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2 Nov 2009 : Column 774W—continued
Social Rented Housing
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which recommendations of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's 2002 report, Social tenants' access to home working opportunities, commissioned by the Housing Corporation's Innovation and Good Practice programme, have been adopted by the successor bodies to the Housing Corporation to date. [292847]
Mr. Ian Austin: The report, which was part funded by the Housing Corporation's Innovation and Good Practice programme, made a range of recommendations to central and local government and to the housing association sector.
In its Neighbourhood and Community Strategy of October 2006, the Housing Corporation emphasised the value of all housing associations promoting employment opportunities-including residents working from their homes. Home working is also likely to be covered in forthcoming guidance from the Homes and Communities Agency, for example on the development of Local Investment Plans for local authorities and other partners.
The Live-Work Network, which was set up following the publication of the report, has been commissioned by Government to conduct a national study of the potential of local 'hubs' to support people who work from home. This work is being supported by the Homes and Communities Agency, the Commission for Rural Communities and CLG.
Social Rented Housing: Standards
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received from the Local Government Association in respect of funding decisions affecting the Decent Homes Improvement Programme in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [296887]
Mr. Ian Austin: The Local Government Association wrote to the Housing Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (John Healey), on 27 July in respect of the funding decisions that the Minister had taken in the context of the Housing Pledge announcement of 17 July.
Supporting People Programme
Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effects on (a) special needs provision and (b) domestic violence services in (i) Luton and (ii) England of reductions in Supporting People budgets; and if he will make a statement. [291826]
Mr. Malik:
The provision of Supporting People housing related support services, including special needs and domestic violence provision, is a matter for local authorities to determine based on local needs and priorities. CLG do not specify what portion of the SP budget should be allocated to individual client groups. However CLG, through annual expenditure returns and quarterly Supporting People local systems data, monitor the
expenditure and number of available services funded from the Supporting People programme.
Based on the expenditure information provided annually by local authorities, expenditure on domestic violence services in England has increased in each of the three years ended March 2008. In Luton, the number of places (Household units) reported to CLG at quarter end 31st March for this period has remained unchanged.
For special needs services the number of places for (1) Luton and (2) England is set out in the following table.
| Number of special needs places( 1) | ||
| Date quarter ending 31 March each year | Luton | England |
| (1) Special needs for the purpose of the above includes learning, sensory and physical disability services. | ||
Tenant Services Authority: Public Consultation
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date the Tenant Services Authority's National Conversation is expected to close. [297439]
John Healey: The Tenant Services Authority's National Conversation ended on 8 September.
Travelling People: Caravan Sites
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings his Department 's officials have had with Philip Brown Associates on matters relating to policy or planning decisions on Travellers in the last 12 months. [295868]
Mr. Malik: There is no record of the Department's officials having had any meetings with Philip Brown Associates on matters relating to policy or planning decisions on Travellers in the last 12 months.
Treasury
Bank Mellat
Mr. Kilfoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 October 2009, Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on delegated legislation (counter-terrorism), to which UN-listed organisations Bank Mellat has provided services; what indications his Department gave to Bank Mellat of its concerns prior to 12 October 2009; what concerns his Department has raised relating to those UN-listed organisations; and which (a) organisations and (b) activities supported by Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines have led to the imposition of restrictions on its trading activities. [296665]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In light of the sensitive nature of the information, we are unable to give further details of the organisations Bank Mellat has provided services to, or organisations and activities supported by IRISL which were relevant to the issuing of the direction.
Both target entities were informed of the decision by letter and fax within hours of laying the order in Parliament.
The UK Government have expressed their concerns on Iranian nuclear activities to the Iranian Administration, most recently during talks in Geneva in early October.
Banks: Iceland
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the government of Iceland on the effect on UK (a) savers, (b) charities, (c) local authorities and (d) police forces of the financial situation in that country; and if he will make a statement. [297182]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.
Banks: Loans
Mike Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on encouraging the provision of mortgages and lending by UK banks to existing borrowers who have not defaulted on their mortgages; and if he will make a statement. [296220]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government are taking action to ensure mortgages continue to be available for creditworthy borrowers. On 19 January 2009, the Government announced a package of measures designed to reinforce the stability of the financial system, to increase confidence and capacity to lend, and in turn to support the recovery of the economy. Further information is available at:
These measures build on those announced on 8 October last year.
