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28 Oct 2009 : Column 478W—continued
Shops: Valuation
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Valuation Office Agency's Zone of Shops Valuation Handbook was last updated. [292894]
Barbara Follett: The Valuation Office Agency's zoning of shops handbook guidance, "It's All a Question of Zoning" has not been updated since 2000.
Social Rented Housing
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what assessment he has made of the likely effects in allocation of social housing on (a) A8 nationals on the Worker Registration Scheme and (b) A2 nationals on the Worker Authorisation Scheme of giving greater priority to local people; [295695]
(2) what assessment he has made of the likely effects of giving greater priority to local people in allocation of social housing on (a) new age Travellers, (b) Irish Travellers and (c) Gypsies with no local connection to the area in which they are applying for accommodation; [295696]
(3) what assessment he has made of the likely effects of giving greater priority to local people in allocation of social housing on (a) migrant workers from member states of the EU prior to 2004 and (b) refugees; [295698]
(4) what assessment he has made of the likely effects of giving greater priority to local people on allocation of social housing on non-EEA nationals with (a) indefinite leave to remain and (b) limited leave to remain. [295699]
Mr. Ian Austin: The draft new guidance on the allocation of social housing published for consultation on 31 July was accompanied by a draft impact assessment
Social Rented Housing: Rents
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on new social housing for rent in (a) England and (b) the City of York in each year since 1997-98. [295284]
Barbara Follett: The table shows the grant funding through the Homes and Communities Agency's Affordable Housing Programme for social rent in each financial year in the City of York local authority area. This includes both new build and acquisition and refurbishment. This does not include expenditure through the Affordable Housing Programme for Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) homes.
| £ million | ||
| Period | City of York | England |
| Source: Homes and Communities Agency | ||
Social Rented Housing: Suffolk
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties were added to the stock of social rented housing in Suffolk through (a) construction and (b) purchase in each of the last five years; and how many he expects to be added in each of the next five years. [296134]
Mr. Ian Austin: The table shows the number of new social rented homes built and acquired in Suffolk in each of the last five years.
| New build | Acquisitions | Total social rent | |
| Source: Homes and Communities Agency Investment Management System (IMS), and local authority returns to CLG. Figures have been rounded to nearest 10 units. | |||
Total affordable housing supply includes intermediate rent and Low Cost Home Ownership, as well as homes for Social Rent. In 2007-08, a total of 1,160 affordable homes were completed in Suffolk through new build and acquisitions.
Total affordable housing supply statistics for 2008-09 will be released by CLG in December 2009.
Information on the number of homes completed for social rent under the NAHP for April to September 2009 will be released by the HCA later this year.
As set out in the Homes and Communities Corporate Plan for 2009-10 we are aiming to deliver in England 55,000 affordable homes in 2009-10 and 56,000 in 2010-11. Future estimates levels of expenditure and outputs beyond 2010-11 will be dependent upon the next spending review.
Sustainable Development
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable has been set for (a) the revised edition of Planning Policy Statement 4 and (b) the introduction of a competition test in retail planning. [294884]
Mr. Ian Austin: The final version of Planning Policy Statement 4 will be published by the end of the year.
On 2 October 2009, the Competition Commission recommended the introduction of a competition test into the planning system for planning applications by grocery retailers as a remedy to the adverse effect on competition it had identified. If adopted this would apply not only to England but to the devolved administrations. The Government has 90 days to respond to the Commission's report from the date of its publication.
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what definition of consumer choice his Department plans to use in its revision of Planning Policy Statement 4. [294892]
Mr. Ian Austin: Policy EC6 of Draft PPS4 requires Local Planning Authorities to support the diversification of uses in town centres and plan for a strong mix of retail uses, recognising that smaller shops can significantly enhance the character and vibrancy of a centre.
We will publish final PPS4 by the end of the year.
Tenant Services Authority: Marketing
Grant Shapps:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Tenant Services Authority has spent on branded bags
since its establishment; and how many such bags have been produced. [294952]
John Healey: Since its establishment, the TSA has bought 3,000 branded bags which it has used at conferences and exhibitions. The bags formed part of the promotional materials purchased to help increase the profile of the TSA as the new independent regulator for social housing. The cost of these was £3,541 which equates to £1.18 per bag.
Tenants Rights
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of National Tenant Voice; and whether it will be located apart from the Tenant Services Authority. [294904]
John Healey: The National Tenants Voice has been allocated a budget of £ 1.5 million per annum under current comprehensive spending review plans.
A Project Group is leading development of the National Tenant Voice, and no decision has yet been reached on location.
Valuation Office: Data Protection
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) the Valuation Office Agency will have access to records held on the national register of private landlords. [294509]
Mr. Ian Austin:
Proposals to create a national register of private landlords include that it would be available to other Government organisations, including those with an enforcement role within the private rented sector.
These proposals have been to public consultation and responses are being considered.
Valuation Office: Local Government
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2009, Official Report, column 593W, on the Valuation Office: local government, which local authorities have sent data from building control departments to the Valuation Office Agency via the e-BAR/Valuebill facility in the last 12 months. [295838]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
The sources of information vary from billing authority to billing authority. The Building Control Department will be a source for some billing authorities. The data that some billing authorities gather from their building control departments are not sent via the e-BAR/Valuebill facility although information derived from it may inform the billing authority and may result in an electronic billing authority report.
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2009, Official Report, column 593W, on the Valuation Office: local government, which version of the Valuebill Scheme the Valuation Office Agency's e-BAR facility uses. [295839]
Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
The Valuation Office Agency's e-BAR facility uses (b) the current version 4.1 of the scheme, as shown on
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