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6 July 2006 : Column 1316W—continued
Polytunnels
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to introduce legislation to control the use of polytunnels in (a) rural areas and (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty. [81510]
Yvette Cooper: The Government have no plans to introduce any new legislation to control the use of polytunnels. The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides controls on the development and use of land in all areas of the country. Whether the erection or use of any particular polytunnel is deemed to constitute ‘development’ under the Act will depend on the facts of each case, taking account of such matters as the scale, manner of construction and extent and nature of fixation of the polytunnel. Ultimately, this is a matter for the courts to determine.
Supported Housing Schemes
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government are taking to increase the number of supported housing schemes for people with learning disabilities. [82412]
Yvette Cooper: Through the Housing Corporation’s Affordable Housing Programme, the Government fund a range of sheltered and supported accommodation accessible by people with learning difficulties, while the Corporation’s HomeBuy scheme can help people with disabilities into sustainable home ownership.
A Government objective, laid out in the White Paper “Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century”, is to enable people with learning disabilities and their families to have greater choice and control over where, and how they live. Through the Supporting People programme, the Government enable provision of a wide variety of services which help people with learning difficulties to live independently; some of which are sheltered or supported housing schemes, while others are ‘floating’ schemes which allow people the choice of receiving support in their own home.
Town Centre Redevelopment
Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assistance the Government are providing to local councils to redevelop town centres. [82410]
Yvette Cooper: Since 1997, the Government have put in place a range of policy initiatives and measures to assist local authorities to deliver an urban renaissance, including the re-development of town and city centres.
The Urban White Paper “Our Towns and Cities: the Future” published in 2000 identified a range of measures (policies, programmes and tax incentives) to foster and support an urban regeneration, including city centre renewal.
Over £2 billion in funds is provided annually to England’s nine regional development agencies (RDAs) to promote regional economic growth and urban regeneration, including support for city centre renaissance. English Partnerships (EP), the national regeneration agency, has a direct role in fostering urban renaissance. Together with the RDAs, EP has helped set up 21 urban regeneration companies, in partnership with local authorities, to drive forward regeneration projects many of them targeted on city centre re-development.
National economic stability has provided a solid foundation for local economic strategies and public-private partnerships which have attracted huge investment into city centre initiatives. Major public investment in civic squares, parks, open spaces, parks and river frontages has also attracted private investors to commit funds to major city centre schemes.
Through the Government’s Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres (March 2005), assistance is given to local authorities and stakeholders on how to plan proactively for the redevelopment of town centres. It advises on how the Government’s key objective, to promote the vitality and viability of town centres, should be taken into account in producing statutory development plans, and determining planning applications for town centre uses, such as retail, leisure and office development.
Also in March 2005, the Government published the “How to Manage Town Centres” guide, to assist local councils and other stakeholders in applying the powers and tools available for tackling priority issues, particularly those related to making town centres safer and cleaner. The guide includes examples of innovative approaches for using them and examples of good practice, and outlines the importance of pooling and sharing local information, responsive and pro-active local leadership, developing town centre strategies which are linked to local planning, crime and disorder reduction, licensing and transport strategies, and partnership working.
Minister for Women and Equality
Ministerial Salaries
22. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether she receives a full ministerial salary. [82789]
Flexible Working
23. Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what information the Government make available to women on their right to flexible working hours. [82790]
Meg Munn:
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) and the direct.gov website provide guidance for employees (men and women) on the right
to request flexible working. The direct.gov website has three interactive tools which help employees make applications to work flexibly. ACAS provide leaflets and also operate a helpline, answering queries from both employees and employers on employment matters including flexible working.
Homophobia (Schools)
24. Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government plan to take to tackle homophobia in schools. [82791]
Meg Munn: We propose to introduce regulations under the Equality Act 2006 later this year that will make sexual orientation discrimination unlawful in schools. These measures will be backed by guidance for schools on how to tackle such discrimination and will complement existing, and new guidance on tackling homophobic bullying planned for next year.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
25. Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality when the Government expect to announce the name of the Chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. [82792]
Meg Munn: We hope to announce the Chair of the new Commission in summer this year, with an announcement of Commissioners and Chief Executive to follow in late autumn.
Prime Minister
Special Envoy
Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the countries visited by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean since her appointment as his special envoy; and what the (a) date and (b) purpose was of each visit. [81019]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 June 2006, Official Report, column 1614-15W. Baroness Symons has also visited Algeria twice in her capacity as Special Representative for Memoranda of Understanding towards the end of 2005.
Baroness Symons has now ceased her role as Special Representative for Memoranda of Understanding, and as Representative for the Two Kingdoms Dialogue.
Home Department
Animal Procedures Committee
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Animal Procedures Committee have (a) a background and (b) expertise in animal welfare; and what the selection criteria are to become a member of the Committee. [82675]
Joan Ryan:
The Animal Procedures Committee (APC) is an independent body set up under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to advise the
Home Secretary and the Department of Health, Social Security and Public Safety Northern Ireland Minister on matters concerned with the 1986 Act and their functions under it.
Excluding the chairman, there must be a minimum of 12 members, one must be a lawyer and at least two thirds must be medical practitioners, veterinary surgeons or have qualifications or experience in a biological subject. At least half of the members must not have held a licence to carry out procedures on animals within the last six years and animal welfare interests must be adequately represented. The Act places certain restrictions on the balance of interests and competences to be represented and also limits the maximum term of membership to two consecutive terms of four years.
There are currently 19 members of the Committee (including the chairman). Seven have a background and expertise in animal welfare. However, all members of the committee share a common concern for the welfare of the animals used in scientific procedures, and, under section 20(2) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, in considering any matter must have regard both to the legitimate requirements of science and industry and to the protection of animals against avoidable suffering and unnecessary use.
All appointments are made jointly with the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland (DHSSPSNI). Members are selected on personal merit, and not as nominees, delegates or representatives of any organisations or pressure groups. The posts are unpaid. Nevertheless, every effort is made to ensure that the Nolan principles are applied and to that end we entrust the management of the process to the Appointments Commission. All appointments to the Animal Procedures Committee are announced publicly.
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many antisocial behaviour orders have been issued in Humberside Police Authority area in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [82532]
Mr. McNulty: Humberside Police Authority area is coterminous with the Humberside Criminal Justice System (CJS) area. A table giving annual data, up to 30 September 2005 (latest available), broken down by CJS area is available on the Crime Reduction website at www.crimereduction.gov.uk.
Bail Hostels
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2006, Official Report, column 271W, on bail hostels, how many sex offenders were resident at the bail hostel in Wesleyan Road, Peterborough on 31 May 2006; and if he will make a statement. [82006]
Mr. Sutcliffe
[holding answer 4 July 2006]: The number of sex offenders accommodated in any
approved premises, (formerly bail and probation hostels) will vary at any one time. Statistical information about the type of offences committed by offenders residing at an approved premises at any one time is not collected centrally.
Crime Statistics (Suffolk)
Mr. Spring:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who reside in
Suffolk were prosecuted under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since it was enacted. [82109]
Mr. Sutcliffe: Information from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, in the Suffolk police force area from 1992 to 2004 is in the following table Figures for 2005 will be available in the autumn of 2006.
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