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28 Mar 2006 : Column 927W—continued
Draft Planning Policy Statement 14
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the impact of draft Planning Policy Statement 14 on small rural building contractors. [62086]
Mr. Woodward:
The Department carried out a wide-ranging public consultation during the preparation of draft Planning Policy Statement 14—Sustainable Development in the Countryside" which included an invitation to public consultation through the publication of an Issues Paper in June 2004. As part of the follow-up process, officials met with a range of groups and political parties, including the Construction Employers Federation.
28 Mar 2006 : Column 928W
Forkhill Site
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultation has taken place with the people of Forkhill, County Armagh regarding the future use of the former army and police base site. [60412]
Mr. Touhig: I have been asked to reply.
Officials from the Defence Estates, the MOD agency with responsibility for the defence estate, met Northern Ireland Office officials and other local representatives on 16 January 2006 to discuss the disposal of the former Army and police base at Forkhill and other sites in Northern Ireland.
Although interest has been expressed in the site by the Northern Ireland Social Development Office no decisions on future use have yet been taken. However, the opportunity was taken to explain the normal procedures that must be followed by MOD in the disposal of this and other sites in Northern Ireland that we have declared surplus to operational requirements.
Planning
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average time taken to process planning applications in Northern Ireland was in January (a) 2005 and (b) 2006. [59947]
Angela E. Smith: It took an average of 31 weeks to process planning applications on which decisions issued in January 2005 and 36.5 weeks to process those applications on which decisions issued in January 2006.
Processing times have increased but this should be set in the context that there was an increase of over 13 per cent. (2,942 decisions) in the number of decisions issued between April 2005 and January 2006 compared to the number of decisions issued in the same period the previous year.
Rateable Values (New Build)
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many newly-built properties in Northern Ireland were waiting to have their rateable value calculated as at 1 March 2006. [57096]
Angela E. Smith: The Valuation and Lands Agency is notified by local authority building controls when construction commences on a new property and after allowing some nine months for completion, the Agency lists the new properties for valuation.
At 1 March 2006 there were 9,742 such listings being actioned or awaiting action on final completion of construction. This is an historically high figure reflecting the fact the Agency is in the process of finalising the new capital value based rateable values for all 700,000 domestic properties in Northern Ireland, which are due to be published at the end of June this year. The hon. Member may be interested to note that the Agency values, on average, some 15,300 new properties per annum.
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Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what average length of time was taken to calculate the rateable values of newly-built properties in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what steps are being taken to reduce the time. [57101]
Angela E. Smith: The precise data that the hon. Member has requested is not available. The Valuation and Lands Agency does, however, focus on the critical time period for ratepayers: the gap between the date of occupation and the date of valuation assessment and billing. The Agency, recognising the ratepayer's desire to avoid substantial demands for backdated rates, has for many years targeted its performance on this time period, striving to improve the overall outcome.
The current target is to issue at least 90 per cent. of all those rating revision cases (excluding domestic alterations), which are subject to retrospective backdating, within 12 months of the revision date. The out-turn for this key target over the last five years is as follows.
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| 2000–01 | 93 |
| 2001–02 | 94 |
| 2002–03 | 92 |
| 2003–04 | Not reported on(41) |
| 2004–05 | 90 |
(41)This was the year following the publication of the 2003 non-domestic revaluation when backdating was limited by statute to 1 April 2003.
Conscious of the importance of achieving early and accurate valuation and billing for all stakeholders—ratepayers, local authorities and Government—the Agency has sought not merely to improve on these figures but to achieve a step change" in performance. To this end the Agency, in April 2005, entered into a joint project with Belfast city council (building control) for the timely provision by the council of full survey details on all changes to properties (including new builds).
In Belfast this project has significantly reduced the average time involvement by the Agency and increased productivity almost threefold. No comparable backdating" figures are yet available, but a substantial improvement is anticipated.
We are currently in the process of extending the project to include Derry and Lisburn city councils later in 2006 and eventually, by agreement, to all councils.
Roads Maintenance Budget
Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the effect on the construction and aggregates industry of changes in the roads maintenance budget. [62085]
Mr. Woodward: The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 28 March 2006:
You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding what assessment has been made of the effect of changes in the roads maintenance budget on the construction and aggregates industry.
I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service.
In doing so I should perhaps explain that in the last 3 years a total of some £735m has been spent on developing and maintaining the road network in Northern Ireland. Some £495m has been invested in revenue activities, including maintenance, with a further £240m on capital. Over the next 10 years the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland envisages that some £1.9 billion will be invested in road improvements subject to the availability of resources in future budget rounds, economic appraisals and statutory approvals.
Expenditure this year, coupled with the Revised Budget allocations, suggests that about £170m will be invested in roads' structural maintenance in the three years to 2007/08. When assessing budget figures, a single year's allocation is of course important, but it is also important to see these figures over a cycle.
You may be aware that the Minister for Regional Development, Shaun Woodward MP recently met with your colleague Margaret Ritchie MLA and members of the local Quarry Products Association (QPA) to discuss the outcome of the Budget and Priorities 2006–2008 and the impact on the structural maintenance budget. In addition senior officials from Roads Service have also held a number of meetings with the QPA.
I fully appreciate the concerns of the road building industry about the funding for structural maintenance and can assure you that Roads Service will be making a strong case for an increase in the structural maintenance budget to the Department of Finance and Personnel as part of the input to the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review.
In the interim, we will continue to make the best use of our resources to develop and maintain the road network.
Vacant Commercial Premises
Mr. Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much additional revenue he expects to be raised in Northern Ireland in each year following the decision to cease exemption for rates on vacant commercial premises. [61621]
Angela E. Smith: The rating of vacant commercial property was introduced on 1 April 2004. The revenue raised in 2004–05 was £5 million, of which £2.8 million was in respect of regional rate, with the balance being in respect of the district rate.
For 2006–07 and 2007–08, the recent priorities and budget process contains forecast revenue for the regional rate element of £2.9 million and £3.0 million respectively. The figures for the district rate element will depend on the increases determined by the individual district councils.
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