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17 Mar 2003 : Column 614W—continued
Right to Buy
Ms Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many properties have been sold under the Right to Buy; how many have been sold under Right to Buy in the last three years; how many households are supported in temporary accommodation; and how many new units of social housing have been completed, in the last three years, in each local authority in London. [96896]
Mr. McNulty: Information reported by London boroughs has been placed in the Library of the House.
Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the discounts to be paid under the Right to Buy scheme in the financial year 2002–03; and what financial provision he has made. [102634]
Mr. McNulty: The Right to Buy scheme allows tenants to purchase their homes at less than market value, but this does not involve any additional capital expenditure by the authority. The discount represents a reduction in the authority's capital receipt, 75 per cent. of which under current regulations has to be set aside for
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debt redemption or paying off credit arrangements. The accumulated balance of usable receipts may then, at the authority's discretion, be used to support their housing capital programme.
In the period April to September 2002, it is estimated that the value of discounts allowed through right to buy sales in England was some £657 million. The market value of the estimated 27,800 sales in the period was about £1,584 million.
South West Regional Development Agency
Mr. Adrian Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister to which bodies the South West Regional Development Agency is accountable. [103059]
Alan Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
The south west of England Regional Development Agency is accountable to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and to Parliament. Under the terms of the Regional Development Agencies Act, 1998, the Agency must also take account of the views of the South West Regional Assembly, which has been formally designated as the regional chamber for the Agency. For the purposes of regional accountability, the Agency is also required to hold a public meeting following publication of its annual report.
Telecommunications Operators (Regulation)
Mr. Hunter: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of telecommunication operators' implementation of their Ten Best Practice Commitments; and if he will make a statement. [102093]
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Mr. McNulty: The Mobile Operators Association have commissioned Deloitte and Touche to carry out an independent review of the implementation of the Operators Ten Commitments. The results of the review will be publicly available in due course.
Use Classes Orders
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the written ministerial statement on the use classes orders, 4 March, Official Report, column 79WS, what further consultation will take place when the Government announce their intentions for A1 uses arising from the use classes consultation in 2002. [103002]
Mr. McNulty: Following the publication of the consultation document on the "Use Classes Order" in January 2002 there was a three-month period during which representations could be made. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received over 2,600 replies from a wide range of interested parties. Since then the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has been considering the responses received. A decision about whether there is a need for any further consultation will be made once conclusions have been reached on the review.
Wind Turbines
Mr. Burnett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proposals he has to create a buffer zone between on-shore wind turbines and domestic properties. [102401]
Mr. McNulty: The annex on Wind Energy in Policy Planning Guidance Note 22 contains guidelines about various factors which should be taken into consideration in relation to wind turbine location, including suggestions about turbine separation distances from residential dwellings, specifically in relation to noise. As indicated in the recent Energy White Paper, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently reviewing PPG22.