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16 Jul 2004 : Column 1369W—continued
Overhanging Debt
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the value of payments made to pay off overhanging debt was in 2003–04. [184125]
Keith Hill: Payments to meet local authorities' overhanging debt are made where the receipt to the authority from a housing stock transfer to a registered social landlord is less than a local authority's associated housing debt. £90.9 million was paid in 2003–04. The payment reflects the liability the Office would otherwise have to pay continuing subsidy on a local authority's housing attributable debt. It is not possible to use this resource for capital purposes.
Right to Buy Scheme
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the value of discounts provided under the right to buy scheme was in 2003–04. [184112]
Keith Hill: The information requested is not currently available, but it will be available in the near future. I will write to the hon. Member.
Social Housing
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to facilitate an increase in the number of housing units available for rent by (a) the local authority and (b) housing associations in Portsmouth. [184311]
Keith Hill: As part of the recent spending review the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has secured extra resources to deliver the Sustainable Communities agenda including funding for 50 per cent. increase in the number of new social rented homes between now and 2007–08.
It will be for the Regional Housing Boards, as part of their work of developing housing strategies for their region, to advise Ministers how these extra resources should be spent.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the demand for social housing in (i) Portsmouth and (ii) the South East of England; and if he will make a statement. [184312]
16 Jul 2004 : Column 1370W
Keith Hill: The South East Regional Housing Board have commissioned research on:
an assessment of South East housing markets at a sub-regional level;
developing an Evidence Base for the Regional Housing Strategy;
analysis of Housing Strategy Statements and Business Plans in the South East.
This research will inform the production of the next Regional Housing Strategy.
Mr. Best: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of social housing units built in Leeds, North West since 1 May 1997. [183326]
Keith Hill: Estimates of houses built by parliamentary constituency are not available centrally.
Based on data reported by Leeds council and the National House-Building Council. 1,517 registered social landlord and council dwellings have been built within Leeds since 1 April 1997.
South-west Urban Areas
Mr. Flook: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of the South West of England was classed as urban area (a) 30 years ago, (b) 10 years ago, (c) five years ago and (d) at the most recent date for which figures are available. [184641]
Keith Hill: The following information is available for land area designated for urban settlements with an associated population of 1,000 or more in the South West of England:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 4.0 |
| 1991 | 4.3 |
| 2001 | 4.9 |
These figures relate to built-up areas, irrespective of administrative boundaries.
Urban Areas
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of the South East of England was classed as urban area (a) 30 years ago, (b) 10 years ago, (c) five years ago and (a) at the most recent date for which figures are available. [184221]
Keith Hill: The following information is available for land area designated for urban settlements with an associated population of 1,000 or more in the South East of England:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 9.4 |
| 1991 | 10.0 |
| 2001 | 10.7 |
These figures relate to built-up areas, irrespective of administrative boundaries.
16 Jul 2004 : Column 1371W
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Education Spending
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much, at today's prices was spent on under-five education in each of the last 25 years; and what the planned spending is in each of the next five years. [172920]
Mr. Miliband: The Department does not produce precise forecasts of future expenditure and we are therefore unable to provide the planned spend figures requested.
The total spend in real terms at 2003–04 prices on under-five education by central and local government in England is available over the last 10 years and is contained within the following table:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| Estimated outturn | |
| 2003–04 | 3,532 |
| Provisional outturn | |
| 2002–03 | 3,136 |
| Outturn | |
| 2001–02 | 3,090 |
| 2000–01 | 2,568 |
| 1999–2000 | 2,292 |
| 1998–99 | 2,063 |
| 1997–98(14) | 2,028 |
| 1996–97(14) | 1,918 |
| 1995–96(14) | 1,879 |
| 1994–95(14) | 1,857 |
(14) Central Government figures for 1997–98 to 1994–95 are cash-based.
Notes:
1. Expenditure figures for 1998–99 onwards are resource-based.
2. The 2003–04 figure reflects the transfer, apportioned to under-five education, of £640 million in respect of teachers' pensions, previously funded through Annually Managed Expenditure, to take account of a change in the method of financing employers'.
3. Figures are in real terms at 2003–04 prices, using GDP Deflators as at 30 June 2004.
FE Colleges
Ms Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many 14 to 16-year-olds in the Devon and Cornwall Learning Skills Council region he expects to attend a further education college in (a) 2004–05 and (b) 2006–07; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such provision in each area. [183757]
Mr. Charles Clarke: These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
Five-year Strategy
Glenda Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the statement of 8 July 2004, Official Report, column 1021, on Education and Skills (Five-Year Strategy), with whom he is discussing such a code; when he expects the code to be announced;
16 Jul 2004 : Column 1372W
if he will publish (a) representations he receives on the code and (b) the Government's responses; and when the code will be implemented. [184800]
Mr. Miliband: Section 84 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 provides for the Secretary of State to issue a Code of Practice on school admissions, and to make revisions to that Code as necessary. Any such Code is subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The Code of Practice on School Admissions was issued in April 1999; the Code of Practice on Admission Appeals was issued in September 1999. Both were amended in light of the Education Act 2002 and reissued in February 2003. In each case the Codes were subject to wide consultation with LEAs, schools, and other interested bodies, including faith organisations.
Learning and Skills Council (London East)
John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of 14 to 16-year-olds in the London East Learning and Skills Council region who will study in a further education college in (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such provision in each area. [184295]
Alan Johnson: These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
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