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27 Nov 2006 : Column 336W—continued
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many persons were rescued alive from fires in dwellings by the fire service in each year since 1994. [R] [103281]
Angela E. Smith: The available information is set out as follows:
| Number of persons rescued alive from fires in dwellings: England | |
| Rescues | |
| (1) Figures include estimates for incidents not recorded during periods of industrial action (2 )Provisional data Source: FDR1 returns from fire and rescue services to the Department for Communities and Local Government | |
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) aircraft accidents were attended by the fire service and (b) people were rescued alive from aircraft accidents by the fire service in each year since 1994. [103282]
Angela E. Smith: The available information covers the number of aircraft accidents attended by fire and rescue services, details of any associated rescues are not held centrally.
| Number of aircraft accidents attended by fire and rescue services in England | |
| Number | |
| Source: Fire and rescue service returns to the Department for Communities and Local Government | |
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) railway accidents were attended by the fire service and (b) people were rescued alive from railway accidents by the fire service in each year since 1994. [R] [103283]
Angela E. Smith: The available information covers the number of railway accidents (above and below ground) attended by fire and rescue services, details of any associated rescues are not held centrally.
| Number of railway incidents attended by fire and rescue services in England | |
| Number | |
| Source: Fire and rescue service returns to the Department for Communities and Local Government | |
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many lift rescues were carried out by the fire service in each year since 1994. [103284]
Angela E. Smith: The number of lift release incidents attended by fire and rescue services in England is set out as follows:
| Number of incidents | |
| Source: Fire and rescue service returns to Department for Communities and Local Government | |
Free Travel Scheme
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make good the shortfall in council tax revenues to local authorities in implementing the free travel scheme for the elderly. [102729]
Mr. Woolas [holding answer 23 November 2006]: The Government have provided an extra £350 million in formula grant for concessionary bus fares for pensioners and disabled people in 2006-07. Decisions on the use of that money are for local authorities.
Government Offices
Mr. Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost of running the Government Office for the South West was in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what work it has (a) undertaken and (b) completed in the Bournemouth area. [103171]
Angela E. Smith: For 2005-06 the Government Office for the South West (GOSW) running cost was £14.823 million. For 2006-07, it is forecast to be £14.717 million. GOSW's work is set out in its annual forward look—“What's GOSW Doing? 2006-07” and in its annual review for 2005-06, available on the website www.gosw.gov.uk
In Bournemouth the key priority this year is the development of a local area agreement, which should be finalised by March 2007. GOSW has worked with local partners on applying lessons from the Neighbourhood Management pathfinder in Boscombe and Springbourne to tackle deprivation across the borough; worked in partnership with the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership to invest (£534,274 in 2005-06, £436,541 for 2006-07) in measures to reduce crime, reassure the public and reduce the harm caused by illegal drugs. GOSW assessed the joint Local Transport Plan 2006 to 2011 and (2000 to 2005) delivery report which will inform transport funding decisions later this year. GOSW has also worked with the borough on delivery of the decent homes target, developing a housing market assessment and has shared good practice on homelessness.
Local Government Finance
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) powers and (b) duties local authorities have to control urban taxes. [106033]
Mr. Woolas: There are no specifically urban taxes.
Lyons Review
Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many jobs in her Department have been relocated (a) to Liverpool and (b) elsewhere as a result of the Lyons Review; and how many occasions Liverpool has been considered for the relocation of staff under this programme. [102947]
Mr. Woolas: Communities and Local Government has committed to relocate 240 posts, from the Department and its non-department public bodies, out of London and the south east by 2010 as a result of the Lyons Review.
(a) No posts from the Department have been relocated to Liverpool.
(b) As stated in the Department's 2006 annual report 93 posts were relocated by March 2006, to areas such as Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, and Bristol. A further update will be provided in the Department's autumn performance report.
By the end of March 2006, the Department had relocated 11 posts as a result of the Lyons Review. Of these posts, none went to Liverpool (10 went to Manchester and one went to Wolverhampton). A further update will be provided in my Department's autumn performance report. We do not keep a record of how many occasions Liverpool has been considered for the relocation of staff.
Rate Relief
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in what circumstances rural public houses may apply for rate relief; what the current level of take-up is of (a) mandatory relief and (b) discretionary relief and what proportion of eligible public houses this represents in each case. [102983]
Mr. Woolas: The rural rate relief scheme provides for mandatory rate relief of 50 per cent. of the rates bill to sole public houses with rateable values of no more than £9,000 provided they are located in rural settlements designated by the Secretary of State as a rural area by reference to maps or appear in local authorities' rural settlement lists. Local authorities also have a discretionary power to top-up the relief to 100 per cent. rate relief if they feel it is in the interests of the local community to do so.
Information on the take-up of the rural rate relief for public houses and the number of eligible public houses is not available centrally. On the basis of returns completed by local authorities before the start of the current financial year, an estimated £5,905,947 is expected to be paid out in mandatory rate relief for village shops (including public houses) and £2,029,737 is expected to be paid out in discretionary relief to village shops.
Mrs. Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has plans to (a) increase mandatory rate relief for rural public houses above 50 per cent. and (b) extend rate relief to urban community public houses. [102984]
Mr. Woolas: There are no plans to increase mandatory rate relief above 50 per cent. or to extend rate relief to public houses beyond qualifying rural settlements.
Regional Government
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding her Department gave to (a) regional
government offices, (b) regional development agencies and (c) regional assemblies in 2005-06. [103609]
Mr. Woolas: The following table sets out the level of funding which the Department for Communities and Local Government expects to provide to the relevant bodies in the financial year 2006-07.
| £ million | |
Retirement Age
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have mandatory retirement ages. [102390]
Mr. Woolas: Local authorities are responsible for their own employment practices. Since 1 October 2006 all local authorities have been required to comply with age discrimination legislation, under which an employer may set a retirement age normally no earlier than age 65.
The Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales has a normal retirement age, against which pensions are calculated and become payable, of 65 years. Where a member remains employed by his authority beyond age 65, payment of pension will be delayed and accrued pension rights can be actuarially enhanced. A member who chooses to cease employment earlier than age 65 can elect to draw his pension at any time after reaching age 60, or after reaching age 50 if his employer consents. The pension would normally be subject to actuarial reduction in these circumstances. There are also flexible retirement arrangements which allow employees, after reaching age 50, to draw pension subject to the consent of their employer, where they have agreed a change to their contractual conditions which results in a reduction of pay. Local authorities are required to have a policy dealing with the circumstances in which they may allow early release of pension.
Small Business Friendly Concordat
Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether the Small Business Friendly Concordat is planned to be made a compulsory agreement; and if she will make a statement; [102541]
(2) what percentage of authorities has signed up to the Small Business Friendly Concordat voluntarily; and if she will make a statement; [102542]
(3) when her Department plans to hold the first evaluation of local authority procurement under the Small Business Friendly Concordat; and if she will make a statement; [102543]
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