House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 Mar 2003 (pt 20)

12 Mar 2003 : Column 319W—continued

United States

Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister when he last discussed with President Bush the impact of the US administration's policies on (a) trade, (b) agriculture and (c) drug prices, on Third World countries; and what response he received. [101409]

The Prime Minister: Both I and my Cabinet colleagues are engaged in a continuing dialogue with President Bush and the US Administration on a wide range of topics. The UK and the US are aiming for a WTO Round focused on increasing trade access, for developing as well as developed countries, in goods, services and particularly agriculture. Both Governments are also engaged in discussions in the WTO, G8 and other forums to ensure increased access to medicines, including lower and sustainable drug prices, for the developing world.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

High Hedges Bill

Mr. Wood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Government's policy is on the High Hedges Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Pound). [97652]

Mr. McNulty: The Government are committed to a legislative solution to the widespread problems caused by overgrown garden hedges and welcome the High Hedges (No. 2) Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Pound). The Office of

12 Mar 2003 : Column 320W

the Deputy Prime Minister is working with my hon. Friend to try to ensure that fair and workable measures get on to the statute book.

Affordable Housing

Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many affordable housing units he estimates will be built in 2003–04 by (a) debt-free authorities with transitional local authority social housing class grant (LASHG) funding and (b) with-debt authorities with LASHG funding; [102309]

Mr. McNulty: In my statement of 5 February 2003 I outlined transitional arrangements for local authority social housing grant (LASHG). The number of affordable homes to be built in 2003–04 from LASHG transitional funding will not be known until after 30 June 2003, which is the deadline for both with-debt and debt-free authorities to submit new schemes for 2003–04 to the Housing Corporation.

Area-based Initiatives

Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list area based initiatives operating in the South West Region, and the (a) annual budget and (b) regional budget for each in each year since 2000. [99400]

Mrs. Roche: The table provides details of area-based initiatives in the region that are the responsibility of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Initiative South West Region 2000–01 Total annual Budget 2000–01 South West Region 2001–02 Total annual Budget 2001–02 South West Region 2002–03 Total annual Budget 2002–03

Neighbourhood Renewal Fund Not established Not established £4.059520 million £200 million £6.089281million £300 million

Wardens Schemes £0.01 million £1.2 million £0.490 million £7.7 million £1.116 million £19.3 million

Neighbourhood Management Pilots Not established Not established £0.4 million £4 million £1.075544 million £11. 1 million

New Deal For Communities £2.6 million £48.8 million £6.1 million £126 million £7.6 million £170.9 million

Community Empowerment Fund Not established Not established £0.465082 million £12 million £0.465082 million £12 million

Community Chest Not established Not established £0.313894 million £10 million £0.470842 million £15 million

Community Learning Chest Not established Not established Not established Not established £0.125558 million £4 million

Coalfields £0.091 million £43 million £0.089 million £30.8 million £0.995 million £41 million

Single Regeneration Budget⁽²⁰⁾ £23.7 million £94.2 million £26.7 million £872.8 million £22.3 n/a

European Structural Fund Objective One⁽²¹⁾ 183,812 million Euro 1,155,893 million Euro 178,967 million Euro 1,134,178 million Euro 174,643 million Euro 1,120,629 million Euro

European Structural Fund Objective Two 67,615 million Euro 1,384,436 million Euro 67,373 million Euro 1,372,080 million Euro 66,993 million Euro 1, 358,323 million Euro

