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16 Sept 2003 : Column 632W—continued
Home Loss Payments
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was previously allocated in 2002–03 to home loss payments in compulsory purchase; how much this has been increased as a result of the Government announcement in July; and whether similar changes have been made to farm loss payments. [130199]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not have a central fund allocated for these purposes. Acquiring authorities are liable for the costs incurred arising from compulsory purchase and would be expected to fund this through their respective budgets.
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Housing
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he (a) records and (b) acts upon housing affordability data. [129155]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister records a wide variety of data on housing, including affordability issues, which provide an essential underpinning to policy development. Through the Housing Corporation the Government finances housing for those who are unable to purchase their own home. More generally, as part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's drive to create sustainable communities, we are working to improve the supply of housing in those regions where high demand is causing prices to rise beyond the reach of those on modest incomes. Regional Housing Strategies, produced for the first time this year, which will be considered, are important in highlighting problems of affordability at regional and sub-regional level. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be taking account of these, in my decisions on the allocation of housing resources, later this year.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to permit local authorities to limit annual increases in council tax for pensioners to the rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement. [130646]
Mr. Raynsford: Subject to parliamentary approval, the Local Government Bill will allow local billing authorities to introduce locally defined council tax discounts from 2004–05. This power could be used by local billing authorities to create a discount which would have the effect of limiting council tax increases for pensioners.
Playing Fields
Mr. Moss: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the latest estimate is of the total gross receipts for each year since 1997, from land sold under general consent orders; and what percentage of those receipts relate to the sale of playing fields; [130362]
- (2) if he will list each of the playing fields, broken down by local authority, which have been disposed of under general consent orders. [130363]
Keith Hill: The Information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Local authorities are given powers under the Local Government Act 1972 to dispose of land in any manner they wish. The disposal must be for the best consideration reasonably obtainable, unless the Secretary of State consents to the disposal. General consents have been issued so that local authorities can, in certain circumstances, dispose of land for less than the market value without having to apply to the Secretary of State for specific consent. However, the Local Government Act 1972 requires local authorities proposing to dispose of open space that is used for public recreation to advertise their intentions in a local newspaper and consider any objections received.
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PRIME MINISTER
Engagements
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister what his official engagements were for Sunday 9 March. [130010]
Iraq
Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his oral Answer of 10 September 2003, Official Report, column 322, on Iraq, on which occasions the Chief of the Defence staff before the outbreak of war expressed concerns about the legality of what the armed forces were being asked to do; and if he will make a statement. [130704]
The Prime Minister: It is part of the Chief of the Defence Staff's duty of care over members of Her Majesty's armed forces that he satisfies himself with the legality of any operation to which they may be committed. As I said to my hon. Friend at Prime Minister's Questions on 10 September 2003, Official Report, column 322, the Chiefs of Staff on no occasion expressed to me any unease. Lord Boyce was entirely content with the legal basis for the recent conflict in Iraq. This was set out by my right hon. and noble Friend the Attorney-General on 17 March 2003, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 2–3WA.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Departmental Computer Security
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been (a) budgeted and (b) spent by her Department since April 2002 on (i) combating computer fraud, (ii) preventing theft of computers and (iii) safeguarding the security of information held on computer; and if she will make a statement. [128784]
Alun Michael: The Department manages the security of its information, including information held on its computers systems, in accordance with the guidance given in the Manual of Protective Security, a comprehensive body of policy and interdepartmentally agreed security standards issued by the Cabinet Office. From this guidance, we employ a range of measures to protect physical, computer and information assets. These measures are reviewed according to specific project requirements and as circumstances and technology changes require. All aspects of security (physical, personnel, procedural, information and IT) are inextricably linked and it is therefore not possible to provide a budget breakdown for IT related aspects only.
LANTRA
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the role of LANTRA, with specific reference to how it is encouraging employment opportunities for (a) environmental organisations and (b) the land-based sector. [130589]
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Alun Michael: LANTRA's role as the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries is to support employers and employees in the sector to identify, acquire and use the skills needed to raise productivity and to deliver sustainable development. Sector Skills Councils have a key role in delivering the Government's Skills Strategy set out in the White Paper "21st Century Skills: Realising our Potential" (Cm 5810). LANTRA'S strategic and business plans set out in detail how the organisation will deliver these objectives for the environmental and land-based sector.
Rural Development Fund
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the application procedures for rural development funds. [129637]
Alun Michael: Rural development funds are made available through grant schemes under the England Rural Development Programme, which was launched in October 2000. Application procedures have been kept under continual review, and changes made to benefit applicants and improve administrative efficiency.
Significant further improvements are also in development. In the short term, a fast-track appraisal process was piloted recently for applications seeking less than £15,000 under the Rural Enterprise Scheme. The indications are that such an approach can substantially reduce the time taken to confirm the decision over an award of grant and we hope to introduce new arrangements generally, over the coming months. For the longer term, we are engaged in a major programme to improve ERDP delivery radically, and support the delivery of new agri-environment schemes. These benefits, facilitated in part by a completely new IT system, will begin to come on stream in early 2005.
Rural Payments Agency
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the performance of the Rural Payments Agency; and if she will make a statement. [129790]
Alun Michael: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agreed to the creation of the Rural Payments Agency on 16 October 2001.
The Rural Payments Agency's second Annual Report and Accounts, which records performance against the Agency's key performance targets, as set by the Secretary of State, will be laid before Parliament shortly.
An Ownership Board chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs meets quarterly to monitor the performance of the Agency, on behalf of the Secretary of State. In addition, I receive weekly progress reports, as the Rural Payments Agency is part of my ministerial portfolio. I also monitor the response to issues raised by MPs and discuss relevant issues with the Agency.
Vocational Training
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions
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she has had with representatives of further and higher education on the potential for delivering vocational training in rural areas. [130542]
Alun Michael: I frequently meet people engaged in providing all forms of learning in rural areas in the course of visits and meetings around the country. The Department's Learning Skills and Knowledge Review is looking specifically at the need for vocational training in rural areas and how that need can be met. Representatives of further and higher education are on the steering group for the review.
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