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16 Oct 2009 : Column 1137W—continued
Public Houses: Postal Services
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many public houses have post offices facilities within them, according to rating list records held by the Valuation Office Agency. [293366]
Barbara Follett: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Public Works Loan Board
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department plans to review the costs to local authorities of making early repayments to the Public Works Loan Board. [292874]
Barbara Follett: The UK Debt Management Office, together with the Public Works Loan Board and HM Treasury is currently reviewing the frequency with which fixed interest rates are set. The consultation document is available on the Debt Management Office website at:
Quirk Review
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which recommendations of the Quirk Review have (a) been and (b) not been implemented. [292999]
Barbara Follett: "Making Assets Work", the Quirk Review of Community Management and Ownership of Public Assets, was published in May 2007. The Government accepted its recommendations and published their response to the Quirk Review, "Opening the Transfer Window". Action has been taken to implement all the recommendations and has included a widespread promotional campaign; publishing guidance on managing risks in asset transfer; updating local authority asset management guidance; and the Advancing Assets demonstration programme to support local authority and community partners in asset transfer. The Advancing Assets programme is continuing and a dedicated Asset Transfer Unit has been established to provide independent guidance, advice and support on asset transfer.
Rates and Rating
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effects of the rating system for on-sale premises on their competitive position in relation to supermarkets; and if he will make a statement. [293651]
Barbara Follett: We have made no assessment of the effects of the rating system on public houses.
Recycling
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the treatment of (a) local authority collection of garden waste and (b) home composting of garden waste for the purposes of assessing progress towards local authority recycling targets. [292804]
Dan Norris: I have been asked to reply.
Local authorities in England no longer have centrally imposed statutory targets on recycling and composting-this is consistent with Government policy to give local areas more freedom and flexibility on how they deliver national objectives.
The Government believe local authorities are better placed to make decisions on the best waste management strategy for their local area, so it does not direct or interfere in the decisions they make.
DEFRA has not provided any specific guidance but provides a range of targeted support to help local authorities deliver their targets through bodies such as the Waste Implementation Programme and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
WRAP has also been working on a model to calculate how much waste is diverted from landfill via home composting. The model, once complete, could help councils include home composting in targets to divert biodegradable municipal waste from landfill under the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme.
Regional Planning and Development: Green Belt
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in which locations the draft regional spatial strategies submitted to his Department recommend a review of green belt protection. [292735]
Mr. Ian Austin: A Regional Spatial Strategy, whether in draft or in its final form issued by the Secretary State, would not affect the level of protection afforded to Green Belt. This is set out in National Planning Policy. Policies in Regional Spatial Strategies may recommend that, in a particular area, there should be a review of land designated as green belt.
Regional Planning and Development: South East
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department plans to undertake new strategic environmental assessments on the South East Regional Spatial Strategy. [292802]
Mr. Ian Austin: There are currently a number of legal challenges to the south-east regional spatial strategy which relate to the adequacy of the strategic environmental assessment that was undertaken and we are awaiting the outcome of court proceedings.
Social Rented Housing
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what 39 data items are recorded for an average property on the National Register of Social Housing. [292872]
Mr. Ian Austin: The National Register of Social Housing records, on average, 39 data items for each dwelling. The following are the 39 most-recorded data items, as of 6 October 2009.
Local Authority Location of Dwelling
National Land and Property Gazetteer Unique Property Reference Number
Data provider's Property Reference Number
Supporting People Administering Authority Reference Number
Confirmation of ownership
Code of the Owner
Confirmation of manager
Data provider's estate name
Data provider's estate reference number
Data provider's block or scheme name
Data provider's block or scheme reference number
Social Rented Housing Categories
Self contained or not self contained
Furnished or unfurnished
Valuation
Cloned valuation
Date of valuation
Type of dwelling
Form of structure
Number of floors in the dwelling
Floor in the block on which the dwelling is located
Purpose built or converted
Year built
Year built is estimate
Type of Construction
Number of private living rooms
Number of bedrooms
Number of bed spaces
Basis for SAP Rating
Decent Homes Standard date of inspection
Standard of thermal efficiency
Dates occupied
Dates vacated
Choice based lettings
Tenure Type
Rent payments per year
Rent
Target rent
Helpline
Social Rented Housing: Foreigners
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much and what proportion of social housing was allocated between 2002 and 2007 to tenants who were not born in the United Kingdom. [293262]
Mr. Ian Austin: This information is not available.
Information on the number of social housing lettings is collected through the Continuous Recording of Letting form (CORE). Place of birth is not recorded.
For estimates of allocations by nationality, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 1 September 2009, Official Report, column 1844W.
Social Rented Housing: Standards
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department has allocated for achievement of the Decent Homes standard in each of the next three years. [292876]
Mr. Ian Austin: Decisions on future years' funding for Decent Homes have not yet been taken.
Solution Establishment Workshop
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) purpose and (b) nature of the Solution Establishment Workshop (SEW) set up under FireControl is; when SEW commenced work; what functions SEW has been assigned; when SEW is expected to complete its work; and whether he expects outcomes from the SEW exercise to be published. [289210]
Mr. Malik [holding answer 12 October 2009]: The purpose of the FireControl Solution Establishment Workshops (SEWs) is to bring together key partners in the Fire and Rescue Service, the Department and EADS to design and develop the IT system. The SEWs will ensure that the system meets mandatory requirements and the operational needs of the users, and builds on the work completed so far in order to deliver an effective, resilient network. The SEWs build on an extensive series of technical workshops which have taken place since the project was awarded in 2007.
SEWs began work on 22 June 2009 and are scheduled to complete their work in November 2009. The outcomes from the SEW exercise will be communicated to key stakeholders.
Surrey Police: Council Tax
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what outturn total Band D council tax bill was levied in each billing authority in Surrey in 2009-10 following the capping of Surrey Police Authority. [292545]
Barbara Follett: Details of the average band D council tax payable in 2009-10 in each billing authority in Surrey following the designation of the Surrey police authority are shown in the table.
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The information is also available in table 6 of the statistical release "Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2009-10 (Revised)" that was published on the Communities and Local Government website on 30 July and is available at the following link:
Sustainable Communities Act 2007
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable his Department has set for the (a) consideration and (b) approval of local authority proposals under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. [292822]
Barbara Follett: The timetable for the consideration and approval of local authority proposals made under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 will be determined by the number and complexity of proposals shortlisted by the selector.
Wind Power: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's guidance and methodology for valuing wind turbines; and what criteria apply to the inclusion of power generation in the (a) national and (b) local rating list. [292617]
Barbara Follett: The guidance and methodology for valuing wind turbines for rating purposes is set out in the VOA Rating Manual, which can be found on the VOA website:
Since April 2000 power generators have appeared in local rating lists. The identity of the occupier, the purpose of occupation and the extent of property occupied is generally straightforward and normally within a small geographical area and a single billing authority.
The central rating list contains network properties such as the Transco gas networks and the clean water supply companies. These hereditaments cover large areas and numerous administrative boundaries.
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