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11 Mar 2010 : Column 422W—continued
Working with local housing authorities to reduce the number of people accepted as owed a main homelessness duty by 71 per cent. since the peak in 2003-the lowest level since the late seventies-through greater emphasis on the prevention of homelessness.
In 2008-09, there were 539 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in Manchester local authority compared to 2,688 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in 2002-03. See link for further information:
Launching the Local Government White Paper "Strong and Prosperous Communities" which set out a new stage of public sector reform, significantly strengthening leadership and devolving power to local government as well as providing a major expansion of opportunities for local people to influence local decision-making and improve their lives.
Helping reduce accidental fire-related deaths-the lowest level since 1959.
In 2008-09, there were 12 accidental fire related deaths in Greater Manchester, compared to 28 accidental fire relate deaths in 2001-02. At the local level, fire deaths may fluctuate within a general declining national trend. See link for further information (Table 4b):
Reducing by 1.2 million the number of non decent social homes
As at 1 April 2009, there were 7,201 non-decent dwellings in Manchester local authority, compared to 40,586 non decent dwellings at 1 April 2001. See links for further information:
(2008-09 data)
(2001-02 data)
Investing through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund £1.87 billion for England's 88 most deprived local authorities, leading to real positive change.
Hackney
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Hackney, North and Stoke Newington constituency, the effects on that constituency of his Department's policies since 1997. [318372]
Barbara Follett: The Department does not routinely collect information at constituency level as far back as to 1997. The constituency of Hackney, North and Stoke Newington constituency falls within the London borough of Hackney and therefore where relevant information is available, this has been included in the answer.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at:
Communities and Local Government statistical publications can be found at:
This includes time series data across the Department's remit at various geographic levels.
Details of research projects commissioned by Communities and Local Government and its predecessors are available from our Research Database (RD) at:
This includes evaluations of key policies.
Over the last year, Communities and Local Government has:
Played a critical role responding to the recession ensuring people, business and communities receive the practical help they need, including: helping people avoid repossession; Real Help Now; supporting the construction industry, critical regeneration projects, jobs through Future Jobs Fund; and businesses with the business rates deferral scheme.
Set in place a platform for greater local devolution for more effective decision-making through Local Area Agreements (LAAs), including slashing central performance standards from over 1,200 to fewer than 200.
Continued building on this through Total Place pilots, leading innovation across public services, cutting out waste, overlap and duplication, meaning more and better quality services at less cost to the taxpayer.
Established the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) set out in the Planning Act 2008, which will make the major infrastructure planning decisions for the country, delivering a faster, fairer and more transparent planning regime.
Announced the £1.5 billion Housing Pledge to deliver an additional 20,000 units of affordable housing, creating 45,000 jobs in the construction industry over this year and next, including 1,300 new apprenticeship schemes.
Last year there were 990 additional affordable homes provided by the London borough of Hackney, compared to 709 additional affordable homes provided in 1996-97. See link for further information:
During the period since 1997, the Department's achievements include:
Working with local housing authorities to reduce the number of people accepted as owed a main homelessness duty by 71 per cent. since the peak in 2003-the lowest level since the late seventies-through greater emphasis on the prevention of homelessness.
In 2008-09, there were 615 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in the London borough of Hackney compared to 1,136 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in 2002-03. See link for further information:
Launching the Local Government White Paper "Strong and Prosperous Communities" which set out a new stage of public sector reform, significantly strengthening leadership and devolving power to local government as well as providing a major expansion of opportunities for local people to influence local decision-making and improve their lives.
Helping reduce accidental fire-related deaths-the lowest level since 1959.
In 2008-09, there were 30 accidental fire related deaths in Greater London, compared to 56 accidental fire related deaths in 2001-02. See link for further information (Table 4b):
Reducing by 1.2 million the number of non-decent social homes.
As at 1 April 2009, there were 7,326 non-decent dwellings in the London borough of Hackney, compared to 26,649 non-decent dwellings as at 1 April 2001. See links for further information:
(2008009 data)
(2001-02 data)
Investing through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund £1.87 billion for England's 88 most deprived local authorities, leading to real positive change.
Non-domestic Rates: Ports
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many port businesses have paid the assessments for business rates for 2009-10; how many such businesses have paid a first contribution into his Department's scheme to allow the payment of such retrospective charges over eight years; and what estimate he has made of the number of businesses eligible for assistance under this scheme. [321417]
Barbara Follett: The Department does not hold information on the extent to which individual businesses have met their business rates liabilities for 2009-10.
Local authorities reported that, as at 8 October 2009, ratepayers occupying 221 properties within ports had fully discharged their backdated liability and ratepayers occupying a further 200 business properties within ports had been granted a schedule of payments.
In a Business Rates Information letter dated 10 February 2009, the Government said that, based on historical trends, they estimate that up to 1,500 properties could benefit from a schedule of payments in 2009-10.
