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2 Feb 2009 : Column 943W—continued
Trade Unions
Mr. Maude:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Chichester of 25 February 2008, Official Report, column 1185W, on trade unions, whether recognised
trades’ unions are allocated departmental office space in which to conduct trades’ union work; [249939]
(2) with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Chichester of 27 February 2008, Official Report, column 1619W, on trades’ unions, what the Cabinet Office policy is on granting (a) paid and (b) unpaid time off for trades’ union representatives to undertake (i) trades’ union duties and (ii) political campaigning. [249940]
Mr. Watson: Cabinet Office has a partnership agreement with our Departmental Trade Union Side—Public and Commercial Services Union, First Division Association and Prospect. The agreement provides the trade unions’ representatives with appropriate resources, including office working space, in order to fulfil their responsibilities.
Cabinet Office trade unions’ representatives can apply to their managers for special leave to fulfil their responsibilities.
Unemployment
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of working age households in each parliamentary constituency in which no-one was in work in each month of the last two years. [252909]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on the number and proportion of working age households in each parliamentary constituency in which no-one was in work in each month of the last two years. (252909)
The available information is provided in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Monthly estimates are not available and the information requested has been answered using annual estimates derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS) household dataset for the years 2006 and 2007. Estimates for 2008 will not be available until summer 2009.
Figures for households are based on working age households. A working-age household is a household that includes at least: one person of working-age, that is a woman aged 16 to 59 or a man aged 16 to 64.
It is vital to note that as with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty as different samples give different results. Estimates that are deemed unreliable for practical purposes are presented in italics. These estimates are based on small sample sizes and are subject to large variability. Estimates that are reliable are presented in bold.
Mrs. May: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what percentage of children in each parliamentary constituency lived in (a) households claiming out-of-work benefits and (b) workless households in each month of the last two years. [252914]
Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on how many and what percentage of children in each parliamentary constituency lived in (a) households
claiming out-of-work benefits and (b) workless households in each month of the last two years. (252914)
The available information for part (b) is provided in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
Monthly estimates are not available and the information requested has been answered using annual estimates derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS) household dataset for the years 2006 and 2007. Estimates for 2008 will not be available until summer 2009.
Figures for children in households are based on children aged under 16 years old living in working age households. A working-age household is a household that includes at least one person of working-age, that is a woman aged 16 to 59 or a man aged 16 to 64.
It is vital to note that as with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty as different samples give different results. Estimates that are deemed unreliable for practical purposes are presented in italics. These estimates are based on small sample sizes and are subject to large variability. Estimates that are reliable are presented in bold.
The Department for Work and Pensions has provided the answer to (a) on how many and what percentage of children lived in families claiming out-of-work benefits in each year since 2004, broken down by parliamentary constituency (226158), and I refer you to the answer given on 27 October 2008, Official Report, column 702W.
Communities and Local Government
Cemeteries: Complaints
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints the Local Government Ombudsman has received relating to the administration of cemeteries in the last 24 months; and how many were upheld in whole or in part. [252466]
John Healey: During the two-year period January 2007 to December 2008, the Local Government Ombudsman received 73 complaints related to cemeteries and crematoria. Of these, five were outside their jurisdiction and 21 were premature and so were referred back to the council. Of the 47 cases that were investigated, six are still waiting a decision. Of the 41 cases determined, there were no formal findings of maladministration, although local settlements were reached in six cases, which can be regarded as an acceptance of fault by the Council.
Community Centres: Valuation
Mr. Pickles:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 18 March 2008, Official Report, column 962W, on community centres: valuation, how many properties there were under the category of hall and
premises on the 1995 Rating Lists for England in each Government Office region in 1998 or in the most recent period for which figures are available. [252201]
John Healey: As at 1 April 1998, there were 15,851 properties described as hall and premises in the 1995 Rating Lists for England.
| Government region | Number of hall and premises as at 1 April 1998 |
Council Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the speech made by the Minister for Local Government to the Local Government Association on 2 July 2008, what the timetable for the review of the enforcement of council tax is; what the terms of reference of the review are; and what plans she has to introduce proposals to amend legislation in this regard. [251968]
John Healey: I announced on 2 July 2008 that I am working with the Ministry of Justice to look at new ways to collect and enforce council tax, in particular by allowing councils to transfer council tax debts from magistrates to county courts. Any necessary legislation will be introduced as parliamentary time allows.
Annex D of the Council Tax Collection Good Practice Report of 2004, summarises good collection practice for council tax. The report is published on Communities and Local Government website at:
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of new homes built in each year since 1990 have been in each council tax band. [253240]
John Healey: The following table sets out the percentage of new homes in each council tax band by the year they first appeared in a council tax valuation list in England. As valuation lists were not compiled until 1 April 1993, no figures are available before that date.
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