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14 Oct 2008 : Column 1084W—continued

Local Government Constitution

16. Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will seek discussions with relevant Cabinet colleagues on the establishment of a constitution providing for independent local government; and if she will make a statement. [226353]

John Healey: In the context of the United Kingdom’s constitutional arrangements there is recognition of local government, as demonstrated by our ratifying on 24 April 1998, the European Charter of Local Self Government whereby the United Kingdom is committed to the principle of local self government.

Port of Liverpool

17. Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has conducted an economic impact assessment on the decision to levy retrospective business rates on businesses in the port of Liverpool. [226354]

John Healey: The regulatory changes that changed the rating of statutory ports from a prescribed formula to a conventional basis did not change the law regarding what properties should or should not be separately assessed, under which the present action is being taken.

We are looking at the position of ports and the businesses that operate within them, following the end of the use of the prescribed formula.

Eco-towns

18. Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made in identifying suitable sites for proposed eco-towns. [226355]

Margaret Beckett: In April we announced the shortlist of locations for consultation in “Eco-towns - living a greener future”. We received a good response to the first stage consultation and we will shortly publish the draft
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planning policy statement and sustainability appraisal for consultation. These will set out more details about the locations.

Affordable Housing

19. Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to improve the provision of affordable housing in the north-west. [226356]

Mr. Iain Wright: The Government have recently approved a new regional spatial strategy for the North West. This requires local authorities to undertake strategic housing market assessments in order to assess the need for affordable housing within their area and carry this forward in their local development frameworks.

The Government have also announced six new growth points within the North West. Local authorities are currently working up programmes of development for these growth points in which we expect the issue of affordability to be addressed.

22. Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made against the Government’s targets for the provision of affordable housing in the last two years; and if she will make a statement. [226359]

Margaret Beckett: For the Spending Review 2004, covering 2005-06 to 2007-08, we were set a target to deliver 75,000 social rented homes over the three-year time span. Provisional figures indicate that we have met this target.

Regeneration

20. Mrs. Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department plans to take to unlock the talent of communities through regeneration. [226357]

Hazel Blears: We are enabling people to make the most of their potential and tackle the barriers that communities face through regeneration. Our new regeneration framework reinforces the importance of connecting deprived areas to opportunity and involving residents in decisions about regeneration priorities.

We are investing over £1.5 billion in the Working Neighbourhoods Fund and over £100 million via the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative. Both are focused on the most deprived areas—supporting local innovative approaches to help residents to get into and get on in the labour market; and helping potential entrepreneurs to start up new businesses. Our White Paper “Communities in control: real people, real power” marks an important step in the transfer of power, changing the culture in public services and the terms of the debate. In particular, it sets out:


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2012 Olympic Games

23. Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on the potential contribution of the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games to regeneration in London. [226360]

Hazel Blears: I have met the London Mayor on two occasions to discuss the potential contribution of legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games to regeneration in London. Firstly, at a bi-lateral meeting on 3 September at my offices. Secondly, at the Olympic Park Regeneration Steering Group (OPRSG) at City Hall on 8 October. The Mayor chairs OPRSG, a group which includes the Leaders and Mayors of the five host boroughs, the Minister for London and the Olympics and the Minister for Housing, and reports to the Olympic Board on legacy issues.

Architects Registration Board

Mr. Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many people were employed by the Architects Registration Board in each year since its establishment; [226649]

(2) what the percentage change in fees for examination by the Architects Registration Board or its committee under section 4(2) for equivalence to a prescribed qualification is between those established for 2008 and those to be charged in 2009; [226329]

(3) what the annual running costs of the Architects Registration Board were in each year since its establishment in 2007-08 prices; [226650]

(4) what the expected cost is of the ongoing refurbishment of the headquarters of the Architects Registration Board. [226651]

Mr. Iain Wright: These are operational matters for the Architects Registration Board. I have asked the registrar and chief executive of the Architects Registration Board to write to the hon. Member directly.

Letter from Karen Holmes dated 13 October 2008:


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Actual total expenditure Total expenditure at 2008 prices

1997

1,063,631

1,413,644

1998

1,275,754

1,652,284

1999

1,381,077

1,748,412

2000

1,919,389

2,380,638

2001

1,846,946

2,242,643

2002

2,091,080

2,483,979

2003

2,101,532

2,428,437

2004

2,402,757

2,716,160

2005

2,421,404

2,676,153

2006

2,448,498

2,629,260

2007

2,582,066

2,686,630


Staff employed

1997

16

1998

16

1999

17

2000

17

2001

17

2002

17

2003

18

2004

18

2005

18

2006

18

2007

19

2008

19



14 Oct 2008 : Column 1088W

Community Infrastructure Levy

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what types of development she has considered exempting from the requirement to pay the proposed community infrastructure levy; [226617]

(2) when she plans to publish the categories of development to be exempt from paying the community infrastructure levy; [226618]

(3) whether she will make it her policy that developments that promote sport or physical activity be exempt from paying the community infrastructure levy. [226619]

Mr. Iain Wright: As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government stated when the Planning Bill was in Commons Committee, our principal starting point is that almost all developments will have some imposition and impact on the need for infrastructure, and some call on local services or amenities. In addition, exemptions to, or reductions from, CIL may cause complexity and distortion and reduce fairness. Therefore, the Government envisage that most types of development will be liable to pay CIL.

The Government will however consider the case for exemptions when consulting on the regulations to implement CIL, and will set out the exemptions available in the final regulations. Any exemptions we create must be legally robust and based on coherent criteria, such as those set out at page 60 of the CIL policy document published in August.

Our document is available at:

Mr. Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether developments in receipt of funding from the community infrastructure levy will be exempt from paying the levy charge. [226620]

Mr. Iain Wright: The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) clauses in the Planning Bill, now in the other place, stipulate that CIL funding may be applied only to infrastructure that supports the development of an area. Infrastructure in itself has other impacts on infrastructure. For instance, a power station might place new burdens on the local road network. Therefore, the Government do not consider it right to provide an automatic exemption from paying CIL for developments that have been in receipt of CIL funding.

This is not to say that there will be no exemptions from CIL. The Government will consider the case for exemptions when consulting on regulations, and as we made clear in the CIL policy document published on 5 August, any exemptions from CIL will be decided on the basis of the criteria set out at page 60 of our publication, available at:


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