| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
16 Nov 2005 : Column 1274W—continued
Thailand
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent political unrest in the Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces of Thailand. [28417]
Ian Pearson: We remain concerned by the continuing violence in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat and remain in close contact with the Royal Thai Government.
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed the situation in the south of Thailand with the Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, in London last month.
16 Nov 2005 : Column 1275W
UK Expatriates (Spain)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Spain about the costs of providing healthcare to UK expatriates; and if he will make a statement. [27534]
Mr. Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with his Spanish counterpart on this subject.
The Spanish Government have not raised it with us at ministerial level, or in the European Union.
United States (Prince of Wales's Visit)
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2005, Official Report, column 636W, on HRH Prince of Wales (US visit), what the (a) job title and (b) grade was of each of the (i) junior staff from the embassy in Washington who accompanied HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall throughout their recent visit to the US and (ii) staff based in (A) New York and (B) San Francisco who accompanied their Royal Highnesses. [26863]
Mr. Straw [holding answer 14 November 2005]: In addition to the ambassador, the following members of staff from the British embassy in Washington accompanied the Royal party during their visit to the US:
1st Secretary Political, Grade D6, who accompanied in New York, Washington DC, New Orleans and San Francisco.
1st Secretary/ Press Secretary, Grade D6, who accompanied in New York, Washington DC, and New Orleans.
Locally Engaged Press Adviser, Grade US 9, who accompanied in New York, Washington DC, New Orleans and San Francisco.
Locally Engaged Publications Officer, Grade US 5, who accompanied in Washington DC and San Francisco.
In New York, the Consul General, Grade SMS 3, Deputy Consul General, Grade SMS 1, and the Visits Officer, Grade US 6 accompanied the Royal Party. In San Francisco, they were accompanied by the Consul General, Grade SMS 1 and the Visits Officer, Grade US 5.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
House Building (Barnet)
8. Mrs. Villiers: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on house-building and development in the London borough of Barnet. [28532]
Yvette Cooper:
Barnet aims to provide a minimum of 890 new homes per year, which was exceeded in 2004–05. Barnet is an opportunity borough with great potential to deliver more. There are proposals in the London plan housing alteration to increase this to 1,960 homes per year. This will help meet housing need and deliver sustainable communities in London. Between 2000 and 2003 92 percent. of new homes in Barnet were built on brown field land.
16 Nov 2005 : Column 1276W
10. Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment has been made of the additional infrastructure that will be required to support extra house-building in Taunton Deane. [28535]
Yvette Cooper: The need for future housing and infra-structure in Taunton Deane is currently being considered as part of the review of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) being undertaken by the South West Regional Assembly. The draft RSS will be submitted to the Secretary of State in March 2006.
The Government are strongly committed to the principle that infrastructure (including public services) must be sufficient to support growth.
11. Nick Herbert: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the infrastructure improvements required to meet his house-building targets in the South East. [28536]
Yvette Cooper: Government recognises the critical links between infrastructure and growth and is committed to exploring the infrastructure needs of the region as the South East Regional Planning process progresses.
13. Tim Loughton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will link new house-building targets to improvements in infrastructure. [28538]
Yvette Cooper: The Government are strongly committed to the principle that infrastructure must be sufficient to support growth—that is an essential element in achieving sustainable communities. Our approach is to ensure that infrastructure, including public services, is provided in step with growth, as plans for individual growth locations are developed.
Housing Corporation Funding
9. Dr. Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which private developers can bid for Housing Corporation funding previously reserved for social landlords. [28534]
Mr. Woolas: Persons other than registered social landlords are now eligible to bid for social housing grant from the Housing Corporation under the Housing Act 2004. Housing associations and private companies are competing in the 2006–08 bidding round on as equal a basis as possible to provide the same products.
The aim is to widen the whole competition for grant, bring forward more schemes and encourage more efficiency in provision and new partnerships, with no reduction in the quality of homes. That should mean better value for money for the taxpayer and more affordable homes to meet the serious shortage for those in housing need.
Regional Spatial Strategies
12. Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the level of consultation being undertaken in connection with regional spatial strategies. [28537]
16 Nov 2005 : Column 1277W
Yvette Cooper: There is a statutory requirement for the Regional Planning Body to consult a wide range of stakeholders both while the draft revision of the Regional Spatial Strategy is being prepared and after publication. An independent examination in public of the draft, at which people will be invited to speak, is required in all but exceptional circumstances. The Secretary of State's proposed changes are then published with a further minimum eight week consultation period.
Damages
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the 10 largest amounts of damages paid out by his office in the last year for which figures are available, indicating in each case the nature of the claim. [27740]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister does not collect the information requested centrally and could provide it only at disproportionate cost.
16 Nov 2005 : Column 1278W
Green Belt
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how much land changing to residential use was within (a) the designated green belt and (b) greenfield land, in each year since 1997, broken down by region; [4312]
(2) how much land within the 1997 designated green belt changed to developed use in each year since 1997, broken down by region; [4313]
(3) how many new dwellings have been built within the 1997 designated green belt in each year since 1997, broken down by region. [4314]
Yvette Cooper: The available estimates are from Land Use Change Statistics, shown in the following tables. The estimates for 2003 are provisional and are subject to revision. Figures are not shown for 1999 as the data received for that year were incomplete. Figures for 1997 to 2000 reflect planning policies and decisions made before 1997.
16 Nov 2005 : Column 1279W
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |