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15 July 2009 : Column 496W—continued
International Comparison of Geographical Trading Models
Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the terms of reference were for the Ordnance Survey report entitled "International Comparison of Geographical Trading Models"; who was responsible for commissioning the report; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the report. [284789]
Mr. Ian Austin: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 14 July 2009, Official Report, column 316W.
The report was commissioned in April 2009 by my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Wright).
"To provide a broad comparison of various trading models used by a representative sample of National Mapping Agencies with the current model operated by Ordnance Survey, and to understand their impact on the range, quality, currency and provision of national mapping, and of its use."
Islam
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to paragraph 9.21 of the UK Strategy for Countering International Terrorism, Cm 7547, what projects his Department is supporting with universities to work with Muslim scholars, leaders and academics on contextualising Islam in Britain; and which universities, scholars and academics are involved. [286109]
Mr. Malik: Cambridge university, in association with the universities of Exeter and Westminster, have hosted a series of seminars to explore how Islamic theology and Muslim communities might respond to the challenges of living in modern Britain.
The discussions and debates will be captured in a report and published by Cambridge university in autumn this year. The report will feedback the views of participants on the issues discussed.
This project is being independently led by Cambridge university who have included imams, scholars and leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Islam: Faith Schools
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what contribution his Department has made to support the development of citizenship education in mosque schools through the Islam Citizenship Education Project. [286110]
Mr. Malik:
The Islam and Citizenship Education (ICE) Project is jointly funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for Communities and Local Government. The DCSF awarded a contract, worth £318,652, to the School Development Support Agency (SDSA) running from February 2008 to July 2009 to develop and pilot citizenship lessons for use in mosque schools. The SDSA, working in conjunction with Muslim communities, has successfully delivered this contract. We are currently in the process of tendering for the next stage of the ICE
Project to roll out the lessons to mosque schools nationally. Apart from fulfilling their contractual obligations, the SDSA and community-based organisations have made no financial contribution towards the ICE Project.
Local Government: Data Protection
Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) attempts and (b) successful attempts made to gain unauthorised access to (i) databases and (ii) ICT systems run by each local authority were reported to his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [286550]
Mr. Malik: This issue is a matter for individual local authorities who, like all public sector organisations are required to comply with data protection legislation.
The Local Government Association (LGA) have published "Data Handling Guidelines for Local Government" to complement the Central Government Data Handling Guidelines published by the Cabinet Office. We welcome the LGA guidelines which are available online at:
Local Government: Translation Services
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes in levels of provision of translation and interpreting services have been made by local authorities in the last 12 months. [286724]
Mr. Malik: The Department does not collect data on this. We provided Guidance for Local Authorities on Translation of Publications and this was published on 7 December 2007. It is available at:
Mortgages: Government Assistance
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2009, Official Report, column 959W, on mortgages: Government assistance, on what date (a) the Bank of Ireland, (b) GMAC, (c) Kensington Mortgages, (d) GE Money and (e) the Post Office joined the Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme. [286972]
John Healey: GE Money joined the Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme on 15 July 2009. The Department has continued to maintain close contact with Bank of Ireland, GMAC, Kensington Mortgages, GE Money and the Post Office in regard to joining the Homeowners Mortgage Support. All lenders have restated their commitment to the scheme and continue to work with the Department to implement the operational and system requirements necessary to offer the scheme to their customers as soon as possible.
Non-domestic Rates: Ports
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to take legal action against port owners for non-payment of business rates owed as part of their cumulo rental agreements. [286121]
Ms Rosie Winterton: The collection and enforcement of rates for properties on the local rating lists is a matter for local authorities.
Public Lavatories: Disabled
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the provision of Changing Places public conveniences. [285732]
Mr. Ian Austin:
We are keen to see increasing numbers of Changing Places toilets, and will be exploring in detail what role Building Regulations might play in supporting improvements in provision at a national level. In order to do this, we will shortly be commencing a review of part M (access to and use of buildings) of the Building Regulations, which includes consideration
of sanitary provision for disabled people, and revised guidance would be scheduled to come into force in 2013.
