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Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to answer question 19739 tabled by the hon. Member for Yeovil on 18 October 2005. [40644]

Yvette Cooper: I have answered the hon. Member's question today. I apologise for the delay in replying.

Planning (Disused Airfields)

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whatfactors led to the change of planning guidance on the use of disused airports for the building of domestic units. [55019]

 
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Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member on 20 March 2006, Official Report, column 67W.

Planning Regulations

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes the Government has made to planning regulations to development on (a) current and (b) former airfields since 1997. [56090]

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has published no regulations relating to the development of current or former airfields since 1997.

Planning Policy Guidance Note 13: Transport (PPG13), published in 2001, built on the policy set out in the previous PPG13 published in 1994, stating that local authorities should avoid at or close to an airport or airfield development that would be incompatible with any existing or potential aviation operations.

Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing (PPG3), published in 2000, and draft Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (PPS3), published for consultation in December 2005, proposed no policy change in relation to the development for housing of current or former airfield sites. PPG3 set out the definition of previously-developed land for the purposes for planning for housing, derived from urban land uses based on the Land Use Change Statistics classification introduced in 1985 but not previously articulated in planning guidance. The proposed changes to PPG3 reflected in Annex A of draft PPS3 on definitions are not intended to affect the application of the definition of previously-developed land to current or former airfields.

Social Housing

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) social housing units and (b) units of shared equity housing have been made available in West Lancashire in each year since 1980. [51121]

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many social housing units have been made available in Merton in each year since 1980. [50051]

Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many units of social housing have been made available in Hartlepool in each year since 1980. [47323]

Mr. Holloway: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new-build units of affordable housing have been built in (a) Gravesham and (b) Kent in each year since 1996–97. [43277]

Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many units of social housing have been completed in Oxford City in each of the last 10 years. [58285]

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many (a) social housing units and (b) units of shared equity housing have been made available in each London borough in each year since 1990. [52298]

 
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Yvette Cooper: The numbers of affordable homes provided (new build and acquisitions) for social rent on behalf of each English local authority since 1991–92 has been placed in the Library of the House. The table shows social rented dwellings funded by the Housing Corporation and through Local Authority Social Housing Grant. Information on local authority built social rent dwellings is shown by region only. Information for the financial year 1990–91 is not available.

Since 1997 substantial additional resources have been made available for refurbishment to the social housing stock alongside new building. Building costs and land costs have also risen. We plan to provide 75,000 social rented properties over the three years 2004–05 to 2007–08. That is an additional 10,000 homes by 2007–08; a 50 per cent. increase on 2004–05. This extra provision will be achieved through a mix of new build and acquisition. In 2005/06 an estimated 20,000 social rented home will be provided through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme and Transitional local Authority Social Housing Grant. In addition the Government have provided significant additional resources for shared equity schemes.

Planned annual housing requirements are developed as part of the Regional Spatial Strategies. The Government response to Kate Barker's Review outlined their ambition to increase housing delivery in England over the next decade to 200,000 net additions per year, from current delivery of around 150,000 net additions per year.

Town Twinning

Tony Baldry: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his department provides support for town twinning initiatives. [59261]

Mr. Woolas: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sponsors the Local Government International Bureau (LGIB) through the top-sliced Revenue Support Grant. The LGIB supports and co-ordinates town-twinning on behalf of local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Travelator

Mr. Leech: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department has taken to enforce the planning condition which required construction of a travelator between the two Stratford stations. [58870]

Jim Fitzpatrick: Responsibility for enforcing the planning condition requiring the construction of a fully enclosed pedestrian link such as a travelator or similar mode of conveying people between the international and regional stations at Stratford lies with Newham council as local planning authority. If the scheme's promoters, Union Railways, wish to seek the removal or variation of the condition, they would need to apply to Newham council. Should Newham council refuse the application, there would be the usual right of appeal to the First Secretary of State of State.
 
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CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice"

Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many copies of the consultation paper Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice" were distributed by her Department; if she will list those who were sent copies; and if she will make a statement. [59465]

Ms Harman: 491 copies of the consultation paper and draft Code of Practice have so far been sent to private individuals and professional organisations and associations in the healthcare, welfare and voluntary sectors. A detailed list of these organisations can be found at the front of the consultation paper on the Mental Capacity Act draft Code of Practice. We anticipate further copies being sent out as the consultation period progresses.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much was spent by her Department on producing the consultation paper Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice"; and if she will make a statement. [59466]

Ms Harman: We have therefore produced copies of the draft code of practice and the accompanying consultation paper in English, Welsh versions, as well as producing Easy Read information on the draft code. We have also produced audio versions of this Easy Read information. The total cost for this was £44,000.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what recent discussions her Department has had with organisations known by her Department to be opposed to the Mental Capacity Act 2005; and if she will make a statement. [59467]

Ms Harman: Ministers and officials have had meetings and contact with a wide range of organisations since the Mental Capacity Act 2005 received Royal Assent. These organisations have a variety of opinions on different sections of the Act. We will continue to agree to requests for meetings in the future.

Adoption and Children Act 2002

Annette Brooke: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (1) what measures she has put in place to ensure that the implementation date for section 122 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 is met; and if she will make a statement; [56568]

(2) when section 122 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 will be implemented; and if she will make a statement; [56569]

(3) what are the reasons for the delay in the implementation of section 122 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002; and if she will make a statement; [56913]

(4) what discussions she has had with (a) other Government Departments and (b) interested parties on the implementation of section 122 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002; and if she will make a statement; [56914]
 
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(5) whether she plans to take alternative measures before section 122 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 is brought into force; and if she will make a statement. [60283]

Ms Harman: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement of 11 January 2006, House of Lords, Official Report, column WS11, by Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Subsection 1(a) of section 122 of the Adoption and Children Act came into force on 30 December 2005. The date for implementation of rules under section 122, subsections 1(b) and 2, has not been decided. There have been no discussions with other Government Departments and interested parties at ministerial level. However, a period of consultation will take place prior to implementation. In the meantime, existing provisions for the representation of children remain in force.

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