| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
3 Mar 2003 : Column 859W—continued
School Buildings
Mr. Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money the Government has spent on the replacement of old and worn-out school buildings in (a) England and (b) the Portsmouth area in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [100104]
Mr. Miliband: Government support for capital investment in school buildings in England for 2002–03 is £3 billion; for Portsmouth the figure is £4.25 million. We do not collect information on the split between new buildings and renovation. Looking to the future, I announced on 26 February proposals for a new approach to capital investment in a paper, "Building schools for the future". This will be a programme of rebuilding and renewal to ensure that secondary education in every part of England has facilities of 21st Century standard within 10 to 15 years from 2005–06, subject to future public spending decisions. We will also aim to provide substantial investment in primary school buildings.
School Circulars
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the circulars that have been sent by the Learning and Skills Council to (a) secondary schools and (b) colleges of further education since 1 March 2002; and how many pages each circular contained. [99486]
Mr. Miliband: 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.
Student Grants (Portsmouth, South)
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of students in Portsmouth, South eligible to claim grants for university in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [98096]
Mr. Charles Clarke: My Department does not make forecasts for the number of students likely to be claiming grants for university in each local education authority (LEA) or parliamentary constituency.
3 Mar 2003 : Column 860W
Student Grants
Mr Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate the cost of providing students with family incomes of (a) £15,000, (b) £20,000 and (c) £30,000 with student grants of (i) £1,000, (ii) £2,000 and (iii) £3,000. [94754]
Margaret Hodge: The information requested is currently not available. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Birmingham Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 6 February, Official Report, column 357W.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Affordable Housing
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the London Housing Board will be able to fund the construction of new affordable housing in the east, south east and south west regions for use as part of the Seaside and Country Homes Scheme. [99170]
Mr. McNulty: It will remain open to authorities in London, and elsewhere, to support the provision of additional affordable housing in other regions if this is a cost-effective way of addressing their housing needs but only where it has the support of the authority in which the housing is to be provided. The establishment of regional housing boards will allow a more strategic view to be taken about the extent to which needs can be met by provision of housing outside the region.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many units of affordable housing (a) for rent and (b) for sale were built from funding generated by recycled capital grant in each year since 1997. [99174]
Mr. McNulty: The option for Registered Social Landlords to recycle social housing grant was introduced in April 1997. The number of dwellings completed by RSLs which have been funded, wholly or in conjunction with loans or RSL reserves, from recycled capital grant fund since 1997 are tabled below.
| Sale | Rent | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998–99 | 100 | 87 |
| 1999–2000 | 85 | 271 |
| 2000–01 | 502 | 646 |
| 2001–02 | (52)218 | 361 |
(52) Figures for 2001–02 subject to validation
In addition, RSLs have built affordable housing units by combining recycled grant with social housing grant from local authorities or the Housing Corporation. These units are not included in the above figures. RSLs can also use recycled grant for major repair and improvement of their existing housing.
Disconnections
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households there are where (a) gas, (b) electricity and (c) water utilities are disconnected. [98971]
3 Mar 2003 : Column 861W
Mr. Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
Information on the number of households disconnected at any one time is not available. During 2002, 22,335 gas and 3,334 electricity customers were disconnected for debt or theft.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has responsibility for the water industry. I understand that under the Water Industry Act 1999, water companies do not have the power to disconnect various categories of premises, including private dwellings.
Gypsies and Travellers
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will issue joint guidance with the Home Department on managing unauthorised camping by gypsies and other travellers; and if he will make a statement. [99494]
Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in conjunction with the Home Office, will issue new joint guidance on managing unauthorised camping by gypsies and other travellers by the summer.
The joint guide will form two documents, "Framework Guidance", which is a set of general principles, and detailed "Operational Guidance" for use mainly by local authorities and police services.
Homebuy Loans
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homebuy loans were made in each local authority in London in each year since the scheme's introduction. [99172]
Mr. McNulty: Tabled as follows is the breakdown of homebuy loans that have been made in each local authority area in London since the scheme was first introduced on 1 April 1999.
(53) To 31 January
3 Mar 2003 : Column 862W
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homebuy loans were made to (a) those in social housing, (b) those on housing waiting/transfer lists and (c) key workers in London in each year since the scheme's introduction. [99173]
Mr. McNulty: A total of 2,529 people were helped into home ownership using the homebuy scheme during the first three years of its operation. The following table shows the breakdown between those from rented properties and those from the waiting list where available.
| 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| On the waiting list | 177 | 343 | 346 |
| In social housing | 355 | 569 | 519 |
| Not available | 394 | 584 | 449 |
| Total | 926 | 1,496 | 1,314 |
To be eligible for a homebuy loan, a potential purchaser must either be currently in social housing, or be on the housing waiting list and be recommended by the local authority as being in housing need.
Information on the number of homebuy loans made to key workers is not collected. The starter home initiative is helping key workers into home ownership through equity loans based on the homebuy model and shared ownership schemes. To the end of January 2003 around 1,000 key workers in London had purchased homes with Starter Home Initiative assistance.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of introducing (a) low tranche (below 25 per cent.) shared ownership schemes and (b) lower tranche (below 75 per cent.) homebuy schemes. [99176]
Mr. McNulty: As announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 5 February and published in "Sustainable Communities: building for the future", the Housing Corporation has agreed to lead a task force which will look at existing programmes that support sustainable home ownership. This will include both the shared ownership and homebuy schemes. The task force will examine the scope for better targeting and design of the current home ownership initiatives to ensure they are cost effective and that the home ownership is sustainable.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |