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EU Funding

Danny Alexander: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of agreed changes to the EU budget on funds provided by the EU for regeneration in deprived areas of the UK; and if he will make a statement. [44253]

Alun Michael: I have been asked to reply.

In my written statement to Parliament of 20 December 2005 I set out the impact of the EU budget settlement for the UK's future Structural Funds allocations. The UK will receive approximately €2.6 billion in Convergence funding (previously called Objective 1 funding) for its poorest regions. Cornwall and West Wales and the Valleys will receive full Convergence funding, while the Highlands and Islands will receive phasing-out Convergence funding averaging approximately two-fifths of the intervention rates for the UK's future full Convergence regions. The UK will also receive approximately €6.2 billion in Competitiveness funding for its other regions. Of this, South Yorkshire and Merseyside will receive phasing-in Competitiveness funding averaging approximately one-third of the intervention rates for the UK's future full Convergence regions. We have now started the process of deciding how the UK's remaining Competitiveness funding should be allocated between our nations and regions. Finally, the UK will receive approximately €0.6 billion in Co-operation funding. The Government will also need to agree with the Commission how this should be allocated.

Fire Service (Mobile Communications)

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what use the fire service made of public mobile communications networks during the response operation to the incidents on the London Underground and bus network on 7 July 2005. [43783]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The fire and rescue service made very limited use of the public mobile communications networks at the incidents they attended on the 7 July 2005. The public mobile phone systems are not used by the London Fire Brigade as the primary means of communication for the mobilisation of officers or appliances to attend incidents, nor to pass information from the incidents. All the primary communication systems performed efficiently on the 7 July.

Bob Spink: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many instances have been recorded of the fire service using mobile phone location data to effect a rescue operation. [43784]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not held centrally. The fire and rescue service is not responsible for tracking criminals.

Local Authority Allowances

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the guidance and regulations the Government have published since May 1997 on allowances for local
 
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authority members of (a) national park authorities, (b) passenger transport authorities, (c) fire authorities, (d) police authorities and (e) regional chambers. [42607]

Mr. Woolas: Legislation provides that a special responsibility allowance may be payable to members representing their local authority at meetings of another body.

Since 1997 guidance has been issued to accompany legislation on members' allowances in 2001 and 2003.

Since 1997 the following legislation having relevance to attendance, and later special responsibility, allowances have been published:

Local Government Finance

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the representations the Government has received from hotel companies and the tourism industry in relation to the reform of local government finance in the last two years. [42610]

Mr. Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has no record of any such representations. The Department for Culture Media and Sport have received copies of representations made by such groups to SirMichael Lyons' independent Inquiry. Sir Michael published an interim report and consultation paper on 15 December. This report lists contributors to his inquiry and understand that links to the representations received will be posted shortly on the inquiry's website at: www.lyonsinquiry.org

Pay and Work Force Strategies

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many local authorities are implementing local government pay and workforce strategies. [44950]

Mr. Woolas: A People Management Survey 2005 conducted by the Employers Organisation showed that 83 per cent. of local authorities have a work force strategy in place.

Telecommunications Masts

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussions his Department has had with mobile phone operators on the siting of mobile phone masts; and if he will make a statement. [41472]


 
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Yvette Cooper: Since the beginning of November the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has had one meeting with the Mobile Operators Association and a representative of each of the five mobile network operators, which discussed the Code of Best Practice on siting of mobile phone masts.

Representatives of the mobile networks operators have attended a project meeting for the research to identify the future direction of mobile phone and electronic communications network technology.

Officials have also had telephone conversations with representatives of the mobile networks operators about a number of different issues.

Valuation Office Agency

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Ordnance Survey has provided the Valuation Office Agency with (a) aerial and (b) satellite imagery. [42593]

Mr. Woolas: No.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2837W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what penalties can be levied on businesses who refuse to allow a valuation officer or his agent to conduct an internal inspection after written notice has been given of the inspection. [42596]

Mr. Woolas: The maximum fine for refusing access to a valuation officer who has given notice as required of the exercise of the power of entry is level 1 on the standard scale, under legislation introduced in 1988.

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information Ordnance Survey has provided to the Valuation Office Agency in relation to council tax valuations and revaluations. [42917]

Mr. Woolas: No such information has been provided.
 
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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Valuation Office Agency (a) collects and (b) collates information from local planning authorities on (i) business planning applications and (ii) residential planning applications. [43100]

Mr. Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency may obtain information from local planning authorities which is relevant to its various valuation activities.

Value Bill Project

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the (a) purpose, (b) extent and (c) status of the Value Bill project; how much has been spent on the project to date; and what the total forecast expenditure is for the whole project. [42620]

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is as follows:

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