On 19 October 2009, the FSA published its Mortgage Market Review, which sets out proposals to help ensure a mortgage market that is sustainable for all participants. This document is available on the FSA's website:
Child Benefit
John Mason: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has for future increases in the level of child benefit. [296784]
Mr. Timms: Child benefit rates increased ahead of indexation in January this year, rising to £20 a week for the first child. Overall, child benefit has risen 25 per cent. in real terms since 1997. Decisions on child benefit rates are announced in the Budget and Pre-Budget Report.
Child Benefit: Grandparents
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases child benefit payments are being made to grandparents of the child to which the benefit relates. [297247]
Mr. Timms: The information is not available. HM Revenue and Customs does not record the nature of the relationship between the child and the child benefit claimant where the person making the claim is the child's carer and not their parent.
Child Tax Credit
Andrew Stunell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the backlog of child benefit payments was in each month in each of the last five years. [296443]
Mr. Timms: The information is not available. All payments of child benefit are generated automatically with the vast majority being paid by bank transfer. For information on the time it takes to pay a new child benefit claim I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, East (John Mason) on 27 April 2009, Official Report, columns, 1046-47W.
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has for future increases in the levels of child tax credits. [296782]
Mr. Timms: The Government increased the child element of the child tax credit by £240 in Budget 2008, and by another £150 in Budget 2009, when the Government also announced that the child element will increase by £20 above indexation in April 2010. Overall, the child element has risen by £790 since its introduction. Decisions on increases in the levels of tax credits are announced in the Budget and Pre-Budget Report.
Child Tax Credit: Fraud
Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many cases of fraudulent claims of child tax credit have been investigated in each year since child tax credit was introduced; and in how many cases the fraud investigated involved the (a) non-existence and (b) non-qualifying residential status of the child; [293173]
(2) how many cases of fraudulent claims for child benefit have been investigated in the last five years; and in how many such cases the fraud investigated involved the (a) non-existence and (b) non-qualifying residential status of the child. [293171]
Mr. Timms [holding answer 15 October 2009]: For information relating to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) compliance checks on tax credits awards I refer my hon. Friend to the information published in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 Comptroller and Auditor General's Standard Reports.
Information for years up to and including 2007-08 can be found in table 6 on page R15 of the 2007-08 report published at:
Similar information for 2008-09 is included in table 33 on page R41 of the Standard Report published at:
HMRC has made and closed around 62,000 child benefit interventions in the five years to April 2009 but that figure cannot be broken down to reflect the specific categories of fraud requested, as HMRC's systems do not capture information in this way.
Providing further information on this point might assist those attempting to defraud the system.
Departmental Internet
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on maintaining its Flickr channel in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [297289]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury originally purchased its Flickr channel on 5 November 2008 at a cost of £15. We have just renewed the channel for a further two years at a cost of £29. There are no further costs associated with maintaining the Flickr channel.
Departmental Manpower
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) full- and (b) part-time employees his Department had each year since 1997. [297394]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Information on HM Treasury (HMT) employees is published and can be found in HMT's Annual Reports, available at:
EC Budget: Contributions
Mr. Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the UK's net contribution to the EU budget in 2010-11. [297187]
Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 14 July 2009, Official Report, columns 150-51W.
Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to respond to the interim advice given by Sir John Chadwick on Equitable Life. [294929]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A response was sent to Sir John Chadwick on 27 October.
Financial Services: Iran
Mr. Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken in the last 12 months to restrict UK financial and credit institutions from dealing with Iran; what steps he plans to take in the next six months; and if he will make a statement. [296561]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury issued an advisory notice to the financial sector on 11 March 2009 advising that
"All UK businesses regulated under the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 whether financial institutions or other regulated persons should treat transactions associated with Iran as situations that by their nature can present a higher risk of money laundering or terrorist financing, and which therefore require increased scrutiny and enhanced due diligence. Other persons authorised by the Financial Services Authority should also take this advice into account in their systems and controls to counter financial crime, and take appropriate actions to minimise associated risks."
Other advisories were issued by the Treasury regarding the risks posed by Iran on 20 October 2008 and 3 July 2009.
HM Treasury used the powers under schedule 7 to the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 on 12 October 2009 to require all UK financial and credit institutions to cease transactions and business relationships with two Iranian entities-Bank Mellat and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines-on the basis of identified activities of concern that these entities were carrying out. HM Treasury will consider further use of the powers in schedule 7 to the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 where they are a proportionate response to a risk to the UK's national interests.
As the Prime Minister has set out, the UK is prepared to implement sanctions against Iran beyond the UN and EU measures already in place as appropriate if it does not engage meaningfully with the international community.
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