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18 Oct 2004 : Column 454W—continued

Krishna Maharaj

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what information he has obtained since his oral answer to the hon. Member for Worthing, West in 2001 relating to Krishna Maharaj's applications for a new trial; [191723]

(2) if he will inform authorities in the United States about the recent letter from the hon. Member for Worthing, West about the doubts relating to the conviction of Krishna Maharaj for murder and the possible involvement of another. [191724]

The Prime Minister: I understand that the Foreign Office are in contact with Mr. Maharaj's lawyers who update them on new developments in his case, and are aware that Mr. Maharaj's lawyers are undertaking federal habeas corpus proceedings before the Florida courts with a view to obtaining a retrial.

The issues raised by the hon. Member in his recent letter are legal matters relating to Mr. Maharaj's case. Such matters are for Mr. Maharaj's legal team to pursue.

Ministerial Travel (Carbon Audit)

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister if he will request from British Airways a carbon audit of his recent visit to Ethiopia, including the cost incurred in providing in-flight meals. [191682]

The Prime Minister: As my office has made clear this is a matter for the company. I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, "Travel by Ministers".

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Starter Home Initiative (Buckinghamshire)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many key workers in Buckinghamshire purchased homes under the Starter Home Initiative in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04. [191069]

Keith Hill: The table as follows sets out details of the key workers in Buckinghamshire who have been helped to purchase homes under the Starter Home Initiative.
 
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Number of key workers assisted
2001–02None
2002–0346
2003–04218



Notes:
1. The table includes key workers employed within Milton Keynes.
2. A small number of key workers who applied for the Starter Home Initiative in 2003–04 did not complete their purchases until 2004–05. The breakdown of these purchasers by county is not yet available.


Disabled Facilities Grant

Rev. Martin Smyth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to abolish means testing for disabled facilities grant for parents of disabled children in England and Wales. [191986]

Keith Hill: In response to a parliamentary question in the other place on 5 January 2004, Official Report, columns 1–4, my right hon. Friend the noble Lord Rooker announced a review of the disabled facilities grant programme.

This review is now under way. Its terms of reference are to review the operation and outcomes of the disabled facilities grant (DFG) programme and to make proposals to improve its efficiency and fairness. This will include a review of the DFG means test.

The Review Group will report to Ministers in May 2005.

Historic Areas

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will assess the merits of establishing a commission to advise him on the preservation of a quality environment in areas of historic national importance. [190162]

Mr. Caborn: I have been asked to reply.

English Heritage was established in 1983 to act as the Government's statutory advisor on all aspects of the historic environment. In addition, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment was set up in 1999 to act as the national champion for high quality buildings, places and public spaces. It works closely with English Heritage on projects involving the historic environment.

Housing

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of unfit private sector dwellings in (a) Pendle and (b) Burnley. [191856]

Keith Hill: According to the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix data supplied by Burnley and Pendle Borough Councils to the Office of the Deputy
 
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Prime Minister, the number of unfit private dwellings as of 1 April 2004 were:
Unfit Private Dwellings 1 April 2004

Burnley9,320
Pendle6,642

Local Government Corruption

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what procedures he has put in place to prevent corruption in local government. [191252]

Mr. Raynsford: The public expects high standards of conduct by members and officers of local authorities. To help ensure them, the Government established a new ethical framework for local government under the Local Government Act 2000 and subsequent Regulations. Every local authority was required to adopt, by May 2002, a local code setting out the standards of conduct expected of its members. Such codes must include all the provisions of the Model Code issued by the Government. An independent body, the Standards Board for England, was established to investigate allegations that members have breached the code, and local authorities' standards committees were given a role in promoting high standards of conduct locally. Regulations have recently been put in place to provide for local investigation and determination of less serious allegations of misconduct.

In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recently begun consultation on a proposed code setting out the standards of conduct expected of local government employees. If issued, it would become part of employees' terms and conditions of employment.

To help maintain financial propriety, local authorities are subject to external audit by auditors appointed by the Audit Commission, whose role is to ensure that public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively.

Network Rail (Development Rights)

Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on Network Rail's permitted development rights in (a) conservation areas, (b) national parks and (c) areas of outstanding natural beauty. [190632]

Keith Hill: In England and Wales, Railway undertakers have permitted development rights for certain development on their operational land, required in connection with the movement of traffic by rail, under Part 17 of Schedule 2 to the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO). They also have permitted development rights under Part 11 of Schedule 2 (Development under Local or Private Acts or Orders). These permitted development rights may be exercised in conservation areas, national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty. However, DOE Circulars 15/92 and 9/95 provide guidance to statutory undertakers on their use of permitted development rights. They make it clear that local planning authorities should be informed of any proposal likely to have a significant effect on amenity and the environment.
 
