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27 Nov 2007 : Column 400W—continued
Communities and Local Government
Violent Extremism
12. Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the preventing violent extremism programme. [168033]
Hazel Blears: The preventing violent extremism programme has been established to deliver the Government's commitment to support a community-based response to violent extremism. This includes work to support alternative voices, strengthen the resilience of faith institutions, support vulnerable individuals, build the capacity across communities to resist and reject violent extremism, and to promote shared values.
Energy Efficiency
14. Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes. [168035]
Mr. Iain Wright: The Government have a wide ranging programme of activities to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes. As part of this, my Department has a major programme of work in hand to roll out Energy Performance Certificates which provide an energy performance rating for houses being sold.
My Department is also taking forward the Decent Homes Programme which is designed to tackle the worst housing conditions in the social housing sector and which includes measures to improve energy efficiency.
Property Revaluations
15. Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to revalue properties for council tax purposes. [168036]
Mr. Dhanda: The Government will stand by their commitment not to revalue during this Parliament. With the forthcoming three-year settlement for local government concluding in 2010-11 they would not expect to consider revaluation before that date. Even then there would need to be clear benefits given the costs to households that could be involved.
Cabinet System: Local Government
16. Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Government plan to publish a review of the cabinet system in local government. [168037]
Mr. Dhanda: On 5 October we published the results of our evaluation of councils' executive arrangements, including the cabinet system. This evaluation, undertaken by a team of academics, clearly demonstrates that the cabinet system enhances local leadership. And the new measures in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 will further strengthen the cabinet system.
Affordable Housing
17. Dr. Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what provision will be made in the Housing and Regeneration Bill to enable more affordable homes to be built. [168038]
Mr. Iain Wright: The Housing and Regeneration Bill will set up the new Homes and Communities Agency, which for the first time will bring together land and money to deliver new housing. The new agency will have responsibility for land and a budget of billions for affordable housing, including shared ownership.
The Bill will also make it easier for councils to build council homes by making changes to the Housing Revenue Account system.
21. Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress she is making on increasing affordable housing in the south-east. [168042]
Mr. Iain Wright: The Government have increased significantly the funding for housing in England from £7.8 billion over the last three years to over £10 billion for the three years 2008-11. We expect this funding, and other sources, to generate 110,000 social housing units over the next three years in comparison with 78,000 units over the last three years. The South East’s proposed provisional share of this is £1.37 billion. We expect this additional investment to fund over 12,700 affordable homes per year in the period 2008-11. This compares with an average of 8,200 affordable homes per year over the previous three years.
Home Information Packs
18. Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on progress on the home information packs scheme. [168039]
Yvette Cooper: On 22 November, I set out our intention to complete the phased roll out by extending coverage to the rest of the market from 14 December, in line with the criteria set out on 11 June.
Thames Gateway
19. Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the likely effect of the number of dwellings planned in the Thames Gateway development on the effectiveness of that development. [168040]
Yvette Cooper: The target of 160,000 new homes in the Thames Gateway was set in 2006 with reference to the three regional spatial strategies (RSS) that cover the Thames Gateway area. The regional and local planning authorities are best placed to make assessments on the impacts of development on their areas and these assessments are made as part of the development of their regional and local strategies.
Non-domestic Buildings: Sustainability Standards
20. Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what standards of sustainability she sets for new non-domestic buildings constructed with support from public funding. [168041]
Mr. Iain Wright: All new non-domestic buildings, including those constructed with support from public funding are required to meet the standards sets out in Building Regulations, including Part L—Conservation of Fuel and Power.
My Department is also working with other Government Departments to consider the future standards that might be set for energy performance of new non-domestic buildings, including those owned or occupied by the public sector.
Additionally, the UK Government Sustainable Procurement Action Plan which was published on 5 March 2007, sets out detailed plans for how the Government will move towards a sustainably built and managed central Government estate. This includes using sustainable procurement to make rapid progress against the cross Government sustainable operations targets announced in June 2006.
Community Land Trusts
22. Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assistance the Government are providing for the development of community land trusts. [168043]
Mr. Iain Wright: Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are an additional option to help deliver affordable housing, if more land can be brought forward and if we can ensure that they provide housing in line with current standards for the delivery of social housing.
The Housing Corporation and Salford University are working together to support 14 pilot CLTs, seven in rural areas and seven in urban areas.
