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29 Oct 2009 : Column 525W—continued
Retail Trade: Planning Permission
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to promote retail diversity through the planning system. [296342]
Mr. Ian Austin: Our draft Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for Prosperous Communities (PPS4) requires local planning authorities to take steps to protect and where appropriate enhance consumer choice and diversity in their town centres.
We will be publishing the final PPS4 by the end of the year. Local authorities must take the PPS into account when preparing their local development frameworks and it may be material to decision on individual applications and appeals.
Shared Ownership Schemes
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the outcomes of each of the projects undertaken on the basis of a successful bid in the shared equity competition his Department announced in Budget 2007. [296609]
John Healey: MyChoice HomeBuy and Ownhome were the shared equity loan providers appointed by the Homes and Communities Agency following the Budget 2007 announcement. Both have contributed successfully to the National Affordable Housing Programme, helping 3,926 and 799 households respectively into home ownership in 2008-09. Information on households assisted into low cost home ownership in 2009-10 will be released by the Homes and Communities Agency in due course.
Women and Equality
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Manpower
John McDonnell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2009, Official Report, column 1289W, on the Equality and Human Rights Commission: manpower, how much of the interim staff costs are attributable to consultancy fees in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10. [296381]
Maria Eagle: None. The costs only relate to interim and agency staff who were employed by the Commission to support the delivery of its strategic priorities. Consultancy expenditure is recorded separately.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions: Government Assistance
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what applications have been received from (a) Wales, (b) England and (c) Scotland for support from the Low Carbon Communities Challenge Fund; when he expects decisions to be taken on the distribution of resources from the fund; and what evaluation mechanisms are in place to ensure optimisation of sustainability in successful bids. [296999]
Joan Ruddock: The Low Carbon Communities Challenge is a two-year programme to provide financial and advisory support to 20 'test-bed' communities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are seeking to cut carbon emissions. It does not cover communities in Scotland.
Applications for the Challenge will be received by 27 November for phase 1 applicants (applying for funding in 2009-10), and 30 December for phase 2 applicants (applying for funding in 2010-11). The final decision on the selection of communities will be made in January 2010. Phase 1 applicants will be notified at this point on the allocation of funding. Phase 2 applicants will be allocated funding during the financial year as they work up their spending plans.
We anticipate that Government will put in place a number of evaluation mechanisms. In doing so, we will engage closely with the selected communities so that the data are openly shared and so that the communities have the tools and opportunities to be active participants in the learning. The programme is likely to include:
Gathering hard data on energy use
Real time monitoring of energy use in selected households in the communities
Household surveys for gathering data on broader socio-economic and environmental behaviours
Facilitated events in each of the 20 communities.
Climate Change
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many scientists and academics who disagree with the theory of man-made climate change he has met in a ministerial capacity in the last 12 months. [292449]
Joan Ruddock: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not met climate sceptic scientists and academics in the last 12 months. However, the overwhelming consensus among climate scientists is that the case for human caused climate change that we are experiencing is unequivocal. This is the clear conclusion of the International Panel for Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report published in 2007.
Climate Change: Conferences
Lembit Öpik: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking regarding sustainable alternatives for energy production in preparation for the forthcoming Copenhagen climate change conference. [296979]
Joan Ruddock: Energy production contributes the largest proportion of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Working with EU partners, the Government are pushing for an ambitious, effective and fair agreement in Copenhagen that will drive the development and diffusion of sustainable forms of energy production. In this context, the UK's low carbon transition plan represents a clear demonstration to other countries that we are serious about reducing emissions from our own energy production.
Consolidated Contractors Corporation
David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what (a) meetings, (b) communications and (c) other contacts Ministers and officials in his Department have had with the Consolidated Contractors Corporation (CCC Group) and its international offshoots in the last five years. [294380]
Joan Ruddock [holding answer 20 October 2009]: The Department for Energy and Climate Change has of course only been in existence for just over a year. We have no records within DECC of any contact with this group.
