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28 Apr 2003 : Column 236W—continued
Area Cost Adjustment
Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what New Earnings Survey data separating fringe and non-fringe areas in shire counties were used in his calculation of area cost adjustment. [109360]
Mr. Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister uses a number of different pieces of information from the New Earnings Survey in calculating the area cost adjustment in the fringe and non-fringe areas surrounding London. These are as follows:
- gross hourly earnings excluding overtime
age
sex
industry
occupation
whether the worker is part time or full time
whether the worker is employed in the public or private sector
the year in which the earnings took place
loss of pay marker (whether the employee lost pay due to absents etc.)
adult rate marker (whether the employee is paid an adult rate for the job)
upper tier local authority
lower tier local authority.
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Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons he identified a separate area cost adjustment factor for fringe and non-fringe areas in shire counties. [109359]
Mr. Raynsford: The new area cost adjustment (ACA), recognises that authorities in the fringe areas around London face significantly higher wage costs than those in non-fringe areas. Examples of these increased costs are the inner and outer fringe payments made to teachers and other staff on national pay scales. These increased costs are mirrored in the ACA factors calculated by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Council Tax
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the 30 district councils in England with the largest rise in council tax for 2003–04. [110315]
Mr. Leslie: The 30 English non-metropolitan district councils with the largest percentage increase in their own Band D council tax (excluding local precepts) between 2002–03 and 2003–04 are, in descending order:
- Stratford-on-Avon,
Weymouth and Portland,
West Oxfordshire,
Eastbourne,
Fenland,
Cherwell,
Runnymede,
Purbeck,
Daventry,
South Staffordshire,
Elmbridge,
Derbyshire Dales,
Hertsmere,
South Ribble,
Rossendale,
South Kesteven,
North Dorset,
Welwyn Hatfield,
West Dorset,
Three Rivers,
Bassetlaw,
Waveney,
Chorley,
Surrey Heath,
Hastings,
West Lindsey,
Rushmoor,
Mole Valley,
Kennet,
Cheltenham.
Crime and Disorder Act
Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 4 April 2003, Official Report, columns 925–26W, on the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, what plans he has to discuss with the Home Office the issue of extending guidance to local authorities on evicting tenants of social landlords who have been involved in criminal activity. [109108]
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Mr. McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister works closely with the Home Office on matters to do with crime and anti-social behaviour, and will continue to do so. There are no plans to issue specific guidance to social landlords on evicting tenants who have been involved in criminal activity.
Departmental Creche Facilities
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what creche facilities are provided by his Department and at what cost. [104298]
Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (central) currently provides three subsidised child care places in one of the central London nurseries, run by Westminster Children Society, costing overall approximately £16,588.69 per year. This includes administration charge internally and administration charge by the Home Office for managing the contractual aspect of the childcare contract. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister also participates in the Westminster Holiday Playscheme, which provides holiday care for children of school age. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister subsidises 50 per cent. of the £26 per day cost of each place.
In addition the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has inherited responsibility for the provision of child care vouchers for two former members of the Cabinet Office at a rate of £21.42 per week for 48 weeks a year.
Fire Service Staff (Shrewsbury)
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Fire Service staff based in Shrewsbury fire station were subjected to (a) verbal and (b) physical attacks in the last year. [109675]
Mr. Raynsford: The information is not available centrally about individual fire stations, but in 2000–01, there were five incidents involving firefighters in the Shropshire Brigade. These were:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| Missile throwing | 1 |
| Criminal damage | 1 |
| Assaults | 2 |
| Other(74) | 1 |
(74) Fireworks thrown at a crew.
None of the assaults resulted in injury requiring absence from work and none of the incidents resulted in prosecution or conviction.
Heath Fires
Mr. Swire: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department has issued guidelines to fire brigades on naturally ignited fires on heath and common land. [109646]
Mr. Raynsford: No specific guidance has been issued regarding naturally ignited fires on heath and common land. However, following the drought of the summer of 1976, a Joint Working Party was set up to review the experience of the Fire Service during this period. The Report of the group was issued under cover of Dear Chief
28 Apr 2003 : Column 239W
Officer Letter 28/1978 and made 61 recommendations that may be relevant to the management of such fires. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.
Home Condition Reports
Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had on establishing a certification scheme to regulate the proposed home condition reports. [109982]
Mr. McNulty: Discussions have been held with representatives of consumers and the main industry stakeholders, and this dialogue continues. In addition, these organisations have formed a steering group which is providing advice and assistance with the evaluation and development of the home condition report and the arrangements for certification schemes.
Homebuy Scheme
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in the Bury St. Edmunds constituency have received interest free equity loans under the Homebuy scheme; and what the total amount of funding was. [108781]
Mr. McNulty: Within the Bury St. Edmunds district, 15 units have been bought through interest free equity loans under the Homebuy scheme covering the financial years 1999–2000 to 2002–03. A further 10 units are likely to be purchased during this current financial year. The total amount of funding for all 25 units is £649,635.
Housing Bill
Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish his response to the consultation on the draft Housing Bill; and when the Housing Bill will be introduced. [109981]
Mr. McNulty: The consultation on the draft Housing Bill ends on 9 June 2003. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will then consider all the responses and produce a Government response to the consultation during the autumn. The Housing Bill will be introduced when parliamentary time is available.
Human Rights Act
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 577W, on the Human Rights Act, by what means inspectors are made aware of the application of the Human Rights Act 1998 to their work; and if he will place copies in the Library. [109528]
Mr. Leslie: Training for all Audit Commission inspectors includes a session covering the application of the Human Rights Act to their work.
Gas Safety
Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the Department for Work and Pensions about gas safety. [109983]
Mr. Leslie: None. However, officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister maintain contact with colleagues in the Health and Safety Executive and elsewhere to ensure that the Building Regulations are
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consistent with legislation specifically covering the safety of gas appliances and installations, and that legislation collectively addresses the hazards associated with gas installations in buildings satisfactorily.
New Dimensions
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) decontamination equipment and (b) provisions for the shelter of victims of terrorist attack and how many (i) boiler suits and (ii) thermal blankets he will make available to Wycombe firefighters under the New Dimensions proposals. [110204]
Mr. Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's New Dimension programme will provide 80 special purpose vehicles for carrying mass decontamination equipment. These Incident Response vehicles will carry decontamination units, each capable of decontaminating large numbers of people and ancillary equipment, including temporary clothing for affected members of the public. This equipment will be deployed flexibly, on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of risk, to meet the needs of all fire authorities, including Wycombe firefighters. The new equipment being purchased includes 4,400 additional gas tight suits, doubling the fire service capability, to enable firefighters to work safely. The new decontamination Disrobe and Re-robe packs contain insulated clothing which provides good protection from inclement weather.
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