In addition, this Department's Strategic Guide on 'Improving Public Access to Better Quality Toilets', published last year, highlighted what local authorities, who have powers to provide public conveniences, and their partners can do to improve public access to toilets in their area. This included a section that drew attention to the Changing Places campaign, and stressed the importance of these facilities to people with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
Social Rented Housing: Hertfordshire
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of (a) local authority and (b) housing association homes in (i) Hemel Hempstead constituency, (ii) Dacorum and (iii) Hertfordshire met the Decent Homes standard in each of the last five years. [285897]
Mr. Ian Austin: The proportion of dwellings that met the Decent Homes standard in each of the last five years are listed in the following table. Data for Hemel Hempstead are not available as the constituency crosses several administrative boundaries.
| Proportion of decent dwellings | ||||||||||
| Percentage | ||||||||||
| Local authority | Registered social landlord | |||||||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Source: Annual returns, from all LAs that retain social housing stock, to Communities and Local Government and annual return from Registered social landlords. | ||||||||||
Social Rented Housing: Immigrants
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the proposals relating to council and other social housing waiting lists in the Draft Legislative Programme 2009, Cm 7654, will apply to (a) immigrants from other EU member states and (b) asylum seekers from outside the EU. [283770]
Mr. Ian Austin: Our proposals will give local authorities more flexibility to take into account local needs and priorities when determining their allocation policies. In different localities, this might mean giving relatively more priority to people who:
Can bring necessary skills to the area, as part of efforts to promote a stronger economy
Are living in overcrowded conditions-if this is a serious local concern
Have local family connections-if housing markets make private rental or ownership unaffordable for many
Are engaging with training opportunities-where there is a particular need to address skills shortages and worklessness
Have waited longest-where this is seen as the fairest means of distinguishing between otherwise similar applicants.
Social Rented Housing: Standards
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on bringing homes up to the Decent Homes Standard in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10 to date; and how much is expected to be so spent in 2010-11. [283971]
Mr. Ian Austin: Information from the Homes and Communities Agency and Tenant Services Authority using statistical returns submitted by local authorities and registered social landlords indicate what we expect to be spent on expenditure maintaining the condition of social housing stock, including up to the Decent Homes standard. This information is set out in the table.
| £ billion | |||
| Total investment | LA | RSL | |
| (1) Assumed figure | |||
Business, Innovation and Skills
Business: Government Assistance
Andrew George:
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford of 2 April 2009, Official Report, column 1443W, on the
Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, how many applications have been received for guarantees under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme to date; how many of those applications have been eligible for help under the scheme; what the monetary value of such guarantees applied for by eligible applicants to date is; how many eligible applications have been processed and approved to date; and what the monetary value of such guarantees processed and approved to date is. [270428]
Ms Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Angus (Mr. Weir) on 13 July 2009, Official Report, column 186W.
Economic Challenge Investment Fund
Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the procedure is for (a) individuals and (b) businesses to apply for funding from the Economic Challenge Investment Fund. [286630]
Mr. Lammy: The Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) is a Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) matched funding initiative available to higher education institutions with a total value of just over £58 million. The fund was set up to help the sector provide swift and responsive support to individuals and businesses affected by the economic downturn. Individuals and businesses can access support directly from those higher education institutions successful in securing additional funding through ECIF.
Higher Education: Admissions
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the change in numbers of Universities and Colleges Admissions Service applications from applicants in each (a) age group, (b) region and (c) socio-economic group between 2008-09 and 2009-10. [285716]
Mr. Lammy: The latest figures published by UCAS showing applicants as at 30 June are shown in the tables. UCAS has not released any data on socio-economic group for 2009 entry.
| UK domiciled applicants to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK at 30 June by age | |||
| UK domiciled students | 2008 | 2009 | Percentage change |
| UK domicile d applicants to full-time undergraduate courses in the UK at 30 June by home country | |||
| Country of domicile | 2008 | 2009 | Percentage change |
| Source: UCAS | |||
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