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Devolution
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on progress with plans for regional devolution. [73837]
Yvette Cooper: The Government are committed to devolving and decentralising functions to the English regions and to developing and strengthening the democratic oversight of those functions. They believe a regional approach is necessary to analyse and address the causes of economic disparity; to ensure planning and investment decisions are properly integrated; and to co-ordinate sub-national issues which extend beyond the boundaries of even the largest local authority.
To this end, they created the Greater London Authority and have recently consulted on an extension of the powers of the London Mayor and Assembly.
Respecting the outcome of the November 2004 north east referendum, the Government have continued to support the work of the voluntary regional assemblies which comprise a majority of elected local councillors together with stakeholder representatives drawn from the social, economic and environmental partners. They have given these assemblies responsibility for scrutinising the regional development agencies established to promote economic growth; and as regional planning bodies overseeing the regional spatial strategies. Later this year, as recommended in the 2004 Barker Review of Housing Supply and again following consultation, they will give regional assemblies a new role undertaking the regional housing board function.
In parallel, the Government have strengthened the authority and visibility of the Government offices as a facilitator of partnership working in the regions.
Budget 2006 reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to enabling cities and regions to improve their economic performance, delivering efficiency and devolving decision making.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her policy is on (a) the devolution of power to the regions and (b) the creation of directly-elected regional bodies. [74235]
Yvette Cooper: The Government are committed to devolving and decentralising functions to the English regions and to developing and strengthening the democratic oversight of those functions. It believes a regional approach is necessary to analyse and address the causes of economic disparity; to ensure planning and investment decisions are properly integrated; and to co-ordinate sub-national issues which extend beyond the boundaries of even the largest local authority.
To this end, it created the Greater London authority and has recently consulted on an extension of the powers of the London Mayor and Assembly.
The
Government have continued to support the work of the voluntary regional
assemblies which comprise a majority of elected local councillors
together with stakeholder representatives drawn from the social,
economic and environmental partners. It has given these assemblies
responsibility for scrutinising
the regional development agencies established to promote economic
growth; and as regional planning bodies overseeing the regional spatial
strategies. Later this year, as recommended in the 2004 Barker review
of housing supply and again following consultation, it will give
regional assemblies a new role undertaking the regional housing board
function.
In parallel, the Government have strengthened the authority and visibility of the Government offices as a facilitator of partnership working in the regions.
Budget 2006 reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to enabling cities and regions to improve their economic performance, delivering efficiency and devolving decision making.
Respecting the outcome of the November 2004 North East referendum on the creation of an elected regional assembly, the Government have no current plans for the creation of directly-elected regional bodies.
Empty Properties
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which the (a) best and (b) worst performing councils in England are with regard to tackling empty private sector properties in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what Luton borough council's performance was in that period. [76712]
Yvette Cooper: Local authorities are required by law to report on a set of national performance indicators and standards set by Government. Best Value Performance Indicator 64 measures the number of private sector dwellings that are returned to occupation or demolished each year as a direct result of action by the local authority. Information, comprising local authorities' returns for Best Value Performance Indicator 64 for 2004-05 has been placed in the Libraries of the house. In the period 2004-05, the number of empty properties brought back into use or demolished by Luton council was 11. However, the variance in the overall size of the private sector housing stock, and the proportion of these houses which can be defined as empty, will differ between each local authority area and therefore, the indicator is not a straightforward reflection of individual councils' performance.
EU Directive 2002/91/EC
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2006, Official Report, column 751W, on EU Directive 2002/91/EC, what the timetable is for the implementation of Articles 7 to 10; and what the deadline is for implementation under the directive. [78249]
Yvette
Cooper: I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the
statement made to this house on14 June about implementation of
the EU energy performance of buildings directive. The directive allows
an additional period of three years to apply fully
the requirements for energy certificates and plant inspections meaning
the deadline for implementation of Articles 7 to 10 is 4 January
2009.
Fire Safety
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many faulty (a) fire extinguishers and (b) smoke alarms were identified in schools in the last 12 months. [79591]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Firefighters
Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many uniformed firefighters insured under the Group Life Assurance Scheme were (a) subject to a health examination at retirement and (b) subsequently excluded from the scheme on the basis of failing health in the last five years for which full data are available. [77568]
Angela E. Smith: The Department does not operate any group life assurance schemes for firefighters and information is not available centrally about schemes administered by fire and rescue authorities.
Fires (Education Premises)
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of fires in (a) schools, (b) higher education institutions and (c) further education colleges in the last 10 years were set deliberately. [79592]
Angela E. Smith: The available information is for fires in schools and further education establishments attended by fire and rescue services and reported to the Department on the FDR1 return.
| England: Deliberately set fires in educational establishments attended by fire and rescue services, 1995-2004 | ||
| Percentage of school fires set deliberately | Percentage of further education establishment fires set deliberately | |
| Source:
Fire and Rescue Service returns to DCLG. Excludes any fires in November
2002 and January to February 2003 strike
periods. | ||
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many emergency fire service call-outs were made to schools in each of the last 10 years. [79601]
Angela E. Smith: The available information is for fires in schools attended by fire and rescue services and reported to the Department on the FDR1 return.
| England: Primary fires in schools attended by fire and rescue services, 1995-2004 | |
| Number | |
| Source:
Fire and Rescue Service returns to DCLG. Excludes any fires in November
2002 and January to February 2003 strike
periods. | |
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of emergency fire service call-outs made to schools in each year of the last 10 years were on the basis of a fraudulent call. [79602]
Angela E. Smith: The information requested is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fires there were in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (i) region and (ii) local education authority. [79603]
Angela E. Smith: The available information is for fires in schools attended by fire and rescue services and reported to the Department on the FDR1 return. These are broken down by region and fire and rescue service area.
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