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7 Feb 2007 : Column 956W—continued
Planning Delivery Grant
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total expenditure on Planning Delivery Grant was in each year since its creation; and what expenditure is forecast in future years. [111987]
Yvette Cooper: The Planning Delivery Grant (PDG) was introduced in 2003-04, as part of the spending review settlement and was designed to reward local planning authorities (LPAs) across the country on a variety of different performance criteria to enable them to improve all aspects of the service they provide.
The total expenditure on PDG in 2003-04 was £50 million followed by £130 million in 2004-05, £170 million in 2005-06 and £135 million in 2006-07. A further £120 million will be allocated for the 2007-08 grant period resulting in a total expenditure of £605 million. Communities and Local Government consulted on a new grant to follow PDG: the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant (HPDG). Representations are currently being considered and potential future expenditure is being considered as part of the current spending review.
Public Bodies
Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether consideration has been given to a merger of English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation and Development Agencies. [117611]
Yvette Cooper: The planned agency, Communities England, will combine English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation and key delivery functions from the Department.
The Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration is currently looking at how to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of sub-national structures in England, including governance, incentives and powers, in order to strengthen economic growth and deliver regeneration and neighbourhood renewal.
Rough Sleepers
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of people sleeping rough in (a) Northamptonshire, (b) Wellingborough and (c) England in each of the last five years; and what projection she has made of the numbers in 2007. [110911]
Yvette Cooper: The Government have published an estimate of the number of rough sleepers in England each year since 1998, based on the returns and counts by local authorities. At that time the Prime Minister introduced a target to achieve a two thirds reduction in the numbers of those sleeping rough by 2002 from 1,850. The target was achieved in 2001 and is being sustained. The following table shows the historical data for Wellingborough, Northamptonshire and England based on the submissions by local authorities.
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
The Government make no projection of numbers sleeping rough. Local authorities submit the outcome of a count, or their estimate, in their Housing Strategy and Statistical Appendix each year. It is these local authority figures that are published each September in the national rough sleeping estimate.
Section 106 Agreements
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was raised for community infrastructure projects by section 106 agreements in each local authority in the last period for which figures are available; and what percentage of total capital projects this represented in each such authority. [118202]
Yvette Cooper
[holding answer 2 February 2007]: Information on individual section 106 agreements in England is held by local planning authorities and not
collected centrally. The Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (England) Order 2002 (Statutory Instrument 2002 no. 828), which came into effect on 1 July 2002, requires details of planning obligations to be recorded in both Parts I and II of the local planning authority’s planning register, which should be available for public reference. Responsibility for s106 agreements in Wales rests with the Welsh Assembly Government. The Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2004 (Welsh Statutory Instrument 2004 no. 1434 (W.147)), which came into force on 1 September 2004, similarly requires details of planning obligations to be recorded on Parts I and II of the local planning authority’s register.
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps she has taken to encourage local authorities to make the infrastructural investments agreed under section 106 agreements with developers; and what the total value is of revenues collected under section 106 agreements that have remained unspent over the past five years; [118457]
(2) what information is collected by the Government offices for the regions on the uses to which local authorities put revenues collected from developers under section 106 agreements. [118458]
Yvette Cooper: In May 2006 Communities and Local Government produced guidance for local authorities (in “Planning Obligations: Practice Guidance”) on ensuring the effective implementation and monitoring of agreements made under section 106. The guidance supports policy in ODPM Circular 5/05. The Planning Advisory Service has also produced and disseminated a good practice case study highlighting the need for effective monitoring and implementation of planning obligations contributions, drawing on the experience of Colchester borough council. Copies of both these documents are available in the House Library
The Government do not hold information on the total value of revenues collected under s106 agreements that remain unspent. Information on individual section 106 agreements in England is held by local planning authorities and not collected centrally. The Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (England) Order 2002 (Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 828), which came into effect on 1 July 2002, requires details of planning obligations to be recorded in both parts I and II of the local planning authority’s planning register, which should be available for public reference. Responsibility for s106 agreements in Wales rests with the Welsh Assembly Government. The Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2004 (Welsh Statutory Instrument 2004 No. 1434 (W.I47)), which came into force on 1 September 2004, similarly requires details of planning obligations to be recorded on parts I and II of the local planning authority’s register.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will review the appropriateness of the rule that permits developers to be exempt from section 106 agreements in circumstances where they provide fewer than 15 units
on a site; and whether she has discussed this rule with the National Housing Federation. [112238]
Yvette Cooper: The Government have not set minimum thresholds for the size of development to which section 106 agreements should apply. Circular 05/2005 requires local planning authorities to consider each development on its merits.
In the case of affordable housing, Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) sets a national indicative minimum site size threshold of 15 dwellings and it makes clear that local planning authorities can set lower minimum thresholds where viable and practical. PPS3 was published in November 2006, following extensive consultation, including with the National Housing Federation.
