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13 July 2006 : Column 1958W—continued
Cambridge Water
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to review the criteria by which Ofwat (a) reviews and (b) penalises the performance of water companies. [84287]
Ian Pearson: The powers of Ofwat were reviewed as part of the Water Act 2003. There are no proposals for further changes at present.
Water Desalination Plants
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many water desalination plants are (a) in operation, (b) under construction and (c) planned; what the location is of each; and which company is involved in each case. [84054]
Ian Pearson: The water companies’ proposals for resource developments, including proposed desalination plants, were set out in their 25 year water resources plans, prepared in 2004. The Environment Agency reported on the appropriateness of those plans in ‘Maintaining Water Supply’, which is available from its website:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterres/981441/837307/?version=1&lang=_e
Currently, no water company has a desalination plant in operation. South East Water has been testing a pilot plant at Newhaven, although no water from this pilot project has gone into supply. The company is preparing the documentation to support a planning
application for a plant at this site. Thames Water is appealing against the refusal of planning permission for a plant at Beckton in the Thames estuary. The company’s water resources plan also identifies provision for a second plant in the 2020s. Folkestone and Dover Water plans a small desalination plant at Hythe in 2019 and Southern Water proposes the development of a desalination plant in the 2020s.
Water Services
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many customers were in receipt of the vulnerable groups tariff for each water company over the last three years for which figures are available. [84056]
Ian Pearson: Each year, Ofwat collects information from companies on the number of households applying for, and successfully receiving, assistance offered under the vulnerable groups regulations.
The following table sets out the numbers for 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05.
| Total number of applications | Total number of successful applications | |||||
Treasury
Affordable Housing
16. Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on implementation of the recommendations of the Barker review on affordable housing. [84777]
John Healey: Good progress has been made on implementing the recommendations contained in the Barker Review of Housing Supply.
The Government set out, in the last pre-Budget report, an ambitious agenda to raise the level of house-building to 200,000 new homes a year over the next decade, making housing more affordable.
So far we have succeeded in driving up housing supply, with new house building in England reaching 160,000 in 2005, the highest level since 1990.
We have set out major reforms to encourage housing growth including a new Planning Policy Statement for Housing to bring forward more land in response to demand, and a planning gain supplement to help fund infrastructure to support growth.
Economic Growth
17. James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with his G8 colleagues regarding prospects for global economic growth. [84778]
Ed Balls: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mr. Crabb) on the Floor of the House earlier today.
Stamp Duty
18. Rob Marris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forecasts he has made of stamp duty receipts from sales of residential property during the periods between 1 June 2006 and 31 December 2006 and 1 June 2007 and 31 December 2007. [84779]
Ed Balls: Forecasts of yield are made at Budget time on a fiscal year basis. The forecast is published in table C8 which aggregates stamp duty on property with that on shares.
A retrospective analysis of yield from residential and commercial stamp duty land tax (stamp duty on property) is published in the autumn.
23. Mr. Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of stamp duty on residential property sales. [84785]
Ed Balls: All taxes are kept under review and announcements are made in the Budget.
Mr. Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2006, Official Report, column 95W, on stamp duty (1) how much was raised in stamp duty from home sales in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) London, (c) Southend and (d) Wales in 2005-06; [83692]
(2) how much was raised in stamp duty from home sales in (a) each local authority area, (b) the United Kingdom, (c) London, (d) Scotland and (e) Wales in the nearest year to 1997-98 for which figures are available. [83696]
Ed Balls: Estimates of stamp duty raised from home sales in 1997-98 in the United Kingdom, London, Scotland and Northern Ireland (combined) and Wales are available at:
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