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11 Dec 2007 : Column 558W—continued

Shala v. Birmingham City Council

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes to guidance for local authorities her Department is making following the Court of Appeal’s judgment in the case of Shala v. Birmingham City Council [2007] EWCA Civ 624. [171460]

Mr. Iain Wright: There are no current plans to make any amendments to guidance for local authorities following the Court of Appeal judgment in the case of Shala v. Birmingham City Council [2007] EWCA Civ 624. We expect local housing authorities to take account of all relevant case law, including this case,
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when considering applications for housing, under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 that involve medical evidence.

Small Businesses: Non-Domestic Rates

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many businesses were in receipt of small business rate relief in the latest period for which figures are available. [171648]

John Healey: As at 31 December 2006, there were 392,000 businesses in England that were in receipt of small business rate relief.

Standards Board for England and Adjudication Panel: Information Officers

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many press officer, media, communications and marketing staff are employed by (a) the Standards Board for England and Adjudication Panel, (b) the Audit Commission, (c) English Partnerships and (d) the Housing Corporation. [171650]

Mr. Dhanda: I refer the hon. Member to The White Book, published by COI, which is available in the Library of the House.

Sustainable Communities Act 2007

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what the commencement timetable is for the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007; [171644]

(2) what plans she has to issue guidance to local authorities on their new powers and duties under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. [171645]

John Healey: The provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 commenced on the day on which the Act received Royal Assent, 23 October 2007. The Government intend to publish draft regulations and guidance for consultation early in the new year. The consultation package will include a draft timetable for implementation of the Act’s provisions.

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for producing local spending reports in accordance with Section 6 of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. [171649]

John Healey: Section 6(9) of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 requires the Secretary of State to make arrangements for the production of local spending reports within the period of 18 months beginning with the day on which the Act was passed. This period ends on 22 April 2009. The Government
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intend to make such arrangements before this date and will publish their plans for implementation of the Act early in the new year.

Trade Unions

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what sponsorship each Minister in her Department received from trade unions in the last 12 months. [171506]

Mr. Dhanda: Sponsorship that Ministers may have received in the last 12 months has been declared in the Register of Members’ Interests in the usual way.

Unitary Councils

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to create further unitary authorities. [171624]

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made to the House on 5 December 2007, Official Report, columns 65-69WS.

Unitary Councils: Norwich

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effects of her Department's proposals for a unitary council for Norwich on local government structures in the rest of Norfolk. [171626]

John Healey: My Department has made no proposals for unitary structures. In October 2006 we invited councils in England to submit unitary proposals. Our invitation was clear that only those proposals that met the outcomes specified in our criteria would proceed towards implementation and all proposals had to set out the arrangements which were to apply in the remainder of the county area.

In the written ministerial statement I made to the House on 5 December 2007, Official Report, columns 65-69WS, I announced that we are still minded not to implement Norwich city council’s unitary proposal and intend to ask the Boundary Committee for advice on the proposal and on whether for the area affected, Norwich city and the remaining county area, there could be alternative unitary solutions, involving boundary changes, which would meet the five criteria set out in our invitation.

Written Questions

Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will answer questions (a) 166759, (b) 166760, (c) 166761, (d) 166762 and (e) 166763 tabled by the hon. Member for South West Surrey on 16 November, on the review her Department is carrying out on the regeneration of Manchester. [171657]

John Healey: I have now replied to the hon. Member’s questions.

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