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24 Feb 2003 : Column 254W—continued

Work Placements

Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister how many university students his Department supported or sponsored with a work placement in the last year; what his policy is on work placements; what plans he has to develop such schemes; and what his policy is on paying their university fees. [98496]

The Prime Minister: My Office does not run work placements scheme for university students.

24 Feb 2003 : Column 255W

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Contingency Planning

Angela Watkinson : To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the London Fire Brigade and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority in forming contingency plans for a major emergency in the capital. [98983]

Mr. Raynsford: The London Fire Brigade (LFB), and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) and its predecessors, have long been closely involved in contingency planning for a major emergency in the capital. Following the events of 11 September 2001, it was recognised that an enhanced emergency planning capability involving LFB, LFEPA and other key agencies was needed to deal with the new kind of threat. In May 2002, a new strategic planning regime was set up under the London Resilience Forum, chaired by myself with the Mayor as my deputy. LFB and LFEPA are represented at a senior level on the London Resilience Forum, and secondees from LFB and LFEPA are attached to the London Resilience Team, an inter-agency team based in the Government Office for London which reports to me and which is driving forward a programme of action to increase London's

24 Feb 2003 : Column 256W

preparedness against a major terrorist attack. As part of this programme, LFB, LFEPA and other key agencies have been closely involved in drawing up a new command and control structure for ensuring a co-ordinated response from the emergency services, the Government and other key players in the event of a catastrophic incident.

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements have been made to co-ordinate the activities of the emergency services in responding to a major incident. [98984]

Mr. Alexander: I have been asked to reply.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 19 December 2002, Official Report, column 893W.

Departmental Consultations

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list consultations his Department has conducted since it was established; and when each consultation (a) opened and (b) closed. [97420]

Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established on 29 May 2002 and a list of the consultations which have been conducted is listed in the table:

	Start	Finish
Housing and Regeneration
Allocation of accommodation—Code of Guidance for Local Authorities	31 May 2002	27 August 2002
Timing of rent increases for assured periodic tenancies in England and Wales—proposals to change rules	21 June 2002	13 September 2002
New Financial Framework for Local Authority Housing: Resource Accounting in the Housing Revenue Account	26 June 2002	9 September 2002
Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities	8 July 2002	31 October 2002
Housing Renewal Guidance—Consultative Document	22 July 2002	10 October 2002
Proposal to change delegation of Housing Management for Local Housing Authorities	31 July 2002	27 September 2002
Housing Capital Finance—Way Forward	2 August 2002	18 October 2002
Removal of requirement for Local Authorities to obtain consent to run a Cash Incentive Scheme	16 August 2002	18 October 2002
Home Ownership: Revised procedures for consulting service charge payers about service charges	20 August 2002	30 November 2002
Memorandum and Articles for Right to Manage/Right to Enfranchise Companies as proposed in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002	13 September 2002	31 December 2002
Home Improvement Agencies— Development and Reform	30 September 2002	31 December 2002
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002—Restrictions on the use of forfeiture for long residential leases	18 October 2002	31 December 2002
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002—Prescribed Content and Form of Notices associated with acquiring the Right to Manage	25 October 2002	31 December 2002
Housing Revenue Account (item 8) and Subsidy Determinations (Draft) 2003–04	14 November 2002	12 December 2002
Proposal to give Local Authorities financial freedom to build new social housing in HRA Private Finance Initiative schemes	29 January 2003	26 February 2003
Delivering Adaptations—Desk Guide, Overview and Check List	10 February 2003	2 May 2003
'Updating the English Indices of Deprivation 2000'	22 November 2002	15 January 2003
Neighbourhood Renewal Unit— Research Strategy consultation	1 June 2002	31 August 2002
Tenancy Money—Probity and protection'	28 October 2002	28 February 2003
Local Government
Local Government Finance: Review Support Grant for 2003–04	5 December 2002	14 January 2003
Local Government Finance: Revenue Support Grant 2001–02—Proposed Amending Report	5 December 2002	14 January 2003
Local Government Finance: Formula Grant Distribution	8 July 2002	30 September 2002
Draft Local Government Bill	12 June 2002	23 August 2002
Accounting for Retirement Benefits	9 January 2003	14 February 2003
Revised guidance on rate relief for charities and other non-profit making organisations	1 May 2002	30 August 2002
Rating of food processing and packaging plants currently exempt from non-domestic rates	1 May 2002	31 July 2002
Rating of meters—Non Domestic Rates: Gas, Electricity, Water Meters	13 June 2002	31 July 2002
Conduct of Councillors: Local Investigation and Determination of Misconduct Allegations.	20 May 2002	1 July 2002
Access to Local Government Pension Scheme by means of an Admission Agreement.	31 July 2002	16 September 2002
Access to Information in Local Government: Current and future framework for Local Authorities	2 September 2002	2 December 2002
Local Government Pension Scheme: Retirement Benefits Package:	9 September 2002	17 April 2003
Combining English Local Authority, Greater London Authority and European Parliament Elections in 2004	28 October 2002	31 January 2003
Local Government Pension Scheme: Simplification	29 October 2002	17 March 2003
Local Government Pension Scheme: (Management and Investment of Funds) Regulations 1998: Prudential Benchmarks	27 November 2002	21 January 2003
Draft guidance for issue to the Boundary Committee for England about local government reviews.	2 December 2002	3 March 2003
Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales) (Local Authority Members in England): Regulations 2003	23 December 2002	21 January 2003
Draft Regulations—Local Authorities (Members' Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003	14 January 2003	25 February 2003
New Council Constitutions—Guidance on Consolidated Regulations for Local Authority Allowances	14 January 2003	25 February 2003
Planning and Regions
Revised Circular on Compulsory Purchase orders—Planning Consultation draft	26 July 2002	31 October 2002
Compulsory Purchase Policy—review of home loss payments under Local Government Act 1973	27 September 2002	6 January 2003
Review of planning enforcement system in England	22 September 2002	31 December 2002
Revision of Planning Policy Guidance Note 23 (PPG23): Planning and Pollution Control. Consultation Draft	12 July 2002	9 October 2002
Draft National and Regional Guidelines for Aggregate Provision in England: 2001–2016	5 August 2002	4 November 2002
Proposed Changes for Regional Planning Guidance 13 (North West region)	1 May 2002	31 August 2002
Your Region, Your Choice (CMD 5511): involvement of stakeholders in future of elected regional assemblies	9 May 2002	31 August 2002
Fire
Reform of Fire Safety Legislation—consultation	30 July 2002	22 November 2002
Building Regulations
Amendments to Building Regulations (Part M)—Access to and use of buildings	28 August 2002	29 November 2002
Amendments to Building Regulations (Part C)—Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture	10 December 2002	10 March 2003

