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24 Jun 2010 : Column 309W—continued
Housing: Construction
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) local authority housing and (b) other housing developments funded from the public purse are under review as a result of the expenditure reduction programme announced for 2010-11; how many houses are to be provided in each such development; how much funding his Department has allocated to each; at what address and in which parliamentary constituency each is located; and if he will make a statement. [2434]
Andrew Stunell: The announcement on 24 May set out the immediate savings of over £6 billion that needed to be made as down-payment on the public deficit. Housing budgets for 2010-11 are also subject, however, to the provision of end year flexibility. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced on 17 June that he is reviewing the affordability of a range of end year flexibility agreements made by the previous administration, and an announcement on the outcome of this is expected shortly. A full review of housing projects will be undertaken, once the final funding position for 2010-11 is clear.
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the change to the number of homes to be built under (a) the National Affordable Housing Programme, (b) the Kickstart scheme and (c) the Housing Market Renewal Programme as a result of the budgetary reductions announced on 24 May 2010. [4099]
Grant Shapps: The coalition Government are committed to reducing the United Kingdom's budget deficit. It has led us to identify savings across Government, starting with the £6 billion of immediate savings this year that we announced on 24 May, including the £150 million reduction against the previous Administration's housing pledge. Against this £170 million has been provided for 2010-11 to safeguard delivery of around 4,000, otherwise unfunded, social rented homes. It is estimated that the £150 million reduction will reduce the number of affordable housing starts by around 5,000 but these changes will mainly fall to shared ownership and shared equity schemes-not social rented housing.
The Department is consulting on the mechanism by which the Housing Market Renewal reduction of £50 million will take place. In addition we will un-ring fence HMR expenditure in order to provide maximum flexibility at a local level. At this stage the final decision on individual allocations has still to be taken. It will be for individual HMR Pathfinders to manage the reductions and to review the varying impact.
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department provides to councils on assessing levels of housing need in their area. [4145]
Robert Neill:
Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing and the Strategic Housing Market Assessment Practice Guidance can assist local authorities on how to assess the level of housing need in their area. 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.
In the coalition agreement the Government stated that they will publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development. We will make an announcement on how we propose to take forward the national planning framework and the implications for specific areas of planning policy.
Housing: Hull
Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on continuing the housing regeneration scheme for the Orchard Park Estate in Hull under the private finance initiative. [4028]
Andrew Stunell: The Orchard Park Estate is a Round 6 Housing PFI project. In July 2009 the council was invited to develop its outline business case following the Department's acceptance of its Expression of Interest.
Since then, the council has reviewed its proposals and has been in discussion with the Homes and Communities Agency regarding the submission of a revised scheme.
The Department will be taking a fresh look in the spending review at how its housing programmes, including Housing PFI, can best offer genuine value for money.
Local Government Bill
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials have been assigned to work on the Local Government Bill. [3891]
Robert Neill: Within my Department, the total number of officials currently working on the Local Government Bill is five full-time equivalents.
Rented Housing: Private Sector
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take in response to the recommendations of the Rugg Review on the private rented sector; and if he will make a statement. [4124]
Andrew Stunell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for St Ives (Andrew George) on 22 June 2010, Official Report, columns 162-63W.
Social Rented Housing: Standards
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his Department's planned budget for the Decent Homes programme was at the start of the 2010-11 financial year; and whether that budget has been changed since 6 May 2010. [3883]
Andrew Stunell: At the start of 2010-11 the Decent Homes budget was £848 million, covering the arm's length management organisation programme: local authority supported capital expenditure; and gap funding arrangements that support some housing transfer schemes. No decisions to change this budget have been taken since 6 May. These figures would have been higher had funding reductions of £150 million not been made to the Decent Housing programme in July 2009.
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on completion of the Decent Homes programme in (a) local authority and (b) housing association properties. [3884]
Andrew Stunell: The Government believe all social housing should meet a minimum standard of decency, and will continue to invest in the Decent Homes programme as resources allow.
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects the refurbishment of social housing under the Decent Homes programme to be completed. [3885]
Andrew Stunell: Completion of the backlog of repairs to council housing depends on additional capital resource. Future funding for the Decent Homes programme will be decided in the context of the Government's Spending Review. These figures would have been lower had funding reductions of £150 million not been made to the Decent Housing programme in July 2009.
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of (a) local authority and (b) housing association properties remaining to be refurbished under the Decent Homes programme on 31 March 2012. [3887]
Andrew Stunell: Using social landlords' statistical returns for the year 2008-09 we have forecast that 160,000 local authority and 58,000 housing association properties will be counted as non-decent at the end of March 2012. These figures would have been lower had funding reductions of £150 million not been made to the Decent Housing programme in July 2009.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Business: Government Assistance
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many small and medium-sized businesses in Witham constituency have received support under each business support scheme operated by his Department since 2007. [3748]
Mr Prisk:
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and Business Link hold business support data by local authority district. From these records EEDA has assisted one business in Witham since 2007, which received a £200,000 grant for research and development (R and D). A further three other companies across the
Braintree local authority district have, or are in the process of receiving support, one via an R and D grant and the other two through Proof of Market funding.
Business Link has supported 8,174 SMEs and pre-starts across the Braintree local authority district since the beginning of 2007-08 financial year.
