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DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Regional Referendum

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many cases of electoral fraud are being investigated arising from the North East Regional Assembly referendum. [198374]

Mr. Raynsford: The Chief Counting Officer is not aware of any cases of electoral fraud that are being investigated arising from the North East Regional Assembly referendum.

Buildings (TV Reception)

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what remedies are available to residents when building developments interfere with the quality of television reception. [198690]

Keith Hill: There are essentially two types of interference: electromagnetic interference, usually caused by a radio transmitter or other electrical equipment; and physical interference, due to some obstruction or reflection of the signal by a building or other large object, such as a crane.

While the wireless telegraphy legislation is in place to avoid creating undue radio interference with other users (including domestic television sets), the second type of interference—physical interference—cannot be dealt with under radio legislation.
 
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There are, of course, a number of electronic ways to boost a weakened television signal, which is the result of interference from another building, many of which are inexpensive and widely available.

In addition, digital television signals are generally more robust than analogue in terms of signal strength and are becoming accessible in an increasing number of areas. Thus, as viewers change to digital television, such problems as interference caused by reflections from structures can be expected to diminish over time.

Circular 1/94

Mr. Horam: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to publish a revised Circular 1/94. [198464]

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to publish a revised draft of Circular 1/94 (Gypsy Sites and Planning) for consultation before the end of the year.

Community Housing Task Force

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to ensure that the private financial and consultancy sectors involved in the operations of the Community Housing Task Force contribute financially to its work. [197783]

Keith Hill: There are no private financial and consultancy sectors involved in the operations of the Community Housing Task Force (CHTF).

Compulsory purchase

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister under what circumstances a house can be compulsorily purchased; and whether compensation is paid. [198861]

Keith Hill: Many enactments provide powers for the compulsory acquisition of land, including houses. These are usually expressed in terms appropriate to the functions of the particular acquiring authority concerned rather than the existing use of the land being acquired. The principle underlying the exercise of all such compulsory purchase powers is that there must be a compelling case in the public interest.

The Land Compensation Act 1961 establishes that compensation is payable where an interest in land is compulsorily acquired. The principle underlying the level of compensation payable is that persons with an interest in the land should be left no worse off and no better off in monetary terms after the acquisition than before. The amount claimable will depend on the circumstances of the individual case.

Consultancy Projects

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many consultancy firms or companies have been retained by the Department since June 2001; what the projects are for which each has been retained; and what the total is of the fees paid or incurred in each case. [193430]

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
 
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Consultants

Mr. Maples: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to consultants in each of the last five years, stating in each case (a) the name of the consulting company, (b) the value of the contract and (c) the purpose for which the contract was awarded; and if he will make a statement. [191728]

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Contaminated Land

Mrs. Calton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the Secretaries of State for (a) Health and (b) Environment, Food and Rural Affairs about the development of contaminated land. [198607]

Keith Hill: My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for Hamilton, North and Bellshill (Dr. Reid) and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) were consulted by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on the preparation of "Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control". This incorporates an Annex on the development of land affected by contamination. It was published on 3 November 2004.

Copyrighted Material

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities about the reproduction of local authority-owned copyrighted material by political parties; and if he will make a statement. [198022]

Mr. Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not issued guidance to local authorities about the reproduction of local authority-owned copyrighted material by political parties.

Decent Homes Standard

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the independent companies appointed to conduct consultations into achieving the Government's Decent Homes Standard; and how much they are being paid. [198341]

Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not employed any independent companies to conduct consultations into achieving the Decent Homes Standard.

It is for individual local authorities to determine their need for consultations conducted by independent companies, and how much they are prepared to pay them.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to achieve compliance with the Decent Homes Standard. [198342]

 
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Keith Hill: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has increased spending on social housing, through a mix of public and private money. Since 1997 spending by local authorities has increased by 13 per cent. in real terms amounting to £13 billion. On top of this we have made around £4 billion available for Arms Length Management Organisations and £2.6 billion for Private Finance Initiative (PFI), with £5.3 billion levered in through stock transfer. Local authorities should have Options Appraisals, which select their route to delivery, signed off by Government Offices by July 2005.

Departmental Advertising Costs

Charles Hendry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost of (a) creative work, (b) media spend and (c) administration for his Department's advertising activity has been in each financial year since 1997–98, broken down by contractor. [197289]

Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created on 29 May 2002. In the financial year 2002–03 the cost of creative work was covered by a commission of 8.5 per cent. on the total media spend. This equates to £284,750 spent through the agency Euro RSCG. The total media spend came to £3.35 million spent through the media agency CARAT Communications.

In 2003–04 the cost of creative work was covered by a commission of 7.5 per cent. on the total media spend. This equates to £307,500 spent through the agency Euro RSCG. The total media spend was £4.1 million through the media agency CARAT Communications.

In 2004–05 the estimated cost of creative work on fire safety advertising will be 8.5 per cent. on an estimated media spend of £2.9 million. This equates to £246,500 spent through Euro RSCG. The cost of creative work on the elected regional assembly advertising campaign was £465,000 spent through Robson Brown. The total estimated media spend for 2004–05 is £4.4 million spent through CARAT communications.

Costs for administration are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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