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15 Jul 2003 : Column 292W—continued
Housing
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many houses in Shrewsbury and Atcham are second homes for (a) local and (b) out of area residents. [125627]
Keith Hill: According to the 2001 Census there were 189 second homes in Shrewsbury and Atcham. Information is not available on whether they were owned by local or out of town residents.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the prudential framework will be available to local housing authorities. [126129]
Keith Hill: The Government's hope is to introduce the prudential borrowing system for all local authorities on 1 April 2004. However, that depends upon early completion of the remaining Parliamentary stages of the Local Government Bill, which is currently before the House of Lords.
NDPBs
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings (i) under a statutory requirement and (ii) voluntarily. [121793]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sponsors seven advisory non-departmental public bodies. Of these:
- a) the Boundary Commission for England and the Boundary Commission for Wales hold public meetings. This is a statutory requirement;
b) the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils, the Boundary Commission for England and the Boundary Commission for Wales conduct public consultation exercises. This is a statutory requirement for the Boundary Commissions;
c) no advisory non-departmental public bodies conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests. This is not a statutory requirement;
d) the Community Forum, Boundary Commission for England and Boundary Commission for Wales voluntarily publish a register of members' interests. In addition the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils, Building Regulations Advisory Committee and the Property Advisory Group keep a register which can be made available on request;
e) no advisory non-departmental public bodies publish agendas for meetings. This is not a statutory requirement;
f) no advisory non-departmental public bodies publish minutes of meetings. This is not a statutory requirement.
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publish. They will also need to comply with the access to information provisions of the Act when it comes fully into force at the start of 2005.
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been paid by (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and other organisations for which he is accountable to staff or former staff in respect of (i) alleged equal opportunities breaches which did not proceed to tribunals or courts and (ii) equal opportunities breaches which proceeded to tribunals or courts in (A) the current year and (B) each of the two previous years; and how many staff received payments in each case. [121795]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was established on 29 May 2002. Since that date, one allegation of breach of equal pay legislation was settled before proceedings were issued.
In addition, two allegations of racial discrimination were settled after proceedings had been issued.
Two further cases arose in an executive NDPB and were settled before proceeding to tribunal or court; allegations of breach of equal opportunities rules formed only part of these.
It would be inappropriate to give financial details of the settlements, which are confidential to the individuals concerned.
There have been no cases citing equal opportunity breaches raised in the executive agencies, or other organisations for which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is accountable.
Neighbourhood Warden Schemes
Mr. Wood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what funding is available to enable successful neighbourhood warden schemes to continue. [124623]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is keen that all funded schemes continue. However, Government funding for warden schemes was awarded on a short-term basis, and it was clear from the start that this financial support would only be for a limited period. With this in mind the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is working closely with all schemes in the development of their future sustainability plans. Events are being held and guidance has been produced to assist scheme managers achieve sustainability for their warden schemes.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister continues to promote the wardens approach, particularly as a key element of neighbourhood management, and where possible will do all that is necessary to help successful schemes continue.
New Posts
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what new, additional positions have been created in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister since May 2002. [121809]
Yvette Cooper: Since its creation in May 2002, the Office of the Deputy Minister has been reorganising internally to ensure its structure is the most appropriate to meet its objectives, and this has led to some posts
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being discontinued and some being created. All staff costs have been met within the Office of the Deputy Minister's administration budgets.
Pilots, Trials and Research Studies
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the pilots, trials and research studies funded by his Department which have been conducted since 2002, indicating (a) the title, summary and duration of the pilot or trial, (b) the target population and total number of participants and (c) when each pilot, trial or research finding was published; and if he will list the research bodies and organisations outside his Department which were involved in each pilot, trial or research study. [121777]
Yvette Cooper: Since 2002 the Office funded 68 projects of which four were pilots. The following pilots/trials were commissioned.
EHCS Follow Up Pilot with Local Authorities:
A Study in a selection of local authorities to identify the levels of information that local authorities could provide about dwellings on an individual basis, which will be used to inform the direction of future EHCS Postal Survey (or its replacement).
Target population—Local Authorities
Home Condition Report (HCR)—Technical Pilot:
This aims to test the effectiveness (technical accuracy and consistency) of the HCR on a number of property types.
Let to: Building Research Establishment
Started 7/1/2003 ends 15/8/2003–06–25
Target population/participants: It involves 25 surveyors spread across the same four locations carrying out HCRs, (Cardiff, Coventry, Hertfordshire and Sheffield), on 20 "test" properties.
Home Condition Report Consumer Pilot/Surveyor Management contract: (Two contracts, but part of the same piece of work).
The research will pilot the Home Condition Report (HCR), an element of the proposed Home Information Pack, with consumers to explore their understanding and use of the HCR.
Let to: Building Research Establishment
Target population: Home buyers and sellers
A total of 290 home buyers and sellers from four locations (Cardiff, Coventry, Hertfordshire and Sheffield). A total of 40 estate agents (10 in each of the above four locations) 22 surveyors (spread across the four locations).
The research projects commissioned by the Office since 2002 are listed in the following table with the research bodies and organisations involved.
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