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15 May 2007 : Column 701W—continued
Zimbabwe: New Partnership for Africa's Development
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the peer-review mechanism of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development has been applied to Zimbabwe; and if she will make a statement. [136684]
Mr. McCartney: The New Partnership for Africa’s Development Peer Review Mechanism is a voluntary process. Zimbabwe has not yet volunteered itself for review.
Communities and Local Government
Community Development: Stoke-on-Trent
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding has been provided for the Supporting People programme in Stoke-on-Trent in the last 12 months; and what funding will be provided in the next 12 months. [136950]
Mr. Woolas:
In 2006-07 Stoke-on-Trent received a £5,097,375 Supporting People programme grant. In
2007-08 this allocation was increased by 7.5 per cent. giving a grant of £5,479,678. Stoke-on-Trent also received a £330,816 Supporting People administration grant in 2006-07 and have been allocated the same amount in 2007-08 as a contribution towards the costs of running this programme. Communities and Local Government, as with most other departments across Whitehall, are currently in negotiation with Treasury regarding the future allocation of resources over the next spending review period. I am therefore unable to say, at this stage, what the Supporting People allocation will be for any local authority beyond 2008. However, both Communities and Local Government and Treasury attach a great deal of importance to this programme and will continue to support investment in supported housing.
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of levels of deprivation in Stoke-on-Trent; and what funding she is making available to the Supporting People programme in response to this. [136951]
Mr. Woolas: As a result of the use of the Supporting People distribution formula in 2007-08 Stoke-on-Trent received a 7.5 per cent. increase in their Supporting People grant allocation.
The Supporting People distribution formula was used to inform the Supporting People allocations in 2007-08. Components of the index of multiple deprivation are used in the Supporting People distribution formula.
The index of multiple deprivation measures deprivation around the country. Stoke-on-Trent is ranked 18th (out of 354) on the rank of average score. This measure provides one indication of the level of deprivation within the local authority and takes on board both the most deprived and least deprived small areas within the locality to arrive at the average.
Departments: Information and Communications Technology
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) originally estimated, (b) most recently estimated and (c) outturn cost was of each of the five largest information technology contracts agreed by her Department with outside suppliers in the last five years, as referred to in the answer of 29 June 2006, Official Report, columns 589-90W, on Information Technology. [135616]
Angela E. Smith: The latest figures on the five largest information technology contracts as referred to in the answer of 29 June 2006, Official Report, columns 589-90W, are as follows.
1. Contract for: Data Network Management and Support Services
(a) Original Estimate: £28 million
(b) Recent Estimate: £28 million
(c) Outturn cost: Not applicable contract completes in 2011
2. Contract for: GASPS 3 (Logasnet)—Grants Authorisation System
(a) Original Estimate: £3.018 million (To deliver system)
(b) Recent Estimate: £3.018 million (To deliver system)
(c) Outturn cost: £2.516 million (System delivered. But full outturn costs, which will include annual support and hosting charges, not applicable as contract completes in 2009)
3. Contract for: Supporting People Local Interim System
(a) Original Estimate: £3.6 million
(b) Recent Estimate: £4.6 million Contract Complete
(c) Outturn cost: £4.6 million
4. Contract for: Maps on Tap Project
(a) Original Estimate: £2.42 million
(b) Recent Estimate: £2.4 million
(c) Outturn cost: Framework contract ends in 2008.
5. Contract for: Transactional ERDF and State Aid system (TESA)
(a) Original Estimate: £1.5 million
(b) Recent Estimate: £1.43 million
(c) Outturn cost: not applicable as Contract ends in June 2007
Departments: Internet
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for which Government websites she is responsible; how many visitors each received in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the cost (a) was of establishing and (b) has been of maintaining each site. [135717]
Angela E. Smith: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wealden (Charles Hendry) on 4 July 2006, Official Report, column 958W, for the list of websites under the Department’s responsibility, and the annual running costs of those sites. I further refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 18 July 2006, Official Report, column 306W, for the numbers of visitors to the Department’s sites in 2005-06.
Departments: Intimidation
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints of bullying have been investigated in her Department in the last 12 months; and how many complaints have been upheld. [134835]
Angela E. Smith: During the last 12 months (for the period April 2006 to March 2007), one formal complaint of bullying was made and investigated by Communities and Local Government and its predecessor, the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister. We are not able to disclose whether or not it was upheld because of our confidentiality obligations.
Communities and Local Government has a policy of zero tolerance of discrimination, bullying and harassment on any grounds.
Electoral Register: Chorley
Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the accuracy of electoral registration for the Clayton-le-Woods North ward of Chorley borough. [136788]
Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
We are not able to make such an assessment.
