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12 Feb 2009 : Column 2219W—continued
Non-Domestic Rates
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to make changes to the formula governing distribution of revenue from non-domestic rates to local authorities from 2010. [254766]
John Healey: I have already announced the provisional allocation of the 2010-11 formula grant, which comprises revenue support grant, redistributed non-domestic rates and principal formula police grant, where appropriate. In line with the Government's established policy on three-year settlements, it is not intended that this allocation will change other than in exceptional circumstances.
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraph 4.16 of the pre-Budget report 2008, whether businesses which pay their liability in instalments will be required to declare backdated business rates bills as liabilities for accounting purposes. [255055]
John Healey: I have placed in the Library of the House advice from the insolvency service on this issue.
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many individual businesses have been notified by the Valuation Office Agency of (a) an increase in their rateable value and (b) a rateable value which previously was not levied in each of the 55 ports in England and Wales. [255216]
John Healey: The Valuation Office Agency does not hold the information requested in (a) above in this form and to assemble it would involve disproportionate cost. The aggregate effect of the review has been to increase the total number of properties (hereditaments) within ports that are separately rated at 1 April 2005 by 605 properties in England. Statistics for Wales have not been included as rates are a devolved matter.
| Cumulative change | |
| Port | Number of hereditaments (+/-) |
Non-domestic Rates: Ports
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many port businesses had paid the first instalment of their individually assessed non-domestic rates by 2 February 2009; and on what date the full rates bill will fall due for those who have not paid this instalment. [256471]
John Healey: This information is not collected centrally, as the responsibility for issuing rates bills and collecting rates lies with the local authorities.
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government under what statutory powers payment of non-domestic rates on port businesses assessed in 2008 may be demanded retrospectively to 2005. [256472]
John Healey: Regulation 14(2) of the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/659).
Non-Profit Making Associations
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many contracts have been awarded by her Department to social enterprises in each of the last three years. [255695]
Mr. Khan: Changes to the Department’s finance system have only allowed the identification of social enterprises since September 2007. Since then three companies have been identified as social enterprises and one contract has been awarded to an organisation identified as a social enterprise.
Official Engagements
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many public engagements inherited by the Minister for Housing upon her appointment have subsequently been cancelled. [254765]
Mr. Khan: There is no such thing as an ‘inherited engagement’. My right hon. Friend has accepted or declined a range of invitations since her appointment as part of her ministerial duties.
Redundancy
Justine Greening:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 26 November 2008, Official Report, column 1510W, on redundancy, what estimate she has made of the annual payroll savings resulting from staff
exit schemes in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09 excluding the cost of severance packages; and what estimate she has made of the equivalent figures for 2009-10. [254461]
Mr. Khan [holding answer 5 February 2009]: The information requested on payroll savings resulting from staff exit schemes in each year since 2005-06 is not collected centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Such schemes bring benefits beyond reducing payroll costs. They enable the Department to strengthen its capability by ensuring that the skills profile of staff remains compatible with changing business needs.
Small Businesses
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to local authorities to provide business rate relief to assist small businesses. [255291]
John Healey: Small Business Rate Relief is available for those ratepayers that meet the eligibility criteria in properties under £15,000 rateable value (or £21,500 in London). In addition rural rate relief is available for village food shops, and single petrol stations or public houses in designated rural areas, providing they meet eligibility criteria.
Local authorities also have the power to grant relief to Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs and other non-profit making organisations that may benefit the community as well as to support businesses in cases of hardship.
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government has taken to ensure that local authorities pass on the reduction in the rate of value added tax to small businesses and council tax payers. [255292]
John Healey: The Government expect all councils to pass on the full cut in VAT where it makes financial sense to do so. In cases where the cost of implementing the change would outweigh the financial benefit, authorities may wish to use savings in other ways, such as to improve services or keep council tax down. In such cases authorities should be transparent about how the funds are being used.
Sustainable Development: Public Participation
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued on whether panels of representatives of local persons set up under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 can include elected councillors. [254769]
John Healey: Statutory guidance on the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 was published in July 2008 which can be found at:
Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers a waste collection authority has to fine households who put waste out at times other than those specified by the authority. [251826]
Jane Kennedy: I have been asked to reply.
Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) provides powers to local authorities to specify the conditions of the waste collection service they operate and requires them to inform the recipients of the service of those conditions by way of a “section 46 notice”.
Breach of the terms of that notice would normally be met with advice to the householder.
Only if the event of serious and persistent breach of the order causing a serious nuisance would powers provided by EPA 1990 s46(6) or the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (CNEA) be acted upon.
Justice
Charities
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice to which (a) charities and (b) voluntary organisations his Department has provided funding in the last five years; and how much funding was provided to each. [247374]
Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice, created in May 2007, has collected information on direct funding to the third sector for the financial years from 2006-08.
| £ million | |
A full breakdown of the organisations funded over the past two years is shown in the following tables. These cover a wide range of organisations helping the Department deliver services in areas such as criminal and civil court services, legal aid and services for victims and witnesses. They include grant funding and contracting arrangements.
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