8 Jun 2004 : Column 275W
 

Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 8 June 2004

PRIME MINISTER

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what papers he has submitted to date to Lord Butler's inquiry into intelligence on Iraq; and whether officials from his office have given oral evidence to the inquiry. [177071]

The Prime Minister: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Rammell) gave to him on 8 June 2004, Official Report, column 303W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Aston Down Airfield

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria are used in the planning system to decide when an environmental impact assessment is considered necessary; and what assessment he has made of whether such an assessment is required in respect of the proposed development at Aston Down Airfield, near Stroud in Gloucestershire. [177598]

Keith Hill: In response to the first part of this question, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 885W. On 24 March 2003, a screening direction under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999 No. 293) was issued to the effect that, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, the proposed development at Aston Down Airfield, near Stroud, would not be likely to have a significant effect on the environment by virtue of factors such as its nature, size or location.

Ellipse Project

Mr. Steen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many letters he has received about the decision made by Westminster council to approve The Ellipse project for the Royal College of Art; how many requests he has received to meet those opposed to the decision of the council's planning committee; what plans he has to call in the council's planning decision; and if he will make a statement. [176698]

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has received over 10,000 representations, the majority of which objected to the proposal by the Royal College of Art for an extension building, known as the "Ellipse". A number of requests were also received to meet those opposed to the proposal but it is not standard practice to do so when a planning application is formally before my right hon. Friend the Deputy
 
8 Jun 2004 : Column 276W
 
Prime Minister for consideration on whether it should be called in. The hon. Member will be interested to know that my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister called in these proposals on 19 May 2004. A copy of the decision will be made available in the Library of the House.

Firefighters' Dispute

Mr. Weir: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what action he has taken to bring the sides together to discuss the difficulties encountered with the agreement to end the firefighters' dispute; [177029]

(2) what discussions he has had with the employers' organisations regarding fulfilling the obligations undertaken to end the firefighters' dispute. [177030]

Mr. Raynsford: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has had no such discussions and taken no such action. The June 2003 agreement, which ended the firefighters' dispute, set out a clear path for pay improvement linked to modernisation of the Fire and Rescue Service subject to some further negotiations. I understand that discussions between the employee representatives and their employers are continuing. Negotiation is clearly the way forward.

Mr. Weir: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received regarding difficulties with the agreement which ended the firefighters' dispute. [177031]

Mr. Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received a handful of representations on these issues both directly and through ministerial colleagues and constituency MPs. Letters originated from members of the public, serving members of the Fire and Rescue Service and the Fire Brigades Union. In addition, Andy Gilchrist, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union wrote to all Members of Parliament on 17 May 2004 setting out the Union's views on the detailed negotiations with employers following the June 2003 pay and conditions agreement.

High Hedges

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he has taken to inform members of the public about how they can participate in the consultation on high hedges. [176912]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister issued a press release launching the public consultation on the high hedges legislation on 29 March. The announcement was covered in three national and a number of local newspapers, by national radio stations and some regional TV. The consultation package has been sent to a number of organisations with a special interest, for example, Hedgeline, the Consumer's Association, the National Consumer Council, the National Federation of Consumer Groups, the Royal Horticultural Society and the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. It is also available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website and on UK Online.
 
8 Jun 2004 : Column 277W
 

Homelessness

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation was in each year since 1997, broken down by accommodation type. [173736]

Yvette Cooper: The most recent quarterly Statistical
 
8 Jun 2004 : Column 278W
 
Release on homelessness was published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 15 March, which contains information up to and including the fourth quarter of 2003. Table 7 (as follows) presents estimates of the number of homeless households in England in various types of temporary accommodation as at the end of each quarter since 1997.
Table 7: Households in accommodation arranged by local authorities under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts, by type of accommodation (1)

