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22 Jan 2004 : Column 1462W—continued
House Fire Deaths
Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many deaths from house fires there were in the United Kingdom in 2003. [148841]
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Mr. Raynsford: The latest information available is for the calendar year 2002. The provisional UK figure for the number of deaths in dwelling fires in that period is 443. Of the 443 deaths in dwelling fires reported to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister by Fire and Rescue Services in the UK in 2002, 364 were in accidental dwelling fires. This was 71 fewer than in 2001. Deaths in dwelling fires are now 21 per cent. below the level reported in 1997, and are the lowest on record.
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Housing
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much social housing grant was spent by (a) the Housing Corporation and (b) local authorities in each region in (i) 2001–02 and (ii) 2002–03. [149404]
Keith Hill: Social housing grant (SHG) spent through the Housing Corporation's approved development programme (ADP) and local authority social housing grant (LASHG) for each region in 2001–02 and 2002–03 is tabled as follows:
| 2001–02 | 2002–03 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADP | LASHG | ADP | LASHG | |
| London | 341.5 | 112.5 | 423.9 | 119.9 |
| South East | 93.5 | 140.9 | 113.1 | 186.2 |
| South West | 51.1 | 58.2 | 62.4 | 68.3 |
| East | 51.6 | 58.7 | 62.5 | 15.2 |
| East Midlands | 34.4 | 12.7 | 39.5 | 72.4 |
| West Midlands | 58.5 | 15.2 | 64.6 | 19.6 |
| Yorkshire & Humberside | 47.7 | 3.3 | 49.2 | 6.2 |
| North East | 23.2 | 0.5 | 22.4 | 0.8 |
| North West | 51.6 | 7.0 | 57.5 | 7.5 |
| Merseyside | 21.4 | 1.4 | 24.8 | 3.0 |
| Total | 774.6 | 410.4 | 919.9 | 499.2 |
Source:
Housing Corporation
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many social housing units were built with social housing grants by (a) the Housing Corporation, (b) local authorities and (c) registered social landlords without public subsidy, in each year since 1990. [149405]
Keith Hill: Estimates of the number of new social housing dwellings provided each year since 1991–2 are tabled as follows:
| Financial year | Number of social housing units built or otherwise acquired by RSLs with public subsidy | Number of social units built by Las with public subsidy | Number of units built by RSLs without public subsidy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Column A | Column B | Column C | |
| 1991–2 | 29,525 | 7,113 | N/a |
| 1992–3 | 68,192 | 2,579 | 1,126 |
| 1993–4 | 64,834 | 1,451 | 1,137 |
| 1994–5 | 70,720 | 853 | 815 |
| 1995–6 | 69,397 | 757 | 1,964 |
| 1996–7 | 53,840 | 451 | 1,449 |
| 1997–8 | 49,258 | 323 | 2,434 |
| 1998–9 | 43,141 | 194 | 2,200 |
| 1999–2000 | 34,373 | 102 | 2,964 |
| 2000–1 | 31,339 | 389 | 3,495 |
| 2001–2 | 30,605 | 80 | 3,699 |
| 2002–3 | 31,074 | 271 | 2,995 |
Notes:
1. The figures in column A relate to the number of social dwellings acquired by RSLs with public subsidy—including new build. Separate figures on RSL new build are not available.
2. The types of dwellings shown include self-contained dwellings and bedspaces.
Data Sources:
Column A: Housing Corporation Stewardship Reports, Approved Development Programme, Local Authority Sponsored Programme, Revenue Grants & Voted Expenditure
Column B: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, P2 returns from Local Authorities
Column C: Housing Corporation, Regulatory and Statistical Return
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to publish (a) Table S127 (A1.24) Difference from the Bedroom Standard by Tenure, (b) Table S132 (A1.29) Trends in Difference from the Bedroom Standard 1984 to 2001–02 and (c) Table S140 (A9.6) Difference from the Bedroom Standard by Government Office Region from the Survey of English Housing 2001–02. [149406]
Yvette Cooper: All of these tables have already been published on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website and they are available in the Library of the House. It is not intended to publish them in a printed report.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury of 3 November 2003, Official Report,
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column 501W, on the tenancy deposit scheme, what the outcome was of the seminar held in December to discuss the case for linking legislation for compulsory measures to protect tenancy deposits to the Law Commission's findings. [149434]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is pleased to say that the seminar held on 19 December achieved a good attendance from those representing landlords, tenants, local authorities and housing professionals. It appeared to achieve a widespread understanding among those attending of the need to steer a course that considered the scope for linking legislation for compulsory measures to protect tenancy deposits to a need for written agreements for all tenants. A need for all tenants to have written agreements was proposed in the Law Commission's report 'Renting Homes' published in November.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of the papers presented at the seminar held in December to discuss the case for linking legislation for compulsory measures to protect tenancy deposits to the Law Commission's findings. [149435]
Keith Hill: With the approval of their authors the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will do so.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce a statutory national tenancy deposit scheme. [149436]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering in the light of the seminar of 19 December a full response to our consultation a year ago with the results of our consideration of proposals for future measures to provide for tenancy deposit protection that could encompass a range of approved but mandatory schemes.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what account his Department asked the Law Commission to take of the issue of protecting tenancy deposits as part of its project on tenure reform; and what evidence the Law Commission requested from consultees on this issue. [149437]
Keith Hill: The Law Commission consultation paper 162 of May 2002 stated in paragraph 1.85 that:
- "The question of whether or not tenancy deposits should be regulated, and if so how—an issue covered in the legislation of many Commonwealth jurisdictions 38—is not considered here. It is currently the subject of pilot projects being run by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions."
