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28 Jun 2005 : Column 1488W—continued
Local Authority Budgets
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the timetable is for capping local authority budgets. [7447]
Mr. Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently considering the challenges made by the nine authorities which were designated on 23 March.
In year capping is subject to a capping Order being approved by the House of Commons. If any such Order is approved, it is intended that it should come into effect before the summer recess.
Mobile Phone Masts
Mr. Mates: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons the Government did not proceed with its undertaking to make all telephones masts the subject of normal planning procedures. [7951]
Yvette Cooper: In 2000 the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (Stewart Group) recommended that telecommunication development should be subject to the normal planning process. The Group made this recommendation in order to improve local consultation. The arrangements we put in place following the Group's report provide for the same consultation on mobile phone masts up to 15 m in height as is required by full planning permission.
Mr. Mates: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of planning appeals for mobile phone masts were decided (a) for and (b) against the appellant in the most recent year for which figures are available. [7952]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister do not hold information about mobile phone masts specifically, and it could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
Mr. Mates: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when research into mobile phone use and the necessity for masts in the future, announced on 4 April, is expected to be completed. [7991]
Yvette Cooper: The 4 April announcement stated the Government's intention to commission further research to identify the future direction of mobile phone technology and the future need for mast developments. We will announce further details of the research in due course.
Property Values
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) year and (b) month's house prices were used to assess property values in the original valuation of properties for council tax in England. [7407]
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Mr. Woolas: Domestic properties were assessed for council tax based on the value that would have been realised if they were sold on 1 April 1991.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the timetable was for the original valuation of residential properties for council tax in England. [7408]
Mr. Woolas: Following the Local Government and Finance Act 1991 the Valuation Office had to deliver draft valuation lists to local (charging) authorities by 1 December 1992 and compiled lists by 1 April 1993.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the methodology used for the original valuation of properties for council tax in England. [7409]
Mr. Woolas: Information on the methodology used in valuing domestic properties for council tax purposes has been placed in the Library of the House. This is contained in the National Audit report, published in March 1994, entitled Council Tax Valuations in England and Wales".
Additional information can be obtained from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) website at www.voa.gov.uk and selecting council tax at the top of the home page and from the next page How your property is valued".
Public Conveniences
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2005, Official Report, column 879W, on public conveniences, in what year public conveniences first became liable for business rates; and what the average rate on a public convenience was in the last year for which figures are available. [7494]
Mr. Woolas: Public conveniences have been liable for business rates at least as far back as 1950. This is when the responsibility for compiling and maintaining valuation lists transferred to valuation officers, at that time officials of the Inland Revenue. Information on the average rate bills for public conveniences is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Rates (Collection)
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the collection rate for (a) business rates and (b) council tax has been in each local authority in each year since 1996–97. [7446]
Mr. Woolas: Details of the collection rate for (a) non-domestic rates and (b) council tax in each local authority in each year since 1997–98 are published on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website and can be found under the heading Information For Taxpayers—Council Tax Collection Rates" at: http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/ct.htm
Second Home Discount
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much revenue was accrued through the change in the second home discount in the last year for which figures
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are available, broken down by local authority; and how much of that money was ringfenced for housing purposes. [6814]
Mr. Woolas: A table giving estimates of the amounts of additional council tax generated for 2004–05 for each billing authority area as a result of reductions in the discount for second homes has been placed in the Library of the House.
None of the additional money generated was ring-fenced for housing purposes. Local authorities are free to use the additional revenue generated for whatever purposes they feel most appropriate. Some may use it to keep down their increase in council tax for other council taxpayers. In other areas, local authorities have indicated their intention to apply the proceeds to specific purposes, such as the provision of more affordable housing.
South East England Regional Spatial Strategy
Anne Milton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister to what timetable he expects the South East England Regional Spatial Strategy to be completed. [3367]
Yvette Cooper: The South East England Regional Assembly has written to Ministers requesting an extension to the timetable of the South East Plan. The proposal is currently being considered.
Standards Board
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) if he will require the Standards Board to record the amount of staff time spent on each investigation; and if he will make a statement; [7056]
(2) if he will require the Standards Board to record the post held by a local government officer making a complaint against a councillor; and if he will make a statement; [7057]
(3) if he will require the Standards Board to record the political affiliation of (a) a complainant councillor and (b) a respondent councillor, in respect of complaints; and if he will make a statement; [7058]
(4) if he will require the Standards Board to record the outcome of cases referred to it, by category of complainant; and if he will make a statement. [7059]
Mr. Woolas: The Standards Board for England has recently introduced a system to record the amount of staff time spent on individual cases. The board records the numbers of allegations made by monitoring officers, but does not distinguish between the numbers submitted by other local authority officers. We have no plans to require the board to undertake any further monitoring of the kind referred to.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Incapacity Benefit
Mr. Frank Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of claimant off-flows from jobseeker's allowance were due to the
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claimant claiming incapacity benefit for each of the last 10 years in (a) the UK, (b) England and Wales and (c) Birkenhead. [7993]
Mrs. McGuire: Information is not available prior to 1998; the available information is in the table.
Notes:
1.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
2.Percentages have been given to 1 decimal place.
3.Figures do not include a small number of clerical cases.
4.There a small number of claimants who flow off JSA with an unknown destination recorded—it is possible that some of these claimants may have also flowed from JSA to IB. Therefore the above figures may be a slight undercount.
Source:
Count of unemployment-related benefits, jobcentre plus computer systems.
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