Written Answers to Questions
Friday 15 June 2007
Communities and Local Government
Arlington House Camden
Mr. Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many bed spaces Arlington House in Camden had (a) before and (b) after its modernisation under the hostels capital improvement programme; and what alternative arrangements were made for individuals displaced from Arlington House. [136529]
Yvette Cooper: Before its redevelopment Arlington House provided 399 beds. Following the hostels capital improvement programme (HCIP) investment this number has been reduced to 130. This has been agreed with the local authority in order to create more non-accommodation space where training, other support activities can take place, and to move homeless people out of long-term large institutional provision.
Novas who own and run Arlington House worked in close partnership with the Camden council to ensure that every client was resettled appropriately.
Council Tax Benefit
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average time taken by (a) Warrington borough council and (b) councils in (i) the north-west and (ii) England is to determine an application for (A) council tax benefit and (B) planning permission. [142459]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 12 June 2007]: The average time taken by Warrington borough council and councils in the north-west and England to determine an application for council tax benefit is set out in the following table:
| Council tax benefit claims | |
| Average days taken in 2006-07( 1) | |
| (1) April to December 2006 Source: Department for Works and Pensions | |
Information on the average time taken to determine planning permission is not collated centrally. However, the number of applications decided in 2006-07(1) is set out in the following table:
| Planning permission | |||
| Percentage | |||
| Up to 8 weeks | Up to 13 weeks | More than 13 weeks | |
| (1) April to December 2006 Source: Communities and Local Government | |||
Departments: Recruitment
Mr. Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department and its agencies paid to recruitment consultants in each year since 1997. [140030]
Angela E. Smith: The central part of Communities and Local Government and its predecessor Departments paid the following amounts to recruitment agencies in the specified years:
| Amount (£) | |
Information prior to January 2003 and in relation to the Department’s agencies is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Departments: Temporary Employment
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) temporary and (b) agency staff were employed by her Department in each of the last five years. [139983]
Angela E. Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government and its predecessor Departments employed the following numbers of casual staff in each of the last five years:
| Number | |
This does not include staff in the Government Offices or the Department’s agencies.
The information requested about agency staff is not held centrally.
Departments: Travel Agents
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department and its agencies paid in travel agencies’ fees in each year since 1997. [139903]
Angela E. Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government and its predecessor, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, were created following Machinery of Government changes on 5 May 2006 and 29 May 2002 respectively.
The Department (and its main predecessor the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) uses one fee-based travel agency contract administered by the Department for Transport at a combined annual fixed rate (since July 2005) of £50,000. Individual Departments’ elements of this annual fixed rate are not separately identifiable. From May 2002 to July 2005, travel agent’s fees were paid at 1.5 per cent. of contract turnover, an average figure of £12,500 per quarter.
It is not possible to identify separately fees for other travel contracts used by the Department, as any such fees are built in to the individual ticket prices.
The Department’s Executive agencies have separate procedures for making travel arrangements, but have advised that they have not paid any travel agent fees during the period in question.
Fire Services: Cornwall
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions she has had with Cornwall Fire Authority to try to resolve the dispute there. [141099]
Angela E. Smith: I have had no discussions with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Authority seeking to resolve any disputes in that county. Industrial relations are a matter for the Fire and Rescue Authority. There is not currently an official dispute.
Fire Services: Information and Communications Technology
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the provision of new mobile control rooms which can interface with the new regional fire control rooms is within the scope of (a) the FireControl project and (b) the FireLink project. [142953]
Angela E. Smith: New mobile control rooms are not being provided as part of the FiReControl or Firelink Projects.
Fire and Rescue Services currently provide mobile incident command units which enable effective management of large incidents. The Firelink contract provides for those existing mobile command units and all other Fire and Rescue Service emergency response vehicles, as identified by the respective FRS, to have Firelink equipment installed. The utilisation of the data capability will only be realised once the FiReControl capability is rolled out.
Green Belt
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers the regional spatial strategy process has to change the status of green belt land; and if she will make a statement. [141584]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 11 June 2007]: The regional spatial strategy (RSS) is the statutory strategic development plan. Any proposed changes to the general extent of green belt will therefore need to be set out and taken forward through that process.
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers local authorities have to re-designate green belt land; and if she will make a statement. [141282]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 11 June 2007]: Current policy, set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 2 (PPG2): Green Belts, makes it clear that is the responsibility of regional planning bodies and local planning authorities to designate land as Green Belt through the development plan process. Any proposed changes to Green Belt boundaries should also be made through the development plan process as set out in PPG2.
Green Belt: Gloucestershire
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proposals are contained in the South West Regional Spatial Strategy to change the status of green belt land in Gloucestershire; how much land is involved; which sites are specifically mentioned; and if she will make a statement. [141585]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 11 June 2007]: The draft regional spatial strategy does not contain site specific proposals. It will be for the local planning authorities to identify specific site allocations sites in their local development documents to accommodate the housing provision in the final RSS. However, the draft RSS identifies two broad ‘Areas of Search’ for sustainable urban extensions, to the north of Gloucester and to the north west of Cheltenham. Both ‘Areas of Search’ extend into the neighbouring Tewkesbury district and both would require changes to be made to the general extent of the green belt. The draft RSS also indicates possible additions, as well as deletions, to the general extent of the green belt.
The draft RSS is currently at Examination in Public before an independent Panel. The Panel is expected to submit its report, with recommendations, to Government later this year. The Government will then consider that report and their response to it. It would not, therefore, be appropriate to make a statement at this time.
Green Belt: East Sussex
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what Government policy is on building on the green belt in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex. [142288]
Yvette Cooper: There is no designated green belt in Eastbourne or in East Sussex.
Home Information Packs
Mr. Hogg:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at what time on 16 May Mr. Justice Collins gave his interim oral ruling with regard to the application by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors for a judicial review of the
decision previously made by her with regard to the inclusion of energy performance certificates in home information packs; and whether lawyers or others representing her were present when that ruling was made. [139783]
Yvette Cooper: The Treasury Solicitor’s Office, who were acting for the Department, received a facsimile copy of the order, dated 17 may, at 12.27 pm on 17 May. Neither lawyers nor others representing the Department were present when the ruling was given.
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether an estate agent will be able to sell a property with a home information pack produced by another estate agent. [140864]
Yvette Cooper: There is nothing in the regulations to prevent an estate agent from selling a property with a home information pack produced by another estate agent, provided that the pack complies with the terms of the regulations.
Mr. Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in which journals advertisements in relation to home information packs have been placed on behalf of her Department. [142690]
Yvette Cooper: Advertising for the home information packs have been placed in the following journals:
The Negotiator
Mortgage Solutions
Estate Agency News
Mortgage Strategy
Lending Strategy
Money Marketing
Financial Adviser
Law Society Gazette
RICS Business
Period Living
House Beautiful
Good Housekeeping
House and Garden
25 Beautiful Homes
Country Living
World of Interiors
BBC Good Homes
Country Homes
Homes and Gardens
BBC Home and Antiques
Ideal Home
Living Etc
Real Homes
Daily Telegraph
Times
Guardian
Independent
Daily Mail
Express
Evening Standard
Londonpaper
Metro
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