House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 28 Jan 2003 (pt 17)

28 Jan 2003 : Column 784W—continued

Technical Craft Skills

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it his policy to ensure that technical craft skills for trades are available to young people in south-east Essex. [92781]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) are wholly committed to Modern Apprenticeships (MA) as a quality work-based learning route to craft, supervisory and technician skills for young people in England. We have adopted a challenging Public Service Agreement (PSA) target for MA entrants by 2004—28 per cent. of young people to begin an MA by the age of 22. MA is one of the wide range of specialist pathways that will be available to young people under a transformed 14–19 phase of learning.

The Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council have announced a new Modern Apprenticeship

28 Jan 2003 : Column 785W

Task Force which will take a key role in promoting MA to employers and thereby contributing to increased take-up—in south-east Essex and elsewhere.

All parties involved in the initiative are working together to increase the take-up of MA. The LSC in England works through its 47 local offices (one of which covers Essex) and with key partners to identify and meet local skills needs by promoting and funding the delivery of work-based learning programmes, including MA and college-based provision. Connexions Partnerships are delivering improved advice and guidance to young people on the opportunities available in their communities. New and developing Sector Skills Councils also play a key role by supporting promotion to employers in their sectors.

In addition, the Government will be publishing a national skills strategy in June, setting out how we will further boost numbers of young people acquiring technical and craft skills across the economy.

Training

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much the Learning and Skills Council spent on training allowances for young people in 2001–02. [90917]

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. John Harwood, the council's chief executive will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Housing (Coventry)

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homes were owned by the council in Coventry in each of the last five years. [93140]

Mr. McNulty: Local authorities report their number of council homes as at 1 April on their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns. Based on Coventry City Council's recent returns the reported numbers of council homes were:

As at 1 April Number

1998 20,359

1999 20,175

2000 19,886

As at 1 April	Number
1998	20,359
1999	20,175
2000	19,886

The Council ceased to have any council housing in September 2000, following the transfer of the council stock under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Large Scale Voluntary Transfer Programme (LSVT) to new Registered Social Landlords—Whitefriars North and Whitefriars South, within the Whitefriars Housing Group.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of housing need has been in Coventry in each of the last five years. [93141]

28 Jan 2003 : Column 786W

Mr. McNulty: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 7 January 2003, Official Report, column 115W. Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing register (excluding tenants awaiting transfers) as at 1 April in their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns. Based on Coventry City Council's recent returns the reported numbers in the last five years are:

As at 1 April Number

1998 7,767

1999 8,915

2000 8,458

2001 6,295

2002 7,104

As at 1 April	Number
1998	7,767
1999	8,915
2000	8,458
2001	6,295
2002	7,104

Council Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council dwellings were sold in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [91142]

Mr. McNulty: Information on total numbers of sales and transfers of local authority and New Town dwellings in England since 1992–93 is in the table.

All owner/occupier sales (including right to buy) Transfers to registered social landlords/other

1992–93 42,289 27,289

1993–94 50,510 33,643

1994–95 46,236 41,120

1995–96 33,165 45,900

1996–97 35,206 22,534

1997–98 42,078 35,701

1998–99 41,087 76,543

1999–2000 54,957 96,755

2000–01 53,005 132,462

2001–02⁽³³⁾ 52,459 35,687

	All owner/occupier sales (including right to buy)	Transfers to registered social landlords/other
1992–93	42,289	27,289
1993–94	50,510	33,643
1994–95	46,236	41,120
1995–96	33,165	45,900
1996–97	35,206	22,534
1997–98	42,078	35,701
1998–99	41,087	76,543
1999–2000	54,957	96,755
2000–01	53,005	132,462
2001–02⁽³³⁾	52,459	35,687

⁽³³⁾ Provisional

Source:

DOE/DETR/DTLR/ODPM Housing Activity return P1B/New Town returns

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many council dwellings were built in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [91145]

Mr. McNulty: The numbers of local authority dwellings built in England in each of the last 10 years is in the following table. The numbers have declined as social housing has increasingly been delivered by Registered Social Landlords.

Year Number of local authority dwellings built

1992–93 2,579

1993–94 1,451

1994–95 853

1995–96 757

1996–97 451

1997–98 323

1998–99 194

1999–2000 102

2000–01 389

2001–02 105

Year	Number of local authority dwellings built
1992–93	2,579
1993–94	1,451
1994–95	853
1995–96	757
1996–97	451
1997–98	323
1998–99	194
1999–2000	102
2000–01	389
2001–02	105

28 Jan 2003 : Column 787W

Crossrail

Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will announce his decision on the revision of Crossrail safeguarding directions to prevent inappropriate development; and if he will make a statement. [93142]

Mr. Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.

Cross London Rail Links Limited have been asked to put to Ministers in February advice on route options and a worked-up business case for Crossrail. Current safeguarding directions will be reviewed as and when a route may be determined.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will announce the level of funding to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council for nursery school places for the next financial year. [93847]

Mr. Raynsford: Funding for nursery school places will be within local government formula grant from 2003–04. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will announce our final proposals for the 2003–04 local government finance settlement on Monday 3 February; the House will have the chance to debate these on Wednesday 5 February. It will, of course, be for the authority to decide what allocation to make to specific services.

28 Jan 2003 : Column 788W

Green Belt Land

Mr. Wilkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce measures to prevent the speculative purchase of agricultural land in designated green belt, its sub-division into building plots and sale on the basis of an anticipated relaxation of planning controls. [92832]

Mr. McNulty: The Government reaffirmed their commitment to the protection and enhancement of the Green Belt in my righ. hon. Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister's statement on Sustainable Communities, Housing and Planning in the House of Commons on 18 July 2002, Official Report, column 438 Since 1997 over 30,000 hectares have been added to the Green Belt, or earmarked for addition.