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Departmental Expenditure Limit

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Departmental Expenditure Limit for housing was in each year since 2000–03. [98000]

Mr. McNulty: The Departmental Expenditure Limit for housing in each year 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03 is set out in the table.

£ million

Financial year	DEL	MRA	Total
2000–01	3,599	—	3,599
2001–02	2,592	1,589	4,181
2002–03	2,961	1,561	4,522

Development (South-east)

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what studies have been conducted for his Department into potential growth in the (a) Thames Gateway, (b) Ashford, (c) Milton Keynes and (d) London-Stansted-Cambridge areas. [98170]

Mr. McNulty: The East Thames Corridor Study in 1994 set out the development capacity and potential of the Thames Gateway area. This was followed by Regional Planning Guidance 9a, which defined the Gateway and set out a Planning Framework to guide future development. A further study in 2000 recommended extension of the area to include south Essex, which now forms part of the Gateway.

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For the other growth areas, the following are the most recent studies that have been completed:

a study into potential growth in the Ashford area by the Halcrow Group Ltd. was published in December 2002. The study was commissioned by Ashford borough council, in partnership with the Government Office for the South East (GOSE), South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA), South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), English Partnerships, Housing Corporation, Kent county council and Kent and Medway Learning and Skills Council;


the study by Roger Tym and Partners covering the Milton Keynes and South Midlands area was published in September 2002. It was jointly commissioned by SEERA, GOSE, Government Office for the East of England (GO-East), Government Office for the East Midlands, East of England Local Government Conference, East Midlands Regional Local Government Association, SEEDA, East of England Development Agency (EEDA), East Midlands Development Agency, English Partnerships, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire county councils, Milton Keynes council, and Luton borough council; and the Sub Regional Study by ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd., covering the London-Stansted-Cambridge area, was published in July 2002. It was jointly commissioned by Essex, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire county councils, East of England Regional Planning Body, GO-East, Government Office for London, Greater London Authority, EEDA and London Development Agency.

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