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Council Housing

Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were attributed to each banding allocation on the choice-based lettings scheme in (a) North West Cambridgeshire constituency, (b) each local authority area in the East of England and (c) England (i) in each of the last five years and (ii) on the latest date for which information is available. [325334]

Mr. Ian Austin: This information is not collected centrally.

6 Apr 2010 : Column 1210W

Council Housing: Debts

Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his estimate is of the amount of historic debt remaining on local authority housing. [325561]

John Healey: The assumed housing debt, the subsidy capital financing requirement, for each authority is calculated annually by my Department using data supplied by the local authorities themselves on their Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Subsidy base data forms. The information is published, after consultation, in annual HRA Subsidy Determinations. The 2010-11 Determination is available on the Communities and Local Government website at this address:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hradetermination201011

Council Tax

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average council tax bill on a band D home (a) was in 1997-98 and (b) will be in 2010-11 in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms in 2010 prices. [325329]

Barbara Follett: The average band D council tax in England in 1997-98 was £688 and will be £1,439 in 2010-11. The figure for 1997-98, in real terms based on April 2009 prices, is £931.

It is not possible to express this figure in April 2010 prices as the relevant deflator is not yet available.

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average band D fire precept on council tax bills was in (a) England and (b) each individual local authority in (i) 1998-99 and (ii) 2010-11 in (A) cash terms and (B) real terms in 2010 prices. [325330]

Barbara Follett: I have today placed in the Library of the House, a table showing the average band D council tax precept collected by billing authorities on behalf of fire authorities in 1998-99 and to be collected in 2010-11. Figures for 1998-99 at April 2009 prices are also shown. It is not possible to express these figures in April 2010 prices as the relevant deflator is not yet available. All the figures are shown in £ sterling.

Data are only shown for those authorities that collected, or will collect, a precept on behalf of the fire authority responsible for their area in either 1998-99 or in 2010-11. From 1 April 2004 combined fire authorities in shire areas became major precepting authorities, having previously been financed by payments from county and unitary councils in their area. Where an authority is not listed this is because the fire service is still run directly by the county council, and so they do not levy a separate fire precept on the billing authority.

In 1998-99 London authorities separately reported the band D council tax precept they collected on behalf of the London fire brigade. In 2010-11 this could not be separately identified from the general GLA precept.

6 Apr 2010 : Column 1211W

Crown Estates: Fire Services

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons there is a separate fire safety inspection regime for Crown premises; and whether he plans to create a single unified regime. [325303]

Mr. Malik: The separate fire safety inspection regime reflects the different way in which the Crown is treated under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/1541), and in particular the fact that the enforcement provisions of the order do not apply to the Crown. The Fire Precautions Act 1971, which preceded the 2005 order, made a similar distinction. The Government have no plans to create a single unified regime.

Departmental Internet

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints his Department received regarding difficulties using its website in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [325202]

Barbara Follett: The Department does not keep records of complaints received regarding the operation of its website.

Jenny Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on external website design consultants in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [325220]

Barbara Follett: The Department redesigned its website in August 2007. For information relating to the costs of this redesign, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. Dhanda) on 20 May 2008, Official Report, column 264W.

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Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much his Department spent on maintaining its Flickr channel in the last 12 months; [325592]

(2) how much his Department spent on maintaining its YouTube channel in the last 12 months. [325595]

Barbara Follett: The corporate YouTube channel is maintained as part of the routine business of the Department's web team alongside other social media channels. There is no budget assigned to this channel.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on maintaining its Twitter feed in the last 12 months. [325594]

Barbara Follett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening) on 14 October 2009, Official Report, column 966W.

