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16 Oct 2009 : Column 1118W—continued
Government Office for London
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what functions and responsibilities in relation to housing are undertaken by the Government Office for London. [293002]
Mr. Ian Austin: Housing is the policy responsibility of Communities and Local Government, and GOL works to deliver a number of the Department's housing targets in London. GOL uses its local knowledge both to work with a range of partners, including the Mayor of London, The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the London boroughs, to promote and improve understanding of the Government's housing policy and to influence the development of new housing initiatives.
GOL's housing role includes advising CLG Ministers on the Mayor's housing strategy and his recommendations on the allocation of funding from the regional housing pot in London, negotiating housing targets in London boroughs' local area agreements, and advising Ministers on housing growth issues in north London and Croydon.
In addition, GOL's planning work contributes to the housing agenda through its planning responsibilities. These include advising on and scrutinising the London Plan and Local Development Frameworks on behalf of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to ensure that provision is made for both affordable and market housing. GOL also has a national role in confirming planning, housing and regeneration compulsory purchase orders in England on behalf of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which facilitates regeneration and housing schemes nationwide.
Greater London Authority: Finance
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimates were made by his predecessor Department of the (a) cost and (b) staffing complement of the Greater London Authority prior to its creation. [293352]
Barbara Follett: The White Paper, "A Mayor and Assembly for London", which set out the Government's proposals for the creation of the Greater London Authority (GLA) in March 1998 provided an indicative estimate that the GLA would have around 250 staff and an annual cost of around £20 million a year.
This initial estimate was subsequently refined as the GLA's specific duties and responsibilities became clearer following the passage of the GLA Act 1999. The then Minister for Local Government announced in February 2000 that the GLA's first full year budget for 2000-01 would be £32.5 million, to be funded by grant and precept. This first budget assumed an indicative staff complement of 400 FTE staff for the GLA.
Housing
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate his Department has made of the average age of a first-time buyer of a domestic property. [292702]
Mr. Ian Austin: The average (median) age of a first time buyer of a residential property in the UK in August 2009 was 29 years old.
Source:
The Council of Mortgage Lenders.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether an impact assessment has been prepared in relation to the housing policies announced in the draft legislative programme. [292733]
Mr. Ian Austin: No housing policies were announced as part of the Draft Legislative Programme 2009-10.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in which regions regional housing executives have been established. [292816]
Mr. Ian Austin: The only region with a body known as a regional housing executive is the West Midlands. This was established in September 2006. Other regions have similar bodies, with responsibilities including the preparation of a regional housing strategy and advising Ministers on bids for elements of the regional housing pot.
These bodies include representatives from local authorities (and are mainly chaired by a local authority member) as well as key stakeholders and the HCA.
Housing: Apprentices
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 14 September 2009 on apprenticeships and new housing, whether the apprenticeships with the projects' developers will be open to (a) EEA nationals, (b) A2 nationals and (c) A8 nationals. [292839]
Mr. Ian Austin:
On 14 September 2009 my right hon. Friend the Housing Minster announced that all projects funded from future rounds of the housing pledge will be required to offer apprenticeships places. The aim of this policy is to increase opportunities for young and/or unemployed people who have been particularly hard hit by the current economic climate. Many of these projects will be carried out by registered social landlords who have a commitment to support their local communities
and will be seeking to ensure maximum benefits for young and/or unemployed people living in the vicinity of their developments.
The new apprenticeships places will comply with current UK legislation.
Housing: Construction
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many residential new build planning applications were granted in each of the last five years; and what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of residential new build sites with planning permission which have not been developed.[292694] [Official Report, 28 October 2009, Vol. 498, c. 3MC.]
Mr. Ian Austin: The number of planning applications for residential developments that have been granted for last five years is set out in the table:
| Planning applications granted on residential developments in England( 1) | |
| Applications granted on residential dwellings | |
| (1) England figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 and include estimates for non-responding authorities. Notes: Information for 2008-09 to be published on 29 October 2009. Source: Communities and Local Government General Development Control Returns | |
Information on whether planning applications have been developed or not is not held centrally.
Housing: Finance
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much he expects the Homes and Communities Agency to pay to housing developers for completion of homes under the National Affordable Housing programme in each of the next three years. [292460]
John Healey: As set out in the Homes and Communities Agency's Corporate Plan, we are expecting to invest £3,248 million and £2,480 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively through the Affordable Housing programme on either starts on site or completions. Budgets for 2011-12 will be subject to the outcome of the next spending review. Housing developers are eligible to submit bids for this grant funding.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 17 July 2009, on housing, how much funding will be transferred from (a) the Growth Fund, (b) the Decent Homes Arms Length Management Organisation Programme, (c) the Private Sector Renewal programme and (d) each of the Homes and Communities Agency programmes to contribute to the £1.5 billion of funding announced in the Building Britain's Future. [293035]
John Healey: To enable investment to build an extra 20,000 new affordable homes for rent and low cost sale, I have reduced £128 million from the Growth Fund and £75 million from the Private Sector Renewal Fund through 2009-11 and rescheduled £150 million from the Decent Homes ALMO programme. In addition, I have charged the Homes and Communities Agency with producing £183 million of the overall £1.5 billion package through more efficient and flexible management of its range of housing and regeneration programmes.
Housing: Low Incomes
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average grant per unit for a home sold under (a) Rent to HomeBuy, (b) HomeBuy Direct, (c) New Build HomeBuy, (d) MyChoice HomeBuy, (e) OwnHome, (f) the First Time Buyers Initiative and (g) Social HomeBuy was in each of the last three years. [292480]
John Healey: The following is a breakdown of the average grant per unit for homes completed in the last three years:
| Average grant per unit on completions for the last three years | |||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | |
| (1) The grant relates to sales in the Housing Association sector only as grant is not given in the local authority sector. Source: Homes and Communities Agency. | |||
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average purchase price for a home sold via (a) Rent to HomeBuy, (b) HomeBuy Direct, (c) New Build HomeBuy, (d) MyChoice HomeBuy, (e) OwnHome, (f) the First Time Buyers Initiative and (g) Social HomeBuy was in each region in each of the last three years. [292481]
John Healey: The following tables show average regional market value of HomeBuy properties completed in the last three years.
| 2006-07 | |||
| £ | |||
| Social HomeBuy | New Build HomeBuy | First Time Buyers Initiative | |
| 2007-08 | |||
| £ | |||
| Social HomeBuy | New Build HomeBuy | First Time Buyers Initiative | |
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