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Paddy Tipping: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many empty homes there are in each local authority area in the East Midlands. [192354]
Keith Hill: The latest information on empty properties in each local authority in the East Midlands is shown in the following table. These data have been provided from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's annual Housing Investment Programme returns and Housing Corporation's annual Regulatory Statistical returns, as reported by local authorities and registered social landlords respectively.
Local authority name | Number |
---|---|
Amber Valley | 1,760 |
Ashfield | 1,580 |
Bassetlaw | 1,660 |
Blaby | 1,040 |
Bolsover | 1,480 |
Boston | 930 |
Broxtowe | 1,010 |
Charnwood | 1,870 |
Chesterfield | 1,590 |
Corby | 680 |
Daventry | 990 |
Derby | 3,640 |
Derbyshire Dales | 1,970 |
East Lindsey | 1,880 |
East Northamptonshire | 1,020 |
Erewash | 990 |
Gedling | 1,390 |
Harborough | 980 |
High Peak | 900 |
Hinckley and Bosworth | 1,630 |
Kettering | 1,200 |
Leicester | (8) |
Lincoln | 970 |
Mansfield | 2,230 |
Melton | 380 |
Newark and Sherwood | 790 |
North East Derbyshire | 1,160 |
North Kesteven | 830 |
North West Leicestershire | 1,200 |
Northampton | 2,660 |
Nottingham City | 4,700 |
Oadby and Wigston | 460 |
Rushcliffe | 760 |
Rutland | 540 |
South Derbyshire | 640 |
South Holland | 1,260 |
South Kesteven | 1,380 |
South Northamptonshire | (8) |
Wellingborough | 970 |
West Lindsey | 1,850 |
Total East Midlands | 58,730 |
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends the provisions in part 6, chapter 1 of the Housing Act 2004 to be brought into effect. [192773]
Keith Hill: Commencement of the Right to Buy measures in part 6 of the Housing Bill is provided for in clause 253 of the Bill, as follows:
clauses 171 and 173180 and schedule 9 will come into effect two months after Royal Assent
clause 181 will come into effect immediately on Royal Assent, so that the Rent to Mortgage scheme will end eight months after Royal Assent
clauses 170, 172, and 182185 will come into effect in England on a day to be appointed by the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister.
Mr. Sarwar: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Social Exclusion Unit's report on Jobs and Enterprise in Deprived Areas. [190633]
Phil Hope: The Social Exclusion Unit's report on Jobs and Enterprise in Deprived Areas was published on 21 September. The report contains new evidence about very local pockets of unemployment and economic inactivity that exist across the countryright down to the level of individual streets. It explains where these places are, who lives in them and why they happen.
It sets out what more the Government will do to make sure the benefits of full employment are felt in every neighbourhood in England. This will build on the great deal of progress already made in recent years in helping people into work, regenerating deprived areas and supporting businesses.
Although the Social Exclusion Unit has a remit for England only, the concentrations of worklessness that the report explores are also found in Scotland and Wales. The Social Exclusion Unit has worked closely with colleagues from both whilst preparing the report. This work included a visit to the 'Childcare Works' project in Glasgow, which the report highlights as a good example of how to draw together the welfare to work agenda with the National Childcare Strategy.
Copies of the summary and main report have been placed in the Libraries and Vote Office of the House. Further copies can be obtained from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's publications on 0870 1226 236 or from the Social Exclusion Unit's website: www.socialexclusion.gov.uk.
Janet Anderson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department gives to local authorities about the participation of elected members of local authorities in decisions on (a) asset management and (b) staff redeployment. [192520]
Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister gives no specific guidance in relation to the participation of elected members of local authorities in decisions on asset management and staff redeployment.
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the total cost was of his journey to and from the North East on 12 October. [192974]
Phil Hope:
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's visit to the North East was not made in an official capacity. Travel was conducted in accordance with Travel by Ministers.
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Mr. Spring: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department plans to commission a study to assess the impact of the Code of Best Practice on Mobile Network Development, with specific reference to how it is perceived by local authorities and the public; and if he will make a statement. [192906]
Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has commissioned a study to assess the impact that the code has had more widely since its introduction; how local authorities have implemented the code; and how the public perceives its operation. A steering group consisting of representatives of local planning authorities, the industry and a national action group is over seeing this work. We will publish the report of this study when it is completed which will be during March 2005.
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the need for regional government in England. [191250]
Mr. Raynsford: The Government believe that elected regional assemblies will offer great benefits and democratic accountability for people in regions that establish them. However, we are offering a policy of choice, and no region will have an assembly forced on them.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister laid out the advantages in the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice", in May 2002, and the people of the North East will shortly have the opportunity to have their say.
Mr. Francois: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2004, Official Report, columns 46061W, on Runwell hospital, by what date he expects the transfer of the site to his Department to be effected. [193004]
Keith Hill [pursuant to the answer, 18 October 2004, Official Report, c. 4601W]: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is seeking to reach an agreement with the Department of Health on the terms of the transfer of the land portfolio as soon as possible. The transfer of individual sites will then follow. Sites will be transferred as and when they become vacant. Precise timing is still to be determined.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people were (a) homeless and (b) on the waiting list for social housing in (i) England and (ii) each local authority in England in each year from 1994; and if he will make a statement. [191280]
Keith Hill: The information is as follows:
(a) and (b) Information collected about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation and the number on the waiting list for social housing is in respect of households, rather than persons. Local authorities sometimes maintain the waiting list jointly with Housing Associations in their district. However,
21 Oct 2004 : Column 860W
information is not held centrally where a Housing Association maintains a separate waiting list to the local authority.
Current and recent years' data on Homelessness at national and regional level are published in a quarterly Statistical Release, "Statutory Homelessness: England". The Release also contains a supplementary table containing reported data at local authority level. The latest Release, published on 13 September, covers statistics up to and including the second quarter of 2004. Statistics for the third quarter of 2004 will be published on 13 December.
(i) Estimates of the number of households accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need as well as the number of households on the local authorities' waiting list, in England since 1994, are as follows:
Households accepted as homeless (9) | Number of households on the waiting list at 1 April (10) | |
---|---|---|
1994 | 118,490 | 1,122,000 |
1995 | 117,490 | 1,087,000 |
1996 | 113,590 | 1,062,000 |
1997 | 102,000 | 1,021,000 |
1998 | 104,630 | 1,020,000 |
1999 | 105,370 | 1,039,000 |
2000 | 111,340 | 1,039,000 |
2001 | 118,610 | 1,039,000 |
2002 | 125,330 | 1,093,000 |
2003 | 137,440 | 1,264,000 |
2004(11) | | 1,427,000 |
(ii) Homeless information and housing waiting list for each local authority in England for each year since 1994 has been made available in the library of the House.
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