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Parish Councils: Code of Conduct

Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 13 June (HL Deb, cols. 367–68), what system is in place, and under what Act of Parliament, to address the situation when a parish councillor, in mid-term, refuses to sign the code of conduct, declines to fill in the register of interests and does not offer his or her resignation.[HL4996]

Lord Rooker: The Local Government Act 2000 requires members of parish councils to give a written undertaking to observe the authority's code of conduct. If a member fails to give that undertaking within two months of the authority adopting a code, he or she ceases to be a member of the authority.

Members must complete a register of interests within 28 days of a code applying to their parish council, as a result either of the council adopting a code, or of the statutory application of the model code from 5 May on all councils which had not by then adopted a code. Failure to complete a register could lead to investigation by the Standards Board for England.

Accommodation for the Homeless: London

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

How accommodation for the homeless in London is monitored; against what specifications; and how the accommodation is funded.[HL5246]

Lord Rooker: Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 requires local housing authorities to secure suitable accommodation for homeless applicants who are eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and have a priority need for accommodation for particular applicants having regard to the circumstances and needs of the applicant and their household. In determining whether accommodation is suitable for an applicant, authorities must have regard to Parts 9, 10 and 11 of the Housing Act 1996 which deal with slum clearance, overcrowding and houses in multiple occupation, respectively. Applicants have the right to ask for a review of the suitability of accommodation offered to them and, if dissatisfied with the authority's review decision, can appeal to the county court on a point of law.

Where authorities secure accommodation for a homeless applicant under Part 7, they may require the applicant to pay reasonable charges for, or a reasonable contribution towards, the cost of the accommodation. Applicants on a low income may claim housing benefit towards the accommodation costs. The net costs to local authorities of securing accommodation for homeless applicants are funded through general grant. Costs related to the use of authorities' own housing stock which fall within the housing revenue account are supported by housing revenue account subsidy.

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The annual general grant for English local authorities has already been increased by £8 million in respect of legislative changes that will be introduced by the Homelessness Act 2002 and the proposed Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) 2002. A further £10 million will be allocated to English authorities this year to help them implement the priority need order.

In March this year, a £35 million programme was launched to help local authorities ensure that by March 2004 no homeless family with children is in B&B other than in an emergency, and even then for no more than six weeks. Statutory guidance issued by my department makes it clear that if authorities do have to use bed-and-breakfast accommodation they should ensure that the accommodation meets statutory standards for houses in multiple occupation. My department is currently consulting with specialist bodies on draft proposals for minimum acceptable standards of B&B accommodation in advance of a wider consultation in due course.

In London, over 450 hostels provide around 19,600 beds for single homeless people. Hostels are funded in several ways. These include rent/housing benefit, supported housing management grant (SHMG) which is provided through the Housing Corporation revenue grant and other funding such as Section 180 grant funding.

As part of a drive to improve the information available to policy makers and service providers, the Homelessness Directorate set up within my department in March 2002 will investigate the range of accommodation available to homeless people. This will involve defining, and establishing, the number of different sorts of accommodation.

Supporting People and the Homelessness Act 2002 requirement for local authorities to conduct homelessness reviews will also improve the information collected on hostel use. In addition, to ensure that best practice is replicated thorough the country we are exploring the feasibility of ensuring that hostels are inspected in a structured way, by either the voluntary or statutory sectors.

Gypsy Accommodation

Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will draw the attention of local authorities to the case of Casey v Hertsmere in which it was decided that the borough council had not satisfied the requirements of Circular 1/94 in that it had failed to carry out any quantitative assessment of the need for gypsy accommodation.[HL5351]

Lord Rooker: I cannot comment on particular planning cases. Decision-makers in planning cases, including planning appeals, must take into account a variety of issues and circumstances as well as local and national planning policies whether they involve gypsies or members of the settled community. The weight to be attached to a particular concern is a matter of judgement for the decision-maker.

