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28 Apr 2008 : Column 68W—continued
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has made available £14 million for schools and children's services affected by the floods and regional development agencies have made available around £11 million for businesses affected.
Floods: Local Government Finance
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have raised a ring-fenced sum by precept to deal with problems arising from flooding. [201801]
Mr. Iain Wright: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Housing: Standards
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what target has been set for house building in (a) Stroud constituency and (b) Stroud district over the next planning period; and what the (i) process and (ii) anticipated timing is for finding sites for these houses in the event that the Hunts Grove development is (A) proceeded with and (B) not proceeded with. [201802]
Mr. Iain Wright: There is no figure available for the Stroud constituency because the boundary is smaller than that of Stroud district.
The target for house building in Stroud District over the next planning period (1991-2011 as set out in the Gloucestershire County Structure Plan) is 9,400. The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the period 2006-2026 provides for a total of 6,700 with the RSS Panel Report recommendations increasing this to 9,100.
The process and anticipated timing for finding sites for these houses will be determined by the approved structure plan figures being replaced by the submitted draft RSS figures. The Secretary of State's proposed changes to the RSS are due to be published for public consultation in the summer of 2008 with adoption due before the end of 2008.
We expect housing provision to meet strategic requirements in accordance with PPS3 to be made by Stroud by provision of a site specific allocation of land development plan document (DPD) as part of the local development framework process. The DPD is programmed to be submitted for examination in March 2010 with adoption due in April 2011. A core strategy setting out the spatial strategy is also programmed for adoption in July 2010. These documents will take account of available land in the district including land at Hunts Grove and will need to reflect the then adopted RSS housing figures.
Local Authorities: Planning
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether a local authority is permitted to relocate a housing allocation published in its local plan or local development framework from one site to another. [201781]
Mr. Iain Wright: The housing allocations in the Stroud district local plan, adopted on 10 November 2005, were saved for three years after this date by a direction issued by the Secretary of State. Following this date, the housing provision should be reviewed and updated to take account of the up to date strategic requirements of PPS3 and amended through the local development framework process by Stroud district council. This will include a review of all remaining housing allocations from the local plan.
Local Government Finance
Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much central government grant per head was paid to each (a) county council and (b) unitary authority in England excluding grant to police authorities and local education authorities in the last financial year for which figures are available. [Official Report, 30 April 2008, Vol. 475, c. 6MC.][200845]
John Healey: The amount of central government funding paid to each county council and unitary authority excluding grant to police authorities and local education authorities in any financial year is zero because county councils and unitary authorities are all local education authorities.
Minister for the East of England: Standards
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the (a) activities and (b) performance the Minister for the East of England since her appointment in June 2007 against the terms of reference for the post set out in the Governance of Britain Green Paper. [201015]
Mr. Dhanda: The Governance of Britain Green Paper states that regional Ministers are expected to provide a clear sense of strategic direction for their regions and ensure that central Government's policies take account of regional needs. This involves working closely with the relevant Government office; the Regional Development Agency; other Government agencies; local government; business, the third sector and other stakeholders. Based on these terms of reference the Minister for the East of England's most significant achievements include:
helping to take forward the restructuring of regional bodies outlined in the Sub National Review;
setting up and chairing the quarterly Regional Partnership Group;
advising the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on RDA board appointments;
attending quarterly meetings with BERR Ministers and RDA chairs to discuss regional issues and performance;
engaging with a wide range of cross government bodies and agencies on regional issues like: local area agreements; the growth agenda; water supply; coastal flooding and defences; skills; health; women's enterprise and preparations for the Olympics in the East of England;
attending a wide range of events, visits and meetings with regional bodies; partners and stakeholders with a six-month forward programme of regional visits planned with local authorities and regional partners who want the Minister for the East of England to help them to deliver key regional growth and regeneration projects; and
attending regular meetings with the eight other regional Ministers to discuss matters of mutual interest like policing; transport and the growth agenda and share best practice.
As the Governance of Britain Green Paper does not set out any executive powers for regional Ministers, the Minister for the East of England has not made any executive decisions since her appointment.
National Muslim Women's Advisory Group
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which members of the National Muslim Women's Advisory Group have attended each meeting held with members of her Department since January 2008. [201432]
Hazel Blears: The National Muslim Women's Advisory Group has had two official meetings with the Secretary of State, in November 2007 and March 2008.
