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Disabled Facilities Grant

6. Paul Rowen (Rochdale) (LD): When he plans to introduce the recommendations of the recent review of the disabled facilities grant. [56647]

The Minister for Housing and Planning (Yvette Cooper): We published the report on the disabled facilities grant programme in October 2005. We have implemented one of the central recommendations already and are considering the other recommendations at the moment.

Paul Rowen: Does the Minister accept that the failure to increase the grant from the current level of £25,000 to the £50,000 recommended in the report is causing real hardship and means that many people who need disabled facilities cannot access them?

Yvette Cooper: The hon. Gentleman will be aware that we increased funding for the disabled facilities grant from £57 million in 1997 to £121 million for next year. That includes a 16 per cent. increase for Rochdale for next year. We are increasing the resources available for the disabled facilities grant. We have in particular exempted disabled children from the means test. That is the right priority: to recognise the particular needs of families with disabled children. We are considering the further recommendations.
 
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Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Lab): Swale borough council's grant for disabled facilities is spent on 6 April. If there is an emergency in the next financial year, we have no money to give to disabled people. Is there a way in which my hon. Friend can call in Swale borough council to ask how it spends the money and spreads it out?

Yvette Cooper: I am happy to look into the spending by Swale borough council as I do not know the details. However, as I said, we have increased the resources available for local councils because it is important to support disabled families, which can face great difficulties with making major adaptations to their homes.

First-time Buyers

7. Mr. Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent, South) (Lab): What steps are being taken to help first-time buyers in Stoke-on-Trent; and if he will make a statement. [56648]

The Minister of Communities and Local Government (Mr. David Miliband): We have made available over £5 billion of funding for investment to support key housing priorities, including support for low-cost home ownership. The new open market homebuy scheme will enable an additional 20,000 households nationally into home ownership by 2010. In my hon. Friend's constituency, Mercian housing association is the homebuy zone agent.

Mr. Flello: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend. Will he look carefully with his colleagues in the Department at the further help that can be given to housing in Stoke-on-Trent and north Staffordshire through the RENEW north Staffordshire programme? I hope that up to £70 million will come into north Staffordshire, and I urge my hon. Friends to make sure that we receive the full amount, as anything less will harm the peripheral estates. I would be delighted to show my right hon. Friend around those estates so that he can see their needs.

Mr. Miliband: My hon. Friend is comprehensive as well as energetic in his pursuit of this case. He has already had meetings with my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Joan Walley) and myself, and I understand that the papers on the decision are heading towards the desk of my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning. In due course, that decision will be made.

Homelessness

8. Justine Greening (Putney) (Con): If he will make a statement on the extent of homelessness among ex-servicemen. [56649]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Jim Fitzpatrick): The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister works closely with the Ministry of Defence to prevent homelessness and to support related projects involving ex-services groups.
 
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Evidence suggests that the number and proportion of people sleeping rough who have served in the armed forces is reducing. The ex-services action group on homelessness has commissioned further research and interim findings will be available in the summer.

Justine Greening: I thank the Minister for his response, but does he agree that in light of the number of armed service personnel serving in Iraq this is a growing problem, despite the evidence that it may be reducing? The Government must pay close attention to any studies that are undertaken to make sure that servicemen suffering from mental health problems in particular receive the support that they deserve when they come home.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Under homelessness legislation, since July 2002, applicants seeking help from a housing authority who are unintentionally homeless and vulnerable as a result of serving in Her Majesty's forces are in a priority needs category, and are owed a main homelessness duty. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Defence have commissioned research from King's College, London on the extent, causes, impact and costs of rough sleeping and homelessness among ex-service personnel, as well as on ways in which that can be prevented. Interim reports are due later this month and in October, and we will look in particular at the issue of mental health.

Council Tax

10. Mr. Rob Wilson (Reading, East) (Con): What representations on council tax he has received from pensioner groups in the last 12 months. [56651]

The Minister for Local Government (Mr. Phil Woolas) rose—[Interruption.]

Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. May we have less noise? These questions are every bit as important as any other questions.

Mr. Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has identified eight written representations from groups exclusively representing pensioners on council tax in the past 12 months. Issues raised include the effect of council tax bills on pensioners; council tax benefit; and the reform of the local government finance system. I met the National Pensioners Convention on 6 December 2005.

Mr. Wilson: I thank the Minister for his answer. Why was a £200 discount essential for pensioners last year, but completely unnecessary this year? Was it because last year was a general election year?

Mr. Woolas: The hon. Gentleman will recall that the £200 announcement was made in last year's Budget. The Opposition opposed many other measures that were put in place for pensioners and the low paid. I remind the House, through you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that nearly 20 per cent. of council tax is paid through the council tax benefit system.
 
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Infrastructure Funding (Milton Keynes)

11. Dr. Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes, South-West) (Lab): What funding his Department has made available for infrastructure in the Milton Keynes growth area over the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [56652]

The Minister for Housing and Planning (Yvette Cooper): The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is making available over £73 million additional infrastructure funding, including funding improvements to the hospital, railway station and motorway junction. We are also supporting Milton Keynes' proposals to develop a tariff further to support new infrastructure in the area.

Dr. Starkey: I thank the Minister on behalf of my constituents and all the residents of Milton Keynes for that statement. Will she comment on the fact that some people in the area, including the Opposition, are happy to accept the infrastructure but continue to oppose the proposed housing?

Yvette Cooper: My hon. Friend is right. We need good infrastructure to support new homes, but we must also recognise that we have to deliver the new homes that the next generation needs; otherwise, problems with overcrowding and homelessness will grow, and there will be huge and unfair pressures on first-time buyers. That is why we support new homes and infrastructure development, in Milton Keynes and across the country.

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