Departmental Legislation

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough of 1 March 2010, Official Report, column 953W, on departmental legislation, for what reasons each substantive piece of uncommenced legislation has not been commenced. [323989]

Barbara Follett: The information requested, where it is held centrally, is provided in the following table. Section 314 and schedule 15 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 are fully in force and not partially commenced as stated in my answer to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson) of 1 March 2010, Official Report, column 953W. The remaining information requested is not held by the Department and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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6 Apr 2010 : Column 1214W

Legislation	Explanation
Local Government Act 2003: Section 68	This amendment would remove the requirement for the place of religious worship to be registered under the Places of Worship Registration Act 1855. The amendment was intended to cater for any repeal of the 1855 Act, which may have happened as part of the legislation on civil partnerships. To date, there has been no repeal of the 1855 Act, so my Department has no current plans to bring the section into force
Local Government Act 2003: Section 69	Before the power could be removed, properties with prescribed rateable values were moved to standard rating assessments. This has now been completed, and there are no properties remaining on which the Secretary of State has prescribed a rateable value. However, the final step of removing the power to prescribe has not yet been carried forward
Local Government Act 2003: Section 90	Section 80ZA of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 is fully in force. Subsection 90(4) of the Local Government Act 2003, which amends section 141(8) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, allowing amounts of housing revenue account (HRA) subsidy payable to the Secretary of State to be set off against other amounts payable by him, has not yet been commenced. We are not currently aware of any circumstances indicating that use of this power would be appropriate. There are no proposals to commence the power at present
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009: Sections 1 to 9	The Duty to Promote Democracy is important and we want to ensure that its introduction has a positive and proactive response from local government given the likely costs involved in implementing it effectively. We have therefore been looking at when the duty should be implemented. We have concluded that given the current economic situation implementation of the duty should be considered as part of the next Spending Review
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009: Sections 10 to 22	The Commencement Order (210 No. 881) relating to the petitions duty was made on 19 March 2010
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009: Sections 34 to 36	Ministers said in the House that we would consult on regulations imposing restrictions or conditions on the use of the mutual insurance power by best value authorities and also on guidance. Following consultation it will be necessary to commence the mutual insurance provisions in the Act (section 148(2)(b))
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009: Sections 37 to 54	Ministers said in the House that we would consult on the content of proposed regulations defining qualifying entities. Following consultation it will be necessary to commence the audit provisions in the Act (section 148(2)(b))
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009: Sections 138 to 145	The commencement date for Construction Contract provisions in part 8 is dependent on the revision of the Scheme for Construction Contracts (England and Wales) Regulations 1998. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills issued a consultation document on amendments to the scheme on 25 March 2010. The draft regulations will be approved by resolution of each House of Parliament. This will give the construction industry sufficient time to prepare for the changes being made by part 8
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002: Sections 121, 122 (partially), 123, 124 and Schedule 8	Attempts to implement these provisions led to the identification of significant workability issues: following public consultation in 2009, a summary of responses is to be published shortly, indicating that there are no current plans to proceed with implementation of these provisions
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002: Sections 152 (partially), 154, 156 (partially), 157 (partially) and Schedule 10 (partially); and, Housing and Regeneration Act 2008: Section 303 and Schedule 12	The Government remain committed to implementing these provisions. Work is in progress with stakeholders to develop the regulations to give effect to these provisions with a target date of October 2010
Housing Act 2004: Section 265 and Schedules 15 (partially), 16 (partially)	Section 265 and schedule 15 give the Secretary of State, or where appropriate the National Assembly for Wales, powers to make incidental and consequential provisions to the Act as he considers appropriate. Therefore, these provisions would only be commenced if the Secretary of State considers it appropriate to make incidental and consequential provisions to the Act. Section 266 and schedule 16 repeal provisions in other enactments. Two repeals in schedule 16 have not been commenced. These relate to the London Building Acts amendment Act 1939, sections 35(1)(c)(i) and 36(1) (repealing the words "or sleep") and the Building Act 1984 (section 72(6)(a). These changes were rendered unnecessary by other legislation. There are two other repeals in the Health Services Commissioners Act 1993 and the Government of Wales Act 1998 which are the responsibility of the Welsh Ministers
Housing and Regeneration Act 2008: Sections 4 (partially), 19 (partially), 31, 32 (partially), 33 (partially), 35, 56 and Schedule 8 (partially), 57 (partially), 58 (partially) covering the Homes and Communities Agency and Sections 60-63, 64 (partially), 68-71 (partially), 73-80 (partially), 94, 95 to 98 (partially), 106 to 111, 112 to 113 (partially), 115, 116 to 117 (partially), 118, 119 (partially), 120 to 126, 127 (partially), 128 to 130, 131 (partially), 132 to 143, 144 to 145 (partially), 146 to 173, 174 (partially), 175 to 191, 198 (partially), 199 to 101, 102 (partially), 203 to 211, 212 (partially), 213, 214 to 215 (partially), 217 to 227, 228 (partially), 229 to 233, 234 (partially), 235 to 239, 240 (partially), 241 to 243, 244 (partially), 245 to 274, 275 to 276 (partially), 277, 278 and Schedule 9 (partially) Covering the Regulation of Social Housing	The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 is currently being implemented by the Government. The provisions relating to the establishment of the Homes and Communities Agency and those relating to the regulation of Social Housing take effect from 1 April 2010
Housing and Regeneration Act 2008: Sections 279 to 293 and Schedule 10	The Government will review the effectiveness of the sustainability certificates in home information pack (mandatory requirement since May 2008) in giving buyers information on how sustainable houses are and will make decisions on commencing the H&R Act 2008 powers in due course
Housing and Regeneration Act 2008: Sections 294, 299 and Schedule 11 (partially), 303 and Schedule 12 (partially), 314 and 15 (partially), 316 (partially), 318, 321 and Schedule 16 (partially)	The Government remain committed to implementing the remaining provisions of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008. Statutory instruments will be laid as soon as parliamentary time is available

