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1 Feb 2008 : Column 690W—continued
The definition of high flood risk areas used by Communities and Local Government is the high risk zone mapped by the Environment Agency as being at a probability of flooding, excluding the presence of flood defences, of at least one in 100 each year for river flooding and at least one in 200 for coastal flooding. High flood risk areas account for about 10 per cent. of land in England, including parts of major cities such as London.
Housing: Low Incomes
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) to what extent a homebuyer has liability for the (a) Homebuy Agent's and (b) Yorkshire Building Society's equity loss if their home purchased under 32.5 per cent. Open Market Homebuy scheme is subsequently sold at less than the purchase price; [180392]
(2) under the 32.5 per cent. Open Market Homebuy scheme, what liability the Homebuy Agent has for (a) their own and (b) Yorkshire Building Society's equity loss if a property is subsequently sold for less than the original purchase price. [180393]
Caroline Flint: The information requested can be found in the booklet ‘Exclusive Open Market HomeBuy Mortgage—for those eligible to buy a home under the Government's Open Market HomeBuy Scheme’, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Housing: Planning
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to consult hon. Members on bids for housing growth points in their constituencies submitted by local authorities. [179824]
Caroline Flint
[holding answer 17 January 2008]: I look to those local authorities who have submitted
expressions of interest to be growth points to consult with hon. Members as necessary. However, I am aware that an informal briefing session about potential growth points in the north-west was held in the House in December by Government office north-west, which hon. Members in relevant constituencies were invited to attend.
Housing: Renewable Energy
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what events and conferences (a) she and (b) other Ministers from her Department have addressed relating to (i) the construction and housebuilding industry and (ii) the renewable energy industry since July 2006. [165300]
Mr. Iain Wright: Since July 2006 Communities and Local Government Ministers have attended the following events and conferences relating to the construction, housebuilding and renewable energy industry:
Key Worker Living Scheme: Police
Mr. Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many police officers lived in key worker housing in (a) England, (b) London and (c) each London borough in each year since 2001. [166924]
Caroline Flint: Information on members of the police service who occupied key worker housing in (b) London and (c) each London borough in each year since 2001 is not held centrally and can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
In England 3,213 members of the police service have been provided with housing assistance through the Starter Home Initiative (April 2001-March 2004) and the Key Worker Living programme (March 2004-October 2007), for which a breakdown is shown as follows
| Number | |
In London 1,661 members of the police service have been provided with housing assistance through the Starter Home Initiative (April 2001-March 2004) and the Key Worker Living programme (March 2004-October 2007). A detailed breakdown by year is not held centrally.
Local Authorities: Databases
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many separate items of data local authorities are required to collect for the compilation of the national indicator set. [183245]
John Healey: Following the consultation that ended on the 21 December, the Government are currently finalising the technical definitions for the national indicators. As part of this process, we are working closely with other Government Departments and key stakeholders to identify the data collections that will be required for the national indicator set, most of which are likely to be obtained from existing data returns. We anticipate that the majority of definitions will be agreed in time for implementation from April 2008.
Local Authorities: Political Impartiality
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance has been given to local authorities on the use of local authority resources and facilities to engage in political campaigning by employees of the local authority. [178626]
John Healey: Guidance with regard to the content, style, distribution and cost of local authority publicity is contained in the “Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity”, issued by my Department under Section 4 of the Local Government Act 1986, as amended by section 27 of the Local Government Act 1988.
Local Government Finance: Audit Commission
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what assessment she has made of the effect on costs for local authorities of the Audit Commission's new fees structure; and what funding her Department will be giving to local authorities under the new burdens principle in relation to Audit Commission fees; [183244]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007, Official Report, column 1299W, on Audit Commission: fees and charges, what estimate she has made of the audit fees for 2008-09 in (a) absolute terms and (b) as a percentage of those costs in 2007-08 for (i) a district council, (ii) a London borough, (iii) a unitary council, (iv) a metropolitan council and (v) a county council. [178687]
John Healey: The Audit Commission is responsible for setting the fees for audit in the local government and housing sector. Its consultation paper—‘Proposed work programme and scales of fees 2008-09 and indicative fee proposals for 2009-10 and 2010-11’ set out details of potential average audit fees.
The Commission expect to take the final decision on audit fees for 2008-09 in March. Over the next three years, as the rolling programme of corporate assessments is replaced with comprehensive area assessment, with its focus on outcomes, there will be a significant overall reduction in the total costs of regulation. The Government are committed to ensuring that the net new burdens that it places on local government are fully funded.
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