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4 Feb 2009 : Column 1287W—continued
Figures for acceptances and temporary accommodation at national, regional and local authority level can be found in the supplementary tables of our quarterly statistical release on Statutory Homelessness. This is published on our website and placed in the Library each quarter at:
English rough sleeper estimates, by local authority, and the count guidance are published and can be found at the following web address:
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Government has spent on organisations to help the homeless in (a) the City of Southampton, (b) the ceremonial county of Hampshire, (c) Test Valley borough and (d) England in each of the last five years. [254019]
Mr. Iain Wright: There are two grant programmes that specifically support organisations to help the homeless. The Homelessness Grant supports all local authority homelessness strategies enabling them to tackle and prevent homelessness effectively. The Supporting People programme supports the provision of housing-related support to the most vulnerable in society.
| Southampton—homelessness grant | ||||||
| £ | ||||||
| Local authority | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | Total |
| Hampshire county (including Test Valley)—homelessness grant | ||||||
| £ | ||||||
| Local authority | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | Total |
| England—Homelessness Grant | ||||||
| £ | ||||||
| 2004-05 | 200-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | Total | |
Supporting People programme data is not available at a district level. The Southampton spend is for the county. Supporting People programme funding cannot be broken down prior to 2005-06 to show which funding went to which groups.
| £ | |||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
Homes and Communities Agency: Costs
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her latest estimate is of the cost of establishing the Homes and Communties Agency. [252493]
Mr. Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1265W. The estimate for the set-up costs remains at £20 million.
Homes and Communities Agency: Operating Costs
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated cost of running the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is in its first year of operation; and which funding elements and streams are being incorporated into the HCA. [252486]
Margaret Beckett: In agreement with Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) budgets for 2008-09 have been agreed on merger accounting principles. This means that the HCA is deemed to have existed since 1 April 2008 and full 2008-09 budgets have been set.
The planned full year running costs budget for the HCA in 2008-09 is £86 million, with an additional £4 million being provided to the HCA for transitional costs. This figure has been reduced from the £99 million that was quoted to the hon. Gentleman in an earlier written answer, Official Report, column 1265W on 30 October 2008. That response was during the set-up phase of the HCA and of necessity included best estimates of potential running costs which have been revised now that the HCA is in operation.
The elements and funding streams incorporated into the HCA are those that were formerly functions of English Partnerships, the investment function of the Housing Corporation, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities. In addition, a range of programmes that were formerly carried out by my Department have been transferred to the HCA for delivery, including the Growth Fund (excluding that element for the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation), the Community Infrastructure Fund, Housing Market Renewal pathfinders, the Gypsies and Travellers site-specific grant, the Places of Change programme, the Decent Homes initiative and the Thames Gateway.
Housing: Low Incomes
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 30 October 2008, Official Report, column 1270W, on housing: low incomes, what the timetable for all social housing stock to be recorded on the National Register of Social Housing is; and whether it is mandatory for (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations to provide property information for the Register. [252212]
Mr. Iain Wright: The targets for provision of data to the National Register of Social Housing (NROSH) are phased. The first target is for those local authorities that still own social housing and large housing associations to provide a list of their social housing together with confirmation of ownership and manager by 31 March 2009.
The second target is to provide additional priority attribute data by 31 March 2010. Small housing associations have until 31 March 2010 to provide both the list of dwellings and the priority attributes.
Participation is not currently mandatory. Communities and Local Government and the Tenant Services Authority have a good relationship with local authorities and housing associations and are working closely with them to achieve the targets. NROSH will deliver a step change in the evidence base for social housing as well as reducing the burden of data provision. Data providers are encouraged to provide data as soon as they are able so that the benefits for all can begin to be realised.
Housing: Standards
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the progress made in meeting the targets for decent homes; whether she expects the 2010 target to be met in respect of (a) Waltham Forest and (b) Redbridge; and if she will make a statement. [247982]
Mr. Iain Wright: On 28 November 2008 the Department’s autumn performance report was published which set out the progress on delivering decent homes. It recorded that the latest figures reported by landlords show that 22 per cent. of their stock was non decent as at 1 April 2007, compared with 26 per cent. in 2006.
Ascham Homes manages the London borough of Waltham Forest’s housing stock.
Ascham Homes expect to complete their decent homes programme in 2011-12.
Redbridge Homes manages the London borough of Redbridge's housing stock once it passes an inspection currently scheduled for February 2009 it will be able to access funding to deliver decent homes. If successful, Redbridge Homes expects to complete its decent homes programme by 2012-13 but 89 per cent. of their homes will be decent by 2010-11.
Local Government Finance: Coastal Areas
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the impact of day visitors on levels of expenditure by local authorities containing coastal towns. [252930]
John Healey: A measure of the number of day visitors to an authority is taken into account in the relative needs formulae for both highways maintenance and environmental, protective and cultural services used in the distribution of formula grant to local authorities.
Formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant which means that local authorities decide how they allocate this grant across the services that they provide.
Local Government Statistics Data Upload
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) statistics and (b) other data in respect of 2008-09 local authorities are required to submit to her Department using the Local Government Statistics Data Upload facility. [251912]
Mr. Khan: The contract referred to relates to an annual upload of performance only data onto the Best Value Performance Indicators website. Local authorities did not upload to the website directly. The BVPI website closed down last April but the data are publicly available on the Audit Commission website:
Local Government: Bank Services
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what her latest estimate is of the length of time which will elapse before local authorities with deposits in Icelandic banks will receive compensation; and what assessment has been made of the financial effects on those authorities of the lack of interest being received on those deposits; [252748]
(2) what assessment has been made of the effect on local authority budgets of lower rates of return as a result of local authorities placing money in very low-risk deposits following the Icelandic banking crisis. [252749]
John Healey: HM Treasury is continuing to work closely with the Icelandic Authorities to ensure fair treatment for all UK depositors and creditors. The Local Government Association are co-ordinating activity on behalf of local authorities, and local authorities are representing themselves at creditors meetings.
Under the Local Government Act 2003, local authorities are responsible for their own investment decisions, and we have not made an assessment of the financial effect on local authorities of the loss of interest from Icelandic investments, or of lower rates of return from their investments. The Department’s guidance on local government investments is available at:
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