allocate spending according to regional priorities. This offers the prospect of tailored regional solutions to regional problems. It strikes a balance between those issues that are best dealt with at a regional level and those that are best dealt with at a national or a local level. Our proposals for elected assemblies in the English regions will bring decision-making closer to the people and make government more efficient, more effective and more accountable.

The evidence base includes the information presented in XRegional Government in England: a preliminary review of literature and research findings" (published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in 2000). Other relevant documentation is included in the White Paper's bibliography (annex J). The Government's approach to determining which powers and functions should become the responsibility of elected regional assemblies is described in chapter 4 of the White Paper. Copies of the documents referred to are available in the Library.

Regional Government

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers exercised by central government will be devolved to the proposed regional assemblies. [78174]

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Mr. Raynsford: This information is fully set out in Chapter 4 of the regional governance White Paper XYour Region, Your Choice" (Cm 5511).

Residential Property Purchases

Mr. Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to extend the right of local authorities to purchase residential property on the open market; and if he will make a statement. [77103]

Mr. McNulty: We have no plans to make any changes to the powers under which authorities can purchase existing housing outside their compulsory purchase powers.

Travellers

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on what discussions he has had with the LGA on travellers; and if he will make a statement on what policy options he has evaluated. [77845]

Mr. Raynsford: Prior to the release of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Office joint Traveller statement of 5 July, the former Housing Minister met with representatives from the LGA to discuss the Government's proposed approach of linking enforcement powers to site provision.

Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will again meet with the LGA to discuss policy development issues in the light of the recently published research on the provision and condition of local authority Gypsy/Traveller sites in England.

Copies of the research are available in the Library of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

Savings

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 23 October to the right hon. Member for Fylde, columns 267–68, if he will give the calculation behind his statement on the trend in the level of people's savings. [77865]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) today.

TREASURY

Amateur Sports Clubs

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many community amateur sports clubs (a) have applied and (b) are registered with the Inland Revenue for tax exemptions; and if he will list those registered. [78013]

John Healey: As at 25 October 2002, 334 clubs had applied for registration with the Inland Revenue as community amateur sports clubs. Of those, 126 had so

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far been registered. A list of those registered follows. The Inland Revenue will be publishing a monthly update of the list on its website.





























































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