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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 19 October 2005
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Council/Social Housing
9. Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he has taken since May 1997 to encourage local authorities to build council houses. [19118]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The ODPM five year plan Homes for All" set out three ways in which local authorities can be involved in delivering new social housing:
We expect the first of these to produce at least 6000 homes by 2008 worth around £500 million through a combination of new build and estate remodelling.
12. Kitty Ussher: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of public funding for social housing was in (a) 2005 and (b) 1997. [19121]
Yvette Cooper: Government housing capital investment totalled £4.5 billion in 2004–05 and £1.8 billion in 1997–98.
These figures include £2.9 billion in 2004–05 and £1.1billion in 1997–98 made available to local authorities mainly for the maintenance and improvement of existing council housing, and £1.6 billion in 2004–05 and £0.7billion in 1997–98 to registered social landlords (via the Housing Corporation) mainly to increase the supply of new social homes.
Telecommunications Masts
10. Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to review planning policy relating to telecommunications masts. [19119]
Yvette Cooper: We are currently commissioning research on the future need for communications masts. This will help inform the General Permitted Development Order review which is looking at permitted development rights for mobile phone masts. We also commissioned a review of the code of best practice on mobile phone network development which will be published shortly.
Affordable Housing (South-East)
11. Laura Moffatt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he is making in ensuring that affordable housing is available in the South East. [19120]
Yvette Cooper:
Proposals for the use of the housing investment funds available to the South East for 2006–07 and 2007–08 were submitted by the Regional
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Housing Board in July. These proposals, which have been approved, involve a significant increase in funding for affordable housing.
The greater provision of affordable housing is dependent on improved levels of housing supply. Government are therefore working with local authorities to make sure that housing completion rates are built to planned levels. It will announce how it intends to respond to the recommendations of the Barker report later this year.
Roadside Advertising
13. Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from members of the public concerning roadside advertising. [19122]
Yvette Cooper: Since May 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has received correspondence concerning roadside advertisements from 20 Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents and about 175 representations from members of the public.
Key Worker Living Scheme
14. Barbara Follett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effects of the key worker living scheme on recruitment and retention of public sector workers. [19123]
Yvette Cooper: An evaluation of the key worker living scheme is currently underway, with the final report due in 2006. However, early interim findings published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on 31 August found that the scheme is making a positive contribution towards improving recruitment and retention of key workers, such as teachers, nurses and police.
Council Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much revenue was raised in council tax in England in each year since its creation; and what the estimated figure is for 2005–06. [17353]
Mr. Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answers Igave on 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 542W and on 10 October 2005, Official Report, columns 383–5W.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role (a) the Valuation Office Agency played in the council tax revaluation in Wales and (b) is planned for the Agency in a future council tax revaluation in England; and if he will make a statement. [17643]
Mr. Woolas: (a) In accordance with their statutory duty, under Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended by Local Government Act 2003), the Valuation Office Agency's listing officers in Wales compiled the new valuation lists for each billing authority, effective from 1 April 2005, by placing 1.3 million properties into the new council tax bands.
(b) The Valuation Office Agency's listing officers in England currently have a statutory duty, under Local Government Finance Act 1992, to compile and maintain the council tax lists for each billing authority area. The Government has no proposals for any change
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in that role, but has announced that the revaluation planned for 2007 is to be postponed and is bringing forward legislation to give that statutory effect.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the likely cost of the council tax rebanding exercise in England. [19478]
Mr. Woolas: The postponement of council tax revaluation in England, which the Government announced on 20 September, means a suspension of the existing programme of preparatory work for the 2007 revaluation by the Valuation Office Agency. It is not possible at this stage to estimate exactly what the costs of revaluation will be at that future date. This will need to be reviewed in the light of the Government's decisions, following the report of the extended Lyons Inquiry into local government funding.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Valuation Office Agency will continue to work on the council tax revaluation in England. [17306]
Mr. Woolas: The Government announced on 20 September 2005 the postponement of the council tax revaluation in England in 2007 and the standing down of preparatory work. The Valuation Office Agency are reviewing in the light of this announcement what steps should be taken to capitalise on their preparatory work to date.
Departmental Bodies
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list (a) public relations consultancies and (b) public affairs consultancies employed by (i) the Audit Commission and (ii) the Standards Board for England in each year since 2001. [17234]
Mr. Woolas: I will ask the chief executives of the Audit Commission and the Standards Board for England to write to the hon. Member with the information requested. Their responses will be placed in the Library of the House.
Departmental Websites
Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the value for money of his Department's website; and if he will make a statement. [15573]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The ODPM website was procured as the result of a fair and open competition. In awarding the contract all tenders were evaluated and the successful tender was deemed to have achieved the best balance on price and satisfying the detailed requirements criteria.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 October 2005, Official Report, column 806W. Unique visitors to the ODPM website have more than doubled since its launch. The website also helps ODPM to fulfil its commitment to Freedom of Information, with more than 300 publications and nearly 300 press releases and statements uploaded to the website in 2004–05. ODPM is therefore continuing to develop the corporate website as a value for money channel for government information.
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