| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
4 Jul 2003 : Column 550W—continued
Playing Fields
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what playing fields he is responsible for; and what his policy is on their disposal. [123336]
Mr. Alexander: I am not responsible for any playing fields.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Affordable Housing
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of houses built in rural areas in the south-east in each year since 1992 were affordable housing. [123576]
4 Jul 2003 : Column 551W
Keith Hill: The proportion of houses built by Registered Social Landlords and local authorities is shown in the table and is based on the 16 local authorities in the south-east classified as rural. Figures on completions in rural areas will include all land in the local authority area, including that within defined settlement boundaries.
| Year | Proportion affordable (%) |
|---|---|
| 1992 | 10 |
| 1993 | 18 |
| 1994 | 19 |
| 1995 | 16 |
| 1996 | 12 |
| 1997 | 11 |
| 1998 | 11 |
| 1999 | 7 |
| 2000 | 9 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 7 |
Source:
P2 returns to ODPM.
Civil Servants
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over. [119830]
Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South on 24 June 2003, Official Report, column 657W. A copy of the table mentioned in his reply is already available in the Library of the House.
4 Jul 2003 : Column 552W
Council Tax Revenue
Mr. Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the change in the amount raised from council tax for each county council and unitary authority between 2000–01 and that expected in 2003–04. [123743]
Phil Hope: The information requested is tabled as follows:
| Shire counties | 2000–01 Own council tax requirement £ million | 2003–04 Own council tax requirement £ million | ChangeAmount £ millionPercentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | 98.1 | 132.6 | 34.5 | 35.1 |
| Buckinghamshire | 128.4 | 171.9 | 43.5 | 33.8 |
| Cambridgeshire | 118.0 | 157.8 | 39.8 | 33.7 |
| Cheshire | 183.6 | 229.3 | 45.6 | 24.9 |
| Cornwall | 106.0 | 138.4 | 32.4 | 30.6 |
| Cumbria | 114.7 | 148.8 | 34.1 | 29.7 |
| Derbyshire | 174.5 | 223.7 | 49.2 | 28.2 |
| Devon | 169.2 | 241.7 | 72.5 | 42.8 |
| Dorset | 107.5 | 147.1 | 39.6 | 36.9 |
| Durham | 99.0 | 131.8 | 32.7 | 33.0 |
| East Sussex | 128.5 | 181.7 | 53.2 | 41.4 |
| Essex | 315.5 | 448.8 | 133.3 | 42.3 |
| Gloucestershire | 128.1 | 175.4 | 47.3 | 36.9 |
| Hampshire | 299.6 | 401.2 | 101.6 | 33.9 |
| Hertfordshire | 255.7 | 357.6 | 101.9 | 39.8 |
| Kent | 321.1 | 430.9 | 109.8 | 34.2 |
| Lancashire | 275.9 | 345.7 | 69.9 | 25.3 |
| Leicestershire | 136.9 | 178.5 | 41.6 | 30.4 |
| Lincolnshire | 128.5 | 173.1 | 44.7 | 34.8 |
| Norfolk | 174.1 | 242.9 | 68.8 | 39.5 |
| North Yorkshire | 130.1 | 177.3 | 47.2 | 36.3 |
| Northamptonshire | 126.0 | 169.3 | 43.4 | 34.4 |
| Northumberland | 76.4 | 100.7 | 24.3 | 31.8 |
| Nottinghamshire | 186.3 | 241.5 | 55.2 | 29.6 |
| Oxfordshire | 144.8 | 196.7 | 51.8 | 35.8 |
| Shropshire | 63.3 | 88.3 | 25.0 | 39.5 |
| Somerset | 111.9 | 156.8 | 44.9 | 40.1 |
| Staffordshire | 160.9 | 223.3 | 62.4 | 38.8 |
| Suffolk | 142.7 | 209.0 | 66.3 | 46.4 |
| Surrey | 288.1 | 401.8 | 113.7 | 39.5 |
| Warwickshire | 122.7 | 162.8 | 40.1 | 32.7 |
| West Sussex | 187.7 | 264.6 | 76.9 | 41.0 |
| Wiltshire | 103.5 | 140.4 | 36.9 | 35.6 |
| Worcestershire | 118.5 | 163.7 | 45.2 | 38.2 |
4 Jul 2003 : Column 553W
The tables show the council tax requirements for each English unitary authority and county council in 2000–01 and 2003–04. These are not the same as the amounts actually collected. In any given year, the amount actually collected in-year is slightly lower than the council tax requirement. In addition, amounts of council tax are also received in respect of previous years.
Housing Associations (Rents)
Mr. Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements are in place to control rent increases charged by housing associations. [123574]
Keith Hill: The Housing Corporation's rent influencing regime for implementing the rent restructuring framework sets out the requirement that in any one year an individual rent does not change by more than £2 a week, in addition to the guideline limit of Retail Price Index plus 0.5 per cent. So the maximum rent increase for a housing association tenant in any one year is RPI plus 0.5 per cent. plus £2 a week.
New Buildings (Competition)
David Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had to assess the effect of competition in building control upon the standard of surveying of new buildings; and if he will make a statement. [123217]
Phil Hope: Starting in 1997, my right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich, then Minister for Construction, had discussions on building control with the Local Government Association, the Construction Industry Council and the Association of Corporate Approved Inspectors. These discussions led to the issue, in July 1999, of the Departmental publication, "Building
4 Jul 2003 : Column 554W
Control Performance Standards", and to the setting up, in May 2000, of the Building Control Performance Standards Advisory Group.
In October last year, my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Leslie), met representatives of the LGA Public Protection Executive to discuss a range of building control issues. My hon. Friend made it clear that the Office is always willing to hear from the LGA, and from other member bodies of the Advisory Group, with any concerns about standards of building control, and suggestions for improvements.
Planning Enforcement
Mr. Burns: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will finish his analysis of the responses to his consultation paper, Review of the Planning Enforcement System in England; and when he plans to make an announcement on what action he is going to take as a result of the consultation process. [123742]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to complete analysing the responses to the consultation paper and announce the outcome of the review of the planning enforcement system in the autumn.
Unauthorised Camping Guidance
Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends local authorities will be given the powers indicated within the 'Managing unauthorised camping guidance' consultation paper to remove unauthorised encampments where transit camps are provided within the fast track provisions; and if he will make a statement. [123366]
4 Jul 2003 : Column 555W
Keith Hill: The proposed new powers to move illegally camped Gypsies and Travellers to authorised sites will only be available to police services. The power will also be dependent on local authorities providing adequate sites in their areas to enable the police to move Gypsies and Travellers on to.
The new power has been included in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, which is due to be read a second time in the other place on 18 July. However, the new police powers will not replace existing legislation currently under Section 61–62 and 77–79 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the proposals within the 'Managing unauthorised camping guidance' consultation paper will be implemented; and if he will make a statement. [123367]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Home Office are currently considering the responses to the consultation paper on managing unauthorised camping. Once concluded, the new joint guide will be published and made available for use by local authorities and police services by the end of the summer.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |