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7 Nov 2002 : Column 612W—continued
Regions
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what were the administrative costs of (a) regional development agencies, (b) government offices for the regions and (c) regional chambers, in each region, this year; what the projected costs are for the next financial year; and if he will make a statement. [79669]
Mr. Raynsford: The available estimates for 2002–03 are in the table below.
The figures for the voluntary regional chambers show only Government grant. The remainder of their costs is a matter for the chambers themselves.
Projected costs for 2003–04 are not available, except for voluntary regional chambers which will continue to have available Government grant of #600,000 each.
| Regional | Regional Development Agency | Government Office | Voluntary Regional Chamber |
|---|---|---|---|
| North East | #16,722,000 | #8,658,690 | #600,000 |
| North West | #19,921,000 | #13,852,480 | #600,000 |
| Yorkshire & | |||
| the Humber | #14,750,000 | #9,520,690 | #600,000 |
| East Midlands | #10,467,000 | #7,395,220 | #600,000 |
| West | |||
| Midlands | #13,500,000 | #9,213,410 | #600,000 |
| South West | #13,975,000 | #9,418,630 | #600,000 |
| East of | |||
| England | #7,245,000 | #7,704,080 | #600,000 |
| South East | #12,839,000 | #9,249,800 | #600,000 |
| London | #14,044,000 | #12,215,670 | n/a |
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Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many written representations he has received in the last 12 months expressing support for elected regional assemblies; and if he will make a statement. [79668]
Mr. Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George) on 23 October 2002, Official Report, column 389W.
Further to that reply, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has now received over 1,200 individual responses to the White Paper Your Region, Your Choice, which we published on 9 May. I will write to the hon. Member once our analysis of these responses has been completed. In the six months prior to the publication of the White Paper we also received a number of letters and other enquiries about the Government's policy on elected regional assemblies.
Overseas Visits
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list each overseas visit undertaken by himself and his Ministers along with the cost of each trip. [79598]
Mr. Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 24 July 2002, Official Report, column 1374–75W.
Fire Service
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many discussions ministers have held with (a) Sir George Bain and members and officers of the Bain Inquiry since September and (b) representatives of the Fire Brigades Union since January; what was discussed at each; when each took place; and who participated. [79588]
Mr. Raynsford: Ministers have had several discussions with Sir George Bain, and members and officers of the Independent Review of the Fire Service (IRFS); and with representatives of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). Subjects discussed included the working arrangements of the IRFS; the progress of negotiations on the FBU pay claim and the availability of striking members of the FBU in the case of a life-threatening emergency. Discussions have involved a variety of participants, including Ministers and senior officials.
Ms Walley: To ask the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the commencement date of each review undertaken in respect of the Fire Service; and in each case, whether (a) the findings have been published and (b) they have been placed in the Library. [79402]
Mr. McNulty: The Tables below set out the reviews of aspects of the fire service in England and Wales which have been started since May 1997. They do not include
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research projects. On 5 September the Government announced an Independent Review of the Fire Service under the Chairmanship of Professor Sir George Bain. The Independent Review is in progress.
| Review | Review commenced | Findings published | In Library |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inquiry into the | |||
| Machinery for | |||
| Determining Firefighters' Conditions of Service | October 1999 | March 2000 | Cmd 4699 |
| Fire Pensions Review | 1994 | Consultation Document March 1998 | Yes |
| Fire Cover Review | June 1998 | Report to be | |
| considered at next | |||
| meeting of the | |||
| Central Fire Brigades | |||
| Advisory Council. | No | ||
| The Future of Fire | |||
| Service Control Rooms and Communications | Announced October 1999 | Summary of report | |
| circulated May 2000 | Yes |
In addition Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate have undertaken the following thematic reviews of aspects of the Fire Service.
| Thematic Review | Review commenced | Findings published | In Library |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equality and Fairness in the Fire Service | November 1998 | September 1999 | Yes |
| Fit for Duty | March 1999 | February 2000 | Yes |
| Making a Difference | July 1999 | November 2000 | Yes |
| Reducing False | |||
| Alarms | July 1999 | March 2001 | Yes |
| Bridging the Gap | September 1999 | May 2001 | Yes |
I will ensure that copies of those reports that are not already in the Library are placed there in due course.
Homelessness
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many(a) homeless priority acceptances, (b) people living in temporary accommodation, (c) people living in bed-and-breakfast accomodation and (d) children living in homeless households there were in each year since January 1977, broken down by region. [79676]
Mrs. Roche: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is available.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the number of homeless (a) individuals and (b) families accommodated in (i) bed and breakfast and (ii) hostels in each London borough; and what advice he is giving borough council's on the use of such facilities. [79659]
Mrs. Roche: The following numbers of homeless families are reported to have been in bed and breakfast and hostel accommodation as at 30 June 2002:
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The Government have committed that by March 2004, local authorities will ensure that no homeless family with children will be in bed and breakfast hotels other than in an emergency and even then for no more than 6 weeks. Advice to local authorities on the use of accommodation for homeless individuals and families is contained in the Homelessness Code of Guidance which was issued jointly by my Department and the Department of Health in July 2002.
The figures referred relate to individuals and families who are statutory homeless i.e. the number of applications to local authorities.
Ministerial Discussions
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many discussions Ministers have held with (a) councillors, (b) devolved Administrations and (c) the Mayor of London since May; what subjects were discussed at each; when they took place; and who participated. [79589]
Mr. Leslie: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have regular meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals, including Councillors, members of the Devolved Adminstrations and the Mayor of London. As with previous Administrations it is not practice to provide details of all such meetings.
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