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1 Jul 2003 : Column 263W—continued
Local Government
Harry Cohen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the outcome was of his Department's stocktake of Local Government Pension Scheme funds, with special reference to ongoing sustainability and affordability of the Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [122745]
Mr. Raynsford: The Stocktake of the Local Government Pension Scheme is continuing. Consultations on two discussion papers, about the scope for simplification of the regulatory framework and future benefits package, have already taken place and the responses to each are being analysed. A third paper is being prepared to seek views on
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how best to develop funding strategies within the Scheme, linked closely to the actuarial valuation process that each local authority pension fund is obliged to carry out every three years. The next valuation round takes place on 31 March 2004 and this planned consultation is intended to inform that statutory exercise.
Consideration is being given to implementing the necessary changes to the Scheme arising from the issue of Simplicity security and choice: Working and saving for retirement—Action on occupational pensions (Cm 5835, June 2003). Consultations on these, and any which emerge from earlier Stocktake discussion papers, will be brought forward as soon as practicable for consideration by all the interested parties.
Planning (Lancaster)
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make an assessment of the implications of his decision to refuse planning permission for development at Whinney Car, Lancaster for planning applications for housing within the Lancaster City council district. [120686]
Keith Hill: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the decision in respect of the planning application for proposed housing development at Whinney Carr, as the matter is sub judice. The decision has been challenged in the High Court and is the subject of legal proceedings.
However my answer of 23 June 2003, Official Report, column 642W, set out the general position concerning the consideration of planning applications for housing in Lancaster.
Regional Government
Mr. Redwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is the estimated cost is of (a) setting up and (b) the annual running cost of a regional assembly in the north-west. [121472]
Mr. Raynsford: The setting-up costs of elected assemblies will vary from region to region, mainly because of the different sizes of their electorates. But the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects these to be around £30 million in each region, including the north-west. This estimate includes all costs necessary to establish an assembly, including the cost of local government reviews, referendums and the first elections.
The Government's estimates of the costs of running a regional assembly were set out in our White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice". The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimates that the north-west assembly would cost around £25 million a year to run. But about £5 million of this cost will be directly offset because staff will be transferring from existing bodies, such as the region's Government Office. The remaining costs could be absorbed within the assembly's programme budget through efficiency savings of around 5 per cent.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which regional assemblies he has visited since May 2002. [121780]
Phil Hope: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has not formally visited any of the English Regional Assembly since May 2002. However, on his
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regular visits to the regions he has met a number of representatives from the assemblies as have other Departmental Ministers. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hosts the English Regions Network meetings, which bring together the leaders of the English Assemblies in one forum to discuss issues of mutual interest and aims for a ministerial presence at least twice a year. Most recently on the 5 December last year, this meeting was attended by the then Parliamentary under Secretary of State the member for Shipley.
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of the population entitled to vote responded to the soundings exercise to test the level of interest in holding a referendum for regional government in the north-west. [120647]
Mr. Raynsford: 3,611 individuals from the north-west region responded to the soundings exercise.
In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received 336 responses from representative organisations, many of whom had conducted wider consultation or commissioned public opinion polls to inform their response.
We have no specific information on the proportion of respondents who are registered on the electoral register in the north-west region.
St Oswalds Park, Gloucester
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when Gloucester city council originally granted permission for the development at St. Oswalds Park, Gloucester; when he received the planning inspector's report; and when he expects to make a decision on the called-in appeal. [122770]
Keith Hill: The city council resolved to allow the development in August 2001, but were not formally able to grant permission because the application was called in for determination by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 11 June 2002. The Inspector's report was received on 25 February 2003. On 15 May 2003 my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister invited
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representations on the implications for the proposals of the statement made to the House on 10 April 2003, Official Report, columns 27–29WS about town centre planning. The responses are being circulated before the final decision can be made, which will be in due course.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Asylum Seekers
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the facilities available in Northern Ireland for the processing of asylum applications. [120892]
Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has 13 staff based at offices at Belfast International airport. These resources are used for various aspects of immigration control in Northern Ireland, including processing applications for asylum.
In 2002, the Belfast office received 174 applications for asylum. No statistics exist on the numbers of these applications that were successful, or unsuccessful. Statistics only exist for the UK as a whole and no breakdown is available by region.
In 2002, the Belfast office removed 62 failed asylum seekers from the UK.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Mental Health
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many of the Department's staff retired on medical grounds due to mental health problems in the last year. [111959]
Mr. Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander) on 24 June 2003, Official Report, column 662W.