---

17 Jul 2003 : Column 580W—continued

Loaned Art Works

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many works of art from the Government art collection are on loan to each Minister in his Department. [121794]

Yvette Cooper: There are 86 paintings, prints and   engravings on loan from the Government Art Collection to Ministers in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister at this time. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has 39 in his office and Admiralty House. My right hon. Friend the member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) 0, my hon. Friend the member for Corby (Phil Hope) 18, my right hon. Friend the member for Streatham (Keith Hill) six, my right hon. Friend the Lord Rooker 12 and my office has 11.

Local Authority Housing

Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether local authorities which under the Communities Plan do not use the options of stock transfer, Arm's Length Management Organisations or PFI, may receive increased investment in their housing stock above that in the Housing Investment Programme. [126164]

Keith Hill: The Sustainable Communities Plan made it clear that local authorities seeking additional investment in their housing stock are able to choose from three options: stock transfer, PFI and ALMOs.

The plan also made it clear that authorities that do not pursue these options cannot expect increased investment above that provided for in the Housing Investment Programme.

Mr. Betts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect of allocating only 70 per cent. of housing investment programme funding to local authorities as proposed in the Communities Plan; and what effect it will have on the decent homes target. [126165]

Keith Hill: Guidance issued to regional housing boards makes it clear that their allocation proposals should be consistent with the achievement of the decent homes target.

Right to Buy

Mr. Gray: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons local authorities in the South West region were not included on the Government's list of councils which can temporarily suspend the right to buy. [126340]

Keith Hill: There has been no suspension of the Right to Buy in any area. 41 local authority areas were included in the Housing (Right to Buy) (Limits on Discount) (Amendment) Order 2003—Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 498—which came into effect on 27 March 2003. The Order lowered the maximum Right to Buy discount available to tenants from £38,000 (£34,000 in one area) to £16,000 in these areas, which were judged to be under the greatest housing market pressure as evidenced by high levels of homelessness (reflecting high demand for social housing), and high local house prices (reflecting the demand for social housing), and high local house prices (reflecting the demand for private housing and affordability). The
 
17 Jul 2003 : Column 581W
 
Land Registry lower quartile house price for the third quarter of 2002 was used, to indicate likely availability for first time buyers.

The model was rerun subsequently to take into account local earnings information. The effect was marginal and insufficient to justify further changes.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not wish to reduce the discounts available to tenants unless there is clear evidence of housing pressure on this basis. This did not appear to be the case in any area in the South-West region. The position will be kept under review. In the meantime, the Home Ownership Task Force is looking at the whole range of programmes aimed at helping people into home ownership, including the Right to Buy. The Task Force is due to report this autumn.

Vehicles for Sale

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will extend the Control of Roadside Sales Order to enable local authorities to remove vehicles for sale which are parked on the highway or adjacent greenswards; and if he will make a statement. [114654]

Mr. Raynsford: There are no plans to do so.

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers are available to local authorities to remove vehicles for sale which are parked on the highway or adjacent greenswards. [114653]

Mr. Raynsford: Under an adoptive code contained in the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, distract councils have extensive and flexible powers to regulate street trading in areas within their jurisdiction. No street trading of any kind can lawfully take place in a prohibited street. Anyone convicted of unlawful street trading can be fined a maximum of   £1,000. Officers of borough councils undertake enforcement of the law.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Mr. Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place since the Afghan conflict with the US Administration concerning the possible transfer of UK citizens held at Guantanamo Bay to UK custody; and if he will make a statement. [125505]

Mr. Straw: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. and learned Member for North-East Fife (Mr. Campbell) today (UIN 125675).

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the result of the invasion of Afghanistan by the coalition on the change on the amount of land used for cultivation of opium poppies; and what he expects the change to be in the level of production in (a) the current year and (b) the next three years. [126467]

Mr. Rammell: The disruption of drug production and trafficking was not among the aims of the military campaign waged in Afghanistan. Any damage to the
 
17 Jul 2003 : Column 582W
 
drugs trade as a result of coalition activity would be incidental to the principal aims of the campaign and would not be covered in any battle assessments.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) conducts an annual survey into the level of opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. They are in the process of completing the 2003 survey. The final results will be available in the autumn. Although it appears that there has been significant displacement of cultivation within Afghanistan, our current expectation is that the total area under poppy cultivation will be broadly similar to that last year. In addition, however, this year's crop has suffered significant damage from moisture-related diseases that are likely to result in a lower opium yield. It is not clear what the size of the Afghan opium crop will be in subsequent years.

Correspondence

Mr. Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter, dated 28 May, from the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute regarding Julian Gilbey. [126275]

Mr. Mullin: The hon. Member's letter has been passed to my noble Friend Baroness Symons to reply as Minister responsible for consular matters. The reply was signed on 16 July.

EU Constitutional Treaty

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom's opt-out from the Schengen agreement will be maintained in the proposed Constitutional Treaty for the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [126377]

Mr. MacShane: The draft constitution produced by the convention on the future of Europe makes clear that the protocols attached to the treaty will remain an integral part of it. These will include the protocol integrating the Schengen acquis, under which the UK has made a successful application for partial participation. The Government position on the protocols relating to our frontier controls in general and our opt-out from the Schengen Agreement in particular has not changed. We will maintain controls at the UK's frontiers.

EU Directives

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the EU directives implemented by the Department since 8 June 2001. [126596]

Mr. MacShane: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office plays a coordinating role in the UK's EU policy. It is rarely directly responsible for implementing EC directives. I am not aware of any directives on which the   Foreign and Commonwealth Office has led on implementation since 8 June 2001.

---