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2 Feb 2004 : Column 736W—continued
Accommodation
Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many households containing children or pregnant women were placed in bed and breakfast accommodation (a) in total and (b) by social services departments under legislation other than the Housing Act 1996 and are as a consequence not included in the provisions of the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2003 in each of the last five years; [152331]
- (2) how many households containing children or pregnant women were placed by local authorities in non-self-contained accommodation which is excluded from the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2003 as a result of the fact that the relevant buildings are owned or managed by a local housing authority, a registered social landlord or a voluntary organisation in each of the last five years. [152332]
Yvette Cooper: Information distinguishing the number of households with dependent children or expectant mothers being accommodated in various types of temporary accommodation has only been collected since March 2002. Estimates of such households accommodated in bed and breakfast style units, other forms of shared-facility accommodation, hostels and women's refuges at the end of each quarter are presented in the table. Ownership of these units is not identified, although most B&B and shared-facility units will be privately owned.
Information about placements of families into bed and breakfast accommodation by social services departments is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.
| Bed and breakfast | Other privately owned shared-facility units | Hostels | Women's refuges | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | |||||
| March | 6,180 | 550 | 3,640 | 530 | 10,900 |
| June | 6,230 | 440 | 4,650 | 650 | 11,970 |
| September | 5,580 | 650 | 5,260 | 750 | 12,240 |
| December | 4,530 | 470 | 4,500 | 570 | 10,070 |
| 2003 | |||||
| March | 4,470 | 340 | 4,980 | 720 | 10,510 |
| June | 3,420 | 290 | 5,140 | 750 | 9,600 |
| September | 3,090 | 100 | 5,390 | 750 | 9,330 |
(55) Homeless households accommodated under the Housing Act 1996
Source:
ODPM PIE housing activity returns (quarterly)
Area-based Initiatives
Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the area-based initiatives which receive funding from his Department; what the total budget is for each; and what amount each received from his Department in this financial year. [150100]
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Yvette Cooper: The information is as follows:
| ODPM funded initiatives | Total ODPM funding | 2003–04 Budget allocation |
|---|---|---|
| Coalfields | (56)57.30 | 22.00 |
| Community Chests | 100.00 | 25.00 |
| European Regional Development Fund Areas | (56)672.07 | 230.53 |
| Market Renewal Pathfinders | 500.00 | 61.20 |
| Neighbourhood Management | 91.00 | 23.00 |
| Neighbourhood Renewal Fund | 2,019.00 | 400.00 |
| Neighbourhood Wardens/Street Wardens | 45.50 | 10.00 |
| New Deal for Communities | 1,440.00 | 265.00 |
| Total | 4,924.87 | 1,036.73 |
(56) SR02 allocation
In 2001, the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) was subsumed into the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) Single Programme ('Single Pot') from which RDAs will continue to fund existing SRB commitments. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's contribution to the RDAs Single Pot is £4,679 million for 2003–06 and £l,523.7 million for 2003–04.
Urban Regeneration Companies (URCs)
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not directly fund URCs as funding is channelled through non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and other delivery agents.
Liveability Fund is a pilot scheme working with 27 local authorities giving capital reward grants in return for agreed service improvements in management and maintenance of public spaces and does not focus on specific areas. Total funding for the scheme is £89 million, £7 million of which is budgeted for 2003–04.
Armed Forces (Council Tax)
Mr. Key: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances private homes owned by Her Majesty's forces qualify for a council tax discount. [151646]
Mr. Raynsford: Private homes owned by Her Majesty's forces will qualify for council tax discounts in the same way as private homes owned by anyone else. For example, there will be a 25 per cent. discount if it is the taxpayer's sole or main residence and the taxpayer lives by themselves, or if they share with a full time student. If the taxpayer has two private homes, the second home will be subject to a discount. The amount of that discount can be anything from 10 per cent. to 50 per cent., depending on whether the billing authority has passed a resolution to reduce the statutory discount of 50 per cent. The power to reduce that discount came into force on 18 December 2003 for the financial year 2004–05 onwards. In addition, billing authorities now have the power to reduce the amount of council tax which a person is liable to pay in respect of a dwelling. Billing authorities therefore have discretion in effect to grant additional local discounts.
