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18 Feb 2008 : Column 47W—continued

Multiple Occupation: Fines

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fines have been levied against landlords for breaches of licence provisions for houses in multiple occupation in the last 12 months; and what the value of all such fines was. [184183]

Mr. Iain Wright: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold this information. The Ministry of Justice collects data on fines levied against landlords who fail to comply with the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing provisions under the Housing Act 2004. Data for 2007 will be available in autumn 2008.

Multiple Occupation: Licensing

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what feedback she has received from enforcement authorities on the implementation of the National Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation. [182458]

Mr. Iain Wright [holding answer 28 January 2008]: The Department is satisfied, through its discussions with the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS), who co-ordinate and report on local authority implementation, that local authorities are making progress in implementing the mandatory HMO licensing provisions. For example, a recent survey conducted by LACORs concluded that 86 per cent. of councils were already using a range of tools to identify HMOs being operated illegally without a licence.

New Local Government Network

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments her Department and its predecessor made to the New Local Government Network since 2002. [182559]

John Healey: Our records show 10 payments have been made to the New Local Government Network by this Department or its predecessor since 2002. Total payments amounted to £33,152.70 and were in respect of small items of research, consultation events and attendance of officials at a conference organised by New Local Government Network.


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Non-Profit Making Associations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many contracts her Department has with social enterprises; and what the value of each of those contracts is. [186652]

Mr. Dhanda: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government (John Healey) on 17 July 2007, O fficial Report, column 216W. Since that reply and in September 2007, a mechanism was implemented, enabling new departmental vendors to be identified as social enterprises. To date no new departmental vendors have been identified as social enterprises and consequently no new contracts can be identified.

Non-Profit Making Organisations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department’s (a) procurement and (b) tendering policy is in respect of social enterprises. [186651]

Mr. Dhanda: The Department’s procurement policy and therefore guidance encourages the use of social enterprises.

The Department encourages the use of internet based websites (procurement portals) to ensure equality of opportunity to social enterprises and other similar groups.

The Department recognises the costs associated with tendering and how these can impact negatively on the capability of certain groups to participate equally in tendering.

By adopting the use of procurement portals, Government Departments are consolidating where procurement opportunities are advertised, so reducing suppliers costs associated with locating such opportunities, and therefore promoting the potential use of social enterprises and other similar groups.

Political Impartiality

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what purpose her Department records the political opinions of (a) staff and (b) the public. [179319]

Mr. Dhanda: Civil servants in Communities and Local Government are required to act in accordance with the requirements of the “Civil Service Code”, and section 4.4 of the “Civil Service Management Code”.

Members of the public who apply for public appointments within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner for Public Appointments are asked to complete a declaration on political activity.

Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Finance

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to increase levels of funding for the Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund over the next three years. [174758]


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Mr. Dhanda: On 31 October 2007, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced £45 million in funding for local partnerships' work to prevent violent extremism.

Property Information Systems Common Exchange Standard

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the annual cost is of her Department's membership of the Property Information Systems Common Exchange Standard; and for what purpose it is a member. [183213]

Mr. Dhanda: The cost to the Department for membership, in 2008, of the Property Information Systems Common Exchange Standard (PISCES) is £11,750. PISCES is an industry group that sets voluntary standards for exchange of data relating to the property industry. PISCES has been involved in developing the standards relating to the technical data requirements for the Home Condition Report and Energy Performance Certificate Register.

Property: Databases

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which organisation is the custodian of Valuebill schemes; and whether she has plans to review the arrangement. [183252]

John Healey: Lead responsibility for Valuebill now rests with London Connects and the Valuation Office Agency. The Government have no plans to review the scheme.

Public Bodies: Internet

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007, Official Report, column 1342W, on public bodies: internet, what each XML schema in use by her Department is. [183025]

Mr. Dhanda: We do not have a comprehensive, central record of XML schemas within the Department. However, CLG HQ has implemented a number of XML schemas to support direct, system to system interchange of data in connection with the following CLG policy areas:

Quarrying: Public Participation

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many public inquiries concerning mineral extraction plans there have been in the last five years. [185234]


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Mr. Iain Wright: Eight Local Plan Minerals Inquiries have taken place under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) since February 2003.

Nine Minerals Development Plan Documents (DPDs) have been submitted for Examination under the provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. Examinations have been completed on two of these DPDs.

Regional Government: Public Participation

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2007, Official Report, column 943W, on regional government: public participation, which (a) stakeholder events, (b) local projects and (c) other organisations the Minister for the west midlands has visited in his capacity as regional minister. [181701]

Mr. Dhanda: The regional Minister has undertaken the following stakeholder events, local projects and other engagements pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2007 on regional government:

Regional Ministers

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will list each of the representations made by regional Ministers to other Departments relating to issues within the region for which they have responsibility; and if she will place copies of such representations in the Library. [184336]


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Mr. Dhanda: Information relating to internal discussion and advice is not disclosed in order to protect its frankness and candour. This is in accord with Section 35 of the Freedom of Information Act exempting communications between Ministers and is aimed at protecting the government policy-making process.

Regional Ministers: Official Engagements

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what engagements the Minister for (a) the north-east, (b) the north-west, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber, (d) London, (e) the south-east, (f) the south-west, (g) the east midlands, (h) the west midlands and (i) the east of England plan to attend in their capacity as regional ministers in 2008. [181654]

Mr. Dhanda: Ministerial diaries have not yet been finalised and engagements are subject to parliamentary business. All regional Ministers have meetings and events planned with business leaders, local authorities, ministerial colleagues and other key stakeholders.

Regional Planning and Development: East Midlands

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2008, Official Report, columns 1168-69W, on regional planning and development: East Midlands, to the hon. Member for Leicester South, if she will state which hon. and right hon. Members made formal submissions to the consultations on regional spatial strategies other than that relating to the East Midlands. [178621]

Mr. Dhanda: The hon. and right hon. Members who have made formal submissions on consultations on regional spatial strategies by region, with the exception of the East Midlands are listed as follows:

North East

North West

Yorkshire and Humber

West Midlands

Phase 1 West Midlands RSS

Phase 2 West Midlands RSS

Phase 3 West Midlands RSS


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East of England

South East

South West

Regional Planning and Development: South West

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued to (a) local planning authorities in Gloucestershire and (b) planning appeals inspectorates determining large-scale housing planning applications before the Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West is finalised; and if she will make a statement. [185842]

Mr. Iain Wright: No guidance has been issued to local planning authorities in Gloucestershire or to the Planning Inspectorate on how they should determine housing applications before the Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West is finalised, above that contained in PPS3, paragraph 68 which states


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