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Council Housing

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to encourage the introduction of choice-based lettings in (a) council housing and (b) housing association stock. [157623]

Mr. Iain Wright: “Sustainable Communities: Homes for All”, published in January 2005, set out the Government’s Choice Based Lettings (CBL) strategy: to build on the existing target—for all local authorities to have adopted CBL by 2010—by extending choice- based lettings to cover, not only local authority and RSL properties, but also shared ownership, low cost home ownership, and properties to rent from private landlords. It also encourages the development of CBL schemes on a regional and/or sub-regional basis, recognising that housing markets do not always follow local authority boundaries.

We are making available £4 million over three years (2005-08) to fund new sub-regional and regional CBL schemes. Local authorities were invited to submit bids for the third and final round of funding by 12 October 2007 and the response rate has been most encouraging. We will be announcing the results before the end of the year.

To date we have funded the development of 26 sub-regional schemes and one scheme which covers all London authorities. The pan-London Choice and Mobility Scheme (“Capital Moves”) is due to go live at the beginning of 2009.


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Council Tax

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average council tax was (a) per dwelling and (b) on Band D properties in Great Britain in (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 2007-08. [157450]

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.

Figures for average council tax (a) per dwelling and (b) on Band D properties in Great Britain are collected separately in England, Wales and Scotland, and are available from the following sources.

England from Communities and Local Government:

(i) 1997-98, Levels of Council Tax Set by Local Authorities in England 2006-07, Table 1 at:

and (ii)2007-08, Levels of Council Tax Set by Local Authorities in England 2007-08, Table 1 at:

Wales from Welsh Assembly Government:

(i) 1997-98, Welsh Local Government Financial Statistics 1997, Table 11.3, Composition of council tax, by authority, 1997-98 and (ii) 2007-08, Council Tax Levels in Wales: 2007-08, Table 1 at:

Scotland from the Scottish Executive:

Both (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 2007-08 at Council Tax Data, tables Band D Council Tax Levels and Average Council Tax by Band at:

Elections: Local Government

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what plans she has for local elections in the areas where unitary bids have been approved; [157635]

(2) what the timetable is for the elections for the new unitary councils and operation of the shadow unitary councils. [157686]

John Healey: In our Discussion Paper “Councils’ Proposals for Unitary Local Government: An Approach to Implementation” published on 22 August we invited the views of those councils potentially affected by restructuring on when elections for any new unitary authorities should be held. That paper indicated that the options for elections in May 2008 or May 2009 are finely balanced and we are now considering the views we have received.

Flood Control

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to review Planning Policy Guidance 25 on flooding. [158754]


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Mr. Iain Wright: Following a comprehensive review of Planning Policy Guidance Note 25 we published a revised, stronger and clearer Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 25 in December 2006. We will be publishing in the early part of 2008 an accompanying Practice Guide which will take into account the initial findings from the Lessons Learnt Review being undertaken after the summer 2007 floods (The Pitt Review). PPS25 is available at:

Floods: EC Grants and Loans

Mr. Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much EU assistance in respect of flooding in the UK in 2007 has been (a) committed and (b) spent. [156610]

John Healey: An application for support from the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) in respect of the June and July flooding in England, Wales and Northern Ireland was lodged with the European Commission on 20 August. The application is being discussed with the commission and it will be for them to decide on the level of assistance offered to the UK. Applications by other member states to the EUSF have resulted in offers of support ranging between 2.5 per cent. and 5 per cent. of the total damage suffered. The UK current estimate for total damage is €4.328 billion (approximately £2.9 billion).

The application process involves internal EC consultations and an EU Budget Amendment proposal. It is unlikely that an outcome will become known before the end of this year.

Home Information Packs

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for publishing the conclusions and research relating to the Home Information Pack dry-runs and trials. [155713]

Yvette Cooper: Full conclusions from the area trials will not be available until transactions have completed and buyers feedback has been obtained.

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the average length of time it takes for a home information pack to be assembled. [157405]

Yvette Cooper: We have been monitoring the market since 1 August. Early indications show that most HIPs are being provided within five to seven working days.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what requirements there are on sellers to update or replace the search element of home information packs when a property is on the market for more than six months. [157482]

Yvette Cooper: The HIPs (No. 2) Regulations 2007 require that a search must not be older than three months at the first point of marketing but there is no requirement in the regulations on how long searches can be in place before being updated or replaced.