However, it is not generally the role of the planning system to place control on land ownership.

Housing (Rural Areas)

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average turnaround time was for unused housing stock in (a) England and (b) local authorities, defined as rural, by region, in each year since 1978. [90833]

Mr. McNulty: Local authorities in England have been asked to provide estimates of the average time taken to re-let their housing stock on their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns since 1994. Because of variations in the way local authorities maintain lettings records and compile these estimates, the figures quoted, and any comparisons between authorities, should be treated with caution. Comparable information in respect of re-lettings by registered social landlords is only available from 1996–97.

Average re-let times for local authority dwellings (days)

2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 1996–97 1995–96 1994–95 1993–94

North East

All LAs 60 50 54 40 32 30 26 29 33

Rural LAs 67 62 41 35 40 33 32 31 33

North West

All LAs 54 49 46 40 41 39 38 35 34

Rural LAs 48 51 45 40 40 39 36 33 29

Yorkshire and Humberside

All LAs 65 58 51 43 38 39 36 35 37

Rural LAs 54 52 53 47 39 28 20 19 31

East Midlands

All LAs 45 41 40 38 38 34 36 35 38

Rural LAs 34 31 36 37 38 33 29 27 27

West Midlands

All LAs 49 55 51 49 43 35 37 35 36

Rural LAs 33 12 39 32 33 23 26 23 25

East of England

All LAs 36 38 40 36 37 38 37 33 36

Rural LAs 38 28 34 25 29 31 27 27 25

London

All LAs 44 47 51 55 55 71 70 68 72

Rural LAs n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

South East

All LAs 39 36 37 34 36 38 36 32 32

Rural LAs 37 37 32 33 37 35 35 33 31

South West

All LAs 36 29 28 20 23 28 26 25 30

Rural LAs 25 22 22 19 24 24 22 22 21

England

All LAs 50 47 45 41 40 41 40 39 41

Rural LAs 44 39 40 33 35 31 29 28 27

	2001–02	2000–01	1999–2000	1998–99	1997–98	1996–97	1995–96	1994–95	1993–94
North East
All LAs	60	50	54	40	32	30	26	29	33
Rural LAs	67	62	41	35	40	33	32	31	33

North West
All LAs	54	49	46	40	41	39	38	35	34
Rural LAs	48	51	45	40	40	39	36	33	29

Yorkshire and Humberside
All LAs	65	58	51	43	38	39	36	35	37
Rural LAs	54	52	53	47	39	28	20	19	31

East Midlands
All LAs	45	41	40	38	38	34	36	35	38
Rural LAs	34	31	36	37	38	33	29	27	27

West Midlands
All LAs	49	55	51	49	43	35	37	35	36
Rural LAs	33	12	39	32	33	23	26	23	25

East of England
All LAs	36	38	40	36	37	38	37	33	36
Rural LAs	38	28	34	25	29	31	27	27	25

London
All LAs	44	47	51	55	55	71	70	68	72
Rural LAs	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

South East
All LAs	39	36	37	34	36	38	36	32	32
Rural LAs	37	37	32	33	37	35	35	33	31
South West
All LAs	36	29	28	20	23	28	26	25	30
Rural LAs	25	22	22	19	24	24	22	22	21

England
All LAs	50	47	45	41	40	41	40	39	41
Rural LAs	44	39	40	33	35	31	29	28	27

28 Jan 2003 : Column 789W

n/a = not applicable, figures to the nearest day.

Source:

DOE/DETR/DTLR/ODPM annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns.

Average re-let times for registered social landlord dwellings (days)

2001–02 2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99 1997–98 1996–97

North East

All LAs 33 41 41 40 40 33

Rural LAs 33 41 45 39 35 29

North West

All LAs 52 53 41 36 34 30

Rural LAs 44 41 38 29 27 22

Yorkshire and Humberside

All LAs 34 37 37 38 35 26

Rural LAs 22 22 22 27 19 14

East Midlands

All LAs 39 43 39 36 33 29

Rural LAs 38 40 33 29 24 20

West Midlands

All LAs 30 37 31 31 31 27

Rural LAs 30 32 25 26 25 20

East of England

All LAs 26 28 29 26 28 24

Rural LAs 21 24 23 21 21 21

London

All LAs 36 37 40 40 40 41

Rural LAs n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

South East

All LAs 27 29 29 29 31 28

Rural LAs 24 27 27 27 28 26

South West

All LAs 29 32 32 27 24 21

Rural LAs 23 24 27 24 21 16

England

All LAs 36 38 35 33 33 29

Rural LAs 29 30 29 26 24 21

	2001–02	2000–01	1999–2000	1998–99	1997–98	1996–97
North East
All LAs	33	41	41	40	40	33
Rural LAs	33	41	45	39	35	29

North West
All LAs	52	53	41	36	34	30
Rural LAs	44	41	38	29	27	22

Yorkshire and Humberside
All LAs	34	37	37	38	35	26
Rural LAs	22	22	22	27	19	14

East Midlands
All LAs	39	43	39	36	33	29
Rural LAs	38	40	33	29	24	20

West Midlands
All LAs	30	37	31	31	31	27
Rural LAs	30	32	25	26	25	20

East of England
All LAs	26	28	29	26	28	24
Rural LAs	21	24	23	21	21	21

London
All LAs	36	37	40	40	40	41
Rural LAs	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

South East
All LAs	27	29	29	29	31	28
Rural LAs	24	27	27	27	28	26

South West
All LAs	29	32	32	27	24	21
Rural LAs	23	24	27	24	21	16

England
All LAs	36	38	35	33	33	29
Rural LAs	29	30	29	26	24	21

n/a = not applicable, figures to the nearest day.

Source:

Housing Corporation's continuous CORE survey data.

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