Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 25 March 2008
Communities and Local Government
Aerials
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many mobile phone masts were erected in 2007; and if she will make a statement; [195297]
(2) how many mobile phone masts were erected in the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement. [195298]
Mr. Iain Wright: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, the Mobile Operators Association estimates that at the start of 2008, there were around 50,300 base station sites in the UK, with two thirds of these on existing buildings or structures. This information is available at:
The Office of Communications (Ofcom) operates Sitefinder, http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/, a searchable database which shows the locations and operating characteristics of operational base stations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In addition, every autumn, the mobile phone operators share their annual roll-out plans with local planning authorities and list all the existing sites in the local authority area as well as proposed sites. Many local planning authorities also maintain mast registers, although this is at local discretion.
Aggregates: Standards
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how the regional guidelines for land-won sand and gravel production set out in the National and Regional Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England 2001 to 2016 were determined; and how they are monitored. [195811]
Mr. Iain Wright: The regional guidelines for the provision of aggregates, published in 2003 following public consultation, were based on a forecast of national demand for aggregates that was broken down to the regional level informed by regional data on aggregates consumption from the national survey of aggregate minerals. Targets for the use of secondary and recycled materials were taken into account, with the remaining demand to be met from primary aggregates.
The guidelines include arrangements for annual monitoring and reports are published on the Communities and Local Government website. Monitoring shows that at the national level forecast demand for aggregates for
the period 2001 to 2016 remains as estimated previously. However, we propose to revise the guidelines to cover the period to 2020, and correct some minor regional differences. We will be consulting on proposed revisions shortly.
Chemicals: Teesside
Ms Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what fire risk assessment has been carried out in respect of (a) the largest chemical industry installation on Teesside and (b) the proximity of chemical industry installations to urban settlements on Teesside. [188969]
Mr. Dhanda: Fire and rescue authorities (FRAs) are required by the fire and rescue service national framework to have in place and maintain an integrated risk management plan (IRMP) which reflects local need and sets out plans to tackle effectively both existing and potential risks to communities. The IRMP enables the authority to tailor cover to fire and other incidents to local circumstances—evaluating where risk is greatest and allocating resource accordingly. It is not for central Government to comment upon or intervene in the operational proposals in an authority’s IRMP including, in this case, any assessment of the risks posed by chemical installations in Teesside.
The draft fire and rescue service national framework 2008-11, which has recently been out to public consultation, requires FRAs’ IRMPs to have regard to the risk analyses completed by local and regional resilience forums including those reported in external community risk registers (CRRs). Cleveland FRA will therefore need to have regard to any chemical installation risks identified in the CRR.
Fire Services: Standards
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of Fire Service response times from time of call to time of first attendance were of a duration of (a) up to five, (b) six to 10, (c) 11 to 15 and (d) over 15 minutes in each year since 2000, broken down by fire authority. [193028]
Mr. Dhanda: [holding answer 10 March 2008]: The information requested has been deposited in the Library of the House.
Fires
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fires were reported to the Fire Service in each year since 1978, broken down by (a) type, (b) brigade and (c) region. [193025]
Mr. Dhanda [holding answer 10 March 2008]: The information requested is available from 1981 to 2006, and has been deposited in the Library of the House.
Homelessness
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many homelessness applications were rejected in the fourth quarter of 2007 in each of the English regions; and what percentage change that represented compared with the same period in the previous year; [194810]
(2) how many approaches for help to local authority homelessness units there are in each of the English regions in the fourth quarter of 2007; and what percentage change that represented compared with the same period in the previous year. [194811]
Mr. Iain Wright: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level.
Under the legislation, authorities must secure suitable accommodation for applicants accepted as eligible for
assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need (or take steps to secure that accommodation does not cease to be available if the applicant is likely to become homeless within 28 days). CLG's quarterly homelessness Statistical Release refers to these duties as “the main homelessness duties” and relevant applicants are recorded as “homeless acceptances”. Applicants who are accepted as eligible for assistance, homeless, but not in priority need must be provided with advice and assistance in any attempts they make to secure accommodation for themselves; they are not recorded as “homeless acceptances”.
Local authorities report all decisions they make under part 7, but information about the total number of applications for housing assistance is not held centrally. The following table shows the total number of decisions made by English local housing authorities under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996. The totals shown differ from those in the Statistical Release, since they include applications by persons not eligible for assistance under the legislation.
| Total number of decisions( 1) made by English local housing authorities during Quarter 4 2007 under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 | ||
| October to December 2007 (number) | Change since October to December 2006 (percentage) | |
| (1) Applications for housing assistance considered under the homelessness provisions of the 1996 Housing Act. This figure includes applicants found not eligible for assistance. | ||
The following table below shows the number of decisions made under part 7 on applicant households between October and December 2007, where a main homelessness duty was not accepted. The table also shows the percentage change in this figure compared to the same quarter during 2006. Note that the figures include applications by households not eligible for assistance under the legislation.
| Total number of decisions( 1) made by English local housing authorities during Quarter 4 2007 under part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 where a “main homelessness duty” was not accepted | ||
| October to December 2007 (number) | Change since October to December 2006 (percentage) | |
| (1) Applications for housing assistance considered under the homelessness provisions of the 1996 Housing Act. This figure includes applicants found not eligible for assistance. | ||
Housing: Low Incomes
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the take-up was of each category of Homebuy scheme in each county and region in each year the scheme has been available; and what the total value was of homes produced. [189537]
Caroline Flint: The following tables show the number of homes provided through each category of HomeBuy scheme by region and county or unitary authority from April 2006 to 31 January 2008.
| Region | Social HomeBuy | Open Market HomeBuy | New Build HomeBuy/Shared ownership |
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