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8 May 2007 : Column 125W—continued
We do not expect assessors to work within local authority boundaries, as they will work largely by region—in some parts of the country, assessors will work across more than one region—an example being London and the South East.
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her proposals are for requiring energy performance certificates for (a) rented housing at the point of letting and (b) private housing at the point of sale. [132836]
Yvette Cooper: Requirements for energy performance certificates are set out in the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) Regulations 2007, which were laid before Parliament on 29 March 2007 and came into force on 19 April 2007. From 1 June 2007, a seller will be required to make an energy performance certificate available to a prospective buyer as part of the home information pack, and give the certificate to the eventual buyer. From October 2008, a landlord will be required to make an energy performance certificate available to a prospective tenant, and give the certificate to the final tenant.
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether details of home energy ratings for residential properties will be recorded by the Land Registry following the sale or transfer of such properties. [135523]
Yvette Cooper: Energy Performance Certificates for residential properties will not be recorded by the Land Registry.
Housing: Hartlepool
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of recent trends in house prices on first-time buyers in Hartlepool constituency; and what steps her Department plans to help first-time buyers. [131364]
Yvette Cooper: The problems arising from increasing house prices and the difficulties this causes for first timer buyers are recognised both at a national and regional level and specifically in Hartlepool where price increases have been particularly high.
The Government, through the Housing Corporation and other partners, have set up a series of First Time Buyer initiatives, placed affordability and shared ownership on the agenda of the North East Regional Housing Strategy, and worked with Tees Valley Housing Partnership in their sub-regional Housing Strategy for Tees Valley.
Hartlepool borough council's Housing Strategy for the period 2006 to 2011 includes the following specific targets by 2010. Construction of 300 new homes for sale, equity share and rent on the first of three central area sites earmarked for clearance and redevelopment and the re-occupation of 160 houses not affected by demolition in the regeneration areas.
It also proposes enforcement action to bring 10 problematic, empty properties a year back into use.
Housing: Inspections
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) house inspectors and (b) domestic energy assessors are expected to qualify on government-accredited schemes by 31 March. [129063]
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have trained to be home information pack inspectors, broken down by local authority area. [114760]
Yvette Cooper: As at 4 April there were more than 3,500 Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) candidates in training. In addition, there were over 1,900 who were either at an advanced stage in their training as Home Inspectors (HIs) or who had completed training.
As at 3 May, there are 1,902 DEAs and HIs who have passed the relevant exam or exams.
We conducted a survey—consisting of 1,935 respondents—that showed the following distribution across the country:
| Region | Percentage by region |
We do not expect assessors to work within local authority boundaries, as they will work largely by region—in some parts of the country, assessors will work across more than one region—an example being London and the south east.
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many accredited (a) domestic energy assessors and (b) home inspectors there are within each (i) region, (ii) local authority area and (iii) city in England; [134087]
(2) how many accredited (a) domestic energy assessors and (b) home inspectors there are in each (i) local authority area, (ii) region and (iii) city in (A) England and (B) Wales. [135150]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer s 26 April and 2 May 2007]: As at 4 April there were more than 3,500 Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) candidates in training. In addition, there were over 1,900 who were either at an advanced stage in their training as Home Inspectors (HIs) or who had completed training.
As at 3 May, there are 1,902 DEAs and HIs who have passed the relevant exam or exams.
We conducted a survey—consisting of 1,935 respondents—that showed the following distribution across the country:
| Region | Percentage by Region |
We do not expect assessors to work within local authority boundaries, as they will work largely by region—in some parts of the country, assessors will work across more than one region—an example being London and the South East.
Housing: Low Incomes
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to respond formally to the report by the Affordable Housing Commission. [135350]
Yvette Cooper: As set out at the time of the Affordable Rural Housing report, we are using a range of channels and mechanisms to respond, including PPS3, CSR07 and a website we co-host with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on which we are posting progress we are making in the delivery of affordable homes in rural areas.
Housing: Pollution Control
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will include a lifetime carbon footprint measure in the environmental cost of a new domestic dwelling. [134927]
Yvette Cooper: The Government have proposed that from 2016, building regulations will require that all new homes are zero carbon. That means that during any year, the net carbon emissions from all energy use in the home are zero.
