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Work Permits
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are differences in the procedures for granting work permits from overseas in the public and the private and voluntary sectors. [190775]
Mr. Browne: There are no differences in the procedures for considering work permit applications for work in the public, private and voluntary sectors. All work permits applications pass through the same set of procedures irrespective of the sector from which the application is made.
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of (a) the time taken to process and (b) the success rate of applications for a permit to work in the (i) private and voluntary and (ii) public sector. [190776]
Mr. Browne: No assessment has been made. This information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only by incurring disproportionate costs.
Youth Crime
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to tackle youth crime during the summer holiday period; and if he will make a statement. [185360]
Paul Goggins: As set out in the Home Office Strategic Plan, "Confident Communities in a Secure Britain", published on 19 July, the Home Office works with other Departments to deliver a wide-ranging programme to tackle youth crime.
This programme includes the Positive Activities for Young People programme which again this year provided a range of activities for young people, aged 8 to 19, during the school summer holidays in high crime areas. Over 75,000 young people benefited from the programme in 2003, and a similar level of provision was available this year.
The Positive Activities for Young People programme is in addition to year round youth crime prevention activity, such as the Youth Inclusion Programme which at present targets the 13 to 16-year-olds assessed as being at greatest risk of criminality in 72 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in England and Wales. Following the SR2004 Spending Review we intend to increase the coverage of the Youth Inclusion Programme.
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DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Council Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much revenue is projected to be raised from council tax in England in 2004–05. [194690]
Mr. Raynsford: The total council tax requirement budgeted by local authorities and police and fire authorities in England for 2004–05 is £20.299 billion.
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much revenue from council tax each (a) London borough and (b) Metropolitan authority received in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05. [194753]
Mr. Raynsford: The information requested for 2003–04 is tabled as follows. The figures exclude amounts funded from council tax benefit.
Comparable figures for 2004–05 will not be available until after the end of the financial year.
Source:
QRC4 returns to ODPM
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Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discount on council tax is applicable for (a) second homes and (b) empty properties in each local authority area. [195056]
Mr. Raynsford: Since 1 April this year, billing authorities have had the freedom to reduce council tax discounts for second homes in all or part of their area from 50 per cent. to between 10 per cent. and 50 per cent., and to reduce or remove the 50 per cent. discount for domestic properties in all or part of their area that have been empty for more than six months. Information on the actual use of these freedoms this year is currently being collected from local authorities. Figures are expected to be available early next year.
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the total council tax revenue (a) raised by local authorities from charging on empty homes in 2004–05 and (b) to be raised by local authorities from charging on empty homes in 2005–06. [195057]
Mr. Raynsford: This information for 2004–05 is currently being collected from local authorities. An estimate is expected to be available in January.
The information for 2005–06 is due to be collected in October and November 2005, and an estimate is expected to be available in January 2006.
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the total council tax revenue (a) raised by local authorities from charging on second homes in 2004–05 and (b) to be raised by local authorities from charging on second homes in 2005–06. [195058]
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Mr. Raynsford: Information that will allow the requested estimate to be made for 2004–05 is currently being collected from local authorities. An estimate is expected to be available early next year.
Information that will allow the requested estimate to be made for 2005–06 is due to be collected in October and November 2005, and an estimate is expected to be available in early 2006.
Diego Garcians
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he is taking to assist Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in housing and feeding the exiled Diego Garcians recently arrived from Mauritius; and if he will make a statement. [194857]
Mr. Raynsford: It is understood that Reigate and Banstead Borough Council are currently accommodating a number of persons recently arrived from Mauritius.
Local housing authorities' obligations to provide temporary accommodation under the homelessness legislation apply principally in cases where the Council have a reason to believe that the applicants may be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need. I understand that the recent arrivals from Mauritius were found by the Council to be ineligible for homelessness assistance on the basis that, despite being British citizens, they are persons from abroad who are not habitually resident. The Council originally decided not to exercise their power to provide them with accommodation pending an internal review of that decision. The decision is now the subject of judicial review proceedings and the Council are currently accommodating them pending the outcome of those proceedings.
Local housing authorities are funded for the provision of homelessness services through revenue support grant and are expected to meet the costs of dealing with situations such as the need to provide housing support for small groups of migrants, or, as in the case of the Chagossians, the return of British citizens from abroad, from within existing provision.
Reigate and Banstead Borough Council are a district council and do not have social services functions. District councils do not have a statutory obligation under housing legislation to meet the subsistence needs of homeless persons.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received, and when, regarding the cost to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council of housing exiled Diego Garcians now resident in Horley; and what action he has taken. [194859]
Mr. Raynsford:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received one letter dated 19 October on this issue from the hon. Member. A reply will be given shortly.
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