House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 8 Mar 2004 (pt 37)

8 Mar 2004 : Column 1370W—continued

Correspondence

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when a reply will be sent to the letter of 8 January from the Head of Planning at the Isle of Wight Council to the Government Office for the South East. [159535]

Keith Hill: The Government Office for the South East wrote to the Isle of Wight Council on 4 March, apologising for the delay and explaining that it had tried on several occasions to discuss the matter with Council officials, but without success. The Government Office remains ready to do all it can to help resolve any outstanding difficulties.

Council Tax

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list for each local authority in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes the level of uncollected council tax for each year since 1996–97 (a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of total council tax revenue due. [158870]

Mr. Raynsford: The available information requested is tabled below.

8 Mar 2004 : Column 1371W

Uncollected council taxes£000

Amounts uncollected in-year 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

Milton Keynes 3,189 3,196 1,998 2,144 3,097 3,860 3,223

Districts in Buckinghamshire

Aylesbury Vale 1,231 1,168 1,773 1,744 1,466 1,004 1,007

Chiltern 331 337 470 496 442 398 403

South Bucks 233 125 386 450 886 484 293

Wycombe 1,361 1,212 1,308 1,372 1,116 1,712 1,769

Percentage uncollected in-vear

Milton Keynes 8.9 8.9 5.0 4.7 6.3 7.0 5.4

Districts in Buckinghamshire

Aylesbury Vale 3.8 3.3 4.5 4.0 3.1 2.0 1.8

Chiltern 1.4 1.3 1.6 1.6 1.3 1.1 1.0

South Bucks 1.5 0.7 2.0 2.1 3.8 2.0 1.1

Wycombe 3.9 3.2 3.1 3.0 2.3 3.3 3.1

Amounts uncollected in-year	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–00	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Milton Keynes	3,189	3,196	1,998	2,144	3,097	3,860	3,223
Districts in Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury Vale	1,231	1,168	1,773	1,744	1,466	1,004	1,007
Chiltern	331	337	470	496	442	398	403
South Bucks	233	125	386	450	886	484	293
Wycombe	1,361	1,212	1,308	1,372	1,116	1,712	1,769
Percentage uncollected in-vear
Milton Keynes	8.9	8.9	5.0	4.7	6.3	7.0	5.4
Districts in Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury Vale	3.8	3.3	4.5	4.0	3.1	2.0	1.8
Chiltern	1.4	1.3	1.6	1.6	1.3	1.1	1.0
South Bucks	1.5	0.7	2.0	2.1	3.8	2.0	1.1
Wycombe	3.9	3.2	3.1	3.0	2.3	3.3	3.1

Source:

QRC4 returns

The figures relate only to amounts of council tax uncollected during the financial year to which they relate. This is because the figures reported to central government on amounts collected for previous years are not broken down by financial year. Council taxes nevertheless continue to be collected after the end of the financial year, and so the amounts and percentages that are ultimately uncollected for any financial year will be lower than those shown in the table.

Disabled Employees

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out the number of employees in his Department who have a disability, broken down by disability type. [148990]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (excluding Government Offices and its agencies) has 2,107.5 full time equivalent (FTE) staff, of which 52 staff have declared that they have a disability. The range of disabilities declared by these staff are:

Number

Hearing 8

Hearing Impairment Plus ⁽²⁹⁾—

Learning ⁽²⁹⁾—

Learning Difficulties Plus ⁽²⁹⁾—

Mental Illness ⁽²⁹⁾—

Mental Illness Plus ⁽²⁹⁾—

Mobility ⁽²⁹⁾—

Mobility Plus ⁽²⁹⁾—

Other ⁽²⁹⁾—

Physical Co-ordination Difficulties Alone ⁽²⁹⁾—

Physical Co-ordination Difficulties Plus ⁽²⁹⁾—

Reduced Physical Capacity 6

Reduced Physical Capacity Plus 9

Speech ⁽²⁹⁾—

Vision 11

Visual Impairment Plus ⁽²⁹⁾—

	Number
Hearing	8
Hearing Impairment Plus	⁽²⁹⁾—
Learning	⁽²⁹⁾—
Learning Difficulties Plus	⁽²⁹⁾—
Mental Illness	⁽²⁹⁾—
Mental Illness Plus	⁽²⁹⁾—
Mobility	⁽²⁹⁾—
Mobility Plus	⁽²⁹⁾—
Other	⁽²⁹⁾—
Physical Co-ordination Difficulties Alone	⁽²⁹⁾—
Physical Co-ordination Difficulties Plus	⁽²⁹⁾—
Reduced Physical Capacity	6
Reduced Physical Capacity Plus	9
Speech	⁽²⁹⁾—
Vision	11
Visual Impairment Plus	⁽²⁹⁾—

⁽²⁹⁾ For these disabilities the actual number is not published in order to protect the privacy of the individual in line with exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Non-domestic Rates

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much money was collected in 2003–04 from businesses in (a) Lancashire and (b) Chorley in non-domestic rates; and how much was passed on to (i) Lancashire county council and (ii) Chorley council. [157733]

8 Mar 2004 : Column 1372W

Mr. Raynsford: A total of £236,019,772 was collected in non-domestic rates from businesses in Lancashire in 2003–04 of which £16,592,430 was collected in Chorley.

The revenue collected from the national non-domestic rates is re-distributed to all local authorities on the basis of domestic population, rather than on the amount raised in the local authority area. In the case of Lancashire, £304,417,378 was passed on to Lancashire county council and Chorley council received £3,508,4937.

