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21 Jun 2010 : Column 19W—continued
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) with which New Build Homebuy schemes announced by his Department in (a) September 2009 and (b) January 2010 the Homes and Communities Agency has not yet entered into a funding agreement; [2890]
(2) with which New Build Homebuy schemes the Homes and Communities Agency has entered into a funding agreement to date. [2891]
Andrew Stunell: The overall funding allocations for the National Affordable Housing Programme announced by the Department in September 2009 and January 2010 included funding for New Build HomeBuy schemes. All of those schemes have received a formal allocation of funding.
The HCA have made allocations to 2,083 New Build HomeBuy schemes since the start of the 2008-11 National Affordable Housing Programme. The HCA publishes regional allocation statements for the NAHP on a quarterly basis on its website at:
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what savings have been (a) announced and (b) proposed in expenditure on the National Affordable Housing Programme for (i) 2010-11 and (ii) future years. [3054]
Andrew Stunell: I refer the hon. Member to the announcement made by the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary on 24 May with regard to the £6.2 billion of savings identified. Decisions on funding for affordable housing in 2010-11 will be made as part of the Budget on 22 June and for future years as part of the spending review.
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes were built in the South Lakeland region in each of the last five years. [3170]
Andrew Stunell: The information requested is published in the table.
Not all affordable housing is provided through new-build completions as supply can also come from the acquisition and refurbishment of private sector homes. In 2008-09, for example, a total of 80 additional affordable homes were provided in South Lakeland.
The next CLG Affordable Housing statistical release containing figures for 2009-10 is scheduled to be published in the autumn of 2010.
| Additional new-build affordable homes located in South Lakeland district( 1) | |
| Number | |
| (1) Rounded to nearest 10 units. | |
Affordable Housing: Rural Areas
Mr Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to take forward the work of the Taylor Review on Affordable Housing; and if he will make a statement. [2783]
Robert Neill:
The Taylor Review of Rural Economy and Affordable Housing 'Living Working Countryside' made 34 recommendations to the previous Government.
As of February 2010, 17 recommendations had been implemented by Communities and Local Government (CLG) and its partners. Ministers have not yet decided whether and how to take forward any remaining recommendations.
Council Housing: Construction
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on local authorities borrowing against their housing stock to fund the construction of new social homes for rent. [2889]
Andrew Stunell: Local authorities are free to borrow without Government consent for capital projects of any kind including, if they wish, the construction of new social homes for rent. Authorities cannot offer housing stock as security for loans. Instead, all borrowing is secured upon their revenues. It is the amount of revenue income available to service debt which determines how much they can borrow.
Councillors: Powers
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the oral answer of 10 June 2010, Official Report, columns 443-44, on garden development, when he plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the regulations on pre-determination. [2913]
Robert Neill: We intend to ensure that councillors have the power to speak up on issues that are important to those they represent and will as necessary legislate for this as soon as practicable.
Councillors: Pay
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made an assessment of the level of transparency of the mechanisms by which local authorities publish details of the remuneration of councillors by the Improvement and Development Agency. [3436]
Robert Neill: No. However, every councillor is required through the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2007 to enter in the council's register of members' interests, which is available for public inspection, details of their employment by any person or body who employs them, where the business of the authority relates to or is likely to affect that person or body. We are committed to ensuring that councillors' remuneration is published in a more open and standardised way to increase transparency.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Improvement and Development Agency has paid to each councillor in each of the last three years. [3439]
Robert Neill: My Department does not hold this information.
Decentralisation and Localism Bill
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his timetable is for the introduction and passage of a decentralisation and localism Bill; and whether he plans to consult on proposals to be contained in the Bill. [2658]
Greg Clark: The Government intend to introduce legislation to devolve greater powers to councils and neighbourhoods and give local communities control over housing and planning decisions later in this parliamentary session, with a view to achieving Royal Assent as soon as parliamentary time allows.
The Government will set out more detail about proposals to be contained in legislation over the coming months and consult further with interested parties and business partners where this is necessary to develop the policy over the summer.
Housing: Construction
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which sites in Tameside local authority area have received funding from the Kickstart programme. [2884]
Andrew Stunell: The following table sets out the sites in the Tameside local authority area where developers have received funding from the Kickstart programme.
| Project name | Developer | Funding (£ million) | Total number of units unlocked |
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps are being taken to ensure that local need remains a criterion in the future development of housing policy; [3500]
(2) when he plans to issue guidance to local authorities on how future housing provision should be determined; and what criteria will be used for such determinations. [3501]
Robert Neill: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the leader of each local authority in England on 27 May to reaffirm our commitment to abolish regional strategies and return decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils. Decisions on housing supply will rest with local planning authorities without the framework of regional numbers and plans. The Government will make a formal announcement on this matter in due course.
Housing: Cornwall
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of second homes in (a) Cornwall and (b) St Austell and Newquay constituency. [3115]
Robert Neill: In October 2009, Cornwall council reported there were 13,995 homes registered as second homes for council tax purposes in their area.
Data are not available at a constituency level.
Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the level of housing need in each local authority ward in (a) Cornwall and (b) St Austell and Newquay constituency. [3116]
Andrew Stunell: My Department does not estimate housing need. This is for the local authority to do, taking account of all the relevant evidence.
Local Government Finance
Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to his written ministerial statement of 10 June 2010, Official Report, column 15WS, on local government savings package, if he will itemise the component programmes, departmental reductions and NDPB savings that form the £90.4 million savings listed as cutting waste. [2947]
Robert Neill: The following table breaks down the £90.421 million of savings that my Department has made under the heading of "Cutting waste-CLG, Quangos and lower priority programmes" which formed part of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's written statement of 10 June 2010, full details of which can be found at:
This is part of the £780 million contribution Communities and Local Government has made overall towards the £6.2 billion cross government savings in 2010-11.
| Programmes 2010-11 | Description | Savings (£000) |
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