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27 Jun 2005 : Column 1316W—continued
Local Authorities
Mr. Hands: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what Government policy is on local authorities providing an opportunity for councillors to ask questions of executive members at public meetings of the full council. [6775]
Mr. Woolas: The Local Government Act 2000 provides significant flexibility for local authorities to draw up their constitutions, in which they may include provision for councillors to ask questions of executive members at public meetings of the full council. It is for each local authority to decide whether, and how, they provide for this.
Local Government Finance
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average change in total Government grant per capita for (a) district councils, (b) county councils, (c) metropolitan councils, (d) unitary councils, (e) London boroughs, (f) fire authorities and (g) police authorities was in England in each year since 1997. [1118]
Mr. Woolas [pursuant to his reply, 6 June 2005, c.405]: I regret that incorrect information was provided. The correct information is set out in the table.
The data used to calculate the changes are taken from data as reported by local authorities; they are outturn figures for 1998–99 to 2003–04 and budget estimates for 2004–05.
Changes between years may not be valid due to changing local authority responsibilities. For example, the decrease for fire authorities between 2003–04 and 2004–05 is due partly to the lower levels of grant per capita received by combined fire authorities compared with other fire authorities. Before 2004–05 grants were not paid directly to combined fire authorities and so these were not included in the figures for earlier years.
Local Government Pensions
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many responses he received to the consultation on the revoking of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2004. [6931]
Mr. Woolas: In total 488 responses were received.
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to revoke the Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2004; and if he will make a statement. [6976]
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Mr. Woolas: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 547W.
Mr. McGovern: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made in establishing a tripartite committee to discuss local government pensions; and if he will make a statement. [7258]
Mr. Woolas: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr.Drew) on 14 June 2005, Official Report, columns 272–73W.
A further meeting of the committee is to be held shortly.
M25 Inquiry
Mr. Ian Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will announce the outcome of the Motorway Service Areas Inquiry for the M25. [5987]
Yvette Cooper: Ministers are currently considering six proposals for motorway service areas at Great Hazes, Great Wood and Junction 8/9 on the M4, New Barn Farm on the M25, and Mount Hill Farm and Burtley Wood on the M40.
Many of these proposals have been subject to previous inquiries and decisions, and the case is therefore particularly complex. We will endeavour to issue a decision shortly.
Millennium Dome
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much of the parking area adjacent to the Millennium Dome remains in the ownership of the Government. [6433]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The car park adjacent to the Dome is owned by London Underground and is currently largely used by commuters. The former coach park is now the site of the Beckham Academy. Only the former kiss and drop" car park (for setting down passengers), once used by the New Millennium Experience Company is owned by English Partnerships and this will form part of the Dome's initial car parking.
Property-based Loans
Tom Levitt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what contribution to the cost of participation in local government schemes and services came from equity release or other property-based loans to service users, in (a) absolute and (b) percentage terms, in the latest period for which figures are available; and what assessment he has made of how this proportion will change over the next 10 years. [6582]
Mr. Woolas: Under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 local authorities have wide discretionary powers to provide assistance to homeowners and tenants to repair, improve and adapt their homes—including for example, equity release loans.
Since then there has been a slow switch from local authorities offering renovation grants to loans including equity release packages. The latest figures available
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show that authorities made available £1.2 million in loans for this purpose in 2003–04 (0.5 per cent. of total assistance given) and planned to increase this to £8.8 million in 2004–05 (2.7 per cent.). This compares with a total level of housing renewal assistance (grants and loans for home improvement) made available by local authorities of £256 million in 2003–04, increasing to a planned level of £325 million for 2004/05. Separate figures on the proportion of loans offered as equity release are not currently available.
Local authority's use of their new powers has been monitored through a research project sponsored jointly between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and undertaken by the Centre of Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham. The final report of this study is expected to be published shortly. The preliminary conclusions of it are that the switch from grants to loans is proceeding at a relatively slow pace but that the majority of local authorities are now actively considering such a change.
Rented Housing
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the provision of rented housing to single people. [5750]
Yvette Cooper: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 7 June 2005, Official Report, column 492W.
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research he has commissioned on the effects of council house sales on the private rented sector; and if he will make a statement. [5755]
Yvette Cooper: Research commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) into the exploitation of the Right to Buy scheme by companies revealed that around 2,000 properties sold under the Right to Buy in Inner London from 2000 onwards were by 2003 privately rented. A summary of the findings and the research report itself were published early in 2003, and are available from the ODPM website at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_housing/documents/page/odpm_house _609025.hcsp.
Section 187 of the Housing Act 2004 tackles exploitation by companies by providing that an agreement made by a tenant within a specified time to sell on to a company a property purchased under the Right to Buy scheme will require the tenant to repay some or all of the discount s/he received. This provision came into effect on 18 January 2005.
Roadside Advertising
Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the number of unauthorised roadside advertisements placed next to motorways. [5769]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not made an estimate of the number of unauthorised roadside advertisements placed next to motorways.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on Government policy on commercial advertising alongside (a) motorways and (b) major roads. [6359]
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Yvette Cooper: Outdoor advertisements are controlled by local planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992.
Most advertisements on land directly facing motorways and major roads require the express consent from the relevant local planning authority as well as prior permission from the landowner before they may be displayed lawfully. When considering whether an advertisement should be allowed to be displayed, the local planning authority must consider amenity and public safety aspects on a site-specific basis.
Local planning authorities have enforcement powers to deal with advertisements displayed unlawfully.
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