The Government have listened to the concerns of businesses with significant and unexpected backdated bills, including some of those within ports. It has legislated to enable such bills to be repaid over an unprecedented eight years rather than in one instalment thus helping affected businesses to manage the impact on their cash flows during the downturn by reducing the amount they are required to pay now by 87.5 per cent.
Stroud
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to Stroud constituency, the effects on that constituency of the policies and actions of his Department and its predecessor since 2000. [321478]
Barbara Follett: My Department does not routinely collect information at constituency level but, as the constituency of Stroud falls within the local authority of Stroud we have, where relevant, included information from them in this answer.
The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 Census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at:
Communities and Local Government statistical publications can be found at:
This includes time series data across the Department's remit at various geographic levels.
Details of research projects commissioned by Communities and Local Government and its predecessors are available from our Research Database (RD) at:
This includes evaluations of key policies.
Over the last year, Communities and Local Government has:
Played a critical role responding to the recession ensuring people, business and communities receive the practical help they need, including: helping people avoid repossession; Real Help Now; supporting the construction industry, critical regeneration projects, jobs through Future Jobs Fund; and businesses with the business rates deferral scheme.
Set in place a platform for greater local devolution for more effective decision making through local area agreements (LAAs), including slashing central performance standards from over 1,200 to fewer than 200.
Continued building on this through Total Place pilots, leading innovation across public services, cutting out waste, overlap and duplication, meaning more and better quality services at less cost to the taxpayer.
Established the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) set out in the Planning Act 2008, which will make the major Infrastructure Planning decisions for the country, delivering a faster, fairer and more transparent planning regime.
Announced the £1.5 billion Housing Pledge to deliver an additional 20,000 units of affordable housing, creating 45,000 jobs in the construction industry over this year and next, including 1,300 new apprenticeship schemes.
Last year there were 70 additional affordable homes provided by Stroud local authority compared to 50 additional affordable homes provided in 2000-01. See link for further information:
During the period since 1997, the Department's achievements include:
Working with local housing authorities to reduce the number of people accepted as owed a main homelessness duty by 71 per cent. since the peak in 2003-the lowest level since the late seventies-through greater emphasis on the prevention of homelessness.
In 2008-09, there were 22 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in Stroud local authority compared to 89 households accepted as being homeless and in priority need in 2002-03. See link for further information:
Launching the Local Government White Paper "Strong and Prosperous Communities" which set out a new stage of public sector reform, significantly strengthening leadership and devolving power to local government as well as providing a major expansion of opportunities for local people to influence local decision-making and improve their lives.
Helping reduce accidental fire-related deaths-the lowest level since 1959.
In 2007-08, there were five accidental fire related deaths in Gloucestershire, compared to two accidental fire relate deaths in 2001-02. At the local level, fire deaths may fluctuate within a general declining national trend. See link for further information (Table 4b):
Reducing by 1.2 million the number of non decent social homes
As at 1 April 2009, there were 625 non-decent dwellings in Stroud local authority, compared to 1,895 non decent dwellings at 1 April 2001. See links for further information:
(2008-09 data)
(2001-02 data)
Investing through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund £1.87 billion for England's 88 most deprived local authorities, leading to real positive change.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Conflict
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the merits of making the provision of assistance to the Congolese army conditional on progress towards the release from its ranks of those under the age of 18 years and the removal of individuals suspected of having committed human rights abuses. [321661]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The UN Peacekeeping mission, MONUC, has a conditionality clause in its mandate that support will be withdrawn from Congolese army units (FARDC) which commit human rights abuses.
We fully support this approach and will continue to maintain pressure on the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to take appropriate action against perpetrators of human rights abuses and uphold the rule of law. My noble Friend the Minister for Africa visited DRC last month and raised the issue with President Kabila, urging progress on security sector reform and implementation of his "zero tolerance" policy on human rights abuses. The Minister also met with FARDC officers and UN Peacekeeping troop commanders in South Kivu, in eastern Congo, and was encouraged by their considered approach to the newly mandated operation, Amani Leo, where they have created a method for vetting FARDC commanders before collaborating with them, shifted emphasis to predominantly civilian protection and developed a robust message on zero tolerance and the need to maintain professional standards. We will continue to monitor the mission through our staff on the ground as well as UN, non-governmental organisations and independent reporting.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the merits of providing assistance for accountability mechanisms in Democratic Republic of Congo in respect of reported human rights abuses, with particular reference to the participation of children in armed conflict. [321662]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: Accountability is essential for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) armed forces to be able to provide civilian protection. My noble Friend the Minister for Africa raised the issue of impunity for human rights abusers with Prime Minister Muzito and President Kabila when in the country last month. We have lent support to developing the justice sector in DRC. We are providing about £80 million over five years to increase accountability of the security sector through strengthened oversight mechanisms, technical assistance and training.
Through the EU advisory and assistance mission for security reform in the DRC we are funding a biometric census project which provides accurate personnel figures for the military of the DRC regiments and allows child soldiers to be successfully identified and removed.
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the merits of extending the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1698 (2006) to include all political and military leaders responsible for the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo. [321663]
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