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11 Jun 2009 : Column 994W—continued
Housing: Carbon Emissions
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many applications for planning permission for zero carbon homes were (a) requested and (b) granted in each of the last three years; [272221]
(2) how many planning applications for zero carbon homes have been made in each Government office region in each of the last 12 quarters; [272204]
(3) how many zero carbon homes have been (a) started and (b) completed in each of the last three years; [272220]
Mr. Ian Austin: While information is collected centrally on housing planning permissions, starts and completions, this does not separately identify zero carbon homes. Furthermore there is no requirement for local planning authorities to keep records which separately identify zero carbon homes.
Housing: Construction
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009, Official Report, column 107W, on the design for manufacture programme, if he will place in the Library a copy of the initial study commissioned by the Homes and Communities Agency from the chartered surveyors in 2008. [276965]
Mr. Ian Austin: The purpose of the chartered surveyors’ interim report was to aid HCA’s understanding of the progress being made by developers in achieving the £60,000 target cost across the Design for Manufacture Competition.
The work comprised a sampling exercise that was not designed to be published because it would be likely to mislead the reader as to the performance of developers and building systems over time. Releasing this partial information could unfairly prejudice the commercial interests of developers and their supply chains.
The HCA plans to disseminate lessons learned from the competition once the final costs have been received, and based on a more comprehensive analysis of the completed outturn costs for all developers over the life of the competition.
Housing: Low Incomes
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of initial equity was purchased on average under the Social HomeBuy scheme in each of the last three years. [274849]
Mr. Ian Austin: The following table shows the average equity value of properties purchased under Social HomeBuy schemes in England since 2006-07, when the Social HomeBuy scheme started.
| Social HomeBuy | |
| Average value of equity (£) | |
| Source: Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Investment Management System (IMS) | |
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what the average sale price of a property purchased under the (a) Social HomeBuy, (b) Right to Acquire and (c) Right to Buy scheme was in each year since 1997; [274865]
(2) what estimate he has made of the average monetary value of a domestic property in the social sector in each of the last five years. [274866]
Mr. Ian Austin: The following table shows the average price of a property purchased under Social HomeBuy, Right to Acquire and Right to Buy in England, for each year since 1997-98.
| £ | ||||
| Social HomeBuy | Right to Acquire | Local authority Right to Buy | Registered social landlord Right to Buy | |
| Source: PIB quarterly returns to CLG from local authorities, and Continuous Recording (CORE) returns from Registered Social Landlords to the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) | ||||
CLG does not collect information about average monetary values of social housing properties. The figures are for the average property price of social homes sold by social landlords under the Social HomeBuy, Right to Acquire and Right to Buy schemes in England.
These property price figures are based on the total property price, not the amount paid by the purchaser, who is entitled to a discount on the market value and may only be purchasing a share of the equity in the property.
The average property price is not shown for the Right to Acquire sales prior to 2001-02, due to a low number of sales in each year.
2008-09 figures are not yet available from CORE.
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 May 2009, Official Report, columns 447-48W on housing: low incomes, what the average percentage equity stake purchased by a buyer has been in each year in which each of the schemes has been operational. [275561]
Mr. Ian Austin: The following table shows the initial average percentage equity stake purchased by a buyer in each year since each scheme has been operational.
| Percentage | |||
| Product | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| Source: Homes and Communities Agency’s Information Management System. | |||
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what amounts were transferred from one region to another with respect to the regional allocations for the National Affordable Housing Programme in each of the last three years. [275578]
Mr. Ian Austin: The information requested is being collated and will be placed in the House Library shortly.
Non-domestic Rates
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which were the groups described as representing ratepayers who expect significant rises in their rate bills and who are pressing for a five-year scheme on page 15 of the document NNDR Transitional Arrangements: Consultation, published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in August 2004; and if he will make a statement. [278453] [Official Report, 16 July 2009, Vol. 496, c. 5MC.]
Ms Rosie Winterton: A full list of those consulted is at Annex B to the Consultation document published in August 2004. A total of 66 responses were received. 41 responded in favour of a four-year transitional scheme. Nine respondents favoured a five-year transitional scheme. These are as follows:
British Chamber of Commerce;
Broadland District Council;
Drax Power Station;
(The) Energy Network;
GVA Grimley;
North Norfolk District Council;
Rating Surveyors Association;
South Holland District Council;
Wychavon District Council.
Non-domestic Rates: Valuation
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the administrative cost to (a) the Valuation Office Agency, (b) local authorities and (c) his Department of the (i) 2005 ratings list revaluation and (ii) 2010 ratings list revaluation. [278336]
Ms Rosie Winterton: Five-yearly revaluations are part of the normal operation of the rating system and form part of the everyday work of Communities and Local Government and local authorities. No assessment of the administration costs has been made for either Communities and Local Government or local authorities.
The estimated cost incurred by the Valuation Office Agency in undertaking the 2005 rating revaluation was £47.328 million and the estimated cost of undertaking the 2010 rating revaluation is £51.5 million.
Planning Permission: Fees and Charges
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether planning authorities are able to exempt educational and charitable organisations from planning fees in order to encourage sustainable development. [279051]
Mr. Ian Austin: Local planning authorities are unable to exempt educational and charitable organisations from planning fees. Planning permission is normally given in relation to the land to which it relates, and there is no guarantee that the successful applicant will be the one to implement the permission. Only in very exceptional instances is permission given that is personal and exclusive to an individual or corporate applicant, with a presumption that it will come to an end if the land ownership changes.
Accordingly, the planning system does not offer any special rate, as such, for applications it receives from charities or educational organisations, and there are no plans at present to change this. There are two exceptions to the above: certain works to improve access to buildings for disabled people are exempt from planning fees, and applications from non-profit-making sport or recreational organisations to carry out certain works and changes of use at sports grounds are liable to pay only at a concessionary rate.
Transition Towns Movement
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with the Transition Towns Movement; and whether her Department has undertaken research into transition towns. [278800]
Mr. Ian Austin: In March, my right hon. Friend the Member for Salford (Hazel Blears) met the Totnes branch of the Transition Network to hear about its work to support community engagement and empowerment, and foster ‘green’ lifestyle choices. Officials also visited Totnes, in May, where they met with various ‘Transitioners’ and heard about a variety of projects such as garden share schemes, plans for a new zero carbon development, and plans for the local Energy Service Company.
Defence
Afghanistan
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Afghan nationals have received military training in the UK in each year since 2001. [278947]
Bill Rammell: 51 Afghan nationals have received military training in the UK since 2001.
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