---

4 Mar 2004 : Column 1115W—continued

Audit Commission

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the gross expenditure of the Audit Commission

4 Mar 2004 : Column 1116W

was in each year since 1992–93; and how many full-time equivalent staff it had in each year. [158650]

Mr. Raynsford: The information requested is as follows:

£000s

	12 months to 31 October:
	2003	2002	2001	2000	1999	1998
Gross Income	217,100	213,917	178,524	144,345	111,596	105,156
Gross Expenditure	216,300	213,695	178,119	143,940	110,561	104,850
Operating surplus/deficit	800	222	405	405	1,035	306
FTE	2,392	2,437	2,271	1,885	1,600	1,403

	7 months to 31 October	12 months to 31 March:
	1997	1997	1996	1995	1994	1993	1992
Gross Income	57,574	91,945	92,395	88,881	82,864	77,479	63,765
Gross Expenditure	58,236	93,175	92,509	88,979	82,788	74,334	61,639
Operating surplus/deficit	-662	-1,230	-114	-98	76	3,145	2,126
FTE	1,306	1,300	1,324	1,354	1,299	1,265	1,154

Notes:

1. Source is the AC Statutory accounts published annually, except for the forecast to 31 October 2003 which is based on Management accounts.

2. Operating expenditure is before notional costs of capital applied, in accordance with Government Accounting requirements.

3. Increase in headcount and expenditure since 1992 reflect increases in the role and responsibilities of the AC, as follows:

In April 2000 the Audit Commission was given additional responsibility for carrying out Best Value Inspections of local government services. During 2002 Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) was introduced and since rolled out to all local authorities.

In 2003 the Commission took on responsibility for Inspecting Housing associations.

Between 1997 and 1998 the AC gained new responsibilities for joint inspections of LEA's with Ofsted.

In 1996 the AC gained new responsibilities for joint inspections of social service authorities with Department of Social Security

Casinos

Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to create a separate use class for casinos. [158352]

Keith Hill: On 27 November 2003 I issued a Written Ministerial Statement setting out the changes the Government intends to make to the Town and Country Planning Use Classes Order. The Government have no plans to create a separate use class for casinos.

Jim Knight: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what requirements he is considering to link future casino developments to regeneration in areas of deprivation; and if he will make a statement. [156195]

Yvette Cooper: As explained in the Joint Statement issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in August 2003, the Government consider that leisure developments of regional significance are likely to provide a major contribution to regeneration, and therefore expects regional planning bodies to identify suitable broad locations for such uses, where they deem it appropriate.

The largest casinos (such as 'resort' casinos) are candidates for this approach, although the Government are still considering the types of casino to which regional planning policy should apply.

Council Tax

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the leader of Herefordshire Council about its setting of council tax in Herefordshire for 2004–05; and if he will make a statement. [158646]

Phil Hope: My right hon. Friend, the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich and I have held a number of private meetings with individual local authorities to discuss their planned council tax rises for 2004–05. I met Herefordshire Council on 24 February.

Departmental Spending

Mr. Curry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost of information and public relations campaigns conducted by his Department was since May 2002. [146049]

Yvette Cooper: Since May 2002 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has spent £10,600,767 on information or public relations campaigns. The majority of this (93 per cent. or £9,858,713) was in connection with the on-going fire safety campaign.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his office spent on information campaigns and advertising in 2003–04 to date. [145275]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has spent to date a total of £6,882,000 on information campaigns and advertising in the financial year 2003–04, of which 93 per cent. was for the Fire Safety Campaign.

4 Mar 2004 : Column 1117W

Fire Safety

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for regulations specifying that (a) alarms and (b) sprinklers be present and functioning in all homes. [158278]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's approach to the provision of smoke alarms is primarily based upon regulation for new and altered buildings and education for elsewhere. Since 1992, the guidance which supports the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations, known as Approved Document B, has suggested, in the case of new houses (including bungalows), that at least one electrically operated smoke detector should be provided on every storey. The requirement is enforced through the building control system.

For existing properties we pursue a policy of persuasion and education on the benefits of such devices. The Government have undertaken a number of national television campaigns promoting smoke alarm ownership and maintenance. This has been very successful. Ownership has increased from nine per cent. in 1987 to its present figure of 80 per cent. of households.

In addition, Part 1 of the Housing Bill provides for the replacement of the housing fitness standards by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which brings a risk assessment approach to the assessment of hazards in housing, including fire. Where a hazard from fire has been assessed, local authorities will have discretion to require such things as adequate means of escape from fire, appropriate fire detection and alarm systems and sprinkler systems. This does not mean that such measures will be required in every building but they may be appropriate where justified by the risk.

In relation to sprinklers we commissioned, in April 2001, an extensive research project with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to consider fully the effectiveness of residential sprinklers. BRE published their research in February and a summary document of the work can be found on the Building Regulations section of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website www.odpm.gov.uk.

As part of our current review of the fire safety aspects of the Building Regulations the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be considering the findings of the BRE research to see if there is a case for introducing amendments that enable us to target the provision of sprinklers in those new and altered residential premises where the people are considered to be most vulnerable.

Homeless Units (Lancashire)

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homeless units operate in Lancashire; and how many homeless units are to be built in Lancashire. [154317]

Yvette Cooper: Specific information on the number of existing homeless dwellings operating in Lancashire and the number of homeless dwellings to be built in Lancashire is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

4 Mar 2004 : Column 1118W

In 2003–04 there were an estimated completion of 160 dwellings in Lancashire for social rent of which some, for example, could be used to accommodate homeless households.

Housing Targets

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what targets his Department has set for (a) rented, (b) affordable and (c) part rent-part buy housing in council districts. [158127]

Keith Hill: No such targets have been set centrally. Local authorities are however required under section 87 of the Local Government Act 2003 to draw up housing strategies for their area and should include targets for affordable housing and other housing needs based on up to date survey information.

Indices of Local Deprivation

Ms Buck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish revised indices of local deprivation. [156879]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister hopes to publish the revised Indices of Deprivation (ID 2004) in spring 2004.

Correspondence

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter to his Department of 29 January from the Leader of the Isle of Wight Council. [158826]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's records show that only one letter has been received from the Leader on the Isle of Wight Council this year. This letter was dated 26 February. A reply was sent on 4 March.

---