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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 17 November 2004
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Barker Review
7. Mr. Mackay: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Barker review on housing. [198438]
Keith Hill: Kate Barker's review on housing reinforced the Government's strategy for more growth and we have accepted her central recommendation in favour of a step change in housing supply.
In responding to the specific proposals in her report, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will adopt the principles set out in our Sustainable Communities Plan, published last year. 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.
E-Government
8. Mr. Wyatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he issues to local authorities on how e-government can contribute to efficiency savings in the provision of services. [198439]
Phil Hope: Business transformation, including efficiency gains, has always been part of the local e-Government strategy. The latest Implementing Electronic Government return incorporates guidance on how e-government will help deliver efficiency gains. Last week the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published an information pack for councils on the efficiency target which includes reference to e-government. Further guidance will be issued as required.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on e-delivery of government services in rural North Yorkshire. [198646]
Phil Hope:
All local authorities in North Yorkshire are required to e-enable their services by December 2005. The ability to access services by phone or over the web will bring considerable benefits to users of local services, especially in rural areas served by councils in North Yorkshire. The North Yorkshire ICT Partnership was set up to e-enable services on behalf of councils in the area, but now comprises only two of the original nine councils which could delay planned improvements to local services. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently working with all councils involved to identify possible remedial action.
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Economic Regeneration
9. Linda Perham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role he plans for local government in furthering economic regeneration. [198440]
Phil Hope: The Local Government Act 2000 reinforced the powers of local authorities to promote the economic well-being of their area. Community Strategies are bringing together local partners to support jobs and growth. The Government are also taking forward the Local Authorities Business Growth Incentives scheme, which will create new incentives and directly benefit communities.
Street Wardens (Wandsworth)
10. Martin Linton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he has given to Wandsworth council on the funding of street wardens when departmental funding ceases in 2005. [198441]
Phil Hope: Guidance has been issued to all street warden schemes whose funding ends in March 2005. This includes information on how other schemes achieved continued funding, a list of funding sources and guidance for schemes on how they can contribute to Government floor targets. A sustainability event for London was organised in July.
Travellers' Sites
11. Mr. Heath: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on enforcement action by local authorities in respect of unauthorised Travellers' sites. [198442]
Keith Hill: Local authorities have a wide range of discretionary enforcement powers to enable them to deal with unauthorised Travellers' sites.
The temporary stop notice has been introduced in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to give local authorities greater ability to respond quickly to inappropriate developments of all kinds.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Traveller caravans were on (a) authorised and (b) unauthorised sites in each local authority in England in each year since 1997. [198180]
Keith Hill: The information requested has been made available in the Library of the House.
Local Government Reform
12. Mr. Borrow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to re-examine local government structures. [198443]
Mr. Raynsford: Following the decision of voters in the North East referendum on an Elected Regional Assembly, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no plans, at present, to introduce changes to the structure of local government.
Affordable Rural Housing
13. Norman Lamb: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on planning policies relating to the provision of affordable housing in rural areas. [198444]
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Keith Hill: The Government's draft changes to Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: "Housing" aims to increase affordable housing for local communities and key workers. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister proposes to build on existing rural exception policy by enabling local authorities to allocate sites solely for affordable housing. We are considering responses and intend to publish the update by the end of the year.
Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership
14. Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future of the Thames Gateway South Essex partnership. [198445]
Keith Hill:
The Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership was established by the local authorities in South Essex to facilitate continued strategic leadership and collaboration on behalf of its partners in the East of England part of the Thames Gateway. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to continue working with the Partnership in taking forward the Thames Gateway programme in South Essex and I will be meeting with them at their Board meeting in January.
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Housebuilding (West Sussex)
15. Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effects of housebuilding levels in West Sussex on Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. [198446]
Keith Hill: It is the responsibility of regional planning bodies to prepare regional spatial strategies for their areas, which will include providing housing figures for districts. In distributing housing, they will need to have regard to national guidance that the conservation of the natural beauty of the landscape and countryside should be given great weight in planning policies for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Affordable Housing (London)
Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many shared ownership properties were sold in Southwark in each year since 1997; and how many of those properties were purchased by (a) someone already in social housing in that area, (b) someone on the single housing register in that area and (c) a key worker. [199043]
Keith Hill: Estimates of annual shared ownership sales in Southwark from 1997–98 to 2003–04 are tabled as follows:
Note:
The occupation of purchasers was not collected as part of CORE Sales during the period 1997–98 to 2003–04. Consequently it is not possible to provide figures on the number of key workers that bought shared ownership properties in Southwark during this period.
Source:
Housing Corporation: CORE Sales.
Kate Hoey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many shared ownership properties were sold in Lambeth in each year since 1997; and how many of those properties were purchased by (a) someone already in social housing in that area, (b) someone on the single housing register in that area and (c) a key worker. [199070]
Keith Hill: Estimates of annual shared ownership sales in Lambeth from 1997–98 to 2003–04 are tabled as follows:
Note:
The occupation of purchasers was not collected as part of CORE Sales during the period 1997–98 to 2003–04. Consequently it is not possible to provide figures on the number of key workers that bought shared ownership properties in Lambeth during this period.
Source:
Housing Corporation: CORE Sales.
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