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15 Sept 2003 : Column 609W—continued
Disability Grants
Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy that no elderly or disabled person should wait more than six months for an assessment of
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needs, the provision of finance and the execution of works required under disability facilities grant arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [128898]
Yvette Cooper: Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) are administered by local authorities who are under a statutory duty to notify an applicant on whether or not their application is approved as soon as is reasonably practicable, but no later than six months after the date of application. The grant is payable on completion of the works. Authorities have a statutory power to delay payment if they are under financial pressure but in these cases this must not be beyond 12 months from the date of grant application.
We have recently consulted on new Office of the Deputy Prime Minister/Department of Health draft guidance on delivering housing adaptations for disabled people, which sets out the Government's view of best practice on service delivery. This includes target times for the complete delivery process including needs assessment, processing of the application and the completion of building works. These target times will depend on the complexity of, and priority attached to, individual cases but the guidance suggests that the maximum target time for the entire process should in any event be no more than 260 working days and only 80 working days in high priority cases.
We are currently considering responses to this consultation and hope to issue final guidance to local housing and social service authorities before the end of this year.
Dispute Resolution
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what developments there have been in the introduction of alternative dispute resolution methods into public sector contracts; and if he will make a statement. [128669]
Phil Hope: On 23 March 2001, the Lord Chancellor published a formal pledge committing Government Departments and agencies to settle disputes by Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques. As part of that pledge, Departments are committed to including appropriate clauses in their standard procurement contracts on the use of ADR to settle disputes arising under those contracts. The document "Dispute Resolution Guidance" issued by the Office of Government Commerce and available on their website at http://www.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit/reference/ogc library/generic guidance/dispute.pdf contains further details on the pledge, and includes at Annex B model clauses relating to ADR.
Fire Sprinklers
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it a legal requirement for fire sprinklers to be installed in all new dwellings; and if he will make a statement. [129118]
Phil Hope: The Building Regulations apply to most building work undertaken in England and Wales, typically the erection, extension or material alteration of a building. Part B of the Building Regulations sets out the requirements for fire safety and is supported by Approved Document B which provides guidance on measures that will meet these requirements,
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A major review of Part B and its supporting Approved Document is due to commence in early 2004. As part of this review it is our intention to consider the potential of extending the existing provisions for sprinkler protection under the Building Regulations to new residential premises, including dwellings. The proposals will be subject to a full public consultation, and will be supported by a Regulatory Impact Assessment.
General Permitted Development Order
Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes have been made to Class B under Part 4 of the General Permitted Development Order since September 2001. [128528]
Keith Hill: There have been no changes to Part 4, Class B of Schedule 2 to the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) since September 2001. In January 2002 the Government published a consultation paper on possible options for change to the temporary use provisions. Due to the high level of public interest in the matter of temporary uses, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister made an interim announcement on 21 August 2002 that there would be no change to existing provisions.
Housing
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assistance he can give to areas with high house prices and low incomes to increase housing affordability; and if he will make a statement. [129156]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published the "Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future" on 5 February. This set out a range of measures to create conditions in which private house builders can increase supply and to make the best use of the existing housing stock.
In addition funding for the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme in 2003–04 has been increased to around £1.5 billion—an increase of £500 million on last year—to enable housing associations to provide homes for both rent and low cost home ownership. In all the Government will be providing around £5 billion for investment in affordable housing by 2005–06. Decisions on the allocation of these funds will be based on recommendations from the regional housing boards based on priorities identified in regional housing strategies.
The Sustainable Communities Plan announced that the Home Ownership Task Force would be examining all the various home ownership programmes and the scope for better targeting and design. The task force is due to report in the autumn.
Housing Development (Sewerage Networks)
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what inspections local authority planning officers are required to carry out to ensure that new housing developments are correctly connected to sewerage networks. [129870]
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Keith Hill: Planning policy guidance note 23 "Planning and pollution control", which was published in 1994 clearly states that the arrangements for sewage disposal are capable of being a material consideration in planning applications and appeals. It advises that local planning authorities may need to refuse planning permission where they are not satisfied about the adequacy of sewerage infrastructure or they may be able to impose conditions to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place. Examples of the types of conditions are given in Department of the Environment Circular 11/95 "The use of conditions in planning permissions".
The consideration given to sewage disposal when determining planning applications will depend on the circumstances. Local authority planning officers are only responsible for enforcing planning conditions that have been imposed. In many circumstances there will be no need to impose planning conditions related to sewerage arrangements.
However, Part H of the Building Regulations 2000 requires the provision of an adequate system of drainage to carry foul water from appliances within the building to a prioritised list of alternative foul water outfalls (public or private sewer, septic tank or a cesspool). Enforcement of the Building Regulations 2000 is by local authority building control departments or approved inspectors. Where a connection is to be made to a public sewer, under the Water Industry Act 1991, there is a duty to notify the sewerage undertaker and provision for the undertaker to inspect the connection.
Local Rates
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister under what powers local authorities may charge a local rate on new build houses when the roads, drains and play areas have not been adopted by that local authority. [129175]
Keith Hill: Local taxation on domestic property has been in the form of council tax since 1993–94. Currently local authorities have no power to vary council tax across their areas because roads, drains and play areas have not been adopted. However, subject to parliamentary approval, the Local Government Bill will provide a discretionary power for local billing authorities to offer locally determined council tax discounts.
Park Homes
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to consult on measures affecting park homes which require legislation. [129301]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister set up the Park Homes Working Party to consider the need to change existing legislation. The Working Party's we considered recommendations and consulted on in 2001. Options for changes to the law are currently being considered.
Planning
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what sanctions can be used by (a) his Department and
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(b) members of the public if a section 106 planning gain for a new primary school is not then taken up by the planning authority. [129177]
Keith Hill: There are no powers for my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister or members of the public to enforce s106 agreements directly.
Planning obligations made under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by section 12 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991) are either agreements between the local planning authority and persons with an interest in the land or undertakings given by persons with an interest in the land relating to the matters set out in section 106 (1) (a)–(d):
- (a) restricting the development or use of the land in any specified way;
(b) requiring specified operations or activities to be carried out in, on, under or over the land;
(c) requiring the land to be used in any specified way; or
(d) requiring a sum or sums to be paid to the authority on a specified date or dates or periodically.
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers a local authority has to prevent further buildings by a developer where the houses recently built by the company on that site which have many snags per house still to be resolved. [129178]
Phil Hope: There are no such powers.
Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many complaints about homes built by Redrow plc (a) in total and (b) on the Meads Estate near Bobbing have been received by NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. [129179]
Phil Hope: NHBC Building Control Services Ltd. is a subsidiary of NHBC (National House-Building Council), an independent company limited by guarantee. Questions regarding complaints made about developers or house builders to NHBC or its subsidiaries should be directed to NHBC.
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