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25 May 2006 : Column 2064W—continued
Property Market
Michael Gove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the reasons for the failure of property transactions in the residential market; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the failure to complete transactions after an offer was accepted. [64961]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
The Department’s 1998 research study, “Key research on easier home buying and selling”, reported that 28 per cent. of transactions fail between offer acceptance and completion. The research study also described the reasons why transactions fail, according to buyers and sellers. For example, the report indicated that 43 per cent. of transaction failures were attributable to an unfavourable survey report. The remaining or failed transactions were due to a seller deciding to sell elsewhere, unacceptable delays, chain breakdown and the property being taken off the market. The key findings of the research study indicated that many of the problems associated with the current system are down to information emerging later in the process and that buyers, sellers and the professionals all agreed that sellers should offer more information up front. This research will be updated during the second half of 2006.
Regional Administration
Mr. Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the annual income has been of each of the regional chambers in each year since their creation; [64955]
(2) what the annual expenditure has been of each of the regional chambers in each year since their creation; [64956]
(3) if he will list the (a) sources of income and (b) percentage of income derived from each source for each of the regional chambers for each year since their creation. [64958]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
Regional assemblies are independent bodies that may obtain funding support from a number of sources including local authorities and other regional bodies. Since 2001 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has also paid grant to assemblies in support of their scrutiny, planning regional activities. Details of ODPM grant made is as follows:
| £ | |
Details of total income and expenditure for assemblies is not kept centrally, but can be obtained from assemblies annual accounts, copies of which are available on individual assembly websites.
Regional Funding
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the (a) timetable and (b) purpose is of regional funding allocations; and if he will make a statement. [66263]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
The purpose of regional funding allocations (RFAs) is to enable regions better to align their strategies across the inter-related areas of transport, housing and economic development and to provide them with enhanced input into government policy development and future public spending decisions.
Advice on priorities within indicative RFAs was invited by the end of January 2006. The Government provided an initial response to the advice in the 2006 Budget. The Government are now considering the advice provided by the regions and will set out in due course how it will be utilised and developed in the comprehensive spending review.
Residence Change
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the percentage of the UK population that changed residence in the last year for which figures are available. [66037]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
Using results from the Survey of English Housing for 2004-05, it is estimated that 11 per cent. of the population of England had changed residence within the preceding 12 months.
Shared Ownership/Key Worker Schemes
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what figures the Government collects in relation to participation in shared ownership and key worker schemes funded by (a) central Government and (b) the Housing Corporation. [66268]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
The Government collect data on the number and type of completed sales through shared ownership and key worker schemes funded by the Housing Corporation. Information is also collected on the market value of the property involved, the initial equity stake purchased, the amount of mortgage, the deposit provided and where appropriate, the rent and service charges payable. In addition, data are collected on the previous housing tenure and household characteristics of purchasers, including their gross and net income and savings. The same information has been collected for a small number of sales to key workers who purchased through the previous Starter Home Initiative, which was funded by central government.
From 1 April 2006, HomeBuy Agents, who are appointed housing associations providing a “one-stop-shop” and point of contact for affordable housing options in a given area in England, will additionally supply information on expressions of interest from potential applicants and the number of applications received for HomeBuy schemes. The level of detail will vary depending on the individual scheme but figures on the progress of sales for all grant-funded Open Market HomeBuy schemes will be provided.
Sustainable Communities Plan
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether water companies were consulted on the Sustainable Communities Plan. [60198]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
The Sustainable Communities Plan sets out the Government’s vision for thriving communities. Water companies have been involved in various aspects of the Plan’s implementation including being part of the regional planning process and planning for growth areas. In addition, Baroness Andrews met the water companies, the Environment Agency and OFWAT on 7 March this year at a seminar organised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister at which these issues were discussed.
Trees
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on tree preservation orders in (a) Romford, (b) Havering and (c) Greater London in each of the past eight years. [67028]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Unauthorised Camps
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) terms of reference and (b) membership are of her Department’s task group on the enforcement of the law on unauthorised camps. [70921]
Yvette Cooper: The first meeting of the Department’s task group on enforcement in relation to Gypsies and Travellers took place today and I am pleased to announce that the group is being chaired by Sir Brian Briscoe.
a) The group will examine variations in the use of enforcement powers across the country and the causes of such variations, and take evidence as necessary. The group will also ensure that existing powers are used effectively, underlining the importance of adequate site provision as the key to effective enforcement. They will also act as a sounding board on potential new measures to strengthen enforcement powers.
b) The group consists of representatives of the local government association, the commission for racial equality, the association of chief police officers, the Home Office, the environment agency, the Royal town planning institute, the planning officers’ society and the Department’s Gypsy and Traveller unit.
Urban Regeneration
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what funding his Department allocated for urban
regeneration in (a) Romford, (b) Havering and (c) Greater London in each of the last 10 years. [67111]
Mr. Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
My Department now primarily funds urban regeneration in London through the London Development Agency, which was established in 2000 as a functional body of the Mayor of London. The LDA is free to determine its own expenditure priorities, and the table below shows its yearly expenditure in the borough of Havering and Greater London. No figures are available below borough level.
| £ million | ||
| Havering | Greater London | |
My Department’s Thames Gateway programme has also committed a further £12.1 million funding direct to regeneration projects in the borough of Havering since 2004. This includes £220,000 and £634,000 in 2004-05 and 2005-06 respectively, with a further £11.25 million allocated but not yet spent.
In addition, the Government office for London has allocated £154 million from the European Regional Development Fund in selected London boroughs from 1997 to the present. Romford and Havering are not within the eligible area for ERDF funding.
Wind Turbines
Robert Key: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether it is his policy to include small wind turbines on domestic property as permitted development; and if he will make a statement. [66974]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
The Government want to make it easier for householders to adopt alternative energy technologies including wind turbines by removing any regulatory barriers that impose unnecessary costs or delays to householders wanting to install them.
The planning system also needs to take account of the amenity of neighbours and the wider community. We are therefore now examining how to amend the permitted development rights for householders to install all categories of microgeneration equipment, in a way that will help promote the technologies while safeguarding amenity.
We shall be reporting to Parliament with proposals as we have committed to do under the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill.
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