HC Deb 28 April 2004 vol 420 cc1140-2W
Matthew Green

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 29 March 2004,Official Report, column 1267W, on public bodies, what the internal costs to his Department were of (a) the Property Advisory Group, (b) the Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate, (c) the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils, (d) the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, (e) the Community Forum and (f) the Residential Property Advisory Group. [166794]

Yvette Cooper

The internal costs to the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister for 2003–04 are estimated to be in the region of:

Advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB) £000
(a) and (f) Property Advisory Group1 24
(b) Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate 70
(c)Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils 190
(d) Building Regulations Advisory Committee 70
(e) Community Forum 160
Total 514
1The Property Advisory Group was wound up in July 2003.

This includes the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's staff costs associated with sponsorship of the body and providing the secretariat for the body as appropriate; fees and travel and subsistence payments to members; publications; and other miscellaneous costs.

Mr. Edward Davey

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the total(a) administration and (b) staff costs were for the Building Regulations Advisory Committee in financial year 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (i) 2004–05 and (ii) 2005–06; [169109]

(2) what the (a) total budget, (b) departmental funding and (c) internal costs to his Department of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee were in financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (iii) 2004–05 and (iv) 2005–06. [169113]

Phil Hope

The Building Regulations Advisory Committee does not receive Government funding other than costs internal to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of sponsoring it.

For 2002–03 these costs were estimated to be in the region of £21,000 for administration and £49,000 for staff, and for 2003–04 £19,000 for administration and £51,000 for staff. These estimates include the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's staff costs associated with sponsorship of the committee and providing the secretariat for it; fees and travel and subsistence payments to members; publications; and other miscellaneous costs.

Costs in 2004–05 and 2005–06 are not expected to rise significantly.

Mr. Edward Davey

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding and (c) internal costs to his Department were of the Property Advisory Group in financial year 2003–04. [169110]

Keith Hill

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member on 31 March 2004,Official Report, column 1499W.

Mr. Edward Davey

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding and (c) internal costs to his Department were of the Home Ownership Task Force in financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; [169111]

(2) what the (a) total administration and (b) staff costs were for the Home Ownership Task Force in financial year 2002–03. [169112]

Keith Hill

No administration and staff costs were incurred in relation to the Home Ownership Task Force in 2002–03. For 2003–04, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 31 March 2004,Official Report, columns 1498–99W.

Mr. Edward Davey

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding, (c) internal costs to his Department, (d) total administration costs and (e) staff costs to his Department of the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils were for the financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (iii) 2004–05 and (iv) 2005–06. [169117]

Mr. Raynsford

The Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils does not receive Government funding other than the internal costs to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister of sponsoring it. For both 2002–03 and 2003–04, this was estimated to be in the region of £190,000. We do not expect costs to change significantly in 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Mr. Edward Davey

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) total budget, (b) departmental funding, (c) internal costs to his Department, (d) total administration costs and (e) staff costs to his Department of the Advisory Group on Home Buying were for the financial years (i) 2002–03 and (ii) 2003–04; and what the estimated costs are for financial years (iii) 2004–05 and (iv) 2005–06. [169118]

Keith Hill

The Advisory Group on Home Buying and Selling has been in existence since 1997. Membership includes representatives of central and local government, the Consumers' Association and the main professional and trade bodies involved in the home buying and selling process. The group has assisted with steering research, providing advice on options for reforming the home buying and selling process and helping consideration of responses to wide-ranging consultation on measures to improve the process. The main focus of the group's future work will be to assist with the development, implementation and coordination of measures, including home information packs, aimed at making the home buying and selling process easier and more efficient in the interests of buyers and sellers.

There is no central budget for the Advisory Group. Membership and participation is voluntary and unpaid. The cost of the group to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is minimal, comprising attendance of ODPM officials, accommodation for meetings, production and circulation of papers, and refreshments.