Homelessness

Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of Tower Hamlets' decision to use its dedicated homelessness strategy funding to pay Cash Incentive Scheme grants to registered social landlords' tenants to relinquish their tenancy and buy a property on the open market. [158550]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is aware that Tower Hamlets has been paying grants to social housing tenants to enable them to purchase a property in the private sector. Such grants can be an effective way of releasing social housing to provide accommodation for homeless households and so relieve pressures on temporary accommodation and help to meet the Government's target to end the use of bed and breakfast accommodation for families with children. In 2003–04 Tower Hamlets plans to use £300,000 for such grants, out of a total allocation from the Homelessness Directorate of £876,000. Other plans for use of the homelessness grant included: increasing the supply of temporary accommodation in the private sector; employment of additional staff to increase the homelessness prevention service; and establishing a homelessness forum.

Housing

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many intermediate housing properties were constructed in each London borough in each of the last six years. [159180]

Keith Hill: The term intermediate housing is relatively new and there is no generally agreed definition. The Housing Investment Programme Housing Strategy Statistical returns by London local authorities show the following numbers of completions for new build housing for shared ownership.

8 Mar 2004 : Column 1373W

Outturn Projected

1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 Total

Barking and Dagenham 54 38 90 87 78 106 453

Barnet 0 0 12 48 71 137 268

Bexley 7 0 11 5 43 5 71

Brent 65 97 42 0 58 100 362

Bromley 0 0 13 9 7 30 59

Camden 48 87 55 42 6 43 281

City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Croydon 138 111 64 185 74 65 637

Ealing 66 13 2 41 74 116 312

Enfield 55 0 32 37 81 23 228

Greenwich 56 19 14 75 49 205 418

Hackney 0 0 147 193 254 356 950

Hammersmith and Fulham 63 26 62 25 26 111 313

Haringey 0 25 64 58 118 214 479

Harrow 3 16 0 7 24 0 50

Havering 0 0 19 10 0 20 49

Hillingdon 30 13 41 18 71 120 293

Hounslow 40 11 12 57 32 34 186

Islington 0 38 65 146 73 49 371

Kensington and Chelsea 74 61 25 0 17 48 225

Kingston 0 3 17 0 0 0 20

Lambeth 0 44 10 20 21 65 160

Lewisham 114 137 150 53 100 32 586

Merton 0 4 1 23 9 29 66

Newham 51 97 73 113 160 565 1,059

Redbridge 0 0 41 6 46 88 181

Richmond 36 10 24 12 25 32 139

Southwark 5 28 19 52 67 117 288

Sutton 280 1084 313 15 58 44 1,794

Tower Hamlets 114 196 161 31 237 140 879

Waltham Forest 0 0 61 40 3 11 115

Wandsworth 75 76 36 20 60 256 523

Westminster 36 33 116 77 70 29 361

Total 1,410 2,267 1,792 1,505 2,012 3,190 12,176

	Outturn	Projected
	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	Total
Barking and Dagenham	54	38	90	87	78	106	453
Barnet	0	0	12	48	71	137	268
Bexley	7	0	11	5	43	5	71
Brent	65	97	42	0	58	100	362
Bromley	0	0	13	9	7	30	59
Camden	48	87	55	42	6	43	281
City of London	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Croydon	138	111	64	185	74	65	637
Ealing	66	13	2	41	74	116	312
Enfield	55	0	32	37	81	23	228
Greenwich	56	19	14	75	49	205	418
Hackney	0	0	147	193	254	356	950
Hammersmith and Fulham	63	26	62	25	26	111	313
Haringey	0	25	64	58	118	214	479
Harrow	3	16	0	7	24	0	50
Havering	0	0	19	10	0	20	49
Hillingdon	30	13	41	18	71	120	293
Hounslow	40	11	12	57	32	34	186
Islington	0	38	65	146	73	49	371
Kensington and Chelsea	74	61	25	0	17	48	225
Kingston	0	3	17	0	0	0	20
Lambeth	0	44	10	20	21	65	160
Lewisham	114	137	150	53	100	32	586
Merton	0	4	1	23	9	29	66
Newham	51	97	73	113	160	565	1,059
Redbridge	0	0	41	6	46	88	181
Richmond	36	10	24	12	25	32	139
Southwark	5	28	19	52	67	117	288
Sutton	280	1084	313	15	58	44	1,794
Tower Hamlets	114	196	161	31	237	140	879
Waltham Forest	0	0	61	40	3	11	115
Wandsworth	75	76	36	20	60	256	523
Westminster	36	33	116	77	70	29	361
Total	1,410	2,267	1,792	1,505	2,012	3,190	12,176

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authority dwellings in Stroud District fail the Decent Home standard; and what estimate he has made of how much it will cost to bring them up to that standard. [159384]

Keith Hill: The latest figures that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has for Stroud date from 1 April 2003, when the local authority reported a total stock of 5,429 of which 1,357 (25 per cent.) were non-decent.

Stroud currently estimate the cost of making their stock decent at £3,070,000 in their 2003 HIP Business Plan statistical appendices. However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister understands that the council is due to consider a report on financial and other implications next week, which means these figures may be subject to change.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with Stroud District Council following the unsuccessful ballot on large-scale voluntary transfer. [159385]

Keith Hill: A meeting between officials of the Government Office for the South West, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Community Housing Task Force and Stroud District Council is due to take place on 8 March.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much he estimates Stroud District Council spent on the large scale voluntary transfer ballot. [159386]

8 Mar 2004 : Column 1374W

Keith Hill: Stroud District council spent £16,305 on the ballot.

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