However, the Electoral Administration Act 2006 introduced a number of new provisions to ensure that electoral registers are now more accurate than ever before. These have included:
Imposing a new duty on Electoral Registration Officers to take all necessary steps to ensure a comprehensive and accurate register;
Increasing the time available for electoral registration to 11 days prior to polling day
Introducing performance standards for electoral services.
The Government are currently considering the effectiveness of the new measures and are keeping this area under review to identify initiatives that will further maintain the accuracy of the electoral register.
Electromagnetic Fields: Health Hazards
Dr. Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the recently-published Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields report on precautionary measures to protect the public against exposure to extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields; and if she will make a statement. [137030]
Meg Munn: The Department notes the publication of the report by the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields and acknowledges the hard work that has gone into its production. The Government will need time to consider the implications of the report's conclusions and recommendations.
Home Information Packs
Mr. Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to ensure that local authorities make available (a) building inspectors’ reports and (b) other relevant information for which they are responsible to providers of home information packs. [136032]
Angela E. Smith: Information on building regulations approvals, completion certificates and work carried out under competent person self-certification schemes is not currently required to be held by local authorities on a statutory public register. Communities and Local Government is currently consulting on proposals that would make this publicly available by October 2007.
We are working with the local government and private search sectors to improve access to local authority held data. For example, a consultation paper, ‘Delivering Property Searches: Good Practice Guidance for Local Authorities and Personal Searchers’, was published on 1 May.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will consider delaying the starting date for the home information packs to 1 June 2007. [136344]
Yvette Cooper: The launch date for home information packs is 1 June 2007.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it will be possible to sell a house privately without a home information pack being prepared. [136346]
Yvette Cooper: A Home Information Pack (HIP) is required where a residential property is marketed for sale to the public or a section of the public with vacant possession, other than for some exceptions set out in Part 6 of the Home Information Pack Regulations 2007.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has issued on the qualifications necessary to prepare the non-environmental sections of a home information pack. [136472]
Yvette Cooper: The Home Information Pack Regulations 2007 and the accompanying procedural guidance describe the documents that must be included in the pack and, where appropriate, the persons who may prepare those documents and the terms upon which they are prepared.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to bring forward delegated legislation setting out the responsibilities of (a) home owners, (b) relevant professionals and (c) prospective home buyers in relation to home information packs. [136473]
Yvette Cooper: The Housing Act 2004 and the Home Information Pack Regulations 2007 set out the responsibilities of home owners and the relevant professionals in relation to home information packs. Prospective home buyers will benefit from the provision of information upfront, but will not have any legal responsibilities under the HIP legislation.
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance she has issued on the acceptability of searches performed by (a) home owners and (b) other non-solicitors for the purposes of a home information pack. [136476]
Yvette Cooper: The Home Information Pack Regulations 2007 describe the content of searches that must be included in the pack and the terms upon which they are prepared. The accompanying procedural guidance was issued by the Department on 9 May. This provides further guidance on the requirements relating to searches.
Oil Firing Technical Association
Mr. Laurence Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what
plans she has to undertake a review of the Oil Fired Technical Association self-certification scheme; and if she will make a statement. [136615]
Angela E. Smith: The Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) operates competent person self-certification schemes authorised under the Building Act 1984. It is only this part of OFTEC’s activities that Communities and Local Government has powers to review.
There are currently no plans for specific review of the OFTEC schemes. However, we are currently reviewing the conditions of authorisation of all competent person schemes. As part of that review we are considering the scope for requiring schemes to achieve United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accreditation against the conditions of authorisation. UKAS would then periodically review all schemes on the Department's behalf.
Shropshire County Council
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how her Department is engaging with stakeholders on the unitary bid made by Shropshire county council. [136601]
Mr. Woolas: As set out in the consultation document “Proposals for Future Unitary Structures: Stakeholder Consultation”, which was published on 27 March, we are seeking views from key partners and stakeholders that have an interest in the areas affected by the proposals. However, it is open to anyone to respond to the consultation document and we will carefully consider all comments and representations, together with any other information that we may receive, before decisions are made.
Communities and Local Government Ministers and officials are also prepared to meet with representatives from affected principal councils as part of the consultation process.
Home Department
Animal Experiments: Licensing
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many project licences he issued under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006; and how many abstracts his Department has published relating to these project licences; [135896]
(2) how many project licences authorising procedures on non-human primates he issued in (a) 2005 and (b) 2006; and how many abstracts his Department has published relating to these project licences. [135897]
Joan Ryan: The details sought are in the table.
It should be noted that the publication of project licence abstracts was phased in during 2005 following the introduction of a revised project licence application form. The revised form makes provision for applicants to submit abstracts of their proposed programmes of work on a voluntary basis for publication after granting of the licence. Because of the phasing in of the new system, not all applicants for project licences granted in 2005 would have used the revised application form or had an opportunity to provide an abstract.
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