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26 Feb 2008 : Column 1420W—continued
Housing: Disadvantaged
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps the Government have taken to encourage housing associations to meet the needs of vulnerable tenants. [183446]
Mr. Iain Wright: The Housing Corporation's Regulatory Code expects registered social landlords to provide vulnerable and marginalised residents with appropriate responsive housing services. They should also ensure that support and care arrangements (including liaison with other agencies) are in place, where appropriate.
The Corporation's strategic approach is set out in their “Housing for Vulnerable People: Strategy Statement”. As a result the Government, through the Corporation's affordable housing programme, have allocated £385 million during 2006-08 for housing for vulnerable people, almost doubling the investment during the previous two years.
In July 2007, the Housing Corporation produced the follow-up publication 'Investing in Independence: Housing for Vulnerable People Strategy'. This sets out how the Housing Corporation will engage with housing providers and support them in responding to the needs of vulnerable people, working in partnership with local and central government.
The Corporation is currently assessing bids for their 2008-11 affordable housing programme. They have set out in their prospectus for the programme that they expect to fund more supported housing than they did in the 2006-08 programme.
Housing: Low Incomes
Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much social housing stock there was in (a) Cornwall, (b) the South West and (c) England in each year since 1979; and what percentage of overall housing stock was social housing in each area in each year. [186998]
Mr. Iain Wright: The figures requested are tabulated as follows and present the numbers of social rent dwellings that are owned or managed by local authorities and registered social landlords (RSLs).
| Levels of social rented stock (local authority plus registered social landlords) and as percentage of total stock, Cornwall, South West and England | ||||||
| 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 | |
| Note: Cornwall is defined as the district areas of Caradon, Carrich, Kerrier, North Cornwall, Penwith, Restormel and the Isles of Scilly. Source: Includes local authority stock from the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix as reported by local authorities, and Registered Social Landlords stock from the regulatory statistical return as reported by Registered Social Landlords | ||||||
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much was spent on the provision of affordable housing in settlements of 10,000 or more in each year since 1997; [188588]
(2) how much money was spent on the provision of affordable housing in settlements of fewer than 10,000 people in each year since 1997. [188601]
Mr. Iain Wright: Information on expenditure through the Housing Corporation’s Affordable Housing Programme is currently held by the Corporation at local authority level and therefore it is not possible to provide a breakdown of spend in all settlements with a population below or above 10,000. However, we expect this position to change in future years through the greater use of map technology.
Housing: Planning
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2008, Official Report, columns 691-92W, on housing: planning, if she will consult hon. Members on bids for housing growth points on occasions when they are not consulted by their local authorities. [186001]
Caroline Flint [holding answer 18 February 2008]: It is for local authorities to consult with hon. Members regarding the content of their housing growth point expressions of interest. The growth will be developed through the statutory planning process so that there will be good opportunity for future consultation as plans and individual proposals are developed. I would expect hon. Members to be fully involved in this process.
Housing: Teachers
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many teachers have purchased houses through the Low Cost Home Ownership Scheme in each year for which data are available. [188372]
Mr. Iain Wright: The following table shows the number of teachers who have purchased homes through the Low Cost Home Ownership Scheme in each year as follows:
| Number | |
| (1)As at January 2008 | |
Immigration: Rural Areas
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect on public services in rural communities of immigration from countries acceding to the EU in (a) 2004 and (b) 2007. [188599]
Mr. Dhanda: My Department has recently established a new directorate with a remit to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the impacts of migration on communities and local services. Communities and Local Government will work across government to maximise the benefits of migration and support local providers to address any transitional impacts on public services in local areas, including rural communities.
Local Government
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research she has commissioned or supported on the performance of enhanced two-tier working of local authorities. [188321]
John Healey: An independent, six-year evaluation covering both Unitary restructuring and enhanced two-tier working in local authorities is currently being commissioned by Communities and Local Government. Work will commence in March 2008, once contract negotiations are finalised.
Local Government Finance: Ashfield District Council
Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much grant Ashfield district council received in 2001-02; how much is planned for 2008-09; and what the percentage change has been in (a) real and (b) cash terms. [188248]
John Healey: The following table shows the amount of formula grant Ashfield district council received in 2001-02 and will receive in 2008-09, along with the percentage change in real and cash terms.
| Local authority cash terms (£ million) | |
Formula grant comprises Revenue support grant, redistributed business rates, principal formula police grant, SSA reduction grant (SSA Review), SSA reduction grant (police funding review) and central support protection grant where appropriate.
The real terms increase has been calculated using the Treasury's latest GDP deflator, which is the only measure of inflation that is forecast in advance. This figure for 2008-09 is 2.75 per cent.
These percentage increases may not be on a like-for like basis because they cannot take account of changes in function and funding that have occurred over the years.
Local Government Finance: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the area based grant (ABG) was for the City of Newcastle in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 with its component grants; and what the predecessor grants were for ABG for 2007-08. [189536]
John Healey: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have him on 25 February 2008, Official Report, columns 1226-27W.
Local Government: Suffolk
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost of pursuing Pathfinder Status was for each local authority in Suffolk. [187604]
John Healey: This information is not held by Communities and Local Government. Expenditure on pursuing Pathfinder Status is a matter for each of the local authorities concerned to determine.
Minister for the South West
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how many occasions the Minister for the South West has met representatives of the South West Regional Development Agency since his appointment in June 2007. [188881]
Mr. Dhanda: The Minister for the South West has met members or officials from the South West Regional Development Agency on seven occasions.
Minister for the West Midlands: Manpower
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many dedicated full-time equivalent staff of each grade work for the Minister for the West Midlands in his capacity as such; and what the cost of these staff is expected to be in 2007-08. [181930]
Mr. Dhanda: The Government office for the west midlands supports the role of the regional minister. This support was provided by one full-time equivalent staff when the role was created and has now expended into two full-time equivalent staff to manage the delivery of the Minister's priorities in the region at an average salary cost of £94,000. It can also call on Government specialists in the field to provide support regarding Government priorities as appropriate.
Regional Government: Ministers
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2008, Official Report, column 372W, on regional government: Ministers, how many times Regional Ministers have met to discuss their work since appointment. [188952]
Mr. Dhanda: The network of Regional Ministers has met three times since being established in July 2007 and it is intended that it will continue to meet every two months. The network of Regional Ministers operates under the joint chairmanship of the Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government, and Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, with officials from these departments providing a secretariat.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2008, Official Report, column 372W, on regional government: Ministers, how many officials from her Department work in the secretariat for the network of Regional Ministers. [188953]
Mr. Dhanda: There is presently the equivalent of one full time member of staff working in the secretariat for the network of Regional Ministers.
Mr. Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2008, Official Report, column 1533W, on regional government: Ministers, on how many occasions the Minister for the South West has visited each of the South West constituencies referred to in the answer. [188955]
Mr. Dhanda: The Minister for the South West has visited each listed constituency once except for Bournemouth, East, Bournemouth, West and Taunton where he has been twice and Exeter four times as Regional Minister.
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