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26 Jan 2004 : Column 157W—continued
EU Funding
Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the funding amount allocated from the European Regional Development Fund is during the 2000 to 2006 period to (a) the North-East, (b) the North-West and (c) Yorkshire and Humberside. [150091]
Mr. Raynsford: The following amounts of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) have been allocated for the period 2000 to 2006. The allocations are in euros.
| Euros | |
|---|---|
| North-East Objective 2 | 581,330,000 |
| North-West Objective 1 | 893,048,000 |
| North-West Objective 2 | 808,330,000 |
| Yorkshire and Humber Objective 1 | 785,588,000 |
| Yorkshire and Humber Objective 2 | 448,360,000 |
Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister from which budget within his Department the sum for funding for the European Regional Development Fund is allocated. [150092]
Mr. Raynsford: In England, all Departments with European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) policy responsibilities provide their own budgetary cover. However, all income and related expenditure from ERDF are accounted to parliament by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as the Managing Authority. The devolved administrations have separate arrangements for their own geographical areas.
Fire and Rescue Service
Mr. Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the changes in the number of jobs in Kent County Fire and Rescue Service that would arise as a result of the proposed regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service. [149306]
Mr. Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him and to the hon. Members for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow), for Taunton (Mr. Flook), for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray), for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond), for Poole (Mr. Syms) and for Spelthorne (Mr. Wilshire) on 22 January 2004, Official Report, columns 1457–58W.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will list those whom he has consulted on the plans to regionalise the Kent Fire and Rescue Service; [149307]
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- (2) what discussions he has had with (a) retained and (b) full-time firefighters in Kent on his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service; and what their advice was. [149309]
Mr. Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him and the hon. Members for Buckingham, Taunton, North Wiltshire, Runnymede and Weybridge, South East Cambridgeshire, Brentwood and Ongar, Poole and Spelthorne on 22 January 2004, Official Report, columns 1454–57W.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister under what powers he would implement the regionalisation of the Fire and Rescue Service in Kent without the consent of Kent county council. [149308]
Mr. Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Members for Buckingham, Taunton, North Wiltshire, Runnymede and Weybridge, South East Cambridgeshire, Brentwood and Ongar, Poole and Spelthorne on 22 January 2004, Official Report, columns 1458–59W.
Mr. Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research relating to Kent he has commissioned to provide the evidential basis for his plans to regionalise the Fire and Rescue Service. [149310]
Mr. Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Members for Buckingham, Taunton, North Wiltshire, Runnymede and Weybridge, South East Cambridgeshire, Brentwood and Ongar, Poole and Spelthorne on 22 January 2004, Official Report, columns 1453–54W.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what level of grant has been provided to each (a) metropolitan fire authority, (b) county council fire authority and (c) combined fire authority for each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [150949]
Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will put the information that the hon. Member for Wealden has asked for in relation to metropolitan fire authorities in the Library once officials have completed work on the local government settlement.
However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is unable to provide the information that the hon. Member has asked for in relation to county council fire authorities because the grant that they receive is general grant to cover all services supplied by the county. No amount is hypothecated for fire and rescue services. Nor can the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister provide the requested information on combined fire authorities because they will not have received any grant before 2004–05.
Nonetheless, the Government have delivered another good settlement for fire and rescue authorities. The Government have ensured that once again all authorities receive above inflation increases, with fire and rescue authorities receiving increases in grant between 3.5 per cent. and 5 per cent. and averaging 4.3 per cent. Since taking office, this Government have increased funding by 30 per cent. in real terms.
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| Expenditure provision for the fire and rescue service in England (£ million) | Increase on previous year (percentage) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 1,237 | 4.4 |
| 1998–99 | 1,299 | 5.0 |
| 1999–2000 | 1,346 | 3.6 |
| 2000–01 | 1,393 | 3.5 |
| 2001–02 | 1,463 | 5.0 |
| 2002–03 | 1,521 | 4.0 |
| 2003–04 | 1,583 | 4.0 |
Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he gives to fire authorities on the level of financial reserves they should maintain. [150950]
Phil Hope: My right hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) wrote to all fire and rescue authorities with guidance on 23 January. In that letter my right hon. Friend acknowledged that for Combined Fire Authorities the transition to precepting status has raised a number of issues, including the level of financial reserves. The letter clarified the Government's position on a number of points, including:
- (a) In line with CIPFA guidance, there is no recommended level of reserves.
- (b) The impact on council tax payers should be considered by authorities when considering reserves. This may point to spreading any burden on council tax payers over a number of years.
- (c) The level of risk will not change as a result of the move to precepting status. CFAs should explore arrangements with their constituent authorities that reflect this.
Fire Service Circular 1/2004, also issued on 23 January, contained more detailed guidance on these issues.
Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take account of the need for fire authorities to build up reserves in decisions on capping precepting fire authorities. [150951]
Phil Hope: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has made it clear that he expects council tax and precept increases in all authorities to be in low single figures. This applies to all authorities, including fire and rescue authorities. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is prepared to use his capping powers if necessary. When considering capping, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister would want to look closely at local authorities' budgets and council tax rises before coming to a view on what might be appropriate factors to take into account.