Social Housing
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to introduce a statutory right to manage for registered social landlord tenants. [112612]
Yvette Cooper: We are committed to exploring opportunities for tenants of registered social landlords to become more engaged in housing management. We are currently reviewing the Right to Manage and procedures for setting up Tenant Management Organisations.
Professor Martin Cave’s Review of Social Housing Regulation, which will report in spring, will include broader issues of tenant engagement and participation, including for tenants of registered social landlords.
Social Housing: Essex
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average rental price for social housing in Essex was in each of the last 10 years. [111821]
Yvette Cooper: Average weekly rent by local authority district and county are published for the local authority sector and the registered social landlord sector on the Communities and Local Government website in Tables 702 and Tables 704 respectively. The links for these tables are as follows and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
Table 702: http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/266/Table702_id1156266.xls
Table 704: http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/268/Table704_id1156268.xls
Translation Services
Mr. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her estimate is of the number of (a) documents and (b) pages of material translated into languages other than English by local authorities in each of the last five years; and what the cost of providing such translations was in each year. [113896]
Mr. Woolas:
This information is not available and could be collated only at disproportionate cost. Whilst local authorities are accountable for this spend, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the
Commission on Integration and Cohesion to consider this issue as part of its report to be produced in June 2007.
Valuation Office Agency
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 6 December 2006, Official Report, column 475W, on the Valuation Office Agency, from what data sources the Agency obtained information to assist the application of dwelling house codes for conservatories to domestic properties. [114572]
Mr. Woolas: Information to apply dwelling house codes for conservatories was taken from the Valuation Office Agency's paper-based records as they were digitised.
Women and Equality Unit: Staffing
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will break down the staffing of the Women and Equality Unit by (a) sex and (b) ethnic origin. [118335]
Angela E. Smith: As of 31 January 2007 there are 62 members of staff in the Women and Equality Unit, of which 16 are men and 46 women. 22 per cent. of the total number is from an ethnic minority background.
Women's Refuges
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the likely requirement for women’s refuge provision and related support services over the next five years; and if she will make a statement. [112609]
Meg Munn: Each local authority is responsible for assessing the need for housing support services, including women’s refuges within their own area, as part of setting their five year strategies for the Supporting People programme. Each year, about £59 million from the Supporting People programme is invested in services for vulnerable people affected by domestic violence. Additionally the Housing Corporation invests in schemes to provide housing for vulnerable people, which meets needs identified in regional and local housing strategies.
Through capital investment of more than £30 million over three years we have increased the provision of emergency accommodation for people fleeing domestic violence, in England, by 511 bed spaces. Decisions around the provision of emergency refuge accommodation rest with each local authority and this should be based on local needs and priorities.
We and the Local Government Association have published joint guidance on ‘Options for Setting up a sanctuary Scheme’ which shows local authorities how to set up effective sanctuaries for victims of domestic violence. The scheme allows the victim (and their children) to remain in their own accommodation, where it is their choice and where it is safe for them to do so.
Northern Ireland
Loyalist Paramilitary Organisations
7. Mr. McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Government are taking in respect of the report of the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman on police conduct regarding loyalist paramilitary organisations. [118057]
Paul Goggins: This very thorough report by the Police Ombudsman identified serious failures of duty by a small number of police officers, over the period 1991 to 2003.
The Chief Constable has accepted, and is implementing all the report’s recommendations, including the reinvestigation of the crimes identified in the report.
Sinn Fein and IRA Special Conference
8. David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what response he has made to the preconditions laid down by the Sinn Fein/IRA special conference of 28 January 2007 before they will declare support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland courts and the rule of law. [118058]
Mr. Hain: The Government welcomes the decision of the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis to support policing and the courts. I believe this removes a final, significant obstacle to devolution.
Victims Commissioner
9. Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the most recent report by the Victims Commissioner. [118059]
David Cairns: I welcome Bertha McDougall’s report as a detailed and thorough examination of the key issues affecting victims and survivors.
It provides a good platform for the incoming permanent victim’s commissioner to work on.
PSNI: Catholic Recruits
10. Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Catholic recruits from eastern Europe have been recruited into the Police Service of Northern Ireland. [118060]
Paul Goggins: I am advised that currently there are no Roman Catholic recruits from eastern Europe in the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Policing: Sinn Fein Support
11. Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he plans to take to ensure that Sinn Fein’s acceptance of policing in Northern Ireland is implemented on the ground. [118061]
Paul Goggins: I welcome the decision of the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis to support policing and the courts. I also welcome the comments of the hon. Member for Belfast, West (Mr. Adams) and hope that we will all be able to see the evidence of this policy being borne out on the ground.
Saville Inquiry
12. Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the final report of the Saville inquiry into Bloody Sunday to be produced. [118062]
Mr. Hanson: The publication date is a matter for the inquiry.
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