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10 Dec 2009 : Column 588W—continued
The following table indicates funding provided to meet regional costs:
| Regional funding (paid to a nominated lead authority) | |||||
| FY05-06 | FY06-07 | FY07-08 | FY08-09 | FY09-10 | |
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) staffing, including civil servants, temporary and agency staff, (b) secondment and (c) travel costs his Department had incurred in respect of the national FiReControl project team on the latest date for which figures are available; and what his most recent estimate is of such costs on completion of the project. [305405]
Mr. Malik [holding answer 9 December 2009]: The FiReControl project latest figures and recent estimate of the cost of the completion of the project is:
| £ million | |||
| Costs to November 2009 | December 2009 to FY 2013 | Total | |
Fire Services: Manpower
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff have been recruited to the regional fire control centre in (a) the South West, (b) the South East, (c) the East of England, (d) the East Midlands, (e) the West Midlands, (f) Yorkshire and the Humber, (g) the North West and (h) the North East. [303909]
Mr. Malik: The Department provides funding for each Local Authority Control Company (LACC) for three defined staff roles: Regional Control Centre Director (RCCD), Senior Operations Manager (SOM) and Service Support Manager (SSM). There are eight RCCDs in post, seven SOMs and seven SSMs (or their equivalents). The Department also provides funding for LACCs to procure professional advice and it is at the discretion of the LACCs how this is spent.
| Regional FiReControl Centre | RCCD | SOM | SSM |
Fire Services: Operating Costs
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost has been of establishing and operating each regional fire control room to date; and what the estimated monthly cost of operating each regional fire control room is expected to be over the next 12 months. [305843]
Mr. Malik: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 31 March 2009, Official Report, columns 1040-41W, and the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) today (PQ 305843).
Housing: Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many housing project developments have been approved in areas of outstanding natural beauty (a) in the first instance by local council planning authorities and (b) on appeal in each of the last three years; how many houses were involved in each project; and if he will make a statement. [306155]
Mr. Ian Austin: Information is not held centrally on local authority planning permissions for housing in areas of outstanding beauty. The Planning Inspectorate does hold information on appeals but details of whether or not they were in areas of outstanding natural beauty could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Housing: Fire Prevention
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the fire safety provisions and regulations relating to (a) multi-storey hostel, (b) student and (c) key worker housing for the purpose of making further fire safety provisions; and if he will require the owners of such accommodation to conduct their own fire safety checks. [305565]
Mr. Malik [holding answer 9 December 2009]: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into effect in October 2006. In March 2009, my Department published an initial evaluation of the effectiveness of the order which indicated the legislation was bedding in well. We therefore have no plans, at present, to review it.
The Fire Safety order places the responsibility for fire safety in all non-domestic premises, including hostels and halls of residence, in England and Wales, with a 'responsible person' for the premises-usually the employer, owner or occupier. It requires the responsible person for
the premises to carry out a fire safety risk assessment and to put in place appropriate fire safety measures to adequately protect lives in the event of a fire.
In other types of multi-occupied residential premises, including blocks of flats and houses in multiple occupation, the order applies to the common parts of the premises, rather than the individual domestic units themselves. In these premises, the 'responsible person' is likely to be the landlord.
Housing: Rural Areas
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes in rural areas have been demolished in each year since 1997. [306013]
Mr. Ian Austin: The information requested is not held centrally.
Non-domestic Rates: Sports
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities are planning to (a) remove and (b) reduce from 2009-10 levels the discretionary rate relief available to sports clubs in 2010-11. [305792]
Barbara Follett: Discretionary rate relief is solely a matter for the local authority. Communities and Local Government does not collect data on local authorities' plans with regard to rate relief.
Ordnance Survey
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions his Department has had with the independent mapping sector on the effect on that sector of its proposals for Ordnance Survey in drafting its consultation on Re-mapping the future for Ordnance Survey. [305126]
Mr. Ian Austin: In developing policy proposals for Ordnance Survey, officials in Shareholder Executive have had a number of meetings and conversations with individuals, companies and organisations from the private sector geographic information market. The purpose of these was to understand better the external environment in which Ordnance Survey operates. Independent consultants working for Shareholder Executive have also had similar meetings. The purpose of the forthcoming consultation is to hear further feedback on the policy proposals from all interested parties.
Mr. Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account he takes in his formulation of policy on the mapping sector of the effect on the independent mapping sector of his Department's support for the activities of Ordnance Survey. [305127]
Mr. Ian Austin: The Government recognise that Ordnance Survey operates in a commercial marketplace and any change must be implemented carefully to reflect this. The purpose of the forthcoming consultation is to hear further feedback on the policy proposals from all interested parties, including the independent mapping sector.
Ordnance Survey: Public Relations
Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments Ordnance Survey has made to Mandate Communications/AS Biss in the last 12 months; for what purposes; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the contracts under which such payments have been made. [302216]
Mr. Ian Austin: Mandate Communications provides Ordnance Survey with consultancy and advice on Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.
Payments made by Ordnance Survey to Mandate Communications for these services for the 12 months up to the 31 October 2009 total £ 53,900 inclusive of VAT.
I am unable to place a copy of Ordnance Survey's contract with Mandate Communications in the Library of the House due to its content being commercially confidential.
Right to Buy Scheme: Rural Areas
Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many right to buy sales there were in rural areas in each year since 1997; what the average discount available to buyers was; and what the average discount was as a percentage of the value of such property. [306012]
John Healey: The following table shows the number of local authority right to buy homes sold in rural areas, the average discount and market value of these sales, and the discount as a proportion of the average market value, in each year since 1997-98:
| Local authority right to buy sales in rural areas | ||||
| Number | Average discount (£) | Average market value (£) | Discount as a percentage of value | |
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