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21 May 2004 : Column 1284W—continued
Land Developers
Mr. Watson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what advice is given to local authorities on how best to assess whether developers have sought brownfield site alternatives before proposing back land development. [174462]
Keith Hill: Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: "Housing" (PPG3) says that the country's housing needs should be met in the most sustainable way possible, giving priority to re-using suitable brownfield land in preference to the development of greenfield sites. PPG3 advises local planning authorities, in preparing their local plans, to adopt a systematic approach to assessing the development potential of sites and the redevelopment of existing buildings, deciding which are most suitable for housing development and the sequence in which development should take place. It is for local planning authorities to consider whether proposals for back land development are in principle consistent with the local plan (or where this is not up-to-date, the relevant criteria set out in PPG3) and are well-designed.
Local Authorities Complaints Fees
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will restrict the maximum fee which a local authority can charge persons who make a complaint against a nuisance hedge grower to £100; [174581]
(2) when he will report on his consultation on the maximum fee which a local authority can charge persons who wish to make a complaint against a nuisance hedge grower. [174582]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will not be deciding the maximum fee which local authorities will be able to charge people making a complaint about a nuisance high hedge until we have analysed the responses to the current public consultation on implementing Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003. The consultation period runs until 30 June. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister expects to report the results of the consultation and to bring the legislation into operation towards the end of 2004.
Local Authority Leisure Services
Mr. Reed: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the saving to local authorities of contracting out leisure services to the private sector. [174052]
Phil Hope:
The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Press Officers
Mr. Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many press officers were employed in his Department in each year from 1990–91 to 2003–04; what the total cost was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [162851]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002.
On 1 April 2003, ODPM(c) employed 21.8 full-time equivalent press officers. Salary costs for the period 1 June 2002 to 31 March 2003 were £0.86 million.
On 1 March 2004, 23 full-time equivalent press officers were employed. Salary costs for the period 1 April 2003 to 29 February 2004 were £0.96 million.
Regional Government
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total cost to his Department was of the event on elected regional assemblies held in Barrow on 5 May 2004; how many staff from his Department were involved; how many staff from Government Office North West were involved; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the speech delivered by the Minister for Local and Regional Government. [172756]
Mr. Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimates that the Barrow hearing cost £3,900. This includes costs associated with venue hire and catering. Four members of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and three members of the Government office for the north-west were involved.
As on previous occasions, I spoke extempore, rather than from a prepared text.
Register of Interests
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the requirements are on officials in his Department to declare current interests; and what register of interests is kept for his departmental officials. [164707]
Yvette Cooper:
The Civil Service Management Code sets out the general principles and rules governing the conduct of civil servants declaring any conflict of interest. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Staff
21 May 2004 : Column 1286W
Handbook states that staff are required to seek permission from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister before undertaking any activity that might result in a conflict of interest and all applications are kept on file.
Timber Purchases
Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how (a) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, (b) its regional offices, (c) the Fire Service College, (d) the Ordnance Survey, (e) the Planning Inspectorate, (f) the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and (g) the Rent Service monitor and audit purchases of timber and timber products to ensure that they meet the Department's stated commitment to being obtained from legal and sustainable sources. [164676]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, its regional offices and its agencies are committed to the Government Policy on the purchase of Legal and Sustainable forested wood and this is fully supported in our Greening Operations Policy Statement.
Contracts where the use of timber and timber based products is anticipated, contain clauses that require the supplier to actively seek legally sourced and sustainable timber and to supply physical evidence that supports this. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has the use of framework contracts for the purchase of furniture, which are subject to supply chain audit by officials.
Timber and timber based products have been adopted within the certificated and independently audited Environmental Management Systems which the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has developed to manage our response to the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate".
It is expected that Government targets associated with Timber Procurement will be published in the coming months and officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be incorporating this into our procurement processes.
Although the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the buildings occupied by Government Offices, they carry out functions on behalf of 10 Departments.