- "During the period of our consultation, we were aware that schemes relating to tenancy deposits were being tested and evaluated by ODPM. In 2003, the outcome of this evaluation was produced. It has become clear that policy makers see considerable potential for building contractual obligations relating to the taking and repayment of deposits into the scheme we are proposing, even though we did not consider the issue as part of our project."
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- "We have considered whether we should recommend that the Secretary of State include in the secondary legislation a default term about whether fixtures and chattels are included in the agreement and whether an inventory must be provided. This issue ties in closely with work ODPM are doing on the regulation of deposits (as disputes are often about the existence or state of items which could have been listed in an inventory to avoid disputes). We do not wish to prejudge that work by proposing that there should be a compulsory minimum term on this issue in the Act."
Mr. Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment of the possible potential savings to health and social care budgets he has made from ensuring that a percentage of all new housing has wheelchair access; and if he will make a statement. [149609]
Yvette Cooper: All newly built homes must meet the requirements of Tart M' of the building regulations, which the Government revised in 1999 to improve the visitibility and convenience of new housing. The revised regulations include requirements to ensure that entrances, lifts, corridors, doorways and WCs are accessible, including to wheelchair users. The provisions are expected to enable occupants to cope better with reducing mobility and to live longer in their own homes, although not necessarily to facilitate folly independent living for all disabled people.
In addition, all new build schemes funded by the Government through the Housing Corporation must comply with the Corporation's scheme development standards, which adopt additional criteria for accessibility and internal environments.
No assessment has been made of the potential costs and benefits of setting a target for a proportion of all new housing to have particular standards of wheelchair access.
Mr. Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures the Department will take to increase the number of new houses suitable for those who are wheelchair users. [149610]
Yvette Cooper: All newly built homes must currently meet the requirements of 'Part M' of the building regulations, which the Government revised in 1999 to improve the visitibility and convenience of new housing. The revised regulations include requirements to ensure that entrances, lifts, corridors, doorways and WCs are accessible, including to wheelchair users. The provisions are expected to enable occupants to cope better with reducing mobility and to live longer in their own homes, although not necessarily to facilitate fully independent living for all disabled people.
In addition, all new build schemes funded by the Government through the Housing Corporation must comply with the Corporation's scheme development standards which adopt additional criteria for accessibility and internal environments.
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Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy on the building of houses on flood plains. [149919]
Keith Hill: Policy is contained in Planning Policy Guidance Note 25: Development and Flood Risk, published in July 2001.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with planning inspectors about the building of houses in flood plains; and if he will make a statement. [149920]
Keith Hill: Officials at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have briefed Planning Inspectors on the policies dealing with housing and flooding out in Planning Policy Guidance Notes 3 (Housing) and 25 (Development and Flood Risk). They also provide on request advice to the Inspectorate centrally and to individual Inspectors on questions about the policy stated in these documents, but not on the interpretation of policy in cases.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether local planning authorities can refuse new housing applications in areas where (a) sewage and (b) flooding problems are known to exist. [150017]
Keith Hill: Problems with sewage and flooding are material considerations in whether nor not to approve new housing applications, and local planning authorities should refuse permission where these cannot be satisfactorily resolved. Guidance on sewerage is given in paragraph 19 of Annex 3 to Planning Policy Guidance Note 23: Planning and Pollution Control. The fact that flood risk is a criterion in allocating land in plans for housing development is stated in paragraph 31 of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing, and the suitability of land at different levels of risk from flooding for residential development is set out in Table 1 of Planning Policy Guidance Note 25: Development and Flood Risk.
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