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Working Tax Credit/Child Tax Credit

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many parents were in receipt of the lone parent element of the working tax credit in 2003–04. [185717]

Dawn Primarolo: Information is contained in the various issues of "Child and Working Tax Credits. Quarterly Statistics", which can be found on the Inland Revenue website at: www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the budgetary cost of the lone parent element of the working tax credit was in 2003–04. [185718]

 
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Dawn Primarolo: It is not possible to provide a split of total spending between the different elements of the working tax credit. The amount of award payable is reduced as family income increases, and this reduction is applied to the total value of all the elements taken together.

Andrew Selous: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the cost of disregarding maintenance payments for the purposes of calculating working tax credit and child tax credit. [181838]

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the latest estimate is of the cost of disregarding maintenance payments for the purposes of calculating working tax credit and child tax credit. [182117]

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Members to my answer to the hon. Member for Wycombe (Mr. Goodman) on 19 July 2004, Official Report, column 44W.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Growth Areas (Infrastructure Projects)

5. Mrs. Anne Campbell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action his Department is taking to ensure that infrastructure projects can be funded in growth areas. [185312]

The Deputy Prime Minister: In the statement I gave to the House on Tuesday 13 July following the Spending Review Settlement I announced that funding for the growth areas outside the Thames Gateway would double by 2007–08. I hope to announce the full details of the allocation when the House returns in September.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also established a new Community Infrastructure Fund to provide transport infrastructure in all growth areas, providing £200 million over the SR04 period.

Private investment, captured through developer contributions in areas of high land value will also play an important part in supporting the development of the Growth Areas.

Housing (Hertfordshire)

6. Barbara Follett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to improve the availability of (a) social and (b) affordable housing in Hertfordshire. [185313]

Phil Hope: Through the Housing Corporation, Hertfordshire will gain around 1,170 homes for rent and low cost home ownership over this year and the next. This is a very significant increase on the 273 homes completed in 1997–98.

Following the Spending Review, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that an extra 10,000 social rented homes a year will be provided, in England, by 2007–08. Over the next three years, the
 
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Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will provide more than 40,000 affordable homes for essential public sector workers and others in need.

Right-to-Buy System

7. Sandra Gidley: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he is taking to prevent abuses of the right to buy system. [185314]

Mr. Raynsford: In March 2003 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reduced right to buy discounts in 41 local authority areas under the greatest housing market pressure and we have included provisions in the Housing Bill to tackle exploitation of the scheme.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also made it easier for landlords in rural areas to restrict the resale of ex-Right to Buy homes to local people. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends shortly to lay an Order before Parliament in accordance with section 157 of the Housing Act 1985, designating Test Valley as a rural area for this purpose, in addition to the 30 other areas already designated.

Sustainable Communities (Student Areas)

8. Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on developing sustainable communities in student areas of major towns. [185315]

Phil Hope: Student populations can bring real benefits to local neighbourhoods. However, universities and local authorities need to work together more closely to reduce potential problems in areas of high student populations. Last month we agreed to fund a project between Universities UK and the Local Government Association to improve the way that students are housed in local communities.

Planning Inspectorate

9. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the role of the Planning Inspectorate. [185316]

Keith Hill: The Planning Inspectorate serves The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), the Welsh Assembly Government and other Government Departments by dealing with appeals, development plans and other casework under planning, housing, environment and allied legislation.

Its mission is:

"To use our impartial expertise in planning and land use to help shape well planned environments."

Neighbourhood Renewal Fund

10. Ms Christine Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for the development of the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. [185317]

Mr. Raynsford: On 12 July we announced, as part of the Spending Review 2004, that a further £525 million of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) resources would be made available in each of the years 2006–07 and 2007–08. We expect to make a further announcement on the distribution of these resources later in the year.
 
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Polluted Land (Investment)

11. Dr. Gibson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to promote investment in cleaning up polluted land for new house building. [185318]

Keith Hill: The Government have a wide-ranging package of fiscal measures to support regeneration including a contaminated land tax credit designed to encourage the reuse of contaminated land. The Office has also negotiated a state aid approval from the European Commission that allows public sector support for the remediation of derelict and contaminated land. Furthermore, the Office is working closely with English Partnerships to develop a National Brownfield Strategy to ensure the best use of previously developed land, including contaminated land.

Market Renewal Pathfinder Programme

12. Jim Dobbin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Market Renewal Pathfinder programme in Heywood and Middleton. [185319]

Phil Hope: The Middleton area of Rochdale is included in the Oldham Rochdale Partners in Action (the Market Renewal Pathfinder). Following submission of their strategic scheme, the pathfinder has been allocated £53.5million Housing Market Renewal Funding up to March 2006. Some of this will contribute to the funding of a comprehensive regeneration programme in the right hon. Gentlemen's constituency area of Middleton including works to refurbish over 800 homes to a decent homes standard, construction of over 300 private new homes and providing safe and secure off road parking for more than 3,000 homes.

Regional Assemblies

13. Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress towards establishing regional assemblies. [185320]

 
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Mr. Raynsford: The House is debating this afternoon three Orders to enable referendums to take place. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation has already considered Orders on the date for those referendums and the local government options in the three regions where referendums are proposed.

Following a 'yes' vote in any one of those regions we will move as soon as possible to introduce legislation that will enable us to establish regional assemblies.

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