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Mr. Clapham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the guidance contained in Fire Service Circular No3/1995 has been (a) withdrawn and (b) replaced. [219350]
Mr. Raynsford: The guidance has neither been withdrawn nor replaced.
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 27 January, Official Report, columns 46263W, on the fire service, how many applications for new fire certificates in each brigade requested between 1999 and 2004 remain outstanding; what assessment he has made of the guidance issued by the Chief Fire Officers' Association to fire and rescue authorities regarding the processing of applications for fire certificates; and whether the guidance is publicly available. [219351]
Mr. Raynsford: The numbers of valid applications for fire certificates, and the number of applications outstanding at the end of each of the years requested, is given in Table 1 for England and Wales. Data on the age of outstanding applications is not collected centrally. However, average times taken to issue of fire certificates in England and Wales for the last year for which figures are available are given in Table 2.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reviewed the guidance promulgated to fire and rescue authorities by the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) and made the assessment that it was consistent with the legal obligations of fire and rescue authorities and others concerned.
CFOA are arranging for the guidance to be placed on a publicly available part of the CFOA website as soon as possible. Meanwhile copies of the CFOA guidance circular have been made available in the Library of the House.
1 April to 31 March | Valid applications received | Outstanding applications at end of year |
---|---|---|
19992000 | 4,932 | 1,650 |
200001 | 4,897 | 1,414 |
200102 | 4,920 | 1,348 |
200203 | 4,224 | 1,216 |
200304 | 3,361 | 1,240 |
Iain Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average response time of the fire service to 999 calls was in (a) Hartlepool and (b) England and Wales in each year since 1997. [218508]
Mr. Raynsford: The available information covers fire and rescue service response to primary fires (involving property, casualties or rescues) in England and Wales and Cleveland. Details of response times on other incidents attended by the fire and rescue service are not available centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.Response times for primary fires are collected at fire and rescue authority level, so separate information covering Hartlepool is not available centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether local authorities will be allowed to use capital receipts generated from right to buy sales after 1 April 2006 to fund investment in new social housing. [219348]
Keith Hill: Under the present regime governing the treatment of capital receipts arising from right to buy sales, all local housing authorities may use 25 per cent. of the receipt for any capital purpose they see fit, including investment in new social housing.
At present, there are no plans to change this regime.
2 Mar 2005 : Column 1243W
Ms Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether local authorities will be allowed to use capital receipts generated from right to buy sales between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2006 to fund investment in new social housing through any mechanism other than transitional local authority social housing grant. [219349]
Keith Hill: Under the regime governing the treatment of capital receipts arising from right to buy sales in financial year 200304, with-debt authorities could use 25 per cent. of the receipt and debt-free authorities 100 per cent. of the receipt, for any capital purpose they saw fit, not necessarily housing related.
Under the present regime, introduced on 1 April 2004, governing the treatment of capital receipts arising from right to buy sales, all local housing authorities may use 25 per cent. of the receipt for any capital purpose they see fit, including investment in new social housing.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the North West Housing Board to make a decision on affordable housing in South Lancashire. [218971]
Keith Hill: The North West Regional Housing Board will submit its proposed regional housing strategy, setting out its views on the region's housing priorities, in May 2005. Ministers will make decisions on the allocation of funds for housing investment in 200607 and 200708 in the light of these recommendations. Detailed allocations to registered social landlords, which will be subject to the usual competitive bidding process, and to local authorities will be announced around the end of the year.
John Mann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what discussions have taken place between the Meden Valley partnership and (a) Nottinghamshire Mental Health Trust and (b) Mansfield primary care trust about stress-related health problems due to delays in regenerating housing in the Meden Valley; [214487]
(2) what provision English Partnerships and the East Midlands Development Agency are making for residents who refuse to move and who are not offered refurbished accommodation or low-cost home ownership on completion of the Meden Valley partnership project; [214488]
(3) whether he expects the guarantee given by his Department, the East Midlands Development Agency and English Partnerships that residents will be able to remain in the Royal Estate and Warsop Vale under the Meden Valley partnership housing regeneration programme to be maintained; [214540]
(4) what legal opinion has been sought by English Partnerships in relation to compulsory purchase of properties in the Meden Valley; [213730]
(5) how many repairs orders due to public safety have been issued through the Meden Valley Partnership; [213731]
(6) how many residents have neither requested to move nor opposed compulsory purchase of their home under the Meden Valley Partnership; and how many of these are over 80 years old; [213732]
2 Mar 2005 : Column 1244W
(7) how many residents of the Royal Estate and Warsop Vale have indicated a wish to remain living in their area under the Meden Valley partnership; [213733]
(8) what meetings have taken place between the Meden Valley partnership and the police about drug dealing and antisocial behaviour in the last two years; [213734]
(9) how many letters of thanks have been received by the Meden Valley partnership from local residents since its inception; [213735]
(10) when English Partnerships expects to build new houses in Warsop as part of the Meden Valley partnership; [213736]
(11) what plans English Partnerships has to meet its commitment to involve residents in the management of housing regeneration projects in Warsop; [213737]
(12) when and under what authority English Partnerships required means testing for existing tenants to buy new homes in Warsop under the Meden Valley partnership; [213738]
(13) how much public money has been spent through the Meden Valley partnership; [213739]
(14) how many homes have been refurbished under the Meden Valley partnership; [213740]
(15) when an employee of the East Midland Development Agency last entered (a) a house and (b) an area under threat of compulsory purchase from the Meden Valley partnership; [213750]
(16) when an employee of English Partnerships last entered (a) a house and (b) an area under threat of compulsory purchase from the Meden Valley partnership. [213751]
Substantive answer from Keith Hill to John Mann
I promised to write to you in answer to your parliamentary questions regarding the Meden Valley Partnership when my Department had looked closely at the issues you raised.
On the important issue of improving communication with residents affected by proposals, you will be pleased to hear that the Meden Valley Board intend to appoint a Community Participation Officer to assist with the consultation process, and that in the short-term Leicester Housing Association will provide a secondee to the project. The Meden Valley Board has also confirmed that it will seek to hold monthly meetings with you, if agreeable, to address the concerns raised by your constituents, and the Community Participation Officer will be involved with these meetings. I hope that you will be able to work closely with this officer who will service the Residents Implementation Groups, which I understand you have played a role in forming through chairing the well-attended public meetings in Warsop Vale and on the Royal Estate. The Community Participation Officer will also help to develop an effective communication strategy with residents affected by the scheme.
I understand that Meden Valley Making Places Ltd are making good progress on the negotiated acquisition of properties, but I can understand the frustration some residents must feel about the length of time to complete the Compulsory Purchase Order process. To mitigate the negative impact of abandonment, Meden Valley Making Places Ltd is prioritising joint working with the Police and Community Safety Officers to help minimise problems for residents who wish to stay.
On the issue of alternative accommodation, I would support the Meden Valley Making Places Ltd's commitment to assisting homeowners and tenants, affected b redevelopment, to secure alternative accommodation on a like for like basis. I am sure that
I hope that you feel we are moving forward in Meden Valley and driving forward the Government commitment to developing sustainable communities.
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