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13 Jun 2007 : Column 1072Wcontinued
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.
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 | |
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.
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]
Angela E. Smith: Officials from the Department of Communities and Local Government have recently helped with revising the industry-led Approved DocumentBasements 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 | |
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. |
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.
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]
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.
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 | |
Source: Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix from Local Authorities and Regulatory Statistical Return from Registered Social Landlords |
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