House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 19 May 2003 (pt 31)

19 May 2003 : Column 620W—continued

Whistleblowers

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the NHS is taking to introduce measures to protect workers who raise concerns about bad practice. [113909]

Mr. Hutton: The Government expect a climate of openness and dialogue in the national health service that encourages staff to feel able to raise concerns about healthcare matters sensibly and responsibly without fear of victimisation.

On 27 August 1999, the Department of Health issued new guidance in Health Service Circular (HSC) 1999/198—'The Public Interest Disclosure Act: Whistleblowing in the NHS', to all NHS trusts and health authorities. The HSC advises that all NHS trusts and health authorities are expected to issue guidance to staff so that they know how to raise concerns in a reasonable and responsible way. All NHS employing organisations should have in place policies and procedures that comply with the provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, which is widely regarded as providing the most far reaching whistleblower protection in the world.

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Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made in ensuring that NHS whistleblowers are not persecuted in the work place for reporting malpractice; [111763]

Mr. Hutton: The Government expects a climate of openness and dialogue in the National Health Service that encourages staff to feel able to raise concerns about healthcare matters sensibly and responsibly without fear of victimisation.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Buffer Zones and Wind Farms

Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what guidance he will give local planning authorities on the creation of local buffer zones beyond the boundaries of national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty; [113972]

(3) if he will encourage local planning authorities to identify landscape areas suitable for wind farm development in local land use plans. [113973]

Mr. McNulty: Current Government guidance on renewable energy is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 22 and its associated annexes. PPG22 is currently being revised and a draft for public consultation will be published later this year. Policy on the use of buffer zones, noise and the location of wind farm developments will be included in that draft.

Built Environment (London)

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proposals he has to improve the built environment in London. [113567]

Mr. McNulty: The Government is committed to improve the quality of the built environment and we are working with a wide range of partners to deliver this through a number of policy initiatives and actions. The Government's recently launched Sustainable Communities action programme is central to achieving this. Through Sustainable Communities and as part of the wider agenda to raise the quality of life in our

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communities, we are providing a total of £41 million over the next three years to support, among a range of initiatives, the work of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment to improve the design standards of buildings and spaces and the skills needed to deliver this. We are also promoting the establishment of "design champions" at both regional and local level and are working with the construction industry to develop the Design Quality Indicator (DQI) system that was launched in July 2002. Government planning policies have for some time made it clear that when submitting planning proposals applicants should be able to demonstrate how they have taken account of the need for good design. PPG1 "General Policy and Principles", for example, underlines that "good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process and should be encouraged everywhere". The policy is supported by good practice guidance, "By Design". The Government will restate its commitment to good design when it updates PPG1.

In London, we are continuing to promote good quality higher density development through our planning powers, local authority development plans and we are working with the mayor, CABE, English Heritage and others to promote better design through good practice and pilot projects. We are also committed to establishing regional centres of excellence to promote best practice in the design and management of public spaces.

Costs

Mr. Norman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 7 April, Official Report, column 115W, on Inspectorates, what the total pay costs incurred by the (a) Single Housing. Inspectorate and (b) Planning Inspectorate were in each year since 1997. [113399]

Mr. McNulty: Between 1997 and March 2003 inspection of local authority housing was carried out by the Audit Commission. In 2001 the Housing Corporation commenced a programme of inspection of registered social landlords. From 1 April 2003 both sectors are being inspected by a single housing inspectorate within the Audit Commission.

Estimated staffing figures and associated pay costs incurred by the Audit Commission and the Housing Corporation on inspection are set out in table 1.

Table 1 (at constant 2001–02 prices)£ million

Year Estimated pay cost of staff in Inspection Directorate of the Audit Commission engaged in housing inspection work Estimated pay cost of staff employed by the Housing Corporation on inspection

1997–98 0.04 —

1998–99 0.12 —

1999–2000 0.43 —

2000–01 2.46 —

2001–02 2.82 ⁽³⁴⁾0.80

2002–03 — ⁽³⁵⁾1.50

Year	Estimated pay cost of staff in Inspection Directorate of the Audit Commission engaged in housing inspection work	Estimated pay cost of staff employed by the Housing Corporation on inspection
1997–98	0.04	—
1998–99	0.12	—
1999–2000	0.43	—
2000–01	2.46	—
2001–02	2.82	⁽³⁴⁾0.80
2002–03	—	⁽³⁵⁾1.50

⁽³⁴⁾ This figure represents costs of inspection staff recruited gradually during 2001–02. By 31 March 2002 there were 43 inspection posts, including 3 subject to contracts which ended on 31 March 2003.

⁽³⁵⁾ This figures includes the costs of 3 contracted posts which ended on 31 March 2003.

Note:

1. The Audit Commission's financial year runs from 1 November to 31 October. The Housing Corporation and Planning Inspectorate's financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

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The Audit Commission is responsible for carrying out inspections of local authority planning functions. The Planning Inspectorate deals with appeals and other casework under planning, housing, highways and allied legislation and is an executive agency of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The costs for the Planning Inspectorate shown in Table 2, are therefore not comparable with those for the Housing Inspectorate.

Table 2 (at constant 2001–2002 prices)£ million

Year Pay cost of staff employed by the Planning Inspectorate

1997–98 20.8

1998–99 20.64

1999–2000 22.25

2000–01 23.25

2001–02 23.38

2002–03 24.99

Year	Pay cost of staff employed by the Planning Inspectorate
1997–98	20.8
1998–99	20.64
1999–2000	22.25
2000–01	23.25
2001–02	23.38
2002–03	24.99

Departmental Photocopiers

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new photocopiers his Department has (a) purchased and (b) leased in each year since 1997; and at what cost. [104187]

Mr. Leslie: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created in May 2002. Since that date the lease on the purchase of photocopiers has been managed under a joint contract with the Department for Transport, therefore, the information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Mrs. Dean: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the total estimated value of outstanding disabled facilities grant work in (a) England, (b) Staffordshire and (c) East Staffordshire. [113154]

Mr. McNulty: I announced on 10 February this year a substantial increase in Government funding for the disabled facilities grant budget for England. The increase to £99 million will be for each of the next three years. This was in response to requests from local authorities for additional resources to deal with an increasing demand for housing adaptations from disabled people and their families, (including the need for level access showers).

The Government does not, however, monitor in detail the level of outstanding work under this programme, or the unmet need for level-access showers, either at national or local authority level.

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