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19 Mar 2007 : Column 650W—continued
Vocational Training
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mechanisms are in place (a) to verify and (b) to audit the (i) information on application forms for government-funded training courses, (ii) employment status of applicants and (iii) assessments of standards achieved undertaken by training agencies. [125666]
Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
It is the responsibility of the learning providers themselves to verify learners’ eligibility or participation on publicly funded post-16 training courses. However, the Department works closely with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which is responsible for funding post-16 learning providers, to ensure that appropriate eligibility criteria are in place and that audit arrangements are robust and fit for purpose. The LSC also provides additional guidance to providers on the eligibility of learners and audit requirements as part of the evidence requirements for funding purposes.
It is the responsibility of awarding bodies to mark exam papers and to check the coursework marks given by those learning providers who deliver accredited qualifications. The awarding bodies are regulated by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, who are required to monitor and report publicly on qualifications and the performance of awarding bodies.
Winter Fuel Payments
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households claimed winter fuel payments in each financial year since 2001-02; and how many have claimed in 2006-07. [128212]
James Purnell: The following table shows the number of household payments made from winter 2002-03. Information is not available for earlier years. Figures for winter 2006-07 are not yet available but we expect the number to be similar to that for winter 2005-06.
| Household payments made | |
| Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Any residence found to have four or more occupants aged 60 and over is not included in the household figures as it is assumed to be a care home. Source: Information directorate 100 per cent. data. | |
Communities and Local Government
National Land and Property Gazetteer
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the National Land and Property Gazetteer's Data Entry Conventions and Best Practice Guide. [127054]
Ruth Kelly: The National Land and Property Gazetteer is the responsibility of the Improvement and Development Agency. The requested guide is available at http://www.nlpg.org.uk/documents/LLPG_SNN_best_ practice_v2.pdf and a copy has been placed in the Library.
Commission for Equality and Human Rights
Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government where she plans the regional offices of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to be based; and whether they will
be located on the basis of Government office for the regions boundaries. [127050]
Ruth Kelly: The location of the regional offices of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights will be for the Commission itself to determine.
Council Housing: Greater London
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many tenants in (a) arms length management organisation, (b) council managed and (c) housing association managed properties there are in London in each borough. [126491]
Yvette Cooper: The Department does not collect the number of tenants in the properties my hon. Friend refers to. However, it has collected on a provisional basis the numbers of rented dwellings which those organisations manage on 1 April 2006, which the following table shows:
Council Tax: Appeals
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many appeals against council tax bandings were (a) made and (b) successful in England in each year since the introduction of council tax. [127011]
Ruth Kelly: For information about council tax banding appeals between 2000-01 and 2004-05 I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 February 2006, Official Report, column 2239W, given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles). The Valuation Tribunal Service has held information centrally on the number of successful appeals since the beginning of 2006-07. Information for that year up to 31 December 2006 and for the number of appeals in 2005-06 is as follows:
| Number of council tax banding appeals | Number of appeals requiring full tribunal hearing | Number successful | |
| n/a = Not available. | |||
Council Tax: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate has been made of the number of properties in Bands D and above that would move up a council tax band following a council tax revaluation in England, assuming no change to the number of bands. [127041]
Ruth Kelly: The Government have made clear that there will be no revaluation during this Parliament.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to ensure that (a) energy efficiency measures, (b) local energy installations and (c) other home improvements are not considered when homes are valued for council tax purposes. [127051]
Ruth Kelly: Provisions in the Council Tax (Alterations of Lists and Appeals) Regulations 1993, which have been in force since council tax was introduced, mean that adding energy efficient measures such as double glazing or cavity wall insulation, installing equipment such as micro wind turbines and solar panels, or making any other improvements to a property will have no effect on its current council tax banding.
If a property is sold, improvements may have an effect, but only if they are such that they push the value of the property into the next band range. Only substantial improvements would be likely to move a property up a band when it is sold. Energy efficiency measures are, in isolation, unlikely to do so.
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