This definition does not take into account the carbon associated with the whole lifecycle of the technologies and materials used to build a zero carbon home.
Local Government
Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) which Government guidance documents have been issued to (a) local authorities, (b) regional assemblies and (c) regional development agencies which are required to be considered in determining policy; [133369]
(2) which (a) strategy documents, (b) plans, (c) audits, (d) reviews and (e) returns (i) local authorities and (ii) regional assemblies have been required (A) to adopt, (B) to provide to Government Departments and (C) to have undertaken by a third party (1) by legislation and (2) to obtain or support funding or freedoms in the year 2006-07. [133370]
Angela E. Smith: Many Government Departments offer guidance or seek information from local authorities, in addition to Communities and Local Government. Information on this is not held centrally.
As the designated Regional Planning Bodies, regional assemblies have a statutory duty to prepare, monitor and keep under review Regional Spatial Strategies. In
doing so, they must have regard to a body of national guidance and advice including Planning Policy Statements.
Regional Assemblies have also taken on responsibilities previously held by Regional Housing Boards, including the preparation of advice for Ministers on regional housing allocations and the preparation of a Regional Housing Strategy. They have been asked to provide advice to Ministers on housing investment in the regions and on funding priorities for housing in the region.
On the basis of guidance from the Department for Communities and Local Government, Regional Assemblies provide annual business plans setting out their activities for the next three years. These and half-yearly returns to Government Offices are required for the assessment and payment of Government grant.
Regional Development Agencies operate under a framework of guidance on the preparation of Regional Economic Strategies and the Corporate Plan 2005-08 Tasking Framework. There are also a number of other guidance documents, which are more technical or practical in nature, covering delivering schemes, programmes and projects, or financial matters.
Multiple Occupation
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties in England fall within the definition of section 257 of the Housing Act 2004, broken down by local authority. [133338]
Yvette Cooper: The Department does not collect this data.
Multiple Occupation: Fires
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have been killed or seriously injured by fire-related incidents in properties defined by section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 since April 2005. [133228]
Angela E. Smith: Section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 concerns blocks that have been converted into self-contained flats where the conversion did not comply with the 1991 Building Regulations, and where less than two-thirds are owner-occupied. The Department does not collect information on fires in flats that meet this definition.
Multiple Occupation: Licensing
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many houses in multiple occupation which meet the mandatory licensing definition have been licensed; what percentage this figure represents of the number estimated to exist in the Government’s Regulatory Impact Assessment; and how many were (a) new licence applications and (b) passported in from existing registration schemes; [133229]
(2) what estimate each local authority has made of the numbers of mandatory houses in multiple occupation licences that they will need to issue. [133337]
Yvette Cooper: The Department has in the past 12 months been working closely with local authorities in England in the development of a new data collection system which will enable it to monitor the progress of licensing in each authority. The system has gone live and the Department should receive returns from the end of April 2007 onwards.
Non-Domestic Rates: Agriculture
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the rating of agricultural buildings. [135990]
Mr. Woolas: Agricultural land and agricultural buildings are exempt from business rates under Schedule 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.
Unitary Councils
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account her Department has taken of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1992 relating to the process for local government restructuring in formulating proposals for the establishment of unitary status. [135333]
Mr. Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the Westminster Hall debate on Local Government (Cornwall) on 18 April 2007, Official Report, column 139WH; when issuing the Invitation to Councils and conducting the stakeholder consultation, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is acting under her wide prerogative powers.
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what legal advice her Department (a) sought and (b) received on the compliance of recent proposals for the establishment of unitary status authorities with the Local Government Act 1992. [135334]
Mr. Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 1 May 2007, Official Report, column 1538W. It is not the usual practice for Governments to disclose whether or not they have sought or received legal advice, or the content of such advice, and it would not be appropriate for me to do so in this case.
Constitutional Affairs
Departmental Reorganisation
Mr. Francois: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what costs have been incurred by her Department as a result of proposals to create a Ministry of Justice. [136305]
Vera Baird: Costs incurred by the DCA up to 9 May 2007 in relation to the setting up of the Ministry of Justice are estimated at £1.5 million. These costs mainly relate to IT and estate changes to ensure the new Ministry can operate effectively.
Additional costs arising from the integration of the various activities that constitute the new Ministry will be incurred after 9 May. These costs have yet to be fully assessed.
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