Wind Power: Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in how many Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty there are planning applications for (a) wind farms and (b) related electricity cables. [296323]
Mr. Kidney: There are currently seven planning applications for (a) wind farms in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England and Northern Ireland. There are no current planning applications relating to AONBs in Wales. There are no Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Scotland.
I can confirm that the Department has received no applications for (b) overhead line works associated with wind farm developments of 50 megawatts (MW) and above in AONBs in England and Wales. There are also no applications affecting AONBs in Northern Ireland.
Applications for electricity cables related to wind farms of less than 50 megawatts (MW) in England and Wales would be considered by the relevant local planning authority and DECC does not maintain information on such applications.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks: Crime
Chris Huhne:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) 10 to 12, (b) 13 to
15 and (c) 16 to 17 year olds were (i) cautioned and (ii) prosecuted for alcohol-related offences in each police force area in each of the last five years. [294181]
Alan Johnson: Information showing the number of offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for alcohol-related offences in England and Wales from 2003 to 2007 (latest available) broken down by age and police force area, can be viewed in Tables 1,2 and 3 placed in the House Library. Data for 2008 are planned for publication at the end of January 2010.
A penalty notice for disorder (PND) may also be issued for certain alcohol-related offences. The number of PNDs issued for alcohol-related offences from 2004 to 2007 were introduced to all police force areas in 2004.
Alcoholic Drinks: Public Places
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) anti-social behaviour orders, (b) penalty notices for disorder and (c) police cautions have been issued for on-street drinking in (i) North Yorkshire, (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber and (iii) England in each year since 1997. [295748]
Mr. Alan Campbell: Information showing the number of offenders cautioned for on-street drinking offences in the North Yorkshire Police Force area, the Yorkshire and Humberside region and England from 1997 to 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in Table 1.
Information showing the number of Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) issued in the North Yorkshire Police Force area, the Yorkshire and Humberside region and England from 2004 to 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in Table 2. The PND scheme was rolled out to all Police Forces during 2004.
Data on the number of ASBOs issued held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform does not include information detailing the specific nature of the antisocial behaviour which resulted in the court issuing the ASBO. This could be determined only by examining individual court files which could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
| Number of offenders cautioned( 1) for on-street drinking( 2) in North Yorkshire Police Force Area, Yorkshire and Humberside region( 3) and England, 1997 to 2007( 4, 5) | ||||||||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | ||
| (1) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (2) Includes the following offences and statutes: Being found drunk in a highway or other public place, whether a building or not, or on licensed premises-Licensing Act 1872, section 12. Being guilty while drunk of disorderly behaviour-Criminal Justice Act 1967, section 91. Offences relating to the Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S.12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12. (3) Covers the following Police Force Areas: North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside. (4) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit-Office for Criminal Justice Reform. | ||||||||||||
| Number of Penalty Notices for Disorder issued to persons aged 16 and over for on-street drinking( 1) in North Yorkshire Police Force Area, Yorkshire and Humberside region( 2) and England, 2004 to 2007( 3, 4) | ||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| (1) Includes the following offences and statutes: Being found drunk in a highway or other public place, whether a building or not, or on licensed premises-Licensing Act 1872, section 12. Being guilty while drunk of disorderly behaviour-Criminal Justice Act 1967, section 91. Offences relating to the Police Reform Act 2002 Sch.4 Para.5 (Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S.12). Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 S12, (2) Covers the following Police Force Areas: North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside. (3) The Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) Scheme was implemented in all 43 police forces in England and Wales in 2004. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (5) Excludes British Transport Police. Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit-Office for Criminal Justice Reform. | ||||
Antisocial Behaviour
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports of anti-social behaviour there have been in (a) North Yorkshire, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England in each year since 2003; and how many of those reported cases have led to (i) the issuing of an anti-social behaviour order, (ii) a community sentence, (iii) a custodial sentence, (iv) a police caution and (v) any other form of judicial sentencing. [295746]
Mr. Alan Campbell: The information requested is not held centrally. Reports of antisocial behaviour are usually reported to the police, local authority, landlord or other frontline agency whose task it is to deal directly with that problem. Information on the use of all the antisocial behaviour tools and powers nationally is available on the antisocial behaviour website:
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