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27 Jun 2005 : Column 1301W—continued
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Affordable Housing
Dr. Desmond Turner:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many affordable housing units built or procured through (a) the Housing Corporation Approved Development Programme and (b) the Challenge Fund were (i) mixed funded social rented housing, (ii) temporary social rented housing, (iii) Homebuy general market purchase, (iv) Homebuy general new build, (v) mixed funded low cost home ownership for sale, (vi) miscellaneous works to RSL stock, (vii) reimprovements to rented RSL stock, (viii) works only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock, (ix) works only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale, (x)
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intermediate rent for key workers, (xi) Homebuy market purchase for key workers, (xii) Homebuy new build for key workers, (xiii) mixed funded sale for key workers and (xiv) starter home initiative in the South East Region in each year since 1997–98; and how much was spent on each category in each year. [5384]
Yvette Cooper: The following tables show the number of homes built or acquired and funding provided through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme (ADP), Challenge Fund and the Starter Home Initiative in the South East region for the categories (i) to (xiv) for each year since 1997–98.
Funding and completions are not directly comparable, as funding will relate to projects running, not necessarily units completed, in any one year.
Miscellaneous works, re-improvements to rented RSL stock, works only rehabilitation of rented RSL stock and works only rehabilitation of RSL stock for sale are not recorded as completed dwellings as they may have previously received funding and would therefore be double counted.
The information in the table does not include all programmes that the ADP is used for and therefore does not represent the total funding for the South East region. Other categories with funding during the period covered by the table are Right to Acquire, Voluntary Purchase Grant, Do-It-Yourself Shared Ownership, and Temporary Intermediate and Market Rent Housing.
Source:
Housing Corporation
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Mr. Steen: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how much the Government plan to allocate for the provision of affordable housing in Devon in each of the next three years; [7677]
(2) how much of the Housing Corporation's affordable housing programme he expects to be allocated to provide affordable housing in the (a) South Hams, (b) Torbay and (c) Teignbridge districts in the next three years. [7681]
Yvette Cooper: The allocations made for provision of affordable housing in Devon in 2004–05 and 2005–06 total £46.0 million; £3.1 million, £6.8 million and £3.0 million of this is for housing in South Hams, Torbay and Teignbridge, respectively.
Decisions on the overall level of funding for affordable housing in the South West region in 2006–07 and 2007–08 will be taken over the summer in the light of advice from the South West Regional Housing Body. The allocation of these funds across the region, which will be announced early next year, will reflect advice from the board and the quality and the value for money of bids to the Housing Corporation.
Barker Report
Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish the results of the consultation on the Barker Report. [5921]
Yvette Cooper: To date the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has consulted on one aspect of the Barker report—her recommendation that Regional Housing Boards and Regional Planning Bodies be merged, and that those merged bodies be supported by strong, independent advice.
We have already announced the establishment of an independent advice unit and that merger will go ahead. We are however still considering a number of points of detail in relation to both issues and will be making further announcements soon.
Council Tax
Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes are proposed for the student exemption from council tax; and under what circumstances key worker accommodation (a) leased by universities and (b) rented by students and others will be exempt from council tax. [6314]
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Mr. Woolas: No changes are proposed to the student exemption from council tax. Dwellings which are occupied entirely by students are exempt from council tax. Students sharing with non-students are disregarded for the purposes of calculating the household's bill. Halls of residence, as defined in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order (SI 1992/558), are exempt from council tax provided the accommodation is provided predominantly for students.
Departmental Relocation
Mr. Gale: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of his Office's posts (a) have been relocated and (b) are under consideration for relocation from London to the deprived areas of the South East. [6252]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Agencies are implementing the Lyons Review recommendations to relocate posts out of London headquarters by 2010. The target of relocating 240 posts was agreed in SR04.
103 posts have already been relocated to the areas set out as follows:
With this progress so far, we are confident that we can meet the target of 240 by 2010. This will not exclude consideration of relocating some posts to relatively deprived areas in the South East.
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