Co-operatives and Social Enterprises
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) registered social enterprises and (b) co-operatives are registered in each (i) region and (ii) parliamentary constituency. [2885]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
Like other businesses, there is no single legal form for social enterprise and as a result they are not required to register with any one body. The figures from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' Annual Small Business Survey (2005-07), suggest that there are at least 60,000 social enterprises.
Although we do not collect regional or parliamentary constituency figures for co-operatives, Co-operatives UK reports that there are over 4300 co-operatives in the UK.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future provision of financial support for students aged between 16 and 19 years. [1438]
Mr Gibb: I have been asked to reply.
I can confirm that the education maintenance allowance (EMA) will be paid in full this year. In addition, eligible students may also get support for child care costs through the care to learn scheme, and hardship funds are provided to eligible students through discretionary learner support funds. Longer term plans for financial support for students aged between 16 and 19 will be considered in the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review in the autumn.
Food: Training
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will meet representatives of the British curry industry to discuss assistance from his Department for training for chefs in the industry. [4258]
Mr Hayes: I plan to meet with Sector Skills Councils regularly to discuss their skills needs, including with People 1st who are responsible for skills and training in the hospitality industry. I know that People 1st has ongoing discussions with representatives from the Asian and Oriental catering industry and there is an agreed strategy in place.
Further Education: Finance
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what criteria will be used to determine the allocation of the £50 million fund for further education capital development announced on 17 June 2010; [3981]
(2) what proportion of the £50 million for further education capital development announced on 17 June 2010, will be allocated to the College of North West London under that programme; [3982]
(3) if he will take steps to compensate further education colleges whose capital budgets have been reduced as a result of Learning and Skills Agency management; and if he will make a statement. [4027]
Mr Hayes: This Government fully appreciate the disappointment of those colleges who had planned capital projects put on hold by the Learning and Skills Council due to the lack of funding last year.
This Government cannot undo the previous mismanagement of the FE Capital Programme but will ensure that all efforts are made to ensure it does not happen again.
On the 24 May, as part of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement on the £6 billion of efficiency savings to be realised in 2010/11, it was announced that £50 million would be re-prioritised from Train to Gain to further education capital. On the 21 June, Government made a further announcement setting out the details for how this additional money would be invested.
All colleges that received less than £5 million in grant support since 2001 will receive a share of the £30 million renewal grant. This will support approximately 150 colleges in total across the country. Each will receive approximately £225,000, with an expectation that such investment will facilitate considerable additional private finance.
The remaining £20 million will be made available to the same colleges through an enhanced renewal grant. At least 20 colleges will have the opportunity to add to their renewal grant, by bidding to build their total allocation to £1 million. Colleges will be expected to attract substantial additional private finance, resulting in final projects of significant value.
Applications for the enhanced renewal grant will be assessed using key criteria, including the existing condition of bidding colleges' estates and facilities; resulting benefits to learners; and the contribution which each applicant's proposals make to the regeneration of their local community. Projects will be expected to meet exacting design standards, ensuring a built legacy of which all concerned can be proud.
I understand that the College of North West London had previously received capital grant support, and as such, will not be eligible to access the £50 million fund. It is recognised that this may leave ineligible colleges feeling disappointed, but this Government believe it is right to target resource at those who have to date benefited least and believe we will see significant improvements for learners as a result.
Higher Education: Anti-Semitism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what meetings have been held of the higher education sub-group of the cross-government working group on anti-Semitism since his appointment; which officials at each civil service grade attended each meeting; what matters were discussed at each meeting; what further meetings are planned; and if he will make a statement; [2933]
(2) what steps he plans to take to deal with anti-Semitism (a) on university campuses and (b) in student unions; what recent discussions he has had on the issue with representatives of the Jewish community; and if he will make a statement. [2985]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 22 June 2010]: There have been no meetings of the BIS Anti-Semitism and HE Group since my appointment. I have had no meetings so far to discuss anti-Semitism in higher education with representatives of the Jewish community. However, I am due to meet with representatives of the Jewish community and the HE sector to discuss this issue and the work of the BIS Anti-Semitism and HE Group.
There is no place for racism of any form, including anti-Semitism, in higher education, whether on campus or in student unions. Universities have access to a strong legislative framework and guidance to help them deal effectively with instances of intolerance, racism and harassment in their institutions. Government would expect them to vigorously tackle these issues when they arise and have supported institutions with key guidance on promoting good campus relations in the sector.
Nuclear Fusion: Research
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors spent on nuclear fusion research in (a) the UK and (b) abroad in each of the last 10 years; what resources and personnel have been provided by the UK to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) international fusion project; and what response he plans to make to the request from the ITER consortium for additional resources. [3740]
Mr Willetts: Figures for the Government funding of nuclear fusion research in the UK in each of the last 10 years are given below. The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) took over the responsibility for funding the fusion programme in 2003/04.
Euratom also funds fusion research in the UK through the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Euratom manages the European fusion research programme, including the European contribution to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) fusion research project. The UK does not provide direct funding to ITER, but contributes indirectly to ITER through its payments to the EU budget.
The Spanish presidency of the EU has set up a task force to examine the ITER funding issue, and its conclusions will be considered by the Council of Ministers in due course.
| Financial Year/UK Government expenditure on fusion research | |
| £ million | |
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