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9 Dec 2008 : Column 61W—continued
Housing: Low Incomes
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps have been taken to ensure that access to the MyChoiceHomeBuy scheme is equitable across regions and counties. [240870]
Mr. Iain Wright: The MyChoiceHomeBuy scheme is delivered by equity loan providers, who were selected following a competitive bidding process to ensure national coverage and a choice for customers. The scheme is demand led. Initial allocations to providers followed the indicative regional split of the overall National Affordable Housing Programme, which is based on a formula that reflects key policy outcomes. Initial allocations are then reviewed periodically and adjusted according to levels of actual demand.
Housing: Wellingborough
Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will visit Wellingborough to discuss future housing development in the area. [241414]
Mr. Iain Wright: Communities and Local Government Ministers are more than happy to discuss housing development in Wellingborough when we next visit north Northamptonshire.
Regional Development Agencies: Political Impartiality
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what requirements in respect of political impartiality there are on directors of regional development agencies; and if she will make a statement. [240261]
Mr. McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
Each regional development agency has a code of practice for all staff, including directors and board members, in line with the model code produced by the Cabinet Office. All staff are required to conduct themselves with integrity and impartiality, whatever their personal political views.
Regional Planning and Development: Northamptonshire
Mr. Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation is required to prepare a statement of community involvement. [240689]
Mr. Khan: West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) is a local delivery vehicle. It does not have development plan powers and is not required to prepare a statement of community involvement.
Regional Planning and Development: South West
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to respond to the consultation on the South West Regional Spatial Strategy. [241329]
Mr. Khan [holding answer 8 December 2008]: The Secretary of State received around 35,000 responses from individuals and organisations to the consultation on her Proposed Changes to the South West Regional Spatial Strategy. This is the largest number ever received to such a consultation. My officials at the Government Office for the South West are currently assessing the responses and the Secretary of State will consider proposals for a revised timetable shortly.
Sewers
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on the implementation of the recommendations in Sir Michael Pitt’s final report on the 2007 floods that the automatic right to connect surface water drainage from new developments to the sewerage system be removed. [240888]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I have been asked to reply.
We have already taken a number of steps in response to Sir Michael Pitt’s findings and will be publishing a detailed response together with a prioritised action plan shortly.
Tenants rights
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department takes to protect tenants of private landlords who have their property repossessed. [240798]
Mr. Iain Wright: We believe it is good practice where possible for the lender to let the tenancy run and use the rental payments to cover the mortgage repayments until the end of the tenancy or where the tenancy has become a periodic tenancy to give the statutory two month notice period as a minimum. Where this is not possible we would hope that as a matter of best practice the mortgage lender would feel able to keep the tenant informed and to give them as much notice as possible if they have to find alternative accommodation.
Officials are in discussions with the Council of Mortgage Lenders to explore ways in which best practice can be implemented and tenants can be kept better informed in these situations.
If a tenant becomes homeless as a result of their landlord's failure to keep up with mortgage payments the local council should be able to help in terms of providing temporary accommodation and assisting the tenant in their search for somewhere to live.
Travelling People: Coastal Areas
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) with reference to the answer of 25 November 2008, Official Report, columns 1287-88W, on Travelling people: coastal areas, what assessment her Department has made of the needs of non-migrant transient populations in seaside towns; [241510]
(2) with reference to the answer of 25 November 2008, Official Report, column 1280W, on the revenue support grant, if she will consider the introduction of an explicit measure of transient population as part of formula grant distribution system. [241512]
John Healey: The CLG Committee report on coastal towns published in March 2007 defined 'transient populations' in the broadest sense to be composed of UK adults of working age (who may move with their children) and overseas migrant workers who move on a frequent basis.
There is, however, no consistent definition of transient populations and therefore no centrally produced measure of them. Given this, it is not possible to assess the needs of non-migrant transient populations in seaside towns or to include an explicit measure of such populations, as part of the formula distribution system.
Wind Power: Planning Permission
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her reasons were for recovering the planning appeals relating to the wind farms at (a) Crook Hill, (b) Todmorden Moor and (c) Reaps Moss. [241412]
Mr. Khan: The reason for recovering these appeals was as a result of public interest in the proposals, being development of major importance having more than local significance, particularly bearing in mind the cumulative impact that the proposals could have.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Brussels
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent on visits by its staff to Brussels in 2007-08; and how many such visits were made by (a) air and (b) rail. [241258]
Mr. McFadden: The Department spent £325,396 on visits to Brussels during the period 2007-08. This figure includes hotel accommodation.
