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Post Office

Clive Efford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of the closure of sub-post offices on regeneration strategies in neighbourhood renewal areas. [194443]

Phil Hope: The June 2000 Performance and Innovation Unit report on modernising the Post Office network proposed a special fund be established to help sustain and improve post offices in deprived urban areas, in recognition of their important contribution to their communities. The £15 million Deprived Urban Post Office Fund was subsequently set up to support post offices at risk of closure in the most deprived areas.

Clive Efford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Trade and Industry on the impact of closure of sub-post offices in neighbourhood renewal areas. [194444]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has worked closely involved with the Department of Trade and Industry in setting up the £15 million Deprived Urban Post Office Fund which supports sub-post offices at risk of closure in the most deprived areas.

Regional Assemblies

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Barker report on housing supply. [195162]

 
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Keith Hill: Kate Barker's proposals build on the approach adopted in the Communities Plan, launched by the Deputy Prime Minister in February 2003. Her analysis has reinforced the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's case and strategy for more growth. In particular, in their initial response to her report, my right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer accepted Kate Barker's central recommendation that there should be a step change in housing supply. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to set a national market affordability goal as part of a package of measures to achieve this, by the end of 2005.

In addressing the specific suggestions in her report the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will adopt the same principles as set out in the Communities Plan. We want to create sustainable communities; thriving and vibrant places where people want to live and work, and which will stand the test of time. We retain a firm commitment to preserving the Green Belt and using higher densities to minimise the land take from new development. In the recent Spending Review, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer allocated funds which, with additional Private Finance Initiative (PFI) funding, aim to provide an extra 10,000 new homes for social let annually. The Spending Review also provides the resources that will help deliver the 200,000 new homes identified in the Sustainable Communities Plan in Thames Gateway and the other growth areas by 2016 and go further by responding to new proposals for growth.

New housing must be supported by public services (schools, hospitals, transport, water and power supply) as they grow. Departments are working together to ensure this. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has made a start through the spending review in creating a Community Infrastructure Fund. An extra £50 million in 2006–07 and £150 million in 2007–08 will be available to finance transport projects needed to sustain housing growth.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently consulting on proposals to strengthen regional integration by bringing together regional planning bodies and regional housing boards. This will help to ensure that regional housing strategies are better integrated with Regional Spatial Strategies in line with other regional strategies such as the regional economic strategy. This consultation also covers the arrangements to be put in place to provide the new regional bodies with independent advice on housing need and market assessments and on how to interpret the Government's affordability goal at regional level.

The Barker Review also made a number of recommendations for changes to the way in which land is allocated and released for housing development. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will consult widely with key interests on specific proposals made by Barker and intend to produce a draft consultation on revisions to Planning Policy Guidance 3—Housing, during 2005.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also committed to considering the Barker Review's proposals for the introduction of a Planning Gain
 
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Supplement to capture increase in land values arising from development for the provision of infrastructure, and to come to a decision by the end of 2005.

Government alone will not be able to deliver the growth required. House builders and developers must respond. Kate Barker laid down specific challenges to the house building industry to improve productivity, design and customer satisfaction. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister looks forward to working with the industry to address these issues and achieve the extra growth required.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the likely impact of net immigration on housing demand in England over the next 20 years. [195163]

Keith Hill: The Government estimates that net immigration contributes only a minority of household growth. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has prepared interim estimates of household growth over the period to 2031, using the 2002 Government Actuary's Department figures. These predict that household growth will average 189,000 between 2001 and 2021. We estimate that around one third—or around 60,000—households per year will be directly due to net immigration between 2001 and 2021. Fully updated 2003-based household projections will be published next year. The Government takes the impact of migration on our housing stock seriously and has recently amended social housing allocations policy following the enlargement of the European Union.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the number of houses to be demolished in each of the Pathfinder areas of England. [195166]

Keith Hill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 28 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1321–22W.

Students

Mr. Best: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on the problems associated with the (a) geographical concentration and (b) accommodation of higher education students. [196859]

Keith Hill: Earlier this year I discussed these issues at a meeting with my right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Alan Johnson) at which universities UK (UUK) and the local government association (LGA) were present. As a result the Department for Education and Skills agreed to help fund a joint project between UUK and the LGA to establish some good practice in the provision of student accommodation in the community.

The study will look at existing schemes with the aim of identifying best practice in managing student accommodation. A specification for the project has now been agreed and UUK are currently in the process of seeking suitable parties to undertake the research. The aim is to have completed the research and to have produced a good practice guide by Spring 2005.
 
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

BHG Group

Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps her Department has taken to investigate the activities of Better Health Global Ltd. and the BHG group of companies; and if she will make a statement. [195678]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 2 November 2004]: Winding-up orders have been made against three companies, part of the BHG group of companies; Betterhealth Global Ltd., Betterhealth International Ltd. and Self-Pay (International) Ltd. The winding-up orders were obtained on 23 June 2004 on the petition of companies' bankers.

The official receivers' investigation into the failure of the companies in liquidation is on-going.

With respect to other companies in the Betterhealth Global group, my Department does not comment on the affairs of live companies that are not the subject to insolvency proceedings.

Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the total losses incurred by investors and creditors as a result of the liquidation of Better Health Global Ltd. (BHG); what estimate has been made of the cost to the Department of grants to companies used to fund BHG; and if she will make a statement. [195679]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 2 November 2004]: The estimated deficiency of assets over liabilities in the liquidation of Betterhealth Global Ltd. is £346,840.

The official receiver's investigation into the failure of the company is on-going and will include the question of how the company was funded.

Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when her Department was first informed of alleged malpractice by the directors of Better Health Global Ltd., and the BHG group of companies; and if she will make a statement. [195680]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 2 November 2004]: The official receiver was appointed liquidator of Betterhealth Global Ltd., Betterhealth International Ltd. and Self-Pay (International) Ltd. on the making of the winding-up orders on 23 June 2004, and the investigations into the causes of failure of each company are on-going.

With respect to other companies in the Betterhealth Global group, my Department does not comment on the affairs of live companies that are not the subject of insolvency proceedings.

Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the official receiver (a) has taken and (b) is planning to take to investigate the circumstances surrounding the liquidation of Better Health Global Ltd.; and if she will make a statement. [195681]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answer 2 November 2004]: The official receiver has interviewed the principle UK based director of Betterhealth Global Ltd.; the investigations into the causes of failure of the company are on-going.
 
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Mr. Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about alleged malpractice by the directors of Better Health Global Ltd. and the BHG group of companies; and if she will make a statement. [195682]

Nigel Griffiths [holding answer 2 November 2004]: It would be inappropriate for me to comment on the affairs of BHG until the official receiver's investigations into the company's causes of failure have been completed.

With respect to other companies in the Betterhealth Global group, my Department does not comment on the affairs of live companies that are not the subject of insolvency proceedings.

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