Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 12 October 2006
Communities and Local Government
Antisocial Behaviour
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what measures are being taken to tackle tenants who are involved in antisocial behaviour and who live in housing association or public sector housing; and if she will make a statement. [92373]
Yvette Cooper: The Department launched the Respect Standard for Housing Management in August 2006. This is a voluntary standard aimed at all social landlords and establishes a blueprint for tackling antisocial behaviour effectively through action on prevention, support and enforcement.
The Standard builds on the successes of a large number of landlords over the past few years. Use of the new tools and powers we have provided landlords with are increasing (including antisocial behaviour injunctions and demotion).
We have made it mandatory for all social landlords to have published Policies and Procedures in place for tackling antisocial behaviour. We work closely with the Home Office to promote best practice and support housing practitioners in adopting these approaches in their local context.
Departmental Childcare Facilities
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) which of her Department’s premises have childcare facilities on site; [89521]
(2) what childcare (a) provision and (b) assistance is available to her Department's staff. [89526]
Angela E. Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government provides vouchers for staff with caring responsibilities for children aged 15 and under (16 if they are covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) to use towards the cost of childcare with Ofsted registered childcare providers.
In addition there are onsite nursery facilities for staff at the Fire Service College agency, and there are offsite facilities available for staff in the Planning Inspectorate agency.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of staff in (a) her Department and (b) each of the agencies for which she has responsibility is recorded as disabled. [92188]
Angela E. Smith: The available figures for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), and its agencies relate to the figures for staff from the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which provided the majority of staff now working in DCLG.
These figures are based solely on voluntary declaration of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act and not connected in any way to a formal register of disability. The figures are as follows:
| Percentage | |
Deposits for Accommodation
Mr. David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proposals her Department has for limiting security deposits payable by tenants in (a) private and (b) public sector residential accommodation. [92310]
Yvette Cooper: With regard to tenancy deposits in the private rented sector, from 6 April 2007, any deposit paid in relation to an assured shorthold tenancy must be protected under the provisions of the Housing Act 2004. That will also include deposits paid by local authorities which operate rent deposit schemes. The setting of deposits will remain a matter for landlords/agents to determine.
There will be two types of statutory tenancy deposit scheme: a single custodial scheme (where deposits will be paid into and held in a separate account); and one or more insurance-based schemes (where the landlord or agent will hold the deposit and any failure on his/her part to repay it to the tenant will be covered by the scheme's insurance arrangements). Each scheme will be supported by an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) service. Suppliers bidding to run their schemes have submitted their Best and Final Offers to the Department. Contracts are expected to be awarded in October/November.
Security deposits are not payable by tenants in the Registered Social Landlord or Local Authority sectors.
Deputy Prime Minister
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of her Department's staff are on secondment to the Deputy Prime Minister; and what the function of each is. [90386]
Angela E. Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 9 October 2006, Official Report, column 72W.
Energy Performance Certificates
Michael Gove:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans the
Government have to allow qualified individuals, other than qualified home inspectors, to produce energy performance certificates. [90507]
Yvette Cooper: DCLG is working with the appropriate Sector Skills councils to develop a comprehensive National Occupational Standard to provide a framework for qualification for energy inspection more generally. As part of this a standalone qualification will become available, early in the new year. This will be achievable by those undergoing Home Inspector training who have completed the appropriate parts of their training, as well as by other individuals who complete appropriate training through other routes.
Equality Act
Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what actions are being taken under Schedule 1, Part 1, Section 2 of the Equality Act 2006 to ensure that experience and knowledge of issues relating to non-religious belief are being addressed in the appointment of Commissioners. [92410]
Meg Munn: The Equality Act requires the Secretary of State to have regard to the desirability of the Commissioners together having experience and knowledge relating to the relevant matters. However, this does not imply that there will be strand-specific Commissioners and it is right that the CEHR adopt a cross-strand approach to meet the needs of 21(st) century society.
The advertisement made specific mention of belief to encourage applications from candidates with expertise in belief as distinct from religion. The criteria for these posts also included the following criterion, which I consider relevant to the hon. Gentleman’s question:
“[Having] A demonstrable commitment to, and understanding of, the wider context of the equalities, human rights, good relations agendas and an understanding of the communities CEHR will champion and the issues they face”.
The process, therefore, is designed to encourage applications from the widest range of candidates possible. This, together with the staff and resources that will be made available to it, will enable the CEHR to promote equality of opportunity and to work towards the elimination of unlawful discrimination on behalf of all those issues covered by the equality legislation, including belief.
Green Goddesses
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the age is of the (a) oldest and (b) newest Green Goddess emergency fire appliance. [93265]
Mr. Woolas: Records were not kept specifically on the age of the Green Goddess fleet of emergency fire appliances, but it is estimated that the oldest Green Goddess in our possession was manufactured in 1954 and the newest in 1956.