CLTs were also invited to bid for Housing Corporation funds through the National Affordable Housing Programme this year.
Zero-carbon Housing
23. Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress her Department has made in discussions with manufacturers of building materials on the development of materials for the construction of zero-carbon housing. [168044]
Yvette Cooper: Through the 2016 Taskforce, we are having constructive discussions with the Construction Products Association, which represents the UK’s manufacturers and suppliers of construction products components and fittings, about a range of issues associated with the delivery of zero carbon homes, including the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for the Energy Rating of Dwellings.
Comprehensive Spending Review
24. Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received from local authorities on the effects of demographic trends on grant allocations made under the comprehensive spending review. [168045]
Hazel Blears: We have received a number of representations from local authorities on various issues relating to population and grant distribution. Issues include the time lag in funding for fast growing populations; adequately reflecting changes in international immigration; taking into account population mobility; and taking into account short-term migration, illegal immigrants and temporary residents.
Asylum: Higher Education
Mr. Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's policy is on whether local authorities may pay fees for asylum seekers to attend university on the basis that such persons are UK residents or foreign students; and if she will make a statement. [166176]
Bill Rammell: I have been asked to reply.
The fees for international students including those who are seeking asylum are not regulated. Higher education institutions are therefore able to determine the fee that they charge. Asylum seekers are not eligible for tuition fee loans from the Government.
Charity Commission: Accountability
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement by the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007, Official Report, columns 667-672, on national security, when she expects the new unit in the Charity Commission to strengthen governance and accountability announced by the Prime Minister to be set up; what she expects its costs to be; and how she plans to measure the effectiveness of this unit. [168360]
Mr. Dhanda: The Charity Commission launched its new Faith and Social Cohesion Unit on 9 November 2007.
The budget for the new unit is £1.4 million over the course of 2007-08 and 2008-09. This will be jointly funded by DCLG and the Commission.
The Commission is currently working with a range of partners to finalise its success measures, which will include the number of new registrations of Muslim charities.
Community Relations: Religion
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement of the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007, Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, when she expects to announce the independent review to examine with communities how to build the capacity of Islamic seminaries referred to by the Prime Minister; who she expects to carry out the review; when she expects it to report; what she expects its costs to be; and if she will make a statement. [168402]
Mr. Dhanda: Details of the review are currently being developed, working closely with Muslim stakeholders, academics, theologians and others. We will announce further details in due course.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement of the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007, Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, when she expects the Green Paper on interfaith groups announced by the Prime Minister to be published. [168408]
Mr. Dhanda: We intend to open consultation on an interfaith strategy in December.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Statement by the Prime Minister of 14 November 2007, Official Report, columns 667-72, on national security, when she expects the advisory group on citizenship education classes run by mosque schools announced by the Prime Minister to be set up; who she expects its members to be; what she expects its costs to be; and if she will make a statement. [168444]
Mr. Dhanda: In partnership with the Department for Children Schools and Families we are in discussion with a range of Muslim and educational stakeholders about establishing an advisory group and what its role will be. We expect the costs of the advisory group itself to be minimal. We will make further announcements once the advisory group is up and running.
Departmental Correspondence
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of inquiries received by her Department from the public were responded to within (a) one week, (b) 14 days, (c) 28 days, (d) two months and (e) three months; and in what percentage of cases it took (i) over three months and (ii) over one year to respond. [167380]
Mr. Dhanda: Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2006 annual report was published by way of a written ministerial statement on 28 March 2007, Official Report, column 101WS. Information for 2007 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the calendar year.
Departmental ICT
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which manufacturers' software is used in her Department. [167232]
Mr. Dhanda:
According to central records Communities and Local Government uses software products from over 350 different manufacturers. However not all of these are end-user applications. For example, some products are used to manage systems, networks and security. The software suppliers with the
largest Communities and Local Government footprint in terms of software products used on the corporate network and in our major web facing business applications are:
Adobe Systems, Inc.
Ahead Software AG
Artemis International Solutions Corporation
Business Objects
Business Web Software
Cognos, Inc.
Hewlett-Packard
IBM
Macromedia, Inc.
Mediasurface
Microsoft Corporation
Novell, Inc.
Open Text Corporation
Oracle Corporation
SAPAG
ScanSoft, Inc.
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
This list of manufacturers does not include software used in the Department's executive agencies, NDPBs or the Government offices.
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