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Empty Property

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of empty homes in England; and if she will make a statement. [187020]

Mr. Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) on 9 January 2008, Official Report, columns 547-48W.

Foot and Mouth Disease: Egham

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings the regional Minister for the South East has had with (a) the chief veterinary officer and (b) the Prime Minister on the foot and mouth outbreak in Egham in 2007. [191624]

Hazel Blears: The regional Minister for the South East is also the DEFRA Minister for Marine, Landscape and Rural Affairs. He was therefore in constant contact with the chief veterinary officer throughout the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2007. He also attended COBRA briefing sessions, visited some areas of the South East affected by the outbreak and briefed relevant local Members of Parliament on the situation as it developed.

Home Information Packs

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many home condition reports are on the Home Condition Report electronic register. [191649]


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Caroline Flint: The number of voluntary home condition reports which have been lodged on the Home Condition Report Register up to 27 February 2008 is 1,743.

Housing Act 2004

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which provisions of the Housing Act 2004 have yet to be implemented or commenced. [191668]

Mr. Iain Wright: All of the provisions of the Housing Act 2004 that relate to England have been commenced.

Housing Improvement: Disabled

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether Part M of the Building Regulations applies to house extensions and improvements; and if she will make a statement. [190455]

Mr. Iain Wright [holding answer 29 March 2008]: Part M does not apply to an extension of, or a material alteration of, a dwelling.

Housing Improvement: Planning Permission

Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reason a full design and access statement is required in relation to minor household extensions (a) in conservation areas and (b) for listed buildings; and if she will make a statement. [191299]

Mr. Iain Wright: A design and access statement is a report supporting a planning application to explain and justify a development proposal. A design and access statement is required for all planning applications, with a few limited exceptions such as existing dwelling houses outside designated areas. A design and access statement is also required for listed building consent. A major part of a design and access statement is the explanation of how local context has influenced the design. Local context is particularly important for conservation areas and listed buildings. A design and access statement can nevertheless be very concise so long as it effectively covers all of the design and access issues for a proposed development.

Housing: Databases

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Office Agency stores the unique property reference number of a domestic property that is provided to it through the Valuebill interface. [191677]

John Healey: Yes.

Housing: Licensing

Dr. Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have (a) applied for designation of an area as subject to additional licensing and (b) obtained designation under the terms of section 58 of the Housing Act 2004. [189249]


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Mr. Iain Wright: There have been no formal applications to the Department from local authorities seeking approval for additional HMO licensing schemes, therefore no designations have been granted under the terms of section 58 of the Housing Act 2004.

Housing: Low Incomes

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which (a) local authorities and (b) arm's length management organisations are in (i) positive and (ii) negative subsidy with reference to the housing revenue account. [188338]

Mr. Iain Wright: The following table lists those local housing authorities that are in positive housing revenue account (HRA) and negative HRA subsidy. Local authorities that have delegated housing management functions to an arm's length management organisation are marked with a superscript(1).

Local housing authorities with positive HRA subsidy entitlement in 2006-07


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Local housing authorities with negative HRA subsidy entitlement in 2006-07


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