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17 Jul 2003 : Column 573W—continued
Private Office Costs
Mr. Flight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what the running costs have been of Ministers' private offices in his Department in each year since 1997. [123113]
Hilary Benn: It is difficult to separate out completely DFID's expenditure on the running costs of Minister's Private Offices from that of Top Management Group as a whole. However, best estimates for DFID Ministers' Private Office running costs (including staff costs of the parliamentary and correspondence units) for 2001–02 are, £838,040 and 2002–03 are £1,156,445. Estimated costs for previous years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
World Trade Organisation
Syd Rapson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what steps will be taken at the next World Trade Organisation meeting on promoting the freedom of developing countries to choose the path of trade liberalisation best suited to its particular circumstances for achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction. [125899]
Hilary Benn: The Government are committed to delivering on our commitments to make the current round of WTO trade negotiations truly a "Development Round". With the European Commission, we are actively working to secure a substantial package of Special and Differential Treatment measures to ensure that any agreements negotiated take full account of the specific needs of individual countries, and are supported by targeted trade related capacity building. We will do all we can to ensure that, through the European Commission, the next WTO ministerial meeting in Cancun makes real progress with the so-called Doha Development Agenda.
The UK Government are also providing a wide-ranging programme of Trade Related Capacity Building designed to help developing countries formulate and implement their own trade development strategies, stimulate trade, and help them participate in and benefit from the institutions, negotiations and processes that shape national trade policy and the rules and practices of international commerce.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Council Housing (North-East Lincolnshire)
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the total cost of bringing all council housing in north-east Lincolnshire up to decent housing standards by 2010. [126420]
Keith Hill:
It is for Local Authorities to determine the level of non-decent housing in their areas based on robust stock condition information. The 2002 Statistical Return from north-east Lincolnshire indicates that there are approximately 3,000 non-decent dwellings. The 2002 Statistical Return provided by the local authority estimated that it would cost £9 million to bring all these dwellings up to the decent homes standard.
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General Elections
Mr. Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he has held discussions with the Electoral Commission about the possibility of abandoning alphabetical listing of candidates on ballot papers (a) at future general elections and (b) in the London Mayoral and Assembly elections. [125421]
Mr. Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
We have had no discussions with the Electoral Commission on changing the present procedure for listing candidates' names on ballot papers to be used at future general elections or the London Mayoral and Assembly elections. The Commission has recommended in its recently published 'Ballot Paper Design' that alternative listing systems should be tested through pilot schemes to assist them in determining the impact of the present arrangements. The Government are currently considering this recommendation along with all the other recommendations the Commission has recently made on reforming the electoral process.
House Prices
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether in valuing dwellings for council tax purposes, it is his policy that district valuers should take into account changing values over time of house prices within a given locality; and if he will make a statement on the construction of time services and deflators for such purposes. [125645]
Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 14 July 2003]: I have been asked to reply.
The current Council Tax bands contained within valuation lists are based upon property values as at 1 April 1991. The Listing Officers of the Valuation Office Agency, who are statutorily responsible for the lists, will use a range of evidence to support the bands ascribed to each property. However, the strongest evidence is property sales evidence which was available close to the valuation date. Other information, such as property indices, are utilised as a check mechanism but are often generalist in nature and must be used with care when dealing with an individual property, or an area, which may have changed character over the ensuing 10 or more years.
The Local Government Bill currently before Parliament will provide for a council tax revaluation at least every 10 years. The first revaluation in England will have a valuation date of 1 April 2005 with the new lists coming into force on 1 April 2007. The Valuation Office Agency will undertake the revaluation.
Housing
Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of whether the decent homes target will be met by 2010. [126166]
Keith Hill:
Since 1996 the number of non-decent homes in the social sector has been reduced by over 700,000. Forward plans from local authorities show that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is on track to meet targets of reducing, by a third, the number of non-decent social homes between April 2001 and April 2004. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also now on
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track for all dwellings owned by local authorities and registered social landlords to meet the decent homes standard by 2010.
The number of vulnerable private sector households in non-decent homes has been reduced by 400,000 since 1996.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which local authorities have not transferred their stock or set up an arm's length management organisation with PFI scheme. [126127]
Keith Hill: Tabled as follows are those local authorities by region that have not transferred all of their stock. Local authorities that have transferred some of their stock are marked with a (P). Those authorities that have been given places on the 2003 transfer programme are highlighted.
Local authorities that have either set up an ALMO or are on the programme are also highlighted.
The table also highlights the two local authorities that have signed a PFI contract to date, as well as marking those that are on the PFI pathfinder programme.
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Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the time required by a local housing authority from the initial consideration of options to (a) complete a stock transfer, (b) reach agreement on and sign a PFI contract and (c) prepare for and complete establishment of an arm's length management organisation. [126128]
Keith Hill: The length of time taken to implement an option will depend on the option chosen and the circumstances of each individual local authority. However the following timescales can be used as a rough guide for future schemes:
PFI—the pathfinder schemes have taken up to three years from application to contract signature, we aim to reduce this timescale to 18 months using lessons learned from the pathfinders.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to announce Government proposals on the way forward for housing capital finance following the recent consultation. [126130]
Keith Hill:
The decisions reached on the issues consulted on in 'The Way Forward for Housing Capital Finance' are reflected in "Sustainable Communities: building for the future" and the Local Government Bill currently before Parliament. A letter went to all Chief Finance Officers in local housing authorities in England on 1 April setting out in detail the proposed
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arrangements for the proposals consulted on. This letter is available at www.odpm.gov.uk and in the Library of the House.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the scheme funding requirements to meet the decent homes standard as a result of the change from fitness standard to the health and safety rating system will be financed. [126132]
Keith Hill: It is too early to say what will be the financial impact of applying the housing health and safety rating system to the decent home standard when the fitness standard is abolished. The cost of rectifying health and safety hazards will vary, and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects many of them to be put right relatively quickly and cheaply. Guidance to authorities on the assessment of decency using the rating system will be issued.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of houses which will be brought up to the decent homes standard in each year up to 2010, broken down by the method of finance to be used. [126133]
Keith Hill: The following table shows the estimated year on year change in the numbers of non-decent social sector homes from the baseline date of April 2001 to the target date of December 2010. The extent to which these numbers will be made up of ALMO/PFI/transfer schemes will depend on the results of the option appraisal process that each local authority is currently undertaking. This process is due to be completed by July 2005. In broad terms we have estimated that transfers will tackle between 200,000 and 250,000, ALMOs will tackle between 300,000 and 350,000 and PFI will tackle between 15,000 and 30,000 non-decent homes.
Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what conclusions he has drawn from the National Audit Office report on the costs of the large scale voluntary transfer programme. [126163]
Keith Hill:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has concluded that the National Audit Office report Improving Social Housing Through Transfer confirms our belief that the benefits of transfer are clearly visible and worth the costs in ensuring tenants gain from faster renovation of, and improvement to their homes; greater tenant participation in decisions directly affecting their homes and surrounding area; and an increased sense of ownership and involvement in the local regeneration of the wider area.
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