| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
22 Jul 2004 : Column 566W—continued
Regional Chambers
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) whether regional chambers are required to produce performance indicators for central Government; [184978]
(2) to what public service agreements and targets set by central Government regional chambers are subject; [184979]
(3) what offices outside the United Kingdom are maintained by regional chambers; and what the cost of maintaining each one was in the last financial year for which figures are available. [184983]
Mr. Raynsford: Regional chambers are voluntary, independent bodies that have certain designated functions for which they receive Government grant support. They also receive funding from other sources, including the local authorities within their regions. As part of the condition for Government grant the chambers must produce an annual business plan. These set out their objectives and proposed outcomes relating to their responsibilities for scrutiny of the Regional Development Agencies, as the Regional Planning Body, advocacy of their region and the development of their strategic regional role. The business plans are submitted to the Government before funding agreements are issued to chambers for the relevant financial year.
The chambers claim grant on a periodic basis and each claim must be accompanied by a report detailing the activities undertaken and outcomes achieved through the receipt of Government grant in the preceding period. They are not required to report against common performance indicators. Nor do they report performance against any public service agreements or targets.
Each chamber makes a contribution with regional partners, including the regional development agency and regional local government association, towards an office outside the United Kingdom. Details of the cost incurred by each chamber are:
(58) 2004–05.
22 Jul 2004 : Column 567W
Rent Arrears (London)
Tom Cox: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the current level of rent arrears is in each London local authority; and if he will make a statement. [185346]
Phil Hope: Estimated total arrears of council rents at 31 March 2004, as reported by each local authority in London, were as follows:
| Rent arrears owed by: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local authority | Current tenants | Former tenants | Total arrears |
| Barking and Dagenham | 2,232 | 465 | 2,697 |
| Barnet | 956 | 1,020 | 1,975 |
| Brent | 2,201 | 1,559 | 3,761 |
| Camden | 3,583 | 2,049 | 5,632 |
| City of London | 112 | 75 | 187 |
| Croydon | 1,927 | 1,991 | 3,918 |
| Baling | 3,681 | 3,953 | 7,634 |
| Enfield | 2,187 | 980 | 3,167 |
| Greenwich | 7,980 | 9,700 | 17,679 |
| Hackney | 13,747 | 8,109 | 21,856 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 3,393 | 523 | 3,916 |
| Haringey | 5,000 | 2,049 | 7,049 |
| Harrow | 712 | 666 | 1,377 |
| Havering | 883 | 780 | 1,662 |
| Hillingdon | 1,806 | 688 | 2,494 |
| Hounslow | 1,613 | 1,028 | 2,641 |
| Islington | 9,847 | 7,602 | 17,449 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 1,467 | 1,020 | 2,486 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 1,244 | 670 | 1,914 |
| Lambeth | 12,551 | 3,719 | 16,270 |
| Lewisham | 4,746 | 2,865 | 7,611 |
| Merton | 673 | 315 | 988 |
| Newham | 3,858 | 3,680 | 7,538 |
| Redbridge | 712 | 455 | 1,168 |
| Southwark | 14,343 | 3,067 | 17,410 |
| Sutton | 1,207 | 810 | 2,017 |
| Tower Hamlets | 2,306 | 2,209 | 4,515 |
| Waltham Forest | 3,789 | 826 | 4,615 |
| Wandsworth | 4,052 | 1,333 | 5,385 |
| Westminster | 3,031 | 1,657 | 4,688 |
| Total | 115,838 | 65,862 | 181,700 |
Note:
Some of the totals do not appear to be the sum of the parts. This is because of rounding.
Source:
Unaudited figures from the "First Advance Claim Form 2004–5", which forms part of the "Entitlement to Housing Subsidies and Grants" survey that is administered by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
A 2003 Audit Commission report on local authority housing rental income found that the performance of rent arrears services had been judged by housing inspectors to be weak relative to other housing services. Based on these findings a number of recommendations have been put forward for improving the prevention and management of arrears:
1. Local authorities should have clear, effective rent arrears strategies in place to prevent, manage and recover arrears.
2. Where tenants are in financial difficulties or are vulnerable, authorities should consider a range of methods for preventing and dealing with arrears, before considering legal action to recover debts. These include access to information and support; debt counselling; liaison with housing benefits sections; and debt management plans to enable tenants to sustain their tenancies and repay their arrears.
Tenant Representation
Dr. Iddon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the Audit Commission's report, 'Improving Services Through Resident Involvement', if he will recommend a change of policy on (a) tenants' membership of boards of arms length management organisations and large scale voluntary transfer associations and (b) stock transfer; and if he will make a statement. [184882]
Mr. Raynsford: The Audit Commission's Report on 'Improving Services through Resident Involvement' provides clear evidence of the benefit that resident involvement can have on improving housing services. In the light of the recommendation made the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will consider whether any changes are necessary to advice on and support for resident board membership in housing transfer registered social landlords and arms length management organisations.
Thames Gateway
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the (a) adequacy of and (b) consistency with the policy objectives set out in the Sustainable Communities Plan standard of architectural design in new housing developments in the Thames Gateway. [185821]
Keith Hill: New housing development in the Thames Gateway will be expected to comply with existing planning policies, as is the case for development elsewhere in the country. Planning Policy Guidance Note 1 (PPG1) on 'General Policy and Principles' requires that "good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process and should be encouraged everywhere". This policy is supported by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's good practice guidance 'By Design' and 'Better Places to Live'. Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (PPG3) on 'Housing' places a considerable emphasis on securing well-designed residential developments of the highest standard.
High quality design is crucial to the delivery of sustainable communities. Projects that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) is funding in the Thames Gateway have been selected against thematic objectives, one of which is "to implement a consistent policy of quality design". We have also increased funding for the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), who launched the Growth Areas Housing Quality Forum in March 2004 to
22 Jul 2004 : Column 569W
disseminate best practice on housing design. Major developments in the Thames Gateway, such as the Greenwich Millennium village, have already used urban design codes to provide certainty to developers and the community as to what constitutes acceptable design quality. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is in the process of identifying other potential sites in the Gateway to pilot further urban coding schemes.
Travel Costs
David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the travel costs incurred by (a) his Department and its predecessors and (b) each Minister within his Department, for each of the last 10 years. [175656]
Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was formed on 29 May 2002.
(a) The travel and subsistence costs incurred by the Office of the Deputy Prime. Ministers (ODPM) employees in each financial year are as follows:
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 4,313,010.44 |
| 2003–04 | 4,928,250.91 |
(b) UK travel costs (air and rail fares) incurred by the ODPM Ministers since June 2002 to 31 March 2004 are as follows:
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Prime Minister: | 5,079.60 |
| Nick Raynsford: | 4,860.90 |
| Lord Rooker: | 2,276.10 |
| Chris Leslie: | 2,537.90 |
| Phil Hope: | 3,458.80 |
| Barbara Roche: | 3,842.60 |
| Keith Hill: | 1,078.80 |
| Tony McNulty: | 5,775.00 |
| Yvette Cooper: | 1,947.20 |
Information for earlier years in respect of both (a) and (b) could only be obtained at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held.
In respect of overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government has published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. The Government has also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. These reports information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for earlier years could only be obtained at disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held. Information for 2003–04 will be published in due course
22 Jul 2004 : Column 570W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |