---

17 Mar 2006 : Column 2584W—continued

Homelessness

Richard Burden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the contribution of the National Rent Deposit Forum to developing best practice in the reduction and prevention of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the future of the service. [58173]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister strongly encourages local authorities to establish rent deposit schemes and did fund the National Rent Deposit Forum (NRDF) in 2005–06 to enable the Forum time to develop an on-going strategy to sustain the organisation. Officials have also met with the NRDF and provided advice on possible ways forward, for example merging with other homeless charities, generating additional income and /or extending its membership base. I understand however that the NRDF has decided to close. This is a time when the number of rent deposit schemes has increased and been mainstreamed within housing advice and homelessness prevention. Recent local authority homelessness survey returns summarised in Survey of English Local Authorities About Homelessness Policy Briefing 13" which is available on the ODPM website showed that 87 per cent. of responding local authorities have established rent deposit/bond schemes as part of their homelessness prevention services. It is unfortunate that as a membership organisation that should exist on the basis of services it offers to members the NRDF was not able to benefit from the increase in rent deposit schemes.

Under the provisions of the Housing Act 2004, the Government are introducing tenancy deposit protection, which is scheduled to come into force in October 2006. It will apply to assured shorthold tenancies in England
 
17 Mar 2006 : Column 2585W
 
andWales. Following a consultation that ended on 1 February 2006, the Government are preparing the secondary legislation required to commence the schemes. A competitive tendering exercise is under way to select suppliers to run the schemes and award contracts in early summer 2006.

Housing

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect of the house building moratorium in Stockport on (a) the amount of new housing available and (b) the prices of homes in the metropolitan borough of Stockport. [57824]

Yvette Cooper: There is no house building moratorium" in Stockport. The Regional Spatial Strategy imposed a 15 per cent. across the board reduction in the rate of growth of new house building in the North West region.

Stockport Borough Council's Annual Monitoring Report shows that at 31 March there were outstanding planning permissions for 2,784 dwellings. It also estimated that around 410 dwellings would be built 2005–06, compared to the Borough's allocation of 220 dwellings a year in the Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West.

The Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West is being reviewed. The Government set out proposals to increase house building across the country.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new homes he expects to be built in West Lancashire in (a) 2006–07 and (b) each of the following three years. [58411]

Yvette Cooper: The West Lancashire district council's annual monitoring report predicts that 339 dwellings will be built 2006–07 and a similar number in each if the next three years. These might change as the regional spatial strategy for the North West is reviewed.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the Government have made available for housing in West Lancashire in the last three years. [58430]

Yvette Cooper: The Government have made £2,597,000 available to West Lancashire district council over the period 2004 to 2006–07 via the Housing Capital Allowance.

In addition, £824,000 was made available to the council under the Disabled Facilities Grant over the same period to cover the capital costs of installing modifications to meet the needs of the disabled.

An £8,449,000 subsidy has also been provided to the Council's Housing Revenue Account over 2004–05 to 2005–06 under the Major Repairs Allowance.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what money is available for housing associations to build houses in West Lancashire in each of the next three financial years. [58431]

Yvette Cooper: The Housing Corporation has yet to announce capital allocations for housing association schemes in West Lancashire. An announcement is expected shortly.
 
17 Mar 2006 : Column 2586W
 

Mr. Leech: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department is taking to encourage the building of more social rented housing in Manchester, Withington. [58871]

Yvette Cooper: Allocations to Manchester City Council of capital funding for housing purposes over the period 2003–04 to 2005–06 total £152.4 million.

In addition, to support the provision of affordable rented housing provision in the Manchester local authority area, the Housing Corporation, through its Approved Development programme has provided 831 units between 2002 and 2005 at a cost of £57.2 million. In the 2004–06 programme, the Housing Corporation allocated over £2 million to the Moorbank scheme in the Manchester Withington constituency, which provided a further 16 family units to assist homeless households.

Mr. Spring: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the likely effects on potential housing developments on airfields in East Anglia of the proposed change in the definition of brownfield in the Planning Policy Guidance Note 3. [59571]

Yvette Cooper: The proposed changes reflected in Annex A of draft Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing" were not intended to affect the application of the definition of previously-developed land to airfields, whether they be in East Anglia or elsewhere in England. Specifically they do not seek to change policy in relation to the potential development of airfield sites for housing.

Land Disposal

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance is given to local authorities on the disposal of land and other assets at less than market value. [58217]

Yvette Cooper: Guidance on the disposal of local authority land for less than the best consideration that can reasonably be obtained is set out in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Circular 06/2003, Local Government Act 1972:General Disposal Consent (England) 2003. The specific consent of the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is required if the undervalue in the proposed transaction is more than £2 million.

Landfill sites

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what regulations are in place governing development and planning control procedures in respect of planning applications on former landfill sites which pre-date the Control of Pollution Act 1974. [58001]

Yvette Cooper: The responsibilities of all concerned in bringing forward and approving development on sites where contamination might be present are set out in Planning Policy Statement 23 Planning and Pollution Control" and its Annex Development on Land Affected by Contamination". Potential developers will need to satisfy the local planning authority concerned that unacceptable risk from contamination will be successfully addressed through remediation. Environmental impact assessment requirements will apply if the development is likely to have significant environmental effects. Local planning authorities themselves are expected to plan for land uses that are appropriate in the light of all the
 
17 Mar 2006 : Column 2587W
 
relevant circumstances, including known or suspected contamination and, when determining planning applications, be satisfied that the site concerned is suitable for the new use and that the development does not create unacceptable risks. Planning conditions may require that land is remediated in the course of development to an appropriate standard, taking account of its intended use, and that, if necessary, is properly maintained subsequently. The Environment Agency is likely to be consulted on the redevelopment of former landfill sites and may require specific applications for authorisations within the pollution control framework it operates. The Building Regulations 2000 include requirements to protect buildings from the effects of contamination.

Park Homes

Mr. Harper: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when his Department will consult on the reform of the commission payment mechanism for Park homes; and if he will make a statement. [58590]

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 14 March 2006]: Provisions in the Mobile Homes Act 1983 entitle park owners to receive a commission on the sale of a park home, not exceeding a rate specified by the Secretary of State. The current maximum rate is 10 per cent. and is specified in the Mobile Homes (Commissions) Order 1983. We are planning to issue a consultation paper shortly which will suggest possible changes to the commission rate.

---