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24 Apr 2006 : Column 930W—continued
Housing
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate his Department has made of housing growth in (a) the county of Greater Manchester, (b) Stockport Metropolitan Borough and (c) Tameside Metropolitan Borough in each year to 2010. [62200]
Yvette Cooper: The Government has not made estimates of the growth in housing supply at local authority level. Future housing requirements are assessed by regions and local authorities as part of the development of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Frameworks. These assessments are expected to take account of factors including the Government's latest projections of household growth.
Household projections down to local authority are available on the ODPM website at: (http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2097). These show the additional households up to 2026 that would form if recent demographic trends continue. The household projections contribute part of the evidence for the assessment of housing requirements by regions and local authorities.
Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in temporary accommodation therehave been in each of the last 10 years in Milton Keynes. [54672]
Yvette Cooper:
In January 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister published Sustainable Communities: Homes for All" which set a target to halve the number of households living in temporary accommodation by 2010. Information about English local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected quarterly and is in respect of households rather than people. The number of households in
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temporary accommodation arranged by Milton Keynes district council under homelessness legislation on 31 March in each year since 1996 is tabled as follows.
(26)Households in accommodation either pending a decision on their homelessness application or awaiting allocation of a settled home following acceptance. Excludes those households designated as homeless at home" that have remained in their existing accommodation and have the same rights to suitable alternative accommodation as those in accommodation arranged by the authority.
Source:
ODPM P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly)
Until 31 March 2004, the council were allocating accommodation on a non secure tenancy basis, mainly in its own stock, once a household was accepted as homeless. From 1 April 2005, the council changed the status of these tenancies to introductory tenancies for both existing and new households where a duty to house had been accepted. This gives households increased tenancy rights, greater stability within a community and greater choice in accessing accommodation.
In addition, the council have adopted an early intervention approach with households threatened with homelessness so that a higher proportion are placed in accommodation on an introductory tenancy before homelessness occurs.
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what funding is available for temporary to permanent housing initiatives in the 2006 to 2008 National Affordable Housing Programme; and if he will make a statement. [63416]
Yvette Cooper: The London Housing Board recommended that £20 million of funding be allocated from the London regional housing pot 2006–08 for temporary to permanent housing initiatives. No final decisions have yet been taken on the distribution of these earmarked resources.
We are also considering how the pilot extra homes scheme announced in the Budget 2006 could build on the range of existing and emerging 'temporary to permanent' housing schemes to help families in London move from temporary accommodation into settled homes.
Local Authorities (Chief Executive Emoluments)
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) salary and (b) pension benefits relating to electoral duties were paid to the chief executive of each local authority in each of the last five years. [64925]
Bridget Prentice:
I have been asked to reply.
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This information is not held centrally. For national elections, the appointed Returning Officer, who may or may not be the chief executive of a relevant local authority, receives a prescribed fee. A full breakdown of Returning Officers fees and charges for the 2005 general election is listed under the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order (SI: 2005 No. 780). This specifies an Returning Officer's fee of £2,500 per constituency for which they are responsible.
It is for local authorities to decide what remuneration is made to Returning Officers at local elections and Electoral Registration Officers for registration duties. It is also for local authorities to make superannuation arrangements for all staff appointed by them.
Local Authority Publicity
Mr. Harper: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity applies to regional assemblies and their officers. [64735]
Yvette Cooper: The Code of Recommended Practice does not apply to regional assemblies or their officers. However, the Government expect that in the course of their duties regional assemblies will give due regard to and operate within the provisions of the Code.
Local Government Pensions
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the 85 year rule was introduced in the Local Government Pension Scheme. [60118]
Mr. Woolas: A provision in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) in England and Wales which enabled members to retire at age 60 with 25 years service (on an unreduced pension) was first introduced in 1974.
There were no changes to this 'Rule of 85' until the LGPS Regulations 1997 which introduced the facility, from April 1998, for members (subject to employer consent) to retire and receive unreduced pensions from age 50 if they met the 85 year rule.
Pathfinder Programme
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes in average house prices have occurred in pathfinder areas since the start of each programme. [64430]
Yvette Cooper: The following table shows changes in median house prices in each pathfinder between the time that a scheme was agreed and funding announced and the final quarter of 2005. Median house prices have also risen very slightly across the regions.
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Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been awarded to each pathfinder programme to date. [64431]
Yvette Cooper: The following table shows the sums awarded to each of the nine housing market renewal pathfinders for 2004–06 and, where funding decisions have been made, for 2006–08.
(27)Announcement not yet made.
Mr. Rogerson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made since December 2005 by the nine pathfinder schemes towards meeting the recommendations made by the Audit Commission in its strategic reviews of market renewal pathfinders. [64434]
Yvette Cooper: All pathfinders are working towards implementing Audit Commission recommendations which have generally been allocated time scales of between six and 12 months for completion. We will be including these recommendations in funding agreements, due to be issued shortly, for the next phase of funding (2006–08) and will be monitoring progress as part of our ongoing performance management process.
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