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6 Jun 2005 : Column 411W—continued

Lyons Review

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Lyons Review on the balance of funding will publish an interim report. [1122]

Mr. Woolas: The terms of reference of the independent inquiry into local government funding ask Sir Michael Lyons to report to my right hon. Friends the Deputy Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the end of 2005. Within those terms of reference it is a matter for Sir Michael to determine how he conducts his work.

New Deal for Communities

John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many New Deal for Communities bodies have been created; and how many of these bodies have changed their chief executive in the first year of operation. [914]

Mr. Woolas: In total there are 39 New Deal for Communities partnerships (NDCs). 17 pathfinder partnerships were announced in 1998, followed by a further 22 second round partnerships in 1999.

The table summarises the number of NDCs that changed their chief executive in the first year of operation:
 
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	Number of NDC partnerships
Change of chief executive	2
Temporary chief executive	2
No change of chief executive	23
Chief executive not appointed	7
No records held	5

New Localism

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what definition he uses of the term new localism; and if he will make a statement. [1093]

Mr. Woolas: There is no agreed definition for new localism. But the Government wish to see an enhanced role for local authorities acting as leaders of their communities.

Referendums and Elections

Mr. Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role the Department plays in the administration of referendums and elections. [89]

Mr. Woolas: Following the machinery of Government change announced by the Prime Minister on 23 May 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for policy relating to when local government elections are to be held, the constitutions of the councils being elected, and to the way in which ward boundaries are to be determined and reviewed. The Department for Constitutional Affairs will be responsible for all arrangements for conducting elections including electoral registration and electoral modernisation. The Department for Constitutional Affairs will also sponsor the English and Welsh Parliamentary Boundary Commissions.

Regional Control Rooms (Fire/Civil Defence)

Mr. Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to consult (a) fire authorities and (b) local government organisations prior to determining the locations of the proposed regional control rooms for fire and civil defence purposes. [1594]

Jim Fitzpatrick: We consulted stakeholders through the Practitioners Forum, and the chairs of all English Fire and Rescue Authorities, on the accommodation criteria in December 2003, before formally beginning the procurement process with an official notice in the Official Journal of the European Union in April 2004, and have involved key stakeholders at every stage, including the final moderation meetings held in February and March 2005. We expect to make an announcement soon.

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made in identifying suitable sites for the proposed new regional fire control centres. [86]

Mr. Woolas: We consulted stakeholders through the Practitioners Forum, and the Chairs of all English Fire and Rescue Authorities, on the accommodation criteria in December 2003, before formally beginning the procurement process with an official notice in the Journal of the European Union in April 2004, and have
 
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involved key stakeholders at every stage, including the final moderation meetings held in February and March 2005. We expect to make an announcement soon.

Regional Government Finance

Mr. Walker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will take steps to redirect central Government spending away from the north of England to the east of England; and if he will make a statement. [1125]

Mr. Woolas: No. Public spending is allocated to Departments through the Government's biannual Spending Review. Departments, in turn, allocate funds according to Government priorities and need. In making decisions about allocations, Ministers have regard to the views of regional and other stakeholders expressed through regional emphasis documents and other means.

Safer Stronger Communities Fund

John Hemming: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the forecast spending on the Safer Stronger Communities Fund is for financial years (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07 and (c) 2007–08. [908]

Yvette Cooper: The forecast spending on the Safer Stronger Communities Fund for the financial years 2005–08 are as follows:
£ million

	A minimum forecast
(a) 2005–06	210
(b) 2006–07	220
(c) 2007–08	230

Shared Equity Plans

Mr. Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the costs to the Exchequer in (a) 2005–06, (b) 2006–07, (c) 2007–08 and (d) 2008–09 of recently announced plans to assist homebuyers through shared equity plans; and if he will make a statement. [1308]

Yvette Cooper: Through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme for 2004–06 around £420 million has been allocated for the current Homebuy loan scheme to provide both open market and new build properties for purchase. The new build properties will start on site in 2004–06.

The regional allocations of the £5.5 billion for regional housing pot for spending in 2006–07 and 2007–08 were announced recently. Decisions on the amount of these resources to be used for shared equity schemes will be taken in the summer in the light of advice from regional housing boards. In addition English Partnerships are developing innovate solutions to equity sharing as part of their London Wide and First Time Buyers Initiatives. They are currently refining the business case and costings.

Future funding and delivery of outputs from, 2008–09, will be influenced by the outcome of the next spending review in 2006.
 
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Solent Gateway

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) which local authority areas fall within the Government's definition of the Solent Gateway; [364]

(2) if he will make a statement on plans to make the Solent Gateway an urban growth area. [368]

Yvette Cooper: There is a need for more homes to be built in the wider south east, to ease housing shortages which are making homes unaffordable and to encourage economic growth and regeneration in deprived areas. Local authorities across the wider south east recognise this need and are looking at how they can meet that demand. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognise that some of these communities will need Government support to plan ahead for long-term delivery, including help with the development of brownfield sites and local infrastructure problems, and wants to respond positively.

Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have held an initial meeting with the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, which represents the local authorities in the Solent area, regarding their proposals for housing growth as part of their plans to build sustainable communities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be interested to receive any growth and regeneration proposals from the local authorities in the Solent area, along with others. These will also be an input to the South East Plan proposals, which will go to public consultation and then be tested by public examination before an independent panel, before consideration by the First Secretary of State. The Government have not proposed any local targets for housing growth in the Solent area, nor have they designated it as the Solent Gateway.

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with councils in Hampshire about Solent Gateway. [738]

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 24 May 2005]: There is a need for more homes to be built in the wider south east, to ease housing shortages which are making homes unaffordable and to encourage economic growth and regeneration in deprived areas. Local authorities across the wider south east recognise this need and are looking at how they can meet that demand. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recognise that some of these communities will need Government support to plan ahead for long-term delivery, including help with the development of brownfield sites and local infrastructure problems, and wants to respond positively.

Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have held an initial meeting with the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, which represents the local authorities in the Solent area, regarding their proposals for housing growth as part of their plans to build sustainable communities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be interested to receive any growth and regeneration proposals from the local authorities in the Solent area, along with others. These will also be an
 
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input to the South East Plan proposals, which will go to public consultation and then be tested by public examination before an independent panel, before consideration by the First Secretary of State. The Government have not proposed any local targets for housing growth in the Solent area, nor has it designated it as the Solent Gateway.

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