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13 Jun 2007 : Column 1072W—continued


The shared ownership schemes (currently known as new build homebuy) have allowed applicants buy a share of a property (from 25 per cent.-75 per cent.) and pay rent to a housing association on the remaining share which they do not own.

The shared equity schemes (currently known as open market homebuy) have enabled people to buy a property on the open market with the help of equity loans. Under the current scheme purchasers buy the property outright, but only need to raise around 75 per cent. of the purchase price of their home from a conventional mortgage. The balance is made up by two equity loans, each of around 12.5 per cent. of the purchase price. One loan comes from Government through a homebuy agent and the other comes from one of four mortgage lenders participating in the homebuy scheme.

Housing: Northamptonshire

Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many dwellings were located in (a) Northamptonshire, (b) North Northamptonshire and (c) Wellingborough in (i) April 1997 and (ii) the latest date for which figures are available. [141590]

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 11 June 2007]: The information requested has been tabulated as follows:

31 March 1997 31 March 2006

Corby

21,681

23,936

Daventry

27,165

32,538

East Northamptonshire

29,818

35,344

Kettering

34,252

38,746

Northampton

79,453

86,959

South Northamptonshire

29,503

34,858

Wellingborough

29,449

31,643

Northamptonshire

251,321

284,024

Source:
Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix

Communities and Local Government do not define an area for North Northamptonshire so figures have been provided for each district in Northamptonshire.

Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidelines her Department has issued to local authorities on the subject of basement excavations to residential properties; and if she will make a statement. [141165]


13 Jun 2007 : Column 1073W

Angela E. Smith: Officials from the Department of Communities and Local Government have recently helped with revising the industry-led Approved Document—Basements for Dwellings. This helpful document which is aimed primarily at the home owner and small builder is available from the Basement Information Centre in Camberley, Surrey. It is referenced on the Communities and Local Government website.

Local Government: Standards

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities, classified by Government office region, have public service agreement (PSA) targets which include adoption targets; what the target for adoption is in each case; and how much money each local authority will receive if it achieves all of its PSA targets. [142138]

Mr. Woolas: There are 61 reward targets in local public service agreements and local area agreements which measure performance on adoption and/or stability of placements for looked-after children. Reward would be payable to local authorities and their partners for achievement of these particular targets. Details on each target have been made available in the Library of the House.

Non-Domestic Rates: Exemptions

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to undertake a review of business rates exemptions. [141755]

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given, to the hon. Member for Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) on 4 June 2007, Official Report, column 191W.

Planning: Land Use

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what definition she uses of genuine local circumstances that would allow windfall sites to be included in local authority plans. [131623]

Yvette Cooper: Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS3) “Housing” asks local authorities to identify specific sites which will deliver their housing numbers and brownfield targets. In doing so it makes clear that allowances for windfalls should not be included in the first 10 years of the plan. This is intended to help achieve, within the plan-led system, the twin aims of giving certainty that land will come forward, and of demonstrating to local communities and developers where development will be accepted. The plan process, with its community involvement and public examination, gives the opportunity for an open debate about local authorities’ policies and strategies for development.

However, where local planning authorities can provide robust evidence of genuine local circumstances that prevent specific sites being identified, a windfall allowance may be justified. The circumstances, by their
13 Jun 2007 : Column 1074W
very nature, will vary depending on local factors relevant to individual local planning authorities. And the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment will be key to this. In PPS3 we have also said that any such allowance should be realistic having regard to evidence of land availability, historic windfall delivery rates and expected future trends.

Property: Fires

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total insured fire losses for (a) dwellings and (b) commercial premises for each fire and rescue service have been in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by region. [142177]

Angela E. Smith: Information on total insured fire losses is collected by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Data for the last 10 years are shown as follows. The information is not available for individual fire and rescue services. The table includes the costs of business interruption following fire damage.

Gross insured fire-related claims, Great Britain, 1997-2006
£ million
Domestic fire damage Commercial fire damage Business interruption following fire damage

1997

270

492

221

1998

281

602

207

1999

286

579

99

2000

333

521

122

2001

371

679

84

2002

346

799

209

2003

360

707

81

2004

326

486

98

2005

358

765

220

2006

395

744

148

Note:
Only claims arising from fire and explosions following fires are included. Any explosion only claims are excluded, so the figures will not include any terrorist bombings.
Source:
Association of British Insurers.

Regional Planning and Development

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has produced on the criteria for designating an organisation as a regional planning body. [141820]

Ruth Kelly: The criteria for recognising a body as a regional planning body are set out under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and its supporting regional planning regulations, Town and Country Planning (Regional Planning)(England) Regulations 2004 No. 2203.

Social Rented Housing: Construction

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many units of social housing were built in each local government area in each year since 1997. [127872]


13 Jun 2007 : Column 1075W

Yvette Cooper: The numbers of social rent homes provided in each local government area in each financial year since 1997-98 are shown in a table which has been placed in the Library of the House. The table includes both new build and acquisitions.

For 2006-07, provisional figures indicate that around 25,000 social rented homes were provided. For 2007-08 we are currently estimating that 30,000 social rented homes will be delivered.

Social Rented Housing: Greater London

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many units of social housing there were in each London local authority in (a) 1986, (b) 1996 and (c) 2006; and how many of these were three-bedrooms or larger. [137767]

Yvette Cooper: Numbers of social dwellings for rent in each London borough that are owned or managed by local authorities and registered social landlords (RSLs) are tabulated as follows. Figures are as reported by local authorities and RSLs.

Number of social for rent dwellings in London by borough, 1986, 1996 and 2006
1986 1996 2006

London

933,221

836,745

773,009

Barking and Dagenham

32,162

27,402

23,045

Barnet

20,229

18,346

17,466

Bexley

12,937

11,782

12,593

Brent

27,962

23,960

22,925

Bromley

20,884

17,998

17,810

Camden

39,332

36,277

34,749

City of London

1,549

759

725

Croydon

22,954

23,169

23,900

Ealing

24,364

22,792

22,658

Enfield

20,665

18,090

17,722

Greenwich

39,880

37,503

35,261

Hackney

53,835

49,802

43,805

Hammersmith and Fulham

27,862

25,973

25,183

Haringey

29,617

28,461

26,907

Harrow

9,331

8,320

8,609

Havering

17,868

14,721

13,129

Hillingdon

19,032

16,252

16,230

Hounslow

23,254

20,908

18,638

Islington

48,544

46,252

40,254

Kensington and Chelsea

19,947

18,854

19,928

Kingston upon Thames

7,567

7,119

6,865

Lambeth

56,751

54,300

48,110

Lewisham

47,076

42,373

36,252

Merton

13,973

11,975

11,157

Newham

35,072

34,211

29,243

Redbridge

12,324

9,429

9,440

Richmond upon Thames

12,024

9,876

9,730

Southwark

68,716

65,501

55,688

Sutton

13,824

12,680

11,141

Tower Hamlets

53,576

44,805

39,079

Waltham Forest

22,782

19,739

21,126

Wandsworth

44,924

29,753

26,964

Westminster

32,404

27,363

26,677

Source:
Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix from Local Authorities and Regulatory Statistical Return from Registered Social Landlords

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