15 of the 19 members attended the meeting:
Siddika Ahmed;
Farkhanda Chaudhry;
Zuelkha Dala;
Reedah El-Saie;
Rokshana Fiaz;
Rukaiya Jeraj;
Samina Kauser;
Shahda Khan;
Sabira Lakha;
Adeeba Malik;
Sabin Malik;
Naheed Mather;
Andleen Razaq;
Shahien Taj; and
Batool Al Toma.
The four remaining members sent their apologies:
Fareena Alam;
Parvin Ali;
Shaista Gohair; and
Tasneem Mahmood.
Members of the advisory group also met with the Secretary of State at the formal launch of the group on 31 January at No 10.
15 of the 19 members attended the launch:
Parvin Ali;
Siddika Ahmed;
Fareena Alam;
Farkhanda Chaudhry;
Zuelkha Dala;
Reedah El-Saie;
Shaista Gohair;
Rukaiya Jeraj;
Samina Kauser;
Shahda Khan;
Sabira Lakha;
Tasneem Mahmood;
Sabin Malik;
Andleen Razaq; and
Batool Al Toma.
Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many meetings she has attended with the National Muslim Women's Advisory Group since January 2008. [201433]
Hazel Blears: The National Muslim Women's Advisory Group has had two official meetings with the Secretary of State, in November 2007 and March 2008.
Members of the advisory group also met with the Secretary of State at the formal launch of the group on 31 January 2008 at No. 10.
The group have also had a range of meetings among themselves within their regions.
Regional Planning and Development: South East
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her changes to the draft South East Plan will be published before the summer 2008 Parliamentary adjournment. [201875]
Mr. Dhanda: The Secretary of State intends to publish proposed changes for the draft regional spatial strategy (RSS) for the south-east (the South East Plan) before the summer recess.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how long the consultation period will be on her proposed changes to the draft South East Plan. [201876]
Mr. Dhanda: It is the Secretary of State's intention to allow 12 weeks for consultation on her proposed changes for the draft regional spatial strategy (RSS) for the south-east (the South East Plan). The statutory requirement is for a consultation of at least eight weeks, we are however mindful of the proposed timing of consultation over the summer period and for that reason will be allowing an additional four weeks.
Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to permit changes to the South East Plan which involve the removal of green belt protection in whole or in part. [201877]
Mr. Dhanda: The report of the independent panel is still under consideration and it would be inappropriate to comment on what may or may not be included in any proposed changes.
Home Department
Asylum: Deportation
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which countries there is currently no safe route of return for failed asylum seekers. [201000]
Mr. Byrne:
There are no countries to which the United Kingdom does not remove failed asylum seekers on the basis of the safety of the route. Officials consider not only the merits of the individual case but also the most effective means of achieving a safe and successful return. While there is no policy not to return to any
country or territory, our ability to return may of course from time to time temporarily be affected by legal challenge. This is currently the case with Zimbabwe, where we have undertaken to the High Court that we will not enforce the return of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe until the current country guidance litigation is resolved, and that remains the case.
Asylum: Zimbabwe
Mr. Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have been returned to Zimbabwe (a) voluntarily and (b) compulsorily during the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [201011]
Mr. Byrne: The latest published information showing removals of asylum seekers by destination can be found in Table 11.2 of the Asylum Statistics: United Kingdom 2006 bulletin.
We undertook to the High Court on 26 September 2006 that we would not enforce the return of asylum seekers to Zimbabwe until the current country guidance litigation is finally resolved, and that remains the case.
Copies of the aforementioned publication are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office’s Research Development and Statistics website at:
Border and Immigration Agency
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for indefinite leave to remain have been lost by the Border and Immigration Agency's (a) Security Casework Unit, (b) War Crimes Unit, (c) Criminal Casework Directorate and (d) other casework units in each year since 1997. [198992]
Mr. Byrne: The information requested is not available. It is not possible for the UK Border Agency to be aware of an application until it has been received and logged using the case information database. The onus is on the applicant to ensure that the agency receives their application. In the event that evidence has been provided that such an application has been received, the date of receipt will be taken into account when considering whether such an application has been made prior to the expiry of any other granted period of leave that the individual has held.
Border and Immigration Agency: Complaints
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were made to the Border and Immigration Agency in each year since establishment, broken down by the nature of complaint; and if she will make a statement. [199959]
Mr. Byrne: Data can be provided from 2000 for service delivery complaints and 2001 for misconduct complaints.
The number of complaints received from members of the public through the Border and Immigration Agency’s
central complaints unit (the customer focus team), broken down by category and year are as follows:
| Misconduct complaints (relating to staff behaviour) | |
| Number | |
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