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Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which (a) mortgage lenders and (b) solicitors she has been informed do not accept personal searches included in a home information pack. [157661]

Yvette Cooper: Personal searches formed around 40 per cent. of the market in advance of the introduction of HIPs. HIPs can include personal searches or local authority searches.

Based on the 1 June 2007 version of the Council of Mortgage Lender's Handbook we understand that 27 of the top 30 lenders accept personal searches. HSBC is the only lender that has publicly stated that it does not and never has accepted personal searches.

We have not been informed about particular solicitors decisions on searches.

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Government has received representations that mortgage lenders are refusing to accept information contained in home information packs. [158674]

Yvette Cooper: HIPs can include local authority searches or personal searches. 27 of the top 30 lenders accept personal searches which already account for 40 per cent. of the market even in advance of the introduction of HIPs. We have discussed this issue with a range of Stakeholders.

Home Information Packs: Fines

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local authority trading standards departments will retain the revenue raised from fines on estate agents for non-compliance with home information pack obligations. [157483]

Yvette Cooper: Local authorities may retain the revenue from any penalty charge notices issued under section 168 of the Housing Act 2004.

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local authorities may keep the income raised from home information pack fines levied by trading standards officers. [156564]

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) today (PQ 157483).

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimates were made when drafting the home information pack regulations of the number of (a) appeals to the County Court and (b) debt recovery actions in relation to home information pack fines. [157638]

Yvette Cooper: The Government have made no such estimates. Local authorities bid for and received funding for enforcing the HIP duties, based on their estimates of the cost of such enforcement to them.


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Home Information Packs: Pilot Schemes

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in which locations home information pack dry-runs or pilots were conducted. [157453]

Yvette Cooper: The dry-run was run on a national basis.

During the area trials home information packs were offered for voluntary take-up within the following towns and cities:

Home information Packs: Valuation Office

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what submissions or representations the Valuation Office Agency has made to her Department and its predecessor in relation to (a) home information packs and (b) energy performance certificates in the last 12 months. [155706]

Yvette Cooper: The Valuation Office Agency has made no such representations in the last 12 months.

Hostels: Females

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she has taken to ensure that women living in hostels have privacy and security. [157411]

Mr. Iain Wright: The £90 million Hostels Capital Improvement Programme is providing improvements to 178 hostels and homelessness projects in 62 local authority areas. This includes investment of £3.8 million in women's refuges. A key element of the programme is to provide a quality physical environment that is both private and safe with services which engage that will raise aspirations and encourage self-esteem for those people who use the programme, to encourage them to acquire skills.

Housing: Armed Forces

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will provide additional finance to local authorities with military bases in their area to enable them to offer social housing to members of HM Armed Forces when they leave the services; and if she will make a statement. [157787]

Mr. Iain Wright: Funding for social housing is distributed regionally using a needs-based formula which takes account of all those in need of affordable housing, including, where appropriate, members of HM armed forces. The Regional Assemblies advise on
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funding priorities within their areas and, subject to value for money considerations and compatibility with national priorities, these factors inform the social housing delivered through the National Affordable Housing Programme which is run by the Housing Corporation, taking account of the needs of all those eligible.

Housing: Cheshire

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many homes were built in (a) Cheadle constituency and (b) Stockport local authority in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006; [157955]

(2) how many homes were built by registered social landlords in (a) Cheadle constituency and (b) Stockport local authority in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2006. [157956]

Mr. Iain Wright: Information on new house building is collected at local authority level only. The figures for new build completions in Stockport local authority are tabulated as follows.

New build completions in Stockport
Total new build( 1) Registered Social Landlords( 2) “Social Rent”

2005-06

405

22

2006-07

352

3

Source:
(1) As reported by the local authority and the National House-Building Council (P2 returns)
(2) Housing Corporation “social rent” registered social landlord new build completions

New build social rent dwellings make up only part of the affordable supply; the remainder being acquired by registered social landlords or through intermediate housing e.g. low cost home ownership. In 2005-06, acquisitions and intermediate housing supplied through registered social landlords numbered 115, which added to the new build social rent (as reported in the table) amounts to a total affordable housing provision of 137 in Stockport.

Housing: Energy

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether an energy performance certificate for a private sector rental property which does not already have a certificate will be required when an existing rental contract is renewed. [157692]

Yvette Cooper: The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2007 will not require an Energy Performance Certificate for private sector rental properties when an existing rental contract is renewed.


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