Flooding
John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many flood plains in England have been given planning permission for housing in each of the last five years. [147737]
Keith Hill: Data on planning permissions granted within the flood risk areas defined by the Environment Agency is not collected or held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the
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Environment Agency and local planning authorities report annually under the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA's) High Level Target 12 on consultations on developments in floodplains and the extent to which the decision follows the agency's advice. The report for 2002–03 can be found on the Environment Agency website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister land use change statistics show that for the period 1998 to 2001, 9 per cent. of land that changed to residential use in England was in flood risk areas, and 12 per cent. of new dwellings were in the areas defined by the Environment Agency as at risk from coastal or river flooding. Some 64 per cent. of these were on previously developed land, much of which was defended against flooding to an appropriate minimum standard. About 12 per cent. of the land area of England is within the river and coastal flood risk areas.
Housing
Sir Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library copies of the Chief Executive of the Rent Service's correspondence with the Rent Service's area manager for London since November 2001. [150138]
Keith Hill: Correspondence between the Chief Executive of the Rent Service and the Rent Service's Area Manager for London is largely of a confidential nature under Part 2 (2) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. To identify any correspondence that is not confidential would incur disproportionate cost.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to find new sites upon which to build (a) private and (b) social housing; and what budget has been allocated for that purpose in 2003–04. [150379]
Keith Hill: The Sustainable Communities Plan sets out the policies, resources and partnerships necessary create a better balance in housing supply and demand. This includes the steps the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is taking to improve site assembly for both private and social housing. It is backed by £22 billion investment over three years.
- Provision of additional homes in designated growth areas, with £610 million over three years for site assembly, delivery mechanisms, additional affordable housing and essential local infrastructure. Combined with London, the growth areas have the potential to deliver an extra 200,000 homes above planned levels.
- Making better use of surplus public sector land, for instance through a new register established by English Partnerships and through the introduction of new arrangements for its disposal. Identifying sites for additional housing, which would include developments for both private housing, affordable housing and homes for key workers, is one of the key priorities for English Partnerships.
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- Proposals to allow local authorities to seek affordable housing on smaller sites where this is justified, a measure particularly important in the South-east where almost 80 per cent. of housing sites are less than half a hectare in size.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he has taken to ensure that new housing estates are not built on land that is prone to flooding; and what plans he has for further measures. [150381]
Keith Hill: The Government's policy requirements for England have been given in Planning Policy Guidance Notes 3 "(Housing)" and 25 "(Development and Flood Risk)". PPG25 categorises the suitability of land for various types of development, including housing, of the basis of the flood risk maps issued by the Environment Agency. The policies in PPG25 are due to be reviewed later this year against possible developments in flood risk assessments since it was issued in 2001.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of social housing is owned and operated by private housing foundations; and what plans he has for the further transfer of social housing to such foundations. [150382]
Keith Hill: In 2003 the breakdown between social housing owned by registered social landlords and local authorities was 41.4 per cent. and 58.6 per cent. respectively. The transfer of local authority housing to registered social landlords remains one of the three options available to local authorities where additional resources are required to deliver decent homes.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to encourage council tenants to take better care of their rented property. [150384]
Keith Hill: The duty to carry out on-going repairs and maintenance as well as any necessary major improvement works to a home lies with the local authority landlord rather than the tenant. Certain small, urgent repairs which are likely to affect the tenant's health, safety or security are covered by the 'Right to Repair', which means that by law, these must be carried out by the local authority quickly and at no cost to the tenant.
However, through their tenancy agreement, tenants may have responsibilities to carry out certain types of repair or to behave in a way which does not cause nuisance or annoyance to neighbours. The Council Tenant's Charter, published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is readily available to councils and tenants and provides further details of the rights and responsibilities of council tenants.
Ms Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what proportion of tenants in the social rented sector are paying rents above the average rent for the appropriate bedroom category in (a) England, (b) each region and (c) each London borough; [150400]
- (2) what proportion of tenants in the social rented sector are paying rents £10 or more above the average for their bedroom size in (a) each region of England and (b) each London borough; [150401]
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(3) what proportion of tenants in the social rented sector are paying £10 or more above the average for properties with (a) one bedroom, (b) two bedrooms, (c) three bedrooms and (d) four or more bedrooms. [150402]
Keith Hill: The Housing Corporation and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hold data on rents paid by tenants, but only at the level of the average rent paid to RSLs/LAs for each bedroom category. However, the information requested is not held centrally, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Andrew Selous: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect on demand for housing in the UK of the housing needs of nationals of the EU accession states who may come to the UK. [151066]
Keith Hill: No assessment has been made of the impact upon demand for housing of immigrants who may come to the UK from EU accession countries.
However, this Government does not believe that housing shortages in London and the south-east can be blamed on international migration. We recognised in the Sustainable Communities Plan that for more than 30 years all Governments failed to meet housing need.
The Sustainable Communities Plan sets out the policies, resources and partnerships that will achieve the step change essential to turn around the legacy of decades of neglect and under-investment, including:
- £5 billion for more affordable homes to be built, including at least £1 billion for key worker housing.
- Measures to ensure delivery of 930,000 new homes in existing regional plans for the south-east to 2016.
- Additional homes to be provided in designated growth areas, with £610 million over three years for site assembly, delivery mechanisms, additional affordable housing and essential local infrastructure. Combined with London, the growth areas have the potential to deliver an extra 200,000 homes above planned levels.
- Measures to make better use of the existing housing stock, especially to bring empty properties back into use.
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