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DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Services

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) whether he has commissioned reports on how customer relationship management technology could be adapted to support local authorities in their development of joined-up services in relation to business; [188133]

(2) if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in ensuring that single business accounts are in place by the start of April 2006. [188221]

Phil Hope: Through the Local e-Government programme, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has supported the development of customer relationship management (CRM) technology appropriate to local authorities' needs. That CRM technology is a fundamental building block for local e-government, helping to transform local authorities' service delivery, including transactions with business. Building on that within the Local e-Government programme, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also supported a
 
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National Project on Working With Business (WWB), to provide a framework, called the Single Business Account, for local authorities to improve specifically their provision of information and transactional services for local businesses. The project completed its work earlier this year.

The WWB Project's outputs include a "Single Business Account" toolkit, which draws on data collected via authorities' CRM technology, and a "Single Business Account" pilot. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently supporting the dissemination of these and the Project's other products to ensure that all local authorities in England are aware of them and make maximum use of them. In particular, the products should help to ensure that they meet the shared target to have e-enabled 100 per cent. of their priority services by end 2005 in ways that their customers will use.

Further details about the project are available from [e-mail]

Council of Ministers

Sue Doughty: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will provide a written ministerial statement outlining the key points on the agenda for each of the Council of Ministers' meetings at which his Department is represented in advance of each meeting; [188212]

(2) if he will provide a written ministerial statement outlining for each meeting of the Council of Ministers at which his Department is represented as soon as is practicable following that meeting (a) the key items of discussion, (b) the positions of the Government on those items, (c) the key positions taken by other member states that Ministers consider should be noted by hon. Members and (d) any preliminary discussion on the timing and the agenda of the following meeting. [188213]

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn on 13 September 2004, Official Report, column 1452W.

Essex Careers and Business Partnership Ltd

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assistance can be given under the Local Government Pension scheme to employees of the Essex Careers and Business Partnership Ltd., owned jointly by Essex, Southend and Thurrock councils, now in liquidation; and if he will make a statement. [188821]

Phil Hope: Essex Careers and Business Partnership Ltd. established its own pension arrangements for employees; they were not members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Consequently, the loss of any pension rights as a result of the company's liquidation needs to be resolved initially on that basis.

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will inquire into the decision of Essex, Southend and Thurrock councils to place the Essex Careers and Business Partnership Ltd. into liquidation from 31 March; and if he will make a statement. [188822]

Mr. Raynsford: Essex Careers and Business Partnership Ltd. (ECBP) was a private company delivering Careers Company services across Essex,
 
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Southend and Thurrock. Up until 31 March 2004 ECBP delivered these services under a contract with the Connexions Partnership (Connexions Essex Southend and Thurrock), and as a private company it is for the shareholders to decide if and when the company should be placed in liquidation.

Since the company went into liquidation the full range of 'Careers Service' activities has been delivered by Connexions Essex, Southend and Thurrock, and all ECBP staff working on Connexions activities have transferred under TUPE conditions to the Connexions Partnership.

Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what time limit he put on his policy that everyone should have access to decent housing; and what progress has been made in delivering that policy. [187964]

Keith Hill: The Government's target is to

"By 2010, bring all social housing into a decent condition with most of this improvement taking place in deprived areas, and for vulnerable households in the private sector, including families with children, increase the proportion who live in homes that are in decent condition."

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is making good progress in delivering our target. In 2004 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will have cut the number of non-decent homes by 1 million, while £18 billion will have been invested in existing council and housing association homes since 1997. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also helped over 130,000 vulnerable households in the private sector to bring their homes into decent condition.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what he determines as constituting decent housing. [187965]

Keith Hill: A decent home is one that meets the statutory minimum standard for housing, is in a reasonable state of repair, has reasonably modern facilities and services and provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.

Further details are available in the document "A Decent Home—the definition and guidance for implementation" published February 2004, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House of Commons.

Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what impact the additional funding granted to his Department in the 2004 Spending Review will have on the provision of affordable housing (a) in the Tamworth parliamentary constituency and (b) in the West Midlands. [188114]

Keith Hill: The funding provided in the Spending Review will, along with efficiency improvements, produce 75,000 social rented homes and 40,000 homes for essential public sector workers and low cost homeownership over the three years to 2007–08. Decisions have not yet been taken on how Regional Housing Pot funding for 2006–07 and 2007–08 (including the additional funding for affordable housing) is split between regions. This needs to reflect the different pattern of needs across regions and the Government's national housing priorities, including
 
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development of the growth areas, and targets. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister aims to complete this work, which raises some complex issues, by the end of the year.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will announce decisions on allocation of funding within regions next summer in the light of recommendations from Regional Housing Boards, which are due in May next year.

Housing (Windows Regulations)

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what rules regulate the fitting of windows into houses, with particular reference to FENSA certificates; and if he will make a statement. [188908]

Phil Hope: The installation of both new or replacement windows or doors in dwellings in England and Wales must meet all the relevant requirements in the Building Regulations 2000, as amended. In particular, such windows and doors must allow adequate means of escape in case of fire, adequate ventilation for both the occupants of the dwelling and any combustion appliances in it, reasonable provision for the conservation of fuel and power used in the dwelling and, where necessary, safety glazing to protect against injuries from impact. Special considerations may apply in the case of some listed buildings or those in conservation areas.

FENSA certificates are documents provided by window and door installers who are registered members of the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme. The certificates states to the householder that the windows and doors installed meet fully the requirements of the Building Regulations. Where windows and doors are installed by a person who is not a FENSA registered installer, the installation must be notified to the local authority, which will then have the responsibility for checking that the work complies with the Building Regulations.

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