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5 Nov 2002 : Column 212W—continued
Non-Departmental Public Bodies
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many equivalent full-time employees are employed in (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) executive agencies affiliated to his Department. [79666]
Mr. Leslie: The latest available figures for the numbers of full-time equivalent employees employed in (a) non-departmental public bodies are:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Audit Commission | 2,436 |
| English Partnerships | 376 |
| Housing Action Trusts | |
| Castle Vale | 99 |
| Liverpool | 79.80 |
| Stonebridge | 67 |
| Tower Hamlets | 14 |
| Housing Corporation | 605.86 |
| Standards Board for England | 75 |
| Rent Assessment Panels | 70.95 |
| Valuation Tribunals— | 155 |
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The latest available figures for the numbers of full-time equivalent employees employed in (b) executive agencies are:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Fire Service College | 250(15) |
| The Planning Inspectorate | 710(16) |
| The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre | 50 |
| The Rent Service | 790 |
(15) Including 46 lecturers seconded from Fire Brigades.
(16) Excluding 126 fee paid inspectors which are not calculated as full-time equivalents.
In addition, Ordnance Survey, a separate non-ministerial Government Department and executive agency, which is the responsibility of ODPM Ministers, has 1,840 full-time equivalent employees.
Park Home Reform
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his plan for Park Home Reform. [79034]
Mr. McNulty: We are considering what changes in the law would be required to implement such recommendations in the Park Homes Working Party report as the Government have endorsed. The prospects for new legislation on Park Homes will naturally reflect the pressures on the Government's legislative programme. However, as, recommended by the Park Homes Working Party, a study of the economics of park homes was carried out and published on 29 October. We are also working with bodies representing home owners and park owners on such matters as creating a model constitution for residents' associations and model procedures for sales and assignments of homes.
Regional Assemblies
Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2002, Official Report, columns 389–90W, if stakeholders within the regional assembly can be individuals. [79348]
Mr. Raynsford: The White Paper is not prescriptive as far as the definition of stakeholders is concerned. Organisations or individuals with an interest in the work of an elected assembly can potentially be considered as stakeholders.
Revenue Grant Distribution
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many representations he has received from residents of (a) Cheshire and (b) Macclesfield constituency registering their response to his Department's review of revenue grant distribution; when he expects to announce his decision following his Department's consultation; and if he will make a statement. [79273]
Mr. Raynsford: The Government have received around 55,000 letters from the public relating to the Formula Grant Review, the great majority being as the result of various campaigns that have been organised. One of these campaigns was based in Cheshire, and we estimate that around 200 responses were received as part of that. Cheshire is also one of the constituent
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authorities of the F40 education funding campaign, and a proportion of the approximately 53,000 responses received as part of that originated from within the country.
We do not record the details of the senders of campaign letters as a matter of course. For this reason, and since very many from the F40 campaign are multiple copies of the same letter sent by the same people to different Ministers, it is not possible to provide a more precise answer, or one for the constituency of Macclesfield, except at disproportionate cost.
We are currently taking decisions on the new system to replace SSAs. As we do so we are carefully considering the full range of evidence, pressures and points that have been put to us. We will announce our proposals for the new system to Parliament at the time of the next provisional local government finance settlement, which we expect to be around the beginning of December.
Rough Sleepers
Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2002, Official Report, column 61W, when a street count for under 16s living rough last took place in (a) London and (b) West Sussex; what criteria is used to count under 16s in the street count; and when the Social Exclusion Unit will publish its report into young runaways. [78194]
Mrs. Roche: Street counts were last carried out in London and West Sussex during March 2002. These found no one sleeping rough aged under 16. Anyone who is bedded down in the open air, people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation, including those under 16, is included in the figures.
The Social Exclusion Unit hopes to publish its report on young runaways shortly.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions his Department has had with the Home Office regarding police involvement in dealing with the issue of under 16s living rough. [78195]
Mrs. Roche: The police and the Home Office have been key members of the Young Runaways Advisory Group, advising on issues for runaways when they are away from home. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also a member of the Missing Persons Cross-Departmental Group led by the Home Office. In addition, the police work with outreach teams across the country. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not had discussions with the Home Office regarding police involvement with under 16s living rough.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many 16 to 18-year-olds are living rough in (a) London and (b) West Sussex following the last street count. [78196]
Mrs. Roche: The street count carried out in London in March 2002 identified one person aged 18 sleeping rough. A full analysis of count information showing breakdown by age is not currently held centrally for West Sussex. When informed of results of street counts we would expect to be notified if a person under 16 is found sleeping rough.
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Social Housing
Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to (a) increase new social housing provision by 2005–06 and (b) set interim targets to reduce the number of non-decent social sector homes by 2006; and if he will make a statement. [78893]
Mr. McNulty: In his statement to the House about sustainable communities on 18 July, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister promised to return to the House with a comprehensive long-term programme of action to tackle a number of housing and planning issues. That statement, which will be made around the turn of the year, will set out how the additional funding announced in the spending review will be used, and what it will buy over the three years up to 2005–06. It will cover the points raised by the hon. Member.
Starter Home Initiative
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what were the (a) total allocated funds and (b) allocated funds used for administering costs for each scheme manager of (i) round one and (ii) round two of the Starter Home Initiative. [78631]
Mr. McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton North to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) on 29 October 2001, Official Report, columns 484–88W, and the reply which was given to the hon. Member on 30 October 2002.
The total amount allocated for scheme managers' administration costs was #11.5 million for round one of the Starter Home Initiative and #0.8 million for round two.
Vehicle Fires
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many non-accidental vehicle fires there were, broken down by (a) fire brigade area and (b) local authority in England and Wales, in each year since January 1997. [79683]
Mr. Leslie: The table shows the number of malicious road vehicle fires attended by local authority fire brigades in England and Wales between 1997 and 2000. 2000 is the latest year for which data are available.
(17) Includes Xlate" call and heat and smoke damage incidents.
(18) Provisional
(19) Includes estimates for a small number of incidents not recorded during industrial action (Merseyside July 2001).
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