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In exceptional circumstances a local planning authority may consider that normal planning control should apply to permitted development. The planning authority can make and submit to the Secretary of State an order under Article 4 of the GPDO seeking the removal of the particular permitted development right and requiring an application for planning permission.

In Scotland, land use planning matters are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive.

Park Home Sites

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of whether current legislation provides an effective remedy to deal with harassment of park home residents by unscrupulous site operators. [190950]

Keith Hill: The park home working party was set up in 1998 to consider the operation of the existing controls on residential park homes and to make recommendations on what changes if any, were felt to be desirable to achieve a fair and workable balance between the needs and interests of park owners and home owners. The working party highlighted significant evidence of harassment and made 30 recommendations to alter this.

The current provisions in the Housing Bill will address the principal concerns identified by the working party. Further work is in hand on a range of the remaining recommendations. This will involve separate consultations on site licensing, the future revision of model standards and other issues.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reports he has received of park home site operators pressurising residents to sell or leave their home. [190951]

Keith Hill: The park home working party was set up in 1998 to consider the operation of the existing controls on residential park homes and make recommendations on what changes, if any, were felt to be desirable to achieve a fair and workable balance between the needs and interests of park owners and home owners. The working party highlighted significant evidence of harassment and made 30 recommendations to rectify the situation.

In addition to the report of the park home working party, an independent study of the 'Economics of the Park Home Industry' was commissioned in 2002. It found that 29 per cent. of residents claimed other residents had been pressured to leave the site and 7 per cent. of existing residents had also suffered pressure by the site owner to leave the site. It also found that the levels of satisfaction expressed by park home owners was significantly lower than in other tenure types.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many park home (a) operator licences, (b) sites and (c) residents there are. [190952]

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many park home residences there were in each of the last 10 years. [190953]


 
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Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The 'Economics of the Park Home Industry' report 2002 identified 1,683 parks in England and Wales. It estimated that there were 69,000 households currently residing on parks in England and Wales, representing a population of approximately 114,000 adults and 2,400 children.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently constructing a database which will contain details of all park home sites in the country. It will be completed by the end of 2004 and updated annually.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many park home sites operate in the (a) public and (b) private sector. [190954]

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not collect data on the split between sites operated in the public and private sectors.

The "Economics of the Park Home Industry" Report 2002, identified 1,683 parks in England and Wales. The study estimates that there are 69,000 households currently residing on parks in England and Wales, representing a population of approximately 114,000 adults and 2,400 children. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimates that local authorities manage relatively few sites.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently constructing a database, which will contain details of all park home sites in the country. This will be made available to local authorities and stakeholders and will enable us to establish what percentage of parks are owned by local authorities.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the proportion of park home sites that are well-managed; and if he will make a statement. [190955]

Keith Hill: The park home working party made a sound assessment in quality and management of park home sites but did not produce statistics on the exact percentage of sites that are well managed. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is satisfied from the 4,000 responses received when the draft Housing Bill consultation was published that there are areas in park home legislation that do not offer adequate protection for residents.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is giving further consideration as to how to improve awareness of how sites are managed.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which bodies have been consulted on the park home reform proposals. [190956]

Keith Hill: A list of principal consultees on the current consultation paper on Park Home Statutory Instruments follows. Others have made their thoughts known to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister since publication and we will take into account their comments.
 
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List of key organisations to be consulted

The above list (in alphabetical order) is not a definitive list of groups and organisations that have been consulted.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will extend the current consultation period on park homes reform to enable (a) individual residents who are not members of a residents' association and (b) residents' associations to submit views. [190957]

Keith Hill: The consultation paper has been publicised in trade magazines and local papers and is available on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website in both English and Welsh. It meets the Cabinet Office code of practice guidance on consultation. From the number and range of responses already received, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is confident that the consultation paper has reached a representative sample of site owners and residents. Any further delay would put at risk the timetable for securing improvements for park home owners.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on what proportion of park home sites there is (a) no, (b) one and (c) more than one residents' association. [190973]

Keith Hill: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the proportion of park home residents who are members of a residents' association. [190975]

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimates that in excess of 10,000 people are members of the three principal national residents' associations approximately 10 per cent. of the number of park home owners.

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