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Private Sector Investments
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) location, (b) cost and (c) completion date if of each private finance initiative project within his responsibility, broken down by local authorities and grouped by region in England. [36892]
Mr. Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister currently has responsibility for the following private finance initiative projects and the details are as follows.
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Regeneration (Thetford)
Mr. Fraser: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on funding for and the impact of regeneration schemes in Thetford. [37201]
Yvette Cooper: Since 2000, the Breckland Community Economic Regeneration Scheme has provided some £12.7 million to fund projects in Thetford which are helping to renew the town centre and build on its cultural and heritage attractions. The skills and job prospects of local people are being supported through a range of vocational training schemes.
Rent Restructuring
Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he has instructed local authorities to introduce rent restructuring in this year's settlement; and if he will make a statement. [36793]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 12 December 2005]: Rent restructuring was introduced in April 2002. It is a non-statutory scheme, and local authorities are not required to implement it, though they are strongly encouraged to do so by the way the housing revenue account subsidy system operates.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister carried out a three-year review of the policy during 2004 and the decision on the recommendations was announced on 7 November. The draft housing revenue account subsidy determination, which was issued for consultation at the same time, was prepared on that basis. The consultation closes at 10 am on Monday 12 December.
Our intention is to issue the final housing revenue account subsidy determination before Christmas.
Statutory Instruments
Mr. Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many statutory instruments introduced by his Department were (a) withdrawn, (b) amended by a further statutory instrument and (c) reprinted because of defective drafting in each session since 1997; and what steps he is taking and (ii) plans to take to prevent further such instances. [34313]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
The number of statutory instruments introduced since May 2002 (when the Office of the
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Deputy Prime Minister came into being) which, by reason of defective drafting, were
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is (i) providing additional training for all those involved in drafting SIs. Increased checking is being undertaken by policy officials and the drafting lawyer, (ii) Lawyers in the ODPM are currently considering a further examination of the statutory instrument project planning process. They will also encourage all officials involved in the production of secondary legislation to be especially aware of the need to build in additional time for checking, particularly where there are peaks of activity, such as in February/March, in the run- up to the start of the financial year.
Support Services
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what assessment he has made of the extent of the duplication of (a) information collected and (b) needs assessment required for (i) supporting people funding and (ii) the single assessment process for care; [37292]
(2) what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health about integrating the service provision arising from supporting people assessments and the single assessment process into a single users plan. [37303]
Mr. Woolas: There is currently no standardised approach to information collection and needs assessment for the receipt of housing-related support through the supporting people programme. Nor are there currently standardised arrangements which cover supporting people and care assessments together. Arrangements are instead set by, and vary between, local authorities and between providers. There may be some duplication between the information collected for supporting people services and that collected through the Single Assessment Process, but in some cases this is already being handled in an integrated way.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's initial supporting people strategy—Creating Sustainable Communities: Supporting Independence"—makes clear our commitment to continue to move towards a streamlined and integrated assessment process which
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includes supporting people, care and other relevant services. This also takes forward the intention set out in Independence, Well-being and Choice" to build upon the Single Assessment Process and streamline assessments across agencies, and we will continue to work with Department of Health and other Departments as we take this work forward.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health about training of health and social care assessment staff in housing-related support services; [37293]
(2) what plans he has to promote the development and delivery of joint training on supporting people to health, care and housing staff. [37301]
Mr. Woolas: With support and sponsorship from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, a pilot project has been carried out to test the desirability and practicability of establishing a professional qualification for those working in housing, care and support sector. This pilot concluded in March 2005, and we are considering as part of our work to develop a strategy for supporting people how to build on its success. We will continue to discuss this, and other aspects of the strategy work, with Department of Health.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to revise supporting people guidance to give greater coverage of health and care related needs. [37305]
Mr. Woolas: Supporting people is a grant programme for the provision of housing-related support services (or, in excellent authorities, welfare services). It does not fund health or care services. The power of the Secretary of State to issue guidance relates to the administration and application of supporting people grants and, as such, guidance on the use of supporting people funding does not directly discuss meeting health or care related needs.
Guidance is, however, clear on the need to ensure that supporting people services are properly aligned and linked with other relevant services, including health and care services. The work of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to develop a strategy for supporting people will allow us to consider whether and how guidance may be strengthened in this regard.
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