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18 Jul 2005 : Column 1432W—continued
Council Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the presence of a shed in the garden of a residential property will be taken into account as a property attribute in the council tax revaluation. [11438]
Mr. Woolas: The purpose of the council tax revaluation is to establish the market value of properties at 1 April 2005. In order to do this the Valuation Office Agency will look at certain attributes of properties as a means of ensuring that they are valued fairly and accurately in relation to one another. Garden sheds are not one of these attributes.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people have been fined for non-payment of council tax in England in each year since 1997–98. [11994]
Mr. Woolas: I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given on 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 817W.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the written statement of 7 July 2005, Official Report, columns 14–15WS, on council tax capping 2005–06, what the Band D council tax in 2005–06 is in each of the eight local authorities which have been designated for capping; what the (a) pre-capping band D district precept including average parish precepts and (b) pre-capping band D bill for the whole billing authority of each is; and what the estimated revised (i) post-capping band D district precept including average parish precepts and (ii) band D bill for the whole billing authority of each is. [12001]
Mr. Woolas: The information requested for authorities designated for capping in 2005–06 is tabled as follows:
Notes:
Estimated post capping figures assume that authorities reduce their budgets to the maximum permitted budget requirement. Although parish precepts have been included they are not subject to capping. In addition, the principles set for 2005–06 were applied to each authority individually and not to 'the whole billing authority'.
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Departmental Staff
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many full-time equivalents have worked for the Department for each of the last five financial years for which figures are available. [11506]
Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to Table C of Civil Service Statistics 2004 which is available on the internet at http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_ information/statistical_information/statistics/publications/xls/report_2004/table_ c.xls
This table shows the numbers of staff by Department and agency between 1998 and 2004, on a full-time equivalent basis. Copies of Civil Service Statistics are also available in the Library of the House.
Building Regulations (Domestic Water Appliances)
Mary Creagh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will amend building regulations to limit the temperature on domestic water appliances to minimise the risk of scalding. [3101]
Yvette Cooper: Hot water safety has been considered in the review of part G of the Building Regulations; limiting the risk of scalding has been discussed. Direct control of temperatures is one of the options, although there are other ways of addressing it. Currently there are no immediate plans to introduce specific measures.
Empty Homes
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his latest estimate is of the number of empty homes in each local authority area in England. [11412]
Yvette Cooper: The available information on empty homes in each local authority area in England has been made available in the Library of the House. This data has been provided from a combination of the ODPM's Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix return and Housing Corporation's Regulatory and Statistical Return. The total number of vacant dwellings in 2004 was 693,800, a drop of 73,400 since 1997.
English Regions Network
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the (a) role and (b) funding of the English Regions Network. [11991]
Yvette Cooper:
The English Regions Network is the umbrella body for the regional assemblies outside London. Its primary role is to represent the collective views of the regional assemblies to Government and
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other key institutions; encourage new thinking and research in areas of concern to regions; to share best practice and facilitate inter regional networking amongst assemblies.
The English Regions Network is funded from the ODPM grant allocation to the regional assemblies. In 2005–06 the level of grant payable will be £194,000.
Fire and Rescue Services
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his estimate is of the amount of income which will be raised from charging under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 in the 2005–06 financial year. [11992]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Section 19 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 states that taking one year with another" a Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) may not recover more in charges for its total provision of services in a particular category than it incurred in making that provision. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister do not collect data on the amount raised by FRAs through s19 charging.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which fire authorities have submitted plans for charging under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004; and what charges have been approved in each case. [11995]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Section 19 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 provides for the Secretary of State to make an order specifying categories of service for which a Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) may charge. The first such order (SI 2004/2305) specifies 16 such categories. FRAs do not need any further permission from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to charge under these categories. ODPM do not collate information centrally on which FRAs have decided to charge for a specified category.
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria were used to determine the membership of county fire authorities; what guidance has been issued on their composition; and if he will require authorities to include members of district councils in their membership. [12477]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
Where the county council is the county fire and rescue authority, the membership of the fire and rescue committee is governed by the normal arrangements for local authority committees, and the guidance issued in respect of such committees applies. The membership of a Combined Fire Authority, such as Lancashire, is set out in the relevant Combination Scheme. The Lancashire Fire Services (Combination Scheme) Order 1997 follows the usual pattern and
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provides for members from the county council and from the unitary authorities in the former county area, i.e.Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen. I have no plans to change these arrangements.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Government plans to extend insurance cover for fire fighters; and if he will make a statement. [13068]
Angela Watkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to extend insurance cover for firefighters; and if he will make a statement. [13179]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Government do not provide insurance cover for firefighters. Firefighter pay, pension and injury arrangements reflect the nature of the job and the risks that may be incurred.
Cabinet Office is working with other Government Departments to address the cross-emergency service issue concerning terrorism exclusions in some personal insurance policies.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what commitment the Government gave to extend insurance cover for the fire fighters in the 2003 pay agreement. [13069]
Angela Watkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what commitment the Government gave to extend insurance cover for firefighters in the 2003 pay agreements. [13180]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Government do not provide insurance cover for firefighters. Firefighter pay, pension and injury arrangements reflect the nature of the job and the risks that may be incurred. Depending on the circumstances of an individual, these can provide a lump sum of up to seven times pensionable pay in the event of death and an ill-health pension and injury benefits giving up to 85 per cent. of salary in the event of an injury curtailing earning capacity.
Cabinet Office is working with other Government Departments to address the cross emergency service issue concerning terrorism exclusions in some personal insurance policies.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes have been made to insurance cover for firefighters since May 1997. [13099]
Angela Watkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes have been made to insurance cover for firefighters since May 1997. [13181]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Government do not provide insurance cover for firefighters. Firefighter pay, pension and injury arrangements reflect the nature of the job and the risks that may be incurred.
Cabinet Office is working with other Government Departments to address the cross emergency service issue concerning terrorism exclusions in some personal insurance policies.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what insurance cover is provided for firefighters; whether this includes terrorism cover; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the standard insurance policy for firefighters. [13100]
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Angela Watkinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what insurance cover is provided for firefighters; whether this includes terrorism cover; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the standard insurance policy for firefighters. [13182]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Government do not provide insurance cover for firefighters. Firefighter pay, pension and injury arrangements reflect the nature of the job and the risks that may be incurred. Individuals may take out personal insurance policies, which may include terrorism cover, however this is a matter of personal choice for those individuals.
Cabinet Office is working with other Government Departments to address the cross emergency service issue concerning terrorism exclusions in some personal insurance policies.
Mr. Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects the regional fire control rooms to be operational; and if he will make a statement. [13552]
Jim Fitzpatrick: Current project completion is scheduled for the first quarter of 2009. Subject to final decisions on the project, this timetable will be revised, and a new one published as soon as practicable.
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