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29 Apr 2004 : Column 1226W—continued

Tom Kelly

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what factors underlay his decision to appoint Mr. Tom Kelly as his chief spokesman; and what qualities Mr. Kelly will bring to his post. [167784]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) at Prime Minister's questions on 28 April 2004, Official Report, column 884–85.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

All-postal Elections

Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he received (a) the summary report and (b) the full report on the voting and the integrity of the all-postal elections in Merrow, Guildford in May 2003 produced by the Electoral Commission. [169647]

Phil Hope: The Government received on 31 July 2003 the Electoral Commission's statutory evaluation report on the all-postal pilot election scheme at the elections held in Guildford on 1 May 2003.

Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the full report on the voting and the integrity of the all postal election in Merrow, Guildford in May 2003 by the Electoral Commission will be published; and in what form it will be published. [169653]

Phil Hope: The Electoral Commission published on 31 July 2003 its evaluation report on the all-postal pilot election scheme held in Guildford on 1 May 2003. This was also sent to the local authority on the same date and was placed on the Commission's website.

Coverage Care

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answers of 15 March 2004, Official Report, columns 59–60W, on Coverage Care, what the current arrangements with Coverage Care (Gloucestershire) Ltd. are to which the answer refers; what the various circumstances referred to in the answer
 
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were in this case, regarding the provision of financial assistance from local authorities; what discussions have    taken place between his Department and Gloucestershire county council over this matter; what rent arrears Gloucestershire county council has accrued in relation to Coverage Care (Gloucestershire) Ltd.; and whether the Government has asked the District Auditor to investigate the matter. [163886]

Yvette Cooper: The circumstances are set out in detail in the general consents. Of particular relevance are "The General Consent under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 1988 for Small Amounts of Assistance 1999" and "The General Consent under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 1988 for Disposal of Residential Care Homes 1999".

In preparing for the possibility of a specific consent being sought from the First Secretary of State, the county council has explained the nature of possible proposals to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. However, information about the current arrangements with Coverage Care (Gloucestershire) Ltd.; details of proposals; and rent arrears accrued by Gloucestershire county council has resolved that information relating to the business affairs of the company should remain confidential. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not asked the District Auditor to investigate the matter.

Fuel Poverty

Mr. Best: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will upgrade the existing decent homes standard for all social sector housing to address fuel poverty. [167770]

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not intend to change the standard. To meet the decent homes standard, a home must have efficient heating as well as effective insulation. We are confident that the decent homes target will deliver significant improvements to the energy efficiency of the social housing stock taking many households out of fuel poverty .

Delivery of the decent homes target will improve the heating and/or insulation of 1.3 million homes owned by local authorities and housing associations.

Homelessness

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list, for each housing authority, for the years (a) 1997, (b) 2000 and (c) 2003 the number of (i) adult homeless people, (ii) child homeless and (iii) residents in bed and breakfast accommodation. [166896]

Yvette Cooper: Available information, as reported by local authorities in England, has been made available in   the Library of the House. Data collected on homelessness is in respect of households, rather than persons, although broad estimates of the number of dependent children within households accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in "priority need" can be derived from the information supplied by local authorities. Snapshot information about numbers of households in various forms of   temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfast style accommodation, represents the position on the last day of each quarter.
 
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Ms Keeble: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many homeless families there were, broken down by region, for (a) the last quarter of 2003 and (b) the first quarter of 2004. [169732]

Yvette Cooper: Information on homelessness collected by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is in respect of households, rather than families. The    number of households accepted as eligible, unintentionally homeless where the main category of priority need was the presence of dependent children, or an expectant mother, is however available. The following table shows the number of homeless household acceptances by local authorities, by region, along with information on those with dependent children or an expectant mother, for the fourth quarter of 2003. Estimates for the first quarter of 2004 will be published on 16 June.
Homeless households accepted by local authoritiesFourth quarter October—December 2003

		of which main priority need category reported as:
	Total households accepted 1	Dependent Children	Expectant Mother(26)
North East	2,050	970	190
North West	4,240	2,220	320
Yorkshire and The Humber	3,800	1,670	300
East Midlands	2,330	1,220	250
West Midlands	3,540	1,960	370
East of England	2,660	1,230	330
London	7,250	3,700	880
South East	3,610	1,720	470
South West	2,630	1,190	320
England	32,100	15,880	3,410

Notes:
⁽²⁵⁾ Applicants accepted as eligible, unintentionally homeless and in priority need.
⁽²⁶⁾ Household containing an expectant mother, but with no dependent children
Source:
ODPM quarterly P1E homelessness returns.

Housing

Mr. Hendrick: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on how the Starter Homes Initiative has affected the residents of Preston. [169660]

Mr. Neil Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how the Starter Homes Initiative has benefited the residents of Wigan. [169268]

Mr. Benton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on how the Starter Homes Initiative has affected the residents of Bootle. [170077]

Keith Hill: Between September 2001 and 31 March 2004, the Starter Home Initiative helped key workers into home ownership in London, the south east, eastern and south west regions. A small scheme also operated in Warwickshire. The programme did not operate outside these areas.

Isle of Wight Projects

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list, for each of the financial years ending in March (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002, each project on the Isle of Wight funded by the (i) South East England Development Agency and (ii) the single
 
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Regeneration Budget showing the (A) funding for each project, (B) intended outcomes of each project and (C) actual outcomes of each project. [169729]

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the letter sent by my right. hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich, on 27 April 2004. A copy of this letter has been made available in the library of the House.

I will write to the hon. Member with regards to the information requested on the intended outcomes for each project as soon as the information is collated. A copy of the letter will also be made available in the library of the House.

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