Construction Skills Certificates
Mr. Prisk: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards
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are (a) in circulation and (b) due for renewal in 2005; and what estimate his Department has made of the numbers likely to seek to renew. [152167]
Nigel Griffiths: I have been asked to reply.
The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is owned and managed by CSCS Ltd and administered on their behalf by CITB-Constructionskills.
No estimate has been made of the number likely to seek to renew.
CITB-ConstructionSkills advise that as at 31 December 2003, there were 581,683 (including Affiliates) cards in circulation.
CITB-Constructionskills advise that in the year 2000, 20,000 cards (excluding affiliates) were issued and with each card lasting five years, one would assume this number would be due for renewal in 2005.
Council Tax
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on what basis the calculation in Cm 3897, page 81, paragraph 6.33 was made that a Band D council tax payer would pay an extra three pence on his or her council tax bill to contribute to the costs of the Mayor, Assembly and new central services; and what the current precept for Band D council tax payers is. [152261]
Mr. Raynsford: The calculation in Cm 3897 was based on an initial Government estimate of the cost of the Mayor, Assembly and central services before their creation. It is for the Mayor to determine the level of Greater London Authority (GLA) precept. In 2003–04 the total GLA precept for a Band D council taxpayer is £4.31 per week outside the City of London and £1.25 per week in the City of London. Approximately 13.6p a week of this is for the Mayor, Assembly and central services.
European Regional Funding
Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the (a) £570 million Government grant for the Yorkshire and the Humber region, (b) £350 million for the North East region and (c) £780 million for the North West region are classed as EU funding. [151897]
Mr. Raynsford: £185 million for Yorkshire and the Humber, £88 million for the North East and £254 million for the North West of the total budget figures are European Union funding.
Fire and Rescue Service
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for a fire and rescue service headquarters and control centre for the eastern region. [152262]
Mr. Raynsford: The Government have no plans for a fire and rescue service headquarters for the eastern region. Each existing Fire and Rescue Authority in the eastern region is responsible for its own headquarters arrangements. On control rooms the Government have said they accept the conclusions of Mott MacDonald report, on the "Future of Fire and Rescue Service Control Rooms in England and Wales", published in December 2003. It believes that control rooms at
2 Feb 2004 : Column 739W
regional level are appropriate for reasons of governance, resilience and intra-service working. It is seeking the views of the Practitioners' Forum, authorities and the service on the conclusions of the report and the Government's response. Copies of the report are available in the Library of the House.
Home Ownership Task Force
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made since the report of the Home Ownership Task Force of introducing (a) low tranche (below 25 per cent.) shared ownership schemes and (b) lower tranche (below 75 per cent.) Homebuy schemes. [152020]
Keith Hill: The Home Ownership Task Force, which reported on 13 November, has proposed 45 recommendations to assist in the delivery of affordable housing. The recommendations included allowing shared owners to purchase further shares in 10 per cent. tranches (rather than the current 25 per cent.) and the introduction of variable equity loans for the Homebuy scheme. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering these and other Task Force's recommendations in detail and will respond in the near future.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made since the report of the Home Ownership Task Force of the case for requiring the Housing Corporation (a) to set benchmark rents for shared ownership properties and (b) to monitor the performance of registered social landlords against these. [152021]
Keith Hill: The Housing Corporation intends to pilot headline performance indicators for shared ownership in the spring. The indicators have been developed in consultation with affordable housing providers, and measure key aspects of targeting of shared ownership schemes and service delivery.
The Home Ownership Task Force recommended greater transparency in setting rents for shared ownership properties, with the initial level of rents being monitored to ensure they are good value for money for users. The Housing Corporation already collects data on initial shared ownership rents. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering the Task Force recommendations in detail and will respond in the near future.
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