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27 Apr 2009 : Column 1121W—continued
Planning Permission
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of planning applications for commercial purposes made in the last two years; and if she will encourage local authorities to reduce planning costs for small and medium-sized businesses. [270401]
Mr. Iain Wright: The number of planning applications for commercial developments granted or refused in 2007 and 2008 was 26,000 and 23,000 respectively.
In March 2009 the Government responded to the Killian Pretty Review and identified that an early priority will be work to reduce the need for planning permission for some small scale developments by businesses and public services. Specifically, by summer 2009, we propose to consult on draft proposals to streamline information requirements for applicants. Subject to the consideration of public consultation responses, new regulations will be introduced in April 2010.
In addition, the Government have accepted the Killian Pretty finding that the national planning policy framework should be overhauled and simplified. A key aim of the forthcoming review of national planning policy is to produce a framework that is focussed on the needs of the user. In the current economic climate, these needs are likely to include reduced planning costs for small and medium-sized businesses.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications were received by local planning authorities in each quarter of the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [270562]
Mr. Iain Wright: The numbers of planning applications received by local authorities in England in each quarter of the last five years are tabled as follows:
| Period | Number received (thousand) |
| Source: Communities and Local Government General Development Control Returns PS1/PSF. | |
Rented Housing
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of households in the (a) local authority and (b) registered social landlord sector have held a tenancy for more than (i) three and (ii) five years. [270622]
Mr. Iain Wright: Based on the 2007-08 Survey of English Housing it is estimated that:
(i) about 3 million social tenants (74 per cent. of the sector) had been in their current home for more than three years;
(ii) about 2.5 million social tenants (62 per cent. of the sector) had occupied their current home for at least five years.
Reliable separate estimates for local authority tenants and registered social landlord tenants are not available.
Rents
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment her Department has made of the effect on small businesses of recent private sector rent increases; and what assistance her Department provides to small businesses in respect of such increases. [270201]
Mr. Iain Wright: Commercial leases are a matter of private contract. Leases will set out any arrangements under which the rent may be varied during the course of the tenancy, in order to reflect current market values, and will commonly provide for the rent to be decided by an independent third party where the landlord and tenant cannot agree. When business tenancies protected by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 are renewed, the rent is restricted to the market value. The Department for Communities and Local Government does not provide direct assistance to small businesses in respect of rent increases, although Small Business Rate Relief is available to those businesses that meet the eligibility criteria.
Both landlords and tenants are affected by the current economic climate and a close working relationship will be of mutual benefit. As a result of Government concern about inflexible leasing practices, the property industry introduced a new voluntary ‘Code for Leasing Business Premises’ in March 2007. The Government look to the code and ancillary documents to promote more flexibility in the commercial property market, and especially to promote greater awareness among small business tenants. Government are monitoring the dissemination, use and impact of the code, and will evaluate the outcome to see if it has made a difference.
Repossession Orders
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many domestic properties in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) England have been repossessed in the last five years. [271334]
Mr. Iain Wright: There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). However both are only available for the United Kingdom as a whole.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on this is on their website at:
The CML data on repossessions are no longer freely available from their website. For detailed time series information members of the public can request to subscribe to CML to obtain access to a restricted website.
The Financial Services Authority data are available on their website at:
The CML and FSA release slightly different figures. The CML data are for repossessions on first-charge mortgages only, including Buy-to-Let mortgages, as issued by their members. CML estimate that their lenders currently account for 98 per cent. of mortgage lending. The FSA data, as well as covering possessions on first-charge mortgages, cover possessions on second-charge loans by regulated firms (many second charge lenders
are not regulated) but do not cover possessions as comprehensively on Buy-to-Let mortgages, as some of these are from unregulated firms. The overall effect of the differences is that the FSA's statistics on possessions are slightly higher.
Second Homes
Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many second homes there were in each council tax band in each local authority area in England in each year from 1997 to 2008. [271249]
Mr. Iain Wright: I have today placed in the Library of the House tables containing details of the number of second homes in each council tax band in each local authority area in England since 2004. Information for previous years is not available.
Shared Ownership Schemes
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many properties bought through shared ownership schemes have been repossessed in the latest period for which figures are available; [270280]
(2) what assistance her Department provides to owners of a property bought through a shared ownership scheme who are at risk of repossession. [270281]
Mr. Iain Wright: Data on the number of shared ownership properties which have been repossessed are collected by individual housing associations and are not held centrally.
The Government are determined to do everything possible to ensure families facing possible repossession have the chance to remain in their homes, and that repossession is always the last resort. The £280 million Government Mortgage Rescue Scheme was rolled out across England at the beginning of this year. The scheme will help up to 6,000 of the most ‘vulnerable’ households (families with dependent children, or those containing elderly, ill or disabled people) who would be entitled to homelessness assistance, if repossessed.
Shared owners do not generally have the need for assistance from this programme because housing associations were able to reinvest capital grant held in their recycled capital grant funds for the priority purpose of helping shared owners at risk of repossession. This help includes the option of a lower level of home ownership or a rental option.
Tenancy Deposit Scheme
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints have been received from (a) tenants and (b) landlords regarding the tenancy deposit scheme since it became operational. [271274]
Mr. Iain Wright: The three tenancy deposit scheme providers have received a total of 358 complaints since the scheme was launched in April 2007. We do not have a breakdown between complaints received from landlords and tenants. Communities and Local Government has no role in dealing with such complaints.
Young Muslims Advisory Group
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects the Young Muslims Advisory Group (a) ran in 2008-09 and (b) is expected to run in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; what funding has been allocated to such projects in each of the three years; which such projects have been subcontracted to third parties; and how the performance of subcontractors will be monitored. [270416]
Mr. Khan: The Young Muslims Advisory Group was launched in October 2008 and will run for a two year period.
In 2008-09 the YMAG delivered a national youth conference in Leeds which over 320 young people of all faiths aged 15-25 from across England attended. The total cost of this event was £110,000.
In 2009-10 the group will be taking forward projects on research, communication and civic participation. Funding has not yet been allocated to these projects.
The promotion and branding of the YMAG was subcontracted to a creative agency. This organisation is a regular partner on Prevent work. Their work is monitored through regular meetings and evaluation reports.
Energy and Climate Change
Buildings: Carbon Emissions
Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guidance his Department has issued to businesses on reducing carbon dioxide emissions from commercial buildings; and if he will make a statement. [264647]
Joan Ruddock: The DECC-funded Carbon Trust provides information and advice to help businesses and public sector organisations improve their energy efficiency. Advice is delivered via the Carbon Trust website, dedicated advice line, and a range of further services for organisations of different sizes.
DECC initiatives such as the free CHP Focus website and helpline service, which offers free advice to organisations on combined heat and power applications, are also available to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions.
In addition to this Department’s activities, energy performance certificates have been introduced by communities and local government (CLG) to help improve the energy efficiency of all buildings. Since October 2008 commercial and public buildings must have one whenever the building is sold, built or rented.
EPCs form part of a programme of work that will make a difference to the 50 per cent. of UK carbon emissions that arise from buildings. Other changes include requiring display energy certificates for larger public buildings from October 2008 and inspections for air conditioning systems from January 2009. The CLG website also has a number of publications giving industry guidance on the energy performance of buildings.
Departmental Billing
John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of invoices his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt in each of the last five months. [270541]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: The percentage of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt for the last five months is as follows:
| Percentage paid within 10 days | |
Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension. [270518]
Mr. Mike O'Brien: There are no DECC staff suspended on full pay at this time.
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