Home Condition Reports
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library an electronic copy of the proposed XML Schema for (a) the Register of Home Condition Reports and (b) the electronic transfer of data in relation to home information packs. [83077]
Yvette Cooper: The proposed XML Schema for the Register of Home Condition Reports is part of DCLG standards and is available at:
http://groups.homepackproject.org.uk/inovem.ti/hip_hics/view?objectId=190128
XML Schema relating to the electronic transfer of data in relation to home information packs is the intellectual property of PICES and the Government have no control over it. The XML Schema is only available on a confidential basis to the members of PICES.
Home Information Packs
Michael Gove: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which consumer associations have made representations to the Department in favour of the introduction of home information packs. [65065]
Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
Which? has made many representations to the Department supporting HIPs over several years. They have also made representations against the 18 July 2006 announcement on Home Condition Reports.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2006 to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, Official Report, column 1656W, on home information packs, what estimate she has made of the number of properties which will remain on the market for more than six months. [76052]
Yvette Cooper: Research is in progress which will provide information on the time that homes currently remain on the market. We will examine as part of the dry-run the potential for speeding up the process as well as the costs of any necessary refreshment of pack documents.
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 5 May 2006, Official Report, column 204W, on home information packs, if she will list the organisations representing consumers who are strongly in favour of home information packs. [77671]
Yvette Cooper: Which? has made many representations to the Department supporting HIPs over several years. They have also made representations against the 18 July 2006 announcement on home condition reports.
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2006, Official Report, column 1657W, on home information pack, if she will place in
the Library a copy of the representation from the Valuation Office Agency made to her Department in relation to the database of home condition reports; and on what date the representation was made by the Agency. [78242]
Yvette Cooper: Representation on the home condition report register was made by the Valuation Office Agency on 11 August 2005. The information was provided in confidence as it relates to potential developments in the Agency’s business in which decisions have yet to be taken. Disclosure would therefore be inappropriate.
The Valuation Office Agency will not have access to a home condition report register: this will be limited to buyers, sellers, their advisers and mortgage lenders and those monitoring the performance and quality of the reports.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will reply to questions (a) 76033, (b) 76052, (c) 75419, (d) 75412, (e) 76068 and (f) 76086, on home information packs. [80839]
Yvette Cooper: I have now replied to the hon. Member’s questions.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the average price to be charged for making and sending a paper copy of a Home Information Pack under Section 156 of the Housing Act 2004. [83024]
Yvette Cooper: Section 156 of the Housing Act allows the seller or his agent to make a reasonable charge to cover the costs incurred in making and sending a paper copy of the Home Information Pack (HIP): they cannot charge for providing electronic copies of the Pack. We understand from the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) that HIP providers are not expected to charge for the provision of paper packs to genuine potential buyers.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the impact of her decision to make home condition reports voluntary on the number of home inspectors (a) entering and (b) finishing training. [90308]
Yvette Cooper: Some inspectors have withdrawn from courses since the statement on 18 July, although others have joined courses since then. The most recent reasonably complete figures are for July when returns from the 9 out of 11 assessment centres indicated that the number of Home Inspector candidates who entered training during July was 480. During the same month 318 trainee Home Inspectors formally withdrew from their courses.
Michael Gove:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether (a) an energy performance certificate and (b) a home
information pack is required for the private sale of a home between two individuals. [90310]
Yvette Cooper: EU Directive 2002/9I/EC, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, requires member states to introduce measures that require energy performance certificates to be made available when buildings are constructed, sold or rented out. Private sales between two individuals are not excluded from the scope of the directive.
The Housing Act 2004 provides that a Home Information Pack may be required when a residential property is marketed for sale “to the public or a section of the public”. A private sale between individuals is unlikely to involve marketing to a “section of the public” and a Home Information Pack would therefore not be required in these cases.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what qualifications are needed to inspect a property to produce an energy performance certificate for a home information pack. [90389]
Yvette Cooper: The qualification that currently exists is the Home Inspector qualification. DCLG is working with the appropriate Sector Skills councils to develop a comprehensive National Occupational Standard to provide a framework for qualification for energy inspection more generally. As part of this a standalone qualification will become available in the new year. This will be achievable by those undergoing Home Inspector training who have completed the appropriate parts of their training, as well as by other individuals who complete appropriate training through other routes.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written statement of 18 July 2006, Official Report, columns 11-13WS, on Home Information Packs, what assessment she has made of the effect of her announcement on the number of individuals who will become home inspectors. [90485]
Yvette Cooper: Some inspectors have withdrawn from courses since the statement on 18 July, although others have joined courses since then. We also expect that some of those currently in training will wish to transfer to the new Domestic Energy Assessor course once it becomes available in February of next year. The most recent reasonably complete figures are for July when returns from the nine out of 11 assessment centres indicated that the number of Home Inspector candidates who entered training during July was 480. During the same month 318 trainee Home Inspectors formally withdrew from their courses.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her latest estimate is of the number of qualified home inspectors. [90506]
Yvette Cooper: Latest figures indicate that 470 Home Inspectors have completed their training, of whom 177 have been issued with their certificate.
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