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Science, Engineering and Technology

Baroness Hilton of Eggardon asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are their plans for the future of science, engineering and technology in the United Kingdom.[HL5485]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The Government are today publishing Investing in Innovation: a strategy for science, engineering and technology. This document sets out the Government's strategy for science, underpinned by the substantial new investment in science announced on 15 July by my right honourable friend the Member for Dunfermline East.

It sets out what the Government propose to do, in partnership with other stakeholders, to ensure the long-term sustainability of our university research base. It provides details of how the Government intend to implement the recommendations of the Roberts review. It makes clear the Government's commitment to continuing to expand our research base by strengthening existing research programmes through the research councils and allowing for research into exciting and promising new areas of science.

The document shows how government will further encourage collaboration between universities and the business sector through increased investment in knowledge transfer activities, and in particular, through an expansion of the Higher Education Innovation Fund. It also sets out how the DTI will increase the diffusion of advances in science and technology in the economy.

Finally, it shows what steps the Government will take to improve the quality of the science done by government departments, and commissioned from others.

Copies of the document have been placed in the Libraries of the House and may be viewed at http://www.ost.gov.uk/whats–new.htm.

Dangerous Severe Personality Disorder

Lord Lucas asked Her Majesty's Government:

What funding they have made available in the past year for research into the treatment of "dangerous severe personality disorder".[HL5314]

The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): The Government have allocated substantial funds for research into the treatment of individuals who are dangerous as a result of a severe personality disorder (DSPD). In total, during the past year the joint Home Office, Department of Health and Prison Service DSPD Programme contracted research on this issue to the value of £232,887.00.

A further substantial programme of research into the treatment of DSPD is planned for 2003 and 2004.

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Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Complaints Audit Committee Annual Report 2001–02

Lord Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have received the annual report for 2001–02 of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's independent Complaints Audit Committee.[HL5537]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: A copy of the report has been placed in the Library and will be placed on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website. It is a useful and informative document, and we are grateful to the committee for its comments and its recommendations. We are currently considering how best to implement the recommendations.

Prison Service: Key Performance Indicator Measures

Lord Burlison asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to publish the final key performance indicator targets for the Prison Services for 2002–03.[HL5545]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The Prison Service Business Plan for 2002–03, published in February 2002, included key performance indicator (KPI) measures for the year but at that stage not all the associated targets had been finalised.

The full set of measures and targets for 2002–03 are listed as follows:

to ensure no escapes of Category A prisoners;

to ensure that the number of escapes from prisons and from escorts undertaken by Prison Service staff, expressed as a proportion of the average prison population, is lower than 0.05 per cent;

to ensure that the number of escapes from contracted-out escorts is no more than one per 20,000 prisoners handled;

to ensure that the number of positive adjudications of assault on prisoners, staff and others, expressed as a proportion of the average prison population, is lower than 9 per cent;

to ensure that the number of prisoners held two to a cell designed for one, expressed as a proportion of the average prison population, does not exceed 18 per cent;

to ensure that the number of minority ethnic staff in the Prison Service, expressed as a proportion of the total workforce, is at least 4.5 per cent by April 2003;

to ensure that average staff sickness does not exceed nine working days per person by April 2003;

to ensure that the average cost per uncrowded prison place does not exceed £38,743;

to ensure that the average cost per prisoner does not exceed £36,539;

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to deliver 7,100 accredited offending behaviour programme completions in 2002–03, including 950 sex offender treatment programmes;

to ensure that prisoners spend on average at least 24 hours per week in purposeful activity;

to ensure the rate of positive results from random mandatory drug test is lower than 10 per cent by April 2003;

to achieve a 5 per cent reduction in the number of self-inflicted deaths expressed as a rate per 100,000 of average population compared with 2001–02;

prisoners to achieve 45,000 key skills awards and 28,800 in basic skills including 10,800 at level 2, 12,000 at level 1 and 6,000 at entry level;

to ensure 28,200 prisoners have a job, training or education place after release by April 2003; and

to develop and pilot a joint indicator with Department of Health to reduce waiting times for mental health transfers and to implement the KPI from April 2003.

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