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17 Sep 2007 : Column 2182W—continued
Departments: Manpower
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have been appointed to her Department outside civil service grades in the last 30 days. [153227]
Mr. Iain Wright: In the 30 days to the tabling of this question on 25 July, no staff were appointed outside civil service grades to the central part of the Department for Communities and Local Government, that is excluding the Departments sponsor bodies and executive agencies.
Devolution: Rural Areas
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of (a) the merits of devolution outside the city regions and (b) Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s suitability for devolved powers. [155556]
Mr. Dhanda: The Government’s approach was set out in the Local Government White Paper published on 26 October 2006 and in the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration published on 17 July 2007. The review builds on the White Paper by proposing increased powers and stronger incentives for all local authorities, including those in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, to improve the prosperity of their communities.
Empty Property
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes in (a) private and (b) public ownership were empty for more than six months in each year since 1997. [155229]
Mr. Iain Wright [holding answer 12 September 2007]: The information requested is as follows:
| As at 1 April each year | Private (including RSLs)( 1,)( )( 2) | Public (local authority only)( 3) |
| (1) Private vacancies (over six months) reported through the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA). (2) Registered social landlord long-term vacancies are based on a proxy measure—“RSL vacants not available for rent” as reported through the Regulatory Statistical Return. (3) Local authority vacancies (over six months) reported through the HSSA up to 2004-05 and from the Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA) for 2005-06. | ||
Figures for the private and local authority tenures are presented for those dwellings empty for more than six months as reported by local authorities. Figures for registered social landlord vacancies are based on numbers of vacancies not available for rent.
Energy: Conservation
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make it a requirement for local authorities to publish an annual report listing the (a) new and (b) existing buildings in their area which in the previous 12 months have installed energy (i) reducing and (ii) producing measures; and if she will make a statement. [155478]
Mr. Dhanda: The Government have no plans to introduce a requirement for local authorities to produce such an annual report. However Communities and Local Government has published a report (as it is required to do every two years under the Sustainable and Secure Building Act 2004) which covers, among other things, the overall changes in the efficiency with which energy is used in buildings, and the extent to which such buildings have their own facilities for generating energy:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningand building/monitoringsustainability.
Additionally, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has been seeking views on its proposals for an indicator for the post-2008 local government performance framework to measure percentage reductions in per capita CO2 emissions in the local area. The calculation of the proposed indicator includes emissions from the majority of buildings in the area:
The indicators to be included in the post-2008 local government performance framework will be published alongside the comprehensive spending review later this autumn.
Fire Services
Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions have taken place with fire brigades on the implications for fire and rescue services of the changes in the requirements for vehicle signage in the UK following conclusion of the European Agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road and rail. [155488]
Mr. Dhanda: No such discussions have taken place with specific fire brigades, but discussions have taken place with the Chief Fire Officers Association, which is the professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service. No changes in vehicle signage are currently planned for the carriage of dangerous goods within the UK.
Fire Services: Manpower
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many part-time and full-time firefighters there were in (a) England, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) Wellingborough in each year since 1997. [155519]
Mr. Dhanda: The number of part-time and full-time firelighters(1) in England in each year since 1997 was as follows. Information on the number of firelighters at the constituency level is not available:
(1) Number of uniformed personnel
| As at 31 March | Retained (part-time) | Whole - time (full-time) |
The number of part-time and full-time firelighters(1) in Northamptonshire in each year since 1997 was as follows:
(1) Number of uniformed personnel
| As at 31 March | Retained (part-time) | Whole - time (full-time) |
| Source: ODPM annual returns | ||
Flood Control
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place
in the Library a copy of the Government’s Foresight report on future flood risk. [153713]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
Copies of Foresight reports are routinely placed in both Libraries in the Houses of Parliament. I have however arranged for an additional copy of the Government’s Foresight report on future flood risk to be placed in the Library.
Floods: EU Grants and Loans
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress the Government have made in securing funds from the EU Solidarity Fund in relation to the summer 2007 floods. [155566]
Mr. Dhanda: An application for support from the European Union Solidarity Fund was lodged with the European Commission on 20 August 2007 and we continue to liaise closely with the Commission on this issue.
Floods: Gloucestershire
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what financial assistance has been given to (a) Cheltenham and (b) Gloucestershire in relation to this summer’s serious floods; which organisations received money; and what the money was intended to pay for. [155541]
Mr. Dhanda: In total £2,623,000 in Flood Recovery Grant, paid by the Department for Communities and Local Government to support flood affected communities, has been awarded to the councils within Gloucestershire. The details of these payments are set out as follows:
| £ | |||||
| Council | Original FRG round 1 — 12 July 2007 | Original FRG round 2— 20 July 2007 | Extended FRG round 1— 16 August 2007 | Extended FRG round 2 — 23 August 2007 | Total |
Local authorities have flexibility to decide how to best to use the grant based on their own local circumstances. In practice, this has included:
Support payments to flood affected households;
Purchase and provision to flood affected households of new household items (e.g. fridges, cookers, washing machines);
Provision of temporary caravans to allow people to remain within their communities while houses are repaired; and
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