The number of visits by air and rail was:
(a) air: 69
(b) rail: 1,334
All travel by Civil Servants is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Civil Service Management Code and departmental handbook.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department are employed to assist special advisers. [240385]
Mr. McFadden: There are currently three full-time equivalent staff employed to assist the Special Advisers.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Telephone Services
Paul Rowen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 20 November 2008, Official Report, column 679W, on Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: telephone services, when he expects Ofcom’s new guidance to be published. [241058]
Mr. McFadden: Ofcom does not currently have any plans to issue further guidance for public bodies on the use of 03 or any other number. I understand that Department for Transport is waiting for the conclusion of Ofcom’s work on its proposals to make changes to charging arrangements for 0870 numbers. I understand that Ofcom is aiming to publish this policy statement by the end of this year.
EU Working Time Directive
Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the vote in the European Parliament scheduled for 17 December 2008 on amendments to the EU Working Time Directive; and if he will make a statement. [241085]
Mr. McFadden: The Working Time Common Position that was agreed by the Employment Council in June of this year represents a good outcome for Europe—it provides a fair deal for workers, without damaging competitiveness and so putting jobs at risk. The UK remains fully committed to that Common Position, in particular its maintenance of the right of individuals to opt out of the maximum 48 week if they wish. UK Ministers have maintained regular contact with counterparts across the EU on this issue, and hope the European Parliament will vote to support the Common Position on 17 December.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Winnick: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reasons the letter sent to his Department by the hon. Member for Walsall North dated 5 November 2008 regarding a constituent was not referred to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport until the end of November. [240351]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 8 December 2008]: The letter from my hon. Friend was referred to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 November.
Office of Communications: Manpower
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff Ofcom employs; at what cost; and what budget has been set for Ofcom for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [240339]
Mr. McFadden: I am informed by the Office of Communications (Ofcom) that as of the 31 March 2008, Ofcom employed 812 members of staff and the total staff costs for the financial year ending 31 March 2008 was £60.8 million.
Ofcom sets its budget on an annual basis, which is published on the 31 March of every year, and I am therefore unable to provide all the requested information. Ofcom's budget for 2008-09 will be £133.7 million, 1.5 per cent. lower in real terms than its budget for 2007-08 and 17.5 per cent. lower in real terms than Ofcom's original full-year budget set in 2004-5. Additionally, Ofcom agreed a four year funding settlement with Her Majesty's Treasury on 24 February 2007, and for 2009-10 and 2010-11 it is £142 million and £143 million respectively.
Office of Fair Trading: Complaints
Mr. Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which bodies are designated as bodies able to make super complaints to the Office of Fair Trading pursuant to the provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002. [241652]
Mr. Thomas: The following bodies are designated super-complainants: the Campaign for Real Ale Limited; the Consumer Council for Water ("Watervoice"); the Consumers' Association ("Which?"); the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland; the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux; and the National Consumer Council ("Consumer Focus").
Overseas Trade: Australia
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent on promoting trade between the UK and Australia in each of the last five years. [240851]
Mr. Thomas: This information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Political Levy
Mr. Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 10 November 2008, Official Report, column 907W, on the political levy, what guidance his Department issues on whether material which promotes a political party may be sent out with the ballot papers for the political levy ballot; and if he will make a statement. [242047]
Mr. McFadden: The Department does not issue guidance on this issue.
Health
Allergies: Doctors
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist allergy doctors have been employed by the NHS in each of the last five years; and how many are expected to be employed in each of the next five years. [241764]
Ann Keen: The number of doctors working in the allergy speciality in each of the last five years is given in the following table.
| Number | |
Work force planning is the responsibility of local national health service organisations who are best placed to ensure that the workforce is available to meet the needs of their local community.
Allergies: Vaccinations
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) evaluated and (b) commissioned on the effectiveness of allergy vaccines in treatment; and if he will make a statement. [241765]
Cancer
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he has completed his assessment of options for providing modern proton therapy services; [240362]
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