---

5 Jul 2004 : Column 447W—continued

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

American Express

Mr. Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what service level agreement has been reached with the company due to replace American Express in the Travel Office; what assessment he has made of the consequences for American Express staff of
 
5 Jul 2004 : Column 448W
 
the changes of provider; what measures he has put in place to (a) check performance and (b) other feedback from hon. Members and their staff of the new company's performance; what the anticipated savings to the House are; and if he will make a statement. [181292]

Sir Archy Kirkwood: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 17 June 2004, Official Report, column 1045W. Detailed discussions for the provision of service are under way with Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT). These include discussion of service standards which will be an important part of the final contract. As I stated on 17 June, I understand it to be CWT's assessment that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations will apply. The jobs of existing staff will thus be protected and they have the opportunity to remain in the Travel Office. A range of measures will be put in place to check on the performance of CWT: these will be reflected in the service standards and monitored on a regular basis. Hon. Members and their staff are encouraged to provide feedback on the service through the Travel Office Consumers' Panel, to the Director of Finance and Administration or to CWT itself. The contract has been let on a competitive basis, and represents best overall value to Parliament, taking account both of the cost of the contract itself, and also potential savings in the cost of travel.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Tax

John Barrett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many households are eligible for a reduced level of council tax through the disability reduction scheme, broken down by region. [181929]

Mr. Raynsford: The information requested is tabled as follows.

Government office region	Number of chargeable dwellings subject to disabled reduction at 3 November 2003
East of England	14,118
East Midlands	10,246
London	14,415
North East	6,023
North West	16,983
South East	19,927
South West	13,765
West Midlands	14,574
Yorkshire and the Humber	10,903
England total	120,954

Source:
CTB1 2004–05 returns to ODPM

Affordable Housing

Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 15 June 2004, Official Report, column 851W, on social handling, if he will provide a breakdown by Government Office Region of the proportion of (a) new social housing for rent and (b) affordable housing built in each year since 1990 that had three or more bedrooms. [181665]

 
5 Jul 2004 : Column 449W
 

Keith Hill: The estimated percentages of registered social landlord (RSL) new build completions in each English Government Office Region that had at least
 
5 Jul 2004 : Column 450W
 
three bedrooms are in the following table. Equivalent figures for other types of affordable housing are not readily available.

	Region
	North East	North West	Yorkshire and Humber	East Midlands	West Midlands	East	London	South East	South West
1990–91	19	19	15	9	27	26	21	17	32
1991–92	11	25	18	15	27	21	19	19	24
1992–93	19	31	21	25	29	29	20	28	33
1993–94	21	32	25	27	31	34	27	32	42
1994–95	32	43	37	30	33	31	27	36	39
1995–96	32	40	36	30	29	35	28	41	36
1996–97	31	38	34	17	24	42	38	38	40
1997–98	33	47	38	26	28	38	38	44	45
1998–99	38	42	35	26	30	43	39	46	36
1999–2000	28	36	39	27	41	39	35	39	38
2000–01	31	37	40	23	36	29	30	36	42
2001–02(3)	64	11	42	36	50	43	23	34	45
2002–03(3)	38	7	60	25	40	36	28	38	71
2003–04(3)	0	38	28	26	37	27	29	27	52

⁽³⁾ Since 2000–01 the estimated percentage figures are based only on National House Building Council returns only. It is important to recognise that recent large changes in the percentages figures for some regions are a consequence of the underlying numbers being quite small.

Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what proportion of the new affordable housing to be built in Tower Hamlets in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 will be (i) social housing for rent, (ii) low cost home ownership (LCHO) stock, (iii) LCHO for key workers and (iv) intermediate rented housing for key workers; [181632]

(2) how many and what proportion of new affordable housing to be built in each London sub-region in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06 will be (i) social housing for rent, (ii) low cost home ownership (LCHO) stock, (iii) LCHO for key workers and (iv) intermediate rented housing for key workers. [181638]

Keith Hill: In 2004–06 the proportion of new affordable homes being provided in Tower Hamlets through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme (ADP) is as follows:

	Percentage
Social housing for rent inc. Temporary Social Housing	46.3
Low cost home ownership	26.4
Low cost home ownership for key workers	19.0
Intermediate rented housing for key workers	8.3

The following table sets out the amount and percentage of affordable housing to be provided in each London sub-region broken down by the same categories as above.

London sub-region	Dwellings	Percentage of programme
East
Social Rent inc Temporary Social Housing	2,792	13.1
LCHO	1,459	6.9
Key Worker LCHO	1,591	7.4
Key Worker Intermediate Rent	549	2.6
North
Social Rent inc Temporary Social Housing	2,039	9.6
LCHO	479	2.3
Key Worker LCHO	961	4.5
Key Worker Intermediate Rent	543	2.6
South East
Social Rent inc Temporary Social Housing	1,503	7.1
LCHO	663	3.1
Key Worker LCHO	866	4.0
Key Worker Intermediate Rent	201	0.9
South West
Social Rent inc Temporary Social Housing	1,714	8.0
LCHO	549	2.6
Key Worker LCHO	841	4.0
Key Worker Intermediate Rent	167	0.8
West
Social Rent inc Temporary Social Housing	2,123	10.0
LCHO	763	3.6
Key Worker LCHO	1,113	5.2
Key Worker Intermediate Rent	360	1.7

Notes:
1. Percentages are for the whole of the programme for London.
2. The figures exclude units provided through works to Registered Social Landlord (RSL) stock.
3. Key worker allocations are part of the national strategy to spend at least £l billion over three years to 2005–06.
Source:
Housing Corporation London Allocation Statement 2004–06.

Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the affordability of new shared ownership schemes in Tower Hamlets to (a) homeless, (b) overcrowded and (c) black and minority ethnic households. [181634]

Keith Hill: Shared ownership is designed to help social tenants and others on modest incomes who cannot afford to purchase a home without help but who can sustain the long-term financial commitment of owner occupation. Availability of schemes depends on regional housing needs and priorities as identified in housing and investment strategies
 
5 Jul 2004 : Column 451W
 

The London borough of Tower Hamlet's affordability criteria for shared ownership properties is that a 25 per cent. share should be affordable to a household with a minimum income of £18,000 per annum.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made no detailed assessments for these groups.

Correspondence

Mr. Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter to him of 12 March 2004 from Mr. Howard Kerr, Managing Director of Calor Gas Ltd., regarding the building regulations relating to oil tank installations and the OFTEC self-certification scheme. [177805]

Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.

I replied on 1 July 2004.

---