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2 Dec 2009 : Column 785W—continued
Local Government Finance: Bexley
Mr. Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the London local government finance settlement for the London Borough of Bexley (a) was in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07, (iii) 2007-08 and (iv) 2008-09 and (b) is for (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11. [303721]
Barbara Follett: The following table shows the amount for formula grant, which is made up of Revenue Support Grant and redistributed business rates for non-police authorities, for the period requested.
| Prior years adjusted formula grant( 1) (£ million) | Current year's formula grant (£ million) | Change (£ million) | Percentage change | |
| (1) The prior year's formula grant is adjusted for changes in function and funding to enable a like-for-like comparison. (2) Prior to 2006-07 support for schools was paid through formula grant. In 2006-07 funding for schools transferred to the Dedicated Schools Grant. | ||||
Non-Domestic Rates
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate has been made of the likely amount to be billed to businesses in each region in national non-domestic rates in (a) total and (b) respect of properties experiencing a rates reduction as a result of the planned transitional relief scheme in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14 and (v) 2014-15. [303653]
Barbara Follett: No estimates of the likely bills have been made, as these contain not only transitional relief but all other reliefs, some determined at the billing authorities' discretion. Therefore it is not possible to estimate the likely bill of a hereditament.
For the purpose of modelling the 2010 transitional relief scheme, the Notional Chargeable Amount (NCA) was calculated. The NCA for a given year is the product of the rateable value and that year's small business multiplier. The NCA is then compared to the previous year's reference value increased by the caps. The minimum of these two values was used as a proxy for the bill after transition but before all other reliefs. Details on the methodology and assumptions used can be found on page 49 of the "Transitional arrangements for the non-domestic rating revaluation 2010 in England" consultation document. These include zero inflation, which does not reflect the latest information available, and adjustments for appeals.
A copy of the consultation document is available at the following link:
Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was billed to businesses in each region for national non-domestic rates in 2008-09; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures in 2009-10. [303654]
Barbara Follett: The net amount of non-domestic rates that should have been collected in 2008-09 after reliefs, in each region in England, are given in the following table.
Data for 2009-10 are not yet available.
| Estimated net collectable debit in respect of 2008-09 non-domestic rates | |
| £000 | |
| (1) Data for Harborough and Isle of Scilly are estimated as their QRC4 returns were not received in time for inclusion in the statistical release. Source: QRC4 Quarterly Return of Council Tax and Non-domestic rates 2008-09. | |
These data are also available in Table 3 of the statistical release "Collection rates for council tax and non-domestic rates in England 2008-09", which was published on 25 June 2009 and is available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
Property Development: Common Land
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications to (a) build on and (b) develop common land (i) in England and Wales and (ii) in Rochdale constituency have been made since entry into force of the relevant provisions of the Commons Act 2006. [303659]
Mr. Ian Austin: A total of 105 applications, which relate to the development of common land, have been made under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006 and related commons enactments. Of these, 40 applications relate to the proposed construction of buildings or structures on common land. None relate to the Rochdale parliamentary constituency. Section 38 of the Commons Act 2006 is not yet in force in Wales.
Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what alternative land was offered to common land owners in cases where permission to develop or build on common land was granted in (a) Rochdale constituency and (b) England and Wales in each of the last three years. [303663]
Mr. Ian Austin: In the last three calendar years, where land was given in exchange to the owner of the common land, consent has been granted for a total of eight applications in England. There were no applications which related to the Rochdale parliamentary constituency. Consent was granted for one application in Wales.
Rented Housing
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he proposes to implement his proposals for (a) the licensing of letting agents and (b) the national register of landlords. [302875]
Mr. Ian Austin: We have been consulting on our proposals for the licensing of letting agents and the national register of landlords and plan to announce the outcome of that consultation shortly.
Social Rented Housing: South East
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints his Department has received on the standard of social housing in (a) Lewes constituency, (b) Sussex and (c) England and Wales in each of the last 10-years. [301279]
Mr. Ian Austin: Housing is a matter devolved to Wales. The information requested is not held centrally.
Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation has made to Connect Public Affairs in the last 12 months; for what purpose; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the contracts under which such payments have been made. [302217]
Mr. Malik: In the last 12 months, the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation has paid £45,102 in professional fees to Connect Public Affairs in support of their communications strategy, stakeholder engagement and production of allied events. The contract between the corporation and Connect Public Affairs is commercially confidential.
Vacant Land: Tamworth
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of non-flood plain land in the Tamworth borough council area is green space. [303177]
Mr. Ian Austin: 69 per cent. of non-flood plain land is deemed to be green space in the borough of Tamworth. This information has been obtained from Tamworth borough council as Government do not maintain a comprehensive record of information on green spaces.
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much and what proportion of land area in Tamworth borough was green space in 2004. [303178]
Mr. Ian Austin:
Unfortunately we are unable to identify a comparison figure for 2004 for green space. However, Tamworth borough can not recall any significant losses of the green space network if any at all since 2004. Therefore the figure shown in the Tamworth borough local plan 2001-2011 adopted on 6 July 2006 is the best
approximation of green space land, being 1,189 hectares (2,940 acres) which is 38 per cent. of the total area of Tamworth borough.
Justice
British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
Mrs. Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) Ministers, (b) officials, (c) representatives of local authorities and (d) (i) invited and (ii) non-invited members of the public attended the deliberative event on the British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities and a written constitution held on 21 November 2009. [303262]
Mr. Wills: The deliberative event on 21 November 2009, which is one of a series designed to support qualitative research, was attended by the following persons:
(a) One Minister-Roberta Blackman-Woods MP, Assistant Regional Minister for the North East of England (in place of the right hon. Nick Brown, the Regional Minster)
(b) Four officials from the Ministry of Justice.
(c) No representatives from local authorities.
(d) (i) 115 invited members of the general public.
(d) (ii) The deliberative events were open only to those who were invited to constitute a broadly representative sample of the population as a whole. It follows that no non-invited members of the general public attended the event on 21 November.
Domestic Violence
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people (a) started and (b) completed a domestic violence perpetrator programme in each probation area in each year since such programmes were introduced. [302314]
Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service are currently collating the requested information and I hope to be in a position to write to the hon. Member before the end of the year.
Driving Offences
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for (a) drink-driving and (b) each other motoring offence resulted in a custodial sentence in (i) Lewes constituency, (ii) Sussex and (iii) England in each of the last 10 years. [301274]
Mr. Straw: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts in the Sussex police force area and England for driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs and other motoring offences (by offence type) is given in tables 1 and 2 from 1998 to 2007 (latest available). Sentences of immediate custody imposed at all courts are given in tables 3 and 4.
Court proceedings data are not available at parliamentary constituency level.
Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
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