Bed and breakfast hotels
Hostels/women's refuges
1985 and 1996
Housing Acts
Total number of households accommodated at end of quarterNumberPercentage
of totalchange on
previous quarter
NumberPercentage
of totalchange on
previous quarter
1997
quarter 141,2504,1009.9-1.49,68023.50.4
quarter 243,7204,50010.39.89,43021.6-2.6
quarter 345,2904,63010.22.99,45020.90.2
quarter 444,8704,52010.1-2.48,73019.5-7.6
1998
quarter 147,5204,82010.16.69,73020.511.5
quarter 249,3905,38010.911.69,49019.2-2.5
quarter 352,5105,89011.29.59,82018.73.5
quarter 453,7907,24013.522.99,76018.1-0.6
1999
quarter 156,5806,57011.6-9.39,84017.40.8
quarter 258,4307,70013.217.210,21017.53.8
quarter 361,4508,24013.47.09,96016.2-2.4
quarter 462,1808,00012.9-2.99,66015.5-3.0
2000
quarter 165,1708,68013.38.510,30015.86.6
quarter 267,5208,91013.22.610,32015.30.2
quarter 371,8609,42013.15.710,46014.61.4
quarter 473,0809,87013.54.810,79014.83.2
2001
quarter 175,20010,86014.410.010,61014.1-1.7
quarter 2(2)75,92011,39015.04.910,32013.6-2.7
quarter 3(2)78,37012,24015.67.510,40013.30.8
quarter 4(2)78,0301 1 ,89015.2-2.99,85012.6-5.3
2002
quarter 12,380,4401 1 ,84014.7-0.49,61011.9-2.4
quarter 22,382,11012,38015.14.69,76011.91.6
quarter 32,385,26013,25015.57.09,74011.4-0.2
quarter 42,383,86012,54015.0-5.49,64011.5-1.0
2003
quarter 12,389,26012,10013.6-3.510,07011.34.5
quarter 22,391,3301 1 ,34012.4-6.310,42011.43.5
quarter 32,393,93010,31011.0-9.110,77011.53.4
quarter 42,395,0608,3608.8-18.910,23010.8-5.0

Private sector accommodation (eg on lease or licence, or direct with landlord)
Other types including local authorities' and RSL's own stock
Number Percentage
of totalchange on previous quarter
Number Percentage
of totalchange on previous quarter
1997
quarter 114,04034.027.913,43032.6-22.9
quarter 214,30032.71.915,49035.475.3
quarter 314,31031.60.116,90037.39.7
quarter 414,04031.3-1.917,58039.24.0
1998
quarter 114,82031.25.618,15038.23.2
quarter 215,47031.34.419,05038.65.0
quarter 318,28034.818.218,52035.3-2.8
quarter 417,40032.3-4.819,39036.04.7
1999
quarter 119,27034.110.720,90036.97.8
quarter 217,67030.2-8.322,85039.79.3
quarter 318,46030.04.524,79040.38.5
quarter 419,82031.97.424,70039.7-0.4
2000
quarter 120,06030.81.226,13040 .15.8
quarter 223,92035.419.224,37036.1-6.7
quarter 322,33031.1-6.629,65041.3217
quarter 425,26034.613.127,16037.2-8.4
2001
quarter 125,61034.11.428,12037.43.5
quarter 2(2)25,89034.11.128,32037.30.7
quarter 3(2)25,63032.7-1.030,10038.46.3
quarter 4(2)25,74033.00.430,55039.21.5
2002
quarter 12,328,37035.310.230,62038.10.2
quarter 22,329,86036.45.330,13036.7-1.6
quarter 32,331,88037.46.830,39035.60.9
quarter 42,334,10040.77.027,59032.9-9.2
2003
quarter 12,337,18041.79.029,92033.58.4
quarter 22,340,55044.49.129,00031.8-3.1
quarter 32,343,88046.78.228,98030.9-0.1
quarter 42,347,29049.77.829,19030.70.7


(1) Households in accommodation arranged by local authorities pending inquiries or after being accepted as homeless under the 1996 Act (includes residual cases awaiting re-housing under the 1985 Act).
(2) Provisional
(3) Some self-contained accommodation in Annex-style units previously recorded under B&B now more appropriately attributed to private sector accommodation.
Note:
The totals may not equal the sum of components because of rounding





 
8 Jun 2004 : Column 279W
 


Next Section Index Home Page