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2 May 2006 : Column 1502W—continued
Thomas Slab" Murphy
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the current whereabouts of Thomas Slab" Murphy. [65325]
Mr. Woodward: The NIO does not comment about ongoing police investigations.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Affordable Housing
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on planning procedures for affordable homes. [65308]
Yvette Cooper: Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing (PPG3) and DETR Circular 6/98 Planning and Affordable Housing set out current policy in relation to planning for affordable housing.
Draft Planning Policy Statement 3 : Housing (PPS3), published for consultation in December 2005, brings together the policies in PPG3 and the Circular. It would require local planning authorities:
To identify the level, size, type and location of affordable housing needed in their areas, having regard to relevant sub-regional housing market assessments and regional and local housing and community strategies.
In the light of this analysis, to formulate policies for their plans, including an overall target for affordable housing provision.
To ensure that individual proposals for housing development in their areas are consistent with those policies and, where appropriate, make a contribution to the achievement of the target.
Our policy intention remains to ensure that affordable housing, where it is needed, is provided on site, in order to contribute towards mixed and inclusive communities.
Michael Gove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to increase the amount of Housing Corporation funding available to private developers to provide affordable housing. [65063]
Yvette Cooper: Persons other than registered social landlords, including private developers, were eligible to bid for funding from the whole of the Housing Corporation's National Affordable Housing Programme for 2006 to 2008 except for the specialist funding stream. The Housing Corporation is now looking at how best to encourage more bids from developers in future competitions that offer good value for money, high quality and meet assessed needs.
Antisocial Behaviour
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many antisocial behaviour cases involving high hedges there were in (a) Greater London, (b) England and (c) Havering in each of the last seven years. [67110]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Part 8 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, which gives local authorities powers to determine complaints about high hedges, extends to England and Wales only. It came into force in Wales on 31 December 2004 and in England on 1 June 2005.
Caravan Parks (Illegal Residence)
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the number of people illegally residing in tourism caravan parks in each local authority area. [65907]
Yvette Cooper: The Department has not made any assessment regarding the numbers of people living on holiday sites.
Code for Sustainable Homes
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister from what date he intends that new developments built on behalf of public sector commissioners will be required to be constructed to the standards contained in the Code for Sustainable Homes. [66684]
Yvette Cooper:
In the light of an initial analysis of the consultation returns, the Government announced proposals to strengthen the code on 9 March 2006, as well as undertaking further research into future improvements.
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These improvements will be developed over the coming months. As an interim measure all homes with English Partnerships or Housing Corporation funding will meet the new Ecohomes Very Good 2006 standard from 1 April, which is broadly equivalent to the Code Level 3.
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made towards publication of the Code for Sustainable Homes. [66711]
Yvette Cooper: Consultation on the proposed Code for Sustainable Homes ended on 6 March 2006. In light of the consultation responses, the Government announced proposals to strengthen the code on 9 March 2006. This announcement also said that these improvements would be developed over the coming months.
My officials are currently working on developing these improvements; they are also carrying out a detailed analysis of the consultation returns including the costs and benefits of suggested changes to the code, in preparation for the production of a final Regulatory Impact Assessment.
Correspondence
Mr. Malins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will respond in full to the letter from the hon. Member for Woking of 14 March concerning a constituent, Mr. Aroskin. [66950]
Yvette Cooper: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 28 April.
Departmental Advertising
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much his Department paid for the full page advertisement feature in Regeneration and Renewal magazine of 17 March. [62258]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister paid £3,131.00 plus VAT for the full page advertorial in Regeneration and Renewal magazine of 17 March.
Ben Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will announce new guidance on the control of outdoor advertising. [66868]
Yvette Cooper:
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to go out to consultation on new draft regulations and a circular on the control of outdoor advertisements shortly.
2 May 2006 : Column 1504W
Gypsy and Traveller Sites
Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what statutory obligations local authorities are under to provide sites for gypsy and traveller accommodation. [66076]
Yvette Cooper: Local authorities are not under a statutory obligation to provide sites for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation. However, the Housing Act 2004 requires local housing authorities to assess the housing needs of Gypsies And Travellers residing in, or resorting to, their area and prepare strategies to address this need. Circular 01/2006 requires regional planning bodies to specify in regional spatial strategies the number of pitches required in each local planning authority area to address this need, and authorities must allocate land for these pitches in their development plan documents.
Haven Gateway
Mr. Carswell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whatmeetings his Department has had with lobbyists and public affairs consultants acting on behalf of the Haven Gateway Partnership; and if he will make a statement. [64266]
Yvette Cooper: No meetings have taken place between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and lobbyists or public affairs consultants acting on behalf of the Haven Gateway Partnership.
Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have held meetings with the Haven Gateway Partnership regarding their proposals for housing growth as part of their plans to build sustainable communities. These meetings included a consultant working for the Regional Development Agency, but we are not aware of any meetings with lobbyist of public affairs consultants. We have recently received a submission from the Haven Gateway Partnership setting out their case to be awarded New Growth Point status and funding. We are considering this submission along with others that have been received.
Departmental Televisions
Jo Swinson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Minister's private offices and (c) in each office building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department. [62797]
Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has the following number of television sets and television licences:
2 May 2006 : Column 1505W
ODPM also has three Executive agencies: the QEII Conference Centre, which has six televisions for the use of delegates, the Fire Service College, which provides residential training for the fire and rescue service and has 478 televisions in student bedrooms and common rooms, and the Planning Inspectorate, which has no televisions. Both the QEII Conference Centre and the Fire Service College have TV licences.
These figures do not include display units that are used solely for the dissemination of departmental information to staff or TVs associated with video conferencing facilities.
This answer also does not include the buildings occupied by the Government offices, who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.
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