Initiative	South West Region 2000–01	Total annual Budget 2000–01	South West Region 2001–02	Total annual Budget 2001–02	South West Region 2002–03	Total annual Budget 2002–03
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund	Not established	Not established	£4.059520 million	£200 million	£6.089281million	£300 million
Wardens Schemes	£0.01 million	£1.2 million	£0.490 million	£7.7 million	£1.116 million	£19.3 million
Neighbourhood Management Pilots	Not established	Not established	£0.4 million	£4 million	£1.075544 million	£11. 1 million
New Deal For Communities	£2.6 million	£48.8 million	£6.1 million	£126 million	£7.6 million	£170.9 million
Community Empowerment Fund	Not established	Not established	£0.465082 million	£12 million	£0.465082 million	£12 million
Community Chest	Not established	Not established	£0.313894 million	£10 million	£0.470842 million	£15 million
Community Learning Chest	Not established	Not established	Not established	Not established	£0.125558 million	£4 million
Coalfields	£0.091 million	£43 million	£0.089 million	£30.8 million	£0.995 million	£41 million
Single Regeneration Budget⁽²⁰⁾	£23.7 million	£94.2 million	£26.7 million	£872.8 million	£22.3	n/a
European Structural Fund Objective One⁽²¹⁾	183,812 million Euro	1,155,893 million Euro	178,967 million Euro	1,134,178 million Euro	174,643 million Euro	1,120,629 million Euro
European Structural Fund Objective Two	67,615 million Euro	1,384,436 million Euro	67,373 million Euro	1,372,080 million Euro	66,993 million Euro	1, 358,323 million Euro

⁽²⁰⁾ From April 2002 the Single Regeneration Budget was incorporated into the Regional Development Agency Single Pot.

⁽²¹⁾ The European Structural Fund Objective One and Two are budgeted on the calendar year from January to December.

Best Value

Mr. Maude: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the costs to local government of administration of the best value system. [98405]

Mr. Raynsford: No reliable estimates exist of the costs incurred by local government of administering best value. Any such costs would have to be set against the benefits of improved services. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has commissioned Cardiff Business School to evaluate the long-term impact of best value in English local authorities from 2001 until 2005. The results arising from the first year's census of local authorities reveal that best value is seen as a positive force for change in local government.

Compulsory Purchase

Margaret Moran: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he plans to take to increase the use of compulsory purchase orders in respect of empty properties. [97751]

Mr. McNulty: The use of compulsory purchase orders in respect of empty properties is a matter for local authorities to determine.

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As announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister in "Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future", the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be consulting on proposals that would provide local authorities with the alternative option of taking on the temporary management of some empty homes.

Decent Home Standards

Ms Shipley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the cost to local authorities if the Decent Home Standards in operation in England adopted a minimum standard of loft insulation of 200mm. [97576]

Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimates that it would cost between £500 and £600 million (at 2001 prices) to provide 200 mm loft insulation for all council homes with less than 200 mm loft insulation. The data for this estimate are taken from the 2001 English House Condition Survey.

Domestic Violence

Margaret Moran: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures registered social landlords are taking to tackle domestic violence. [97761]

Mr. McNulty: Registered social landlords can apply for Housing Corporation funding to provide housing for people fleeing domestic violence. Bids for funds must meet local and regional priorities for housing. Revenue support for these schemes is currently available from the supported housing management grant administered by the Housing Corporation. From April 2003 this becomes part of the Supporting People budget administered by local authorities.

Both local authorities and registered social landlords are encouraged in the Relationship Breakdown Guidance* to have clauses against domestic violence in their tenancy agreements. Increased safety measures and effective multi-agency working with the police are suggested as alternatives. Where a victim of domestic violence is a tenant of a local authority or registered social landlord it is possible for that person to be transferred to alternative accommodation via a management transfer, although there may be issues of tenancy rights to resolve. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is keen to improve the opportunities for mobility for all social tenants, particularly from high pressure areas to those where the demand for social rented accommodation is less. People who experience domestic violence could benefit from the opportunities for mobility for all social tenants.

* DETR (now ODPM), Cabinet Office and Department of Health: "Relationship Breakdown: A Guide for Social Landlords", May 1999.

Margaret Moran: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information on the number of refuges for survivors of domestic violence that have been taken into direct management by registered social landlords was collected in his Supporting People mapping exercise. [97846]

Mr. McNulty: This information was not collected by the Supporting People supply mapping exercise.

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The supply mapping did show that in December 2002 there were 82 refuges where the support provider was a registered social landlord. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not have any earlier information about the numbers of refuges where the support provider was a registered social landlord with which to determine whether these arrangements have become more common.

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