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29 Jun 2005 : Column 1591W—continued
Disabled Facilities Grant
Gregory Barker: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he has received on progress with the review of the disabled facilities grant. [7958]
Yvette Cooper:
Representations have been received from 32 hon. Members in the last month. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also received a number
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of representations from local authorities and organisations representing disabled people. In relation to progress with the review, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 June 2005, Official Report, columns 402–03W.
Lady Hermon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will recommend the abolition of the means testing of parents of disabled children as part of the disabled facilities grant process, as is currently the case in Northern Ireland and is soon to be the case in Wales. [7124]
Yvette Cooper: The disabled facilities grant programme is subject to an interdepartmental review and a team from Bristol university are currently looking at the operation of the programme including the means test. The review is continuing and Ministers will put forward any proposals for change later in the year.
Fines (London)
Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was collected in (a) parking fines and (b) fines for fly-tipping in each London borough in each year since 1997. [2501]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is as follows:
(a) The information requested in relation to parking fines for the periods from 1996–97 to 1999–2000 has been made available in the Library of the House. The figures for the periods from 2000–01 are a matter for the Mayor of London.
(b) The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All fines in this period have been issued by the courts and collected by the courts.
Fire Service
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department plans to conduct an impact assessment of the recent changes in fire cover in the Greater London area; and if he will make a statement. [7697]
Jim Fitzpatrick: No. Fire and Rescue Authorities are required by the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework to have in place and maintain an Integrated Risk Management Plan. It is, therefore, for the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority to determine appropriate fire cover in its area.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the fire stations that have had a fire engine removed in each of the last 10 years; to which fire station a fire engine was re-located in each case; and whether a fire engine was replaced at each such station within (i) two years, (ii) three years, (iii) four years, (iv) five years and (v) more than six years. [7699]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of fires were caused by accumulations of litter in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [7211]
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Jim Fitzpatrick: Information is collected centrally on fires involving all loose refuse and fires in refuse containers.
The latest figures for the year ending 30 September 2004 show that 143,800 fires, which is 37.5 per cent. of fires attended by the fire and rescue service in England, were refuse fires.
This is 7 per cent. fewer than in the previous year (which included 15 strike days). The majority of these fires (93 per cent.) are classified as secondary fires—not involving property or casualties.
Flood Risk Assessments
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) conditions and (b) costs will be placed on developers for access to strategic flood risk assessments prepared by (i) the Environment Agency and (ii) local planning authorities. [6893]
Yvette Cooper: Strategic flood risk assessment information will be made available to developers preparing site-specific flood risk assessments. The precise administrative arrangements for access to strategic flood risk assessments are for the authorities undertaking them to determine. The Environment Agency is keen to facilitate the provision of information on flood risk at reasonable cost.
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list areas for which flood risk assessment data is assessed as being necessary; and which of these data are available to developers. [6894]
Yvette Cooper: Paragraph 62 of planning policy guidance note (PPG)25 sets out the criteria for determining whether a flood risk assessment should accompany an application for planning permission. Some of these relate to the circumstances of the site and some to the flood plain maps prepared by the Environment Agency and provided to local authorities, as specified in paragraph 24 of PPG25. The Environment Agency flood plain maps are available to developers.
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions his Department has had with (a) planning authorities and (b) the Environment Agency on the preparation of flood risk assessment data. [6895]
Yvette Cooper: Planning policy guidance note (PPG)25 advises those proposing developments in flood risk areas to carry out a flood risk assessment, which should be appropriate to the location, scale and nature of the development and should be submitted with the application. Local planning authorities and the Environment Agency were consulted in 2000 and 2001 on the draft of PPG25 and in autumn 2004 on the question of whether to review it. The Environment Agency was closely involved in drafting PPG25. Within the framework of guidance provided by PPG25, it is for local authorities to discuss with developers and the Environment Agency the data that would be appropriate in an individual flood risk assessment.
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the additional cost to a developer of undertaking a flood risk assessment before building a house. [7081]
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Yvette Cooper: Flood risk assessments should be proportionate to the location, scale and nature of the development and the apparent type and degree of risk. The cost will be site-specific, reflecting these factors.
Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the Thames Gateway Flood Risk Assessment, covering Canvey Island, will be available. [7076]
Yvette Cooper: The Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership intends to complete its Strategic Flood Risk Assessment work by the end of the 2005–06 financial year.
HIP Energy Reports
Mr. Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has been made of the likely (a) switching in use of domestic fuel that will result from the proposed home information pack energy reports and (b) environmental effects of the consequential change in external costs. [6302]
Yvette Cooper: The Government do not anticipate that there will be any significant switches in use of domestic fuel resulting directly from the proposed HIP energy reports. The energy reports will primarily provide information to a potential buyer on the energy efficiency of the home in question. The reports will also include recommendations for the cost-effective improvement of the energy performance of the building which if carried out, would have environmental benefits.
Homelessness
Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list guidance and advice sent by his Department to local authorities in the last year on homelessness. [7145]
Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have issued the following guidance and advice to local authorities:
Housing Quality Network Report: Local Authorities' Homeless Strategies Evaluation and Good Practice" Published: November 2004.
Effective Co-operation in Tackling Homelessness: Nomination Agreements and Evictions Guidance" Published : November 2004.
There was statutory guidance, issued under section 182 of the Housing Act 1996, on section 11 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 (which amends the local connection provisions of the homelessness legislation).
In addition we have published the following documents which are available on our website:
Policy Brief 8: Homeless Statistics Homeless Statistics March 2004 and Improving the Quality of Hostels and other Forms of Temporary Accommodation"
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