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13 Sept 2004 : Column 1430W—continued
Designated Accommodation
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many rooms are set aside for (a) the use of smokers, (b) worship, broken down by religion and (c) nursing mothers and pregnant women in each building and set of offices for which her Department is responsible. [187312]
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Ms Hewitt: The Department has 16 rooms set aside for use by smokers and three rooms set aside for worship. Each building has a first aid room that can be used by nursing mothers and pregnant women.
Foresight Project
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which scientists participated in the scoping workshops that began the Foresight project on Brain Science, Addiction and Drugs in March and April. [187552]
Ms Hewitt: Set out as follows, is a list of the scientists who attended the two workshops my Department ran to help decide the focus for the Foresight project on Brain Science Addiction and Drugs.
| Attendee | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Ball, Dr. David | Institute of Psychiatry |
| Barrett, Dr. Geoff | Dstl |
| Cave, Dr. Jonathan | University of Warwick |
| Collingridge, Professor Graham | University of Bristol |
| Cox, Professor Miles | University of Wales |
| Crome, Professor Ilana | Keele University |
| Curran, Professor Val | UCL |
| Davis, Dr. Paul | NHS |
| Dayan, Professor Peter | Gatsby Institute, UCL |
| Drummond, Professor Colin | St. Georges Medical School |
| Duka, Dr. Theodora | University of Sussex |
| Edwards, Professor Griffith | Institute of Psychiatry |
| Everitt, Professor Barry | University of Cambridge |
| Farrell, Professor Graham | University of Loughborough |
| Godfrey, Professor Christine | University of York |
| Gossop, Professor Michael | Institute of Psychiatry |
| Hammersley, Professor Richard | University of Essex |
| Heather, Professor Nick | University of Northumbria |
| Heffernan, Dr. Dorothy | Psychoactivate |
| Ingram, Professor Colin | University of Newcastle |
| Iversen, Professor Leslie | University of Oxford |
| Iversen, Professor Susan | University of Oxford |
| Kelly, Dr. Paul | University of Edinburgh |
| Killcross, Dr. Simon | University of Cardiff |
| King, Sir David | Chief Scientific Adviser, OST |
| Marsden, Professor Charles | University of Nottingham |
| McKeganey, Professor Neil | University of Glasgow |
| Morton, Dr. Jenny | University of Cambridge |
| Mulkeen, Dr. Declan | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Mundy, Dr. Chris | National Institute of Neurosciences |
| Nutt, Professor David | University of Bristol |
| Orford, Professor Jim | University of Birmingham |
| Pearson, Professor Geoffrey | Goldsmiths College |
| Pembrey, Professor Marcus | University of Bristol |
| Plant, Professor Martin | University of West of England |
| Plant, Professor Moira | University of West of England |
| Robbins, Professor Trevor | University of Cambridge |
| Rose, Professor Steven | Open University |
| Rouse, Ms Ros | ESRC |
| Sahakian, Professor Barbara | University of Cambridge |
| Stephens, Professor Dai | University of Sussex |
| Stimson, Professor Gerry | Imperial College |
| Strang, Professor John | Institute of Psychiatry |
| Williams, Dr. John | Wellcome Trust |
A copy of the key points raised at the workshops and the areas we are seeking to explore is available at www.foresight.gov.uk.
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DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Adults with Learning Difficulties (Housing)
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to amend planning guidance to local authorities on the development of residential homes for adults with learning difficulties in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [188451]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister consulted last year on a proposed update to Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing (PPG3), titled "Influencing the Size, Type and Affordability of Housing". The proposed update places more emphasis, than currently in PPG3, on producing a better match between the housing planned and the needs of the community, particularly in terms of the size, type and affordability of housing, both in urban and rural areas. We intend to publish the update in the autumn.
Local planning authorities should already be assessing the housing needs of specific groups, including adults with learning difficulties, as part of their local housing needs assessment. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently revising the guidance to local planning authorities on carrying out such assessments and will be publishing an updated guide by the end of the year.
Agricultural Land Sales
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will extend the consultation on planning aspects of the subdivision and sale of agricultural land to include woodlands and meadows. [188080]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not aware that the same concerns over the planning issues that have arisen in the context of subdivision and subsequent sale of agricultural land apply to woodlands and meadows. Accordingly they have not specifically been included in our consideration of possible solutions.
Brighton (Football Stadium)
Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will publish the guidelines he is making available to the inspector who will consider the reconvened public inquiry into the application for a football stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion. [188087]
Keith Hill: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister advised the agent to Brighton and Hove Albion FC by letter of 26 July 2004 that he wished to re-open the inquiry concerning this application. The reason given in the letter for doing so was that he wished to be further informed upon the question of the availability and suitability of seven alternative sites. That letter was copied to the main parties to the inquiry and is in the public domain.
Norman Baker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his recent announcement reopening the public inquiry into the planning application for a football stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion, whether he has accepted that there is a national need for such a stadium. [188088]
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Keith Hill: The First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has not yet reached a view on the proposal for a football stadium at Falmer. Arrangements are currently being made for the inquiry to be re-opened. A decision will be made on the basis of the material planning considerations and all the available evidence, including the report of the re-opened inquiry, once that is submitted to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister.
Council Tax
Mr. Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the band D council tax precept levied by the Greater London Authority (GLA) is; and how it has changed since the GLA's establishment. [188290]
Mr. Raynsford: The information requested is tabled as follows:
Taxpayers living in the City of London are not required to contribute towards the Metropolitan police because the City provides its own police force. Separate figures are therefore given for the Band D council tax payable by taxpayers in London and the City.
| GLA Band D council tax for London boroughs (£) | Percentage increase | GLA Band D council tax for City of London (£) | Percentage increase | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01(17) | 122.98 | — | 32.03 | — |
| 2001–02 | 150.88 | 22.7 | 32.03 | 0.0 |
| 2002–03 | 173.88 | 15.2 | 43.29 | 35.2 |
| 2003–04 | 224.40 | 29.1 | 65.27 | 50.8 |
| 2004–05 | 241.33 | 7.5 | 57.25 | -12.3 |
(17) The amounts for 2000–01 were set by central government rather than by the GLA.
Disabled Facilities Grant Programme
Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what conclusions have resulted from the joint review with the Department of Health in the context of the Spending Review 2004 of the disabled facilities grant programme. [188184]
Keith Hill: Following the Spending Review, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is considering how to allocate the total resources between different programmes. The joint review with the Department of Health of the operation of the disabled facilities grant programme is on-going, and its conclusions will be announced in Spring 2005.
Energy Crops Grant Scheme
Mr. Gray: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs prior to the publication of Planning Policy Statement 22 about its Energy Crops Grant scheme under the England Rural Development Programme. [188464]
Keith Hill:
Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs were involved in several discussions relating to the contents of Planning Policy Statement 22 (PPS22) prior to its publication. However, as PPS22 is a
13 Sept 2004 : Column 1434W
national planning policy statement, and the planting of crops, for whatever purpose, is not a planning matter, the Energy Crops Grant Scheme was not specifically discussed.
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