Departmental Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff of each (i) sex, (ii) ethnic group and (ii) disability were recruited to work in his Department's headquarters in (A) each financial year since 2004-05 and (B) 2009-10. [323535]

Barbara Follett: The Department publishes information on the diversity of its workforce, including recruitment data, in its annual Workforce Diversity Data Report. Copies of the 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 reports have been placed in the Library of the House. The 2008-09 report has not yet been published.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to his Department's press release of 24 March 2010, on operational efficiency, whether the £200 million of efficiency savings announced will be in addition to the £500 million of savings identified in the pre-Budget report. [325325]

Barbara Follett: The £200 million contribution to operational efficiency and Smarter Government savings are in addition to the £500 million announced at 2009 pre-Budget report. The £200 million of savings is my Department's contribution towards £11 billion savings that are being made across Government. The £11 billion of savings will help halve the deficit over four years and protect front-line priorities.

Mr. Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to which programmes the £500 million of savings identified in the Pre-Budget Report will apply; and whether this sum includes savings from the (a) New Deal for Communities Fund, (b) Working Neighbourhoods Fund, (c) Local Enterprise Growth Initiative, (d) Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Scheme and (e) Housing and Planning Delivery Grant. [325326]

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Barbara Follett: The Public Value Programme, launched at Budget 2008, has been conducting demanding value for money reviews across at least 50 per cent. of each Department's budget. On the basis of the early findings of the programme, the 2009 pre-Budget report announced £5 billion of savings by 2012-13 through cutting lower value or lower priority spend. CLG's contribution to this figure was £500 million. Budget 2010 announces further details of these savings, including:

Improved targeting of housing growth and regeneration funding, saving £340 million: including £40 million by concluding the new deal for communities, and a further £300 million from rationalising regional development agency regeneration spending, and programmes including the Working Neighbourhoods Fund, the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative and the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant.

Saving at least £35 million in housing benefit costs; ending smaller Communities and Local Government (CLG) funded time-limited communities programmes, saving £25 million; and rationalising other smaller CLG programmes, saving a total of £160 million.

Fire Services: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many incidents the London Fire Brigade have attended in the London borough of Havering in each year since 1997. [325602]

Mr. Malik: The number of incidents attended by the London Fire Brigade by borough is readily available for periods from April 1999, thus data are shown for years since 2000.

Incidents attended in the London Borough of Havering by the London Fire Brigade, 2000-09
	Number of incidents
2000	3,076
2001	3,487
2002	3,313
2003	3,983
2004	3,084
2005	3,279
2006	3,245
2007	2,779
2008	2,489
2009	2,570
Source: London Fire Brigade

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