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20 Feb 2008 : Column 696W—continued
Housing: Prices
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities had 15 percentile housing prices that were less than 70 per cent. of the national level at the most recent date for which figures are available. [187338]
John Healey: Based on HM Land Registry house price data for April to June 2007, there were 20 local authorities that had 15 percentile house prices that were less than 70 per cent. of the national level.
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what role her Department and its agencies have in relation to supervising the actions of the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. [182381]
John Healey: The Secretary of State has several statutory powers in relation to Lee Valley Regional Park Authority which are set out in the Lee Valley Regional Park Act 1966 (as amended). These include a power to amend the authority's constitution by order. The Secretary of State's consent is also required if the authority wishes to sell, exchange or let either land which is open space or any land for a price below best consideration.
M61: Noise
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what basis the Valuation Office Agency decided to contest the council tax valuation decision made by Manchester North Valuation Tribunal in relation to traffic noise on the M61. [183033]
John Healey: This decision was based on the opinion that the Valuation Tribunal had made an error in law, which would prejudice the bandings of other properties.
Minerals and Waste Development Documents
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who the statutory consultees are for the minerals and waste development documents submitted to her Department. [185233]
Mr. Iain Wright: There are no "statutory consultees" for development plan documents. Paragraph 2(a) of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 only refers to "specific consultation bodies". This distinction gives mineral planning authorities the flexibility to decide which of the consultation bodies listed would have an interest in the contents of a plan, and consult only them.
The specific consultation bodies listed in paragraph 2(a) of the regulations, (which will also apply to any of them which have subsequently changed the names of their organisations) are:
“(a) in relation to a local planning authority whose area is in a region other than London, means the regional planning body and the bodies specified or described in sub-paragraphs (i) to (x);
(i) the Countryside Agency
(ii) the Environment Agency
(iii) the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England
(iv) English Nature
(v) The Strategic Rail Authority
(vi) The Highways Agency
(vii) A relevant authority any part of whose area is in or adjoins the area of the local planning authority
(viii) A Regional Development Agency, whose area is in or adjoins the area of the local planning authority
(ix) Any person -
(a) to whom the electronic communications code applies by virtue of a direction given under section 106(3) of the Communications Act 2003,
and
(b) who owns or controls electronic communications apparatus situated in any part of the area of the local planning authority,
(x) if it exercises functions in any part of the local planning authority's area:
(a) a strategic health authority
(b) a person to whom a licence has been granted under section 6(1 )(b) or
(c) of the Electricity Act 1989
(c) a person to whom a licence has been granted under section 7(2) of the Gas Act 1986
(d) a sewerage undertaker
(e) a water undertaker
(b) if the authority are a London borough council, means the Mayor of London and the bodies specified or described in paragraph (a)(i) to (x).”
Defence
Armed Forces: Housing
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of (a) single living and (b) service family accommodation units (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas there are in each of the four condition grades. [182314]
Derek Twigg: All service families accommodation (SFA) and single living accommodation (SLA) is assessed by Grade for Charge (GfC) and most SFA is also assessed by Standard for Condition (SfC). Where SfC is a detailed measure of the physical condition of SFA, GfC is an assessment of both the physical condition of the accommodation and other factors such as location and closeness to amenities.
Currently, SFA that is measured by SfC is at the
following condition:
| S1fC | Percentage | S2fC | Percentage | S3fC | Percentage | S4fC | Percentage | |
SLA is at the following grade:
| Grade 1 | Percentage | Grade 2 | Percentage | Grade 3 | Percentage | Grade 4 | Percentage | |
Over the next decade the MOD will spend over £8 billion on accommodation, including some £3.1 billion on bringing accommodation up to the top condition. This will include the delivery of some 30,000 new or improved SLA bed-spaces by 2013 and 600 upgraded SFA properties this year, 600 next year and 800 each year thereafter.
Armed Forces: Influenza
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2007, Official Report, column 608W, on armed forces: influenza, if he will place in the Library a copy of each completed guidance note referred to in his Department’s pandemic influenza contingency plan published in December 2007. [184269]
Derek Twigg: I have placed copies of the preliminary and prepare stage guidance notes of the MOD framework in the Library of the House.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2007, Official Report, column 608W, on armed forces: influenza, when he plans to issue guidance on the development of plans for the recovery of operational capability in the aftermath of a human pandemic, as stated in paragraph 2.15 of his Department’s pandemic influenza contingency plan, published in December 2007. [184296]
Derek Twigg: The generic MOD pandemic flu framework brings together activities which for the most part will be undertaken by Defence business units and operational commands so that they can put in place the necessary response arrangements before a pandemic emerges. The guidance notes being prepared to support the key tasks identified in the framework consist of one-page summaries to assist them. As the framework is a live document, whose development remains ongoing, all the guidance being developed is subject to regular review and amendment.
At the strategic level we are confident that in its current form the framework we have developed covers the key areas we need to address in the event of a pandemic. At present work on the guidance note “Recovery of operational capability in the aftermath of a pandemic” (along with other guidance notes) remains ongoing. We hope to complete this in the next few months.
Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2007, Official Report, column 608W, on armed forces: influenza, by what mechanism medical treatments will be prioritised in the event of an influenza pandemic as stated in paragraph 2.8 of his Department's pandemic influenza contingency plan, published in December 2007. [184298]
Derek Twigg: MOD policy on the prioritisation of medical treatment in the event of a flu pandemic is to refer to the authoritative Department of Health guidelines (based on clinical need) and comprehensive information and guidelines to this effect have been issued by the Surgeon General to the Defence Medical Services.
Armed Forces: Medical Records
John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average time was for a person’s medical records to be transferred to the NHS following a medical discharge from the armed forces in the last 12 months. [185990]
Derek Twigg: This information is not held.
Armed Forces: Training
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how military training schedules will be adapted to allow for athletes hosted there to use the facilities. [186665]
Derek Twigg: The number of personnel that the British Olympic Association has proposed will use the facilities at Aldershot are expected to be accommodated without disruption to military activities. Military requirements for use of training facilities will take priority.
Armoured Fighting Vehicles
Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the Mastiff vehicle may be carried in the future A400M aircraft; [167743]
(2) what weapon systems have been added to the Mastiff vehicle; [167744]
(3) how the (a) first and (b) subsequent Mastiff vehicles were delivered to theatre; [167745]
(4) what the (a) cost of the Cougar vehicle ex-USA is before being adapted in the UK to become the Mastiff and (b) final cost of the Mastiff is in its ready for theatre state. [167746]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: Each Mastiff has been fitted with a general purpose machine gun, and either a heavy machine gun or a grenade machine gun.
All Mastiff vehicles were delivered to theatre by air. Based on the planned technical specifications we have for A400M, it will be able to carry the Mastiff vehicle.
I am withholding the cost of a Cougar vehicle as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. I refer
the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 14 November 2007, Official Report, column 258W, about the cost of conversion to a Mastiff.
Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many armoured vehicles of each type are (a) required and (b) available for pre-deployment training; [186035]
(2) how many armoured vehicles of each type are (a) available to be deployed immediately, (b) undergoing repair, (c) undergoing Bowman conversion, (d) in storage and (e) being used for training purposes. [186037]
Mr. Bob Ainsworth: The information is shown in the following table as at January 2008.
| Vehicle | PDT requirement | Routine maintenance and under repair | Bowman conversion | Storage | Used for training |
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