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21 Oct 2004 : Column 856W—continued

Housing (East Midlands)

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many empty homes there are in each local authority area in the East Midlands. [192354]


 
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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.
Total vacant dwellings at 1 April 2004 in local authoritiesin the East Midlands

Local authority nameNumber
Amber Valley1,760
Ashfield1,580
Bassetlaw1,660
Blaby1,040
Bolsover1,480
Boston930
Broxtowe1,010
Charnwood1,870
Chesterfield1,590
Corby680
Daventry990
Derby3,640
Derbyshire Dales1,970
East Lindsey1,880
East Northamptonshire1,020
Erewash990
Gedling1,390
Harborough980
High Peak900
Hinckley and Bosworth1,630
Kettering1,200
Leicester(8)
Lincoln970
Mansfield2,230
Melton380
Newark and Sherwood790
North East Derbyshire1,160
North Kesteven830
North West Leicestershire1,200
Northampton2,660
Nottingham City4,700
Oadby and Wigston460
Rushcliffe760
Rutland540
South Derbyshire640
South Holland1,260
South Kesteven1,380
South Northamptonshire(8)
Wellingborough970
West Lindsey1,850
Total East Midlands58,730


(8) Indicates that information is unavailable.
Note:
Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
ODPM's Housing Investment Programme returns and Housing Corporations Regulatory Statistical returns.


Housing Act

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:


 
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Jobs and Enterprise (Deprived Areas)

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 country—right 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.

Local Government

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.

Ministerial Travel

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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Mobile Network Development

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.

Regional Government

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.

Runwell Hospital

Mr. Francois: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2004, Official Report, columns 460–61W, 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. 460–1W]: 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.

Social Housing

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,
 
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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:
England

Households accepted as homeless (9)Number of households on the waiting list at 1 April (10)
1994118,4901,122,000
1995117,4901,087,000
1996113,5901,062,000
1997102,0001,021,000
1998104,6301,020,000
1999105,3701,039,000
2000111,3401,039,000
2001118,6101,039,000
2002125,3301,093,000
2003137,4401,264,000
2004(11)1,427,000


(9) Households eligible under homelessness legislation and found to be unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category.
(10) Excludes tenants awaiting a transfer.
(11) Provisional figure for 2004.
Source:
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's PIE homelessness (quarterly) and annual Housing Investment Programme returns


(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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