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18 Feb 2008 : Column 15W—continued
Of these vehicles; the department transferred seven Incident Response Units and 11 Prime Mover Vehicles to Wales as part of the Machinery of Government Changes. The Department also sold eight Prime Mover Vehicles to Northern Ireland, one to Stafford Fire and Rescue Service and seven to Scotland.
Disabled Facilities Grants: Finance
Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was provided to each local authority in England as disabled facilities grant in each of the last three years; and what proportion was claimed by registered social landlords and their tenants in each case. [183757]
Mr. Iain Wright: A table setting out the funding of disabled facilities grant to local authorities over the last three years has been deposited in the Library of the House.
The Department does not hold records on the share of disabled facilities grant claimed by registered social landlords and their tenants.
Electric Cables: Leukaemia
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will meet representatives of the construction industry to discuss the possible relationship between incidence of childhood leukaemia and the building of houses close to high voltage power lines. [185501]
Mr. Iain Wright: I am due to meet with the hon. Gentleman for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Hurd) today to discuss this matter. I would also be happy to meet representatives of the construction industry to discuss this issue.
Employment Agencies
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department paid to recruitment agencies in relation to departmental appointments in each year since 1997. [184917]
Mr. Dhanda: The Department for Communities and Local Government was established on 5 May 2006. Since that date £723,916 has been spent on external recruitment, which includes the use of the media and recruitment agencies.
Empty Property
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what definition of an empty home is used in relation to (a) council tax, (b) Empty Dwelling Management Orders and (c) for her Department’s statistical purposes. [183224]
John Healey: The definition of an empty dwelling for council tax purposes is an unoccupied dwelling which is substantially unfurnished.
The definition for Empty Dwelling Management Orders is as set out in s132-s134 of the Housing Act 2004.
For statistical purposes, vacancy is defined as for council tax purposes, and divided between long and short term (where short term is for up to six months).
Energy: Inspections
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many energy inspectors will be required to meet the requirement for Energy Performance Certificates on (a) commercial property, (b) private rented accommodation and (c) social housing. [176452]
Caroline Flint: The number of assessors needed will depend on market conditions and on the level of demand for voluntary certificates ahead of time.
Environment Protection: Finance
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the £2 million budget under the auspices of eco risk assessment funding has been allocated to (a) climate change mitigation, (b) flood risk management, (c) energy efficiency and (d) water efficiency; and if she will make a statement. [184834]
Caroline Flint: No funding has yet been allocated from that budget which was announced in the Thames Gateway Delivery Plan published last November covering 2008-09 to 2010-11. We are discussing with stakeholders the arrangements for allocating this funding.
Fair Trade Initiative
Mr. Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department’s policy is on the use of fair trade goods (a) in staff catering facilities and (b) at official departmental functions and meetings; and if she will make a statement. [183883]
Mr. Dhanda: Communities and Local Government promotes sustainability in the procurement of its goods and services. Our contract specifications are drafted to allow our suppliers to provide fair or ethically traded products in (a) staff catering facilities and (b) official functions and meetings.
Fire Services
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many calls each fire control room received in the 72 hour period commencing 00:00 on 20 July 2007; [176805]
(2) how many incidents each fire and rescue service attended in the 72 hour period commencing 00:00 on 20 July 2007; [176806]
(3) how many calls went unanswered in each fire and rescue service area in the 72 hour period commencing 00:00 on 20 July 2007; [176807]
(4) what the greatest number of calls to any one fire control room in a 24 hour period was in the most recent period for which figures are available. [176809]
Mr. Dhanda: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Authorities record incidents differently (for example, where there are multiple calls about the same incident). Given the exceptional levels of demand on the FRS, appliances will not necessarily have been mobilised to all these incidents, for example those which were assessed by authorities as not presenting a risk to life.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated cost to her Department of (a) rental, (b) VAT, (c) business rates and (d) other associated costs of the regional control centres in the (i) South West, (ii) East Midlands and (iii) North East was from their establishment until the date of the first fire and rescue service control room cutover in each region. [183462]
Mr. Dhanda: The following table gives the total rental and associated costs from the point that rent becomes payable on the relevant regional control centre until expected cutover of the first FRS in that region. During this period, the buildings will be fitted out by the IT suppliers. They will also be used by the regional project teams.
Subject to final confirmation by HM Revenue and Customs, we expect that any VAT paid will be recoverable. Business rates are not subject to VAT.
The amount of business rates payable is not yet established. Discussions are in progress with the Valuation Office Agency.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated cost to her Department of (a) rental, (b) VAT, (c) business rates and (d) other associated costs of the regional control centres in the (i) South West, (ii) East Midlands and (iii) North East was from set up until the date of the last fire and rescue service control room cutover in each region. [183463]
Mr. Dhanda: The following table gives the total rental and associated costs from the point that rent becomes payable on the relevant regional control centre until expected cutover of the last FRS in that region.
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