§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the revenue lost to Charnwood borough council in 2003–04 through exemption for council tax of houses of multiple occupation occupied solely by students. [162016]
§ Keith HillI refer the hon. Member to my answer of 17 March 2004,Official Report, column 379W. The council tax revenue lost to Charnwood borough council through exemption for council tax of houses of multiple occupation occupied solely by students is compensated by Charnwood borough council receiving an equivalent amount of additional Revenue Support Grant before floors and ceilings.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how undertakings by local authorities to rehouse(a) released prisoners and (b) members of the forces released from service, together with their families, are maintained when councils transfer their housing stock to registered social landlords. [162766]
§ Keith HillAfter transfer local housing authorities retain their statutory functions in relation to homelessness and the allocation of housing. The Housing Allocation, Homelessness and Stock Transfer—A Guide to Key Issues issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in January 2004 advises that it is crucial for housing authorities to negotiate nomination agreements with the transfer landlord and other partner RSLs to ensure that they can continue to discharge their statutory responsibilities.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what central Government spending was allocated since 1999, and to which authorities, to(a) paying off housing debt after large scale voluntary transfer, (b) grants and payments to Arms Length Management Organisations and (c) contributions to the cost of (i) fees, (ii) consultancies and (iii) information campaigns in ballots for transfer which had a (A) successful and (B) unsuccessful outcomes. [162769]
§ Keith HillSince 1999 there have been 10 large scale voluntary transfers where the receipt was insufficient and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister made an overhanging debt payment. The payments are tabled as follows. 909W
Financial year Local authority £ million 1999–2000 Burnley 21.0 2001–02 Coventry 111.7 2001–02 Calderdale 64.6 2001–02 Blackburn with Darwen 78.9 2002–03 St. Helens 87.2 2002–03 Redcar and Cleveland 25.4 2002–03 Knowsley 126.1 2002–03 Carlisle 18.0 2002–03 Bradford 182.8 2002–03 Walsall 108.7 The following allocations have been made to local authorities setting up Arms Length Management Organisations under Rounds 1-3 of the programme:
Round 1 ALMOs Allocation 2002–04 (£ million) Ashfield* 24.0 Derby* 31.1 Hounslow* 35.0 Kirklees* 62.5 Rochdale* 24.2 Stockton-on-Tees* 44.5 Westminster* 20.3 Wigan* 58.3
Round 2 ALMOs Allocation 2003–05 (£ million) Barnsley* 48.2 Blyth Valley* 17.5 Bolton* 53.0 Brent* 33.8 Carrick* 7.2 Cheltenham* 15.0 Colchester 13.5 Hillingdon* 16.6 Kensington and Chelsea* 21.7 Leeds East 14.7 Leeds North East* 10.5 Leeds North West 16.1 Leeds South East 10.4 Leeds South 22.6 Leeds West* 18.3 Oldham* 36.0 Salford 53.5 Waltham Forest 28.2
Round 3 ALMOs Allocation 2004–06 (£ million) Barnet 19.0 Camden 45.0 Easington 23.6 Gateshead 63.0 Harrow 5.0 High Peak 4.7 Islington 24.9 Newcastle 64.0 Poole 17.4 Sheffield (partial) 49.7 Solihull 21.0 South Lakeland 4.2 Warrington 18.3 All allocations are conditional on the local authority receiving approval to delegate its housing management functions to the ALMO under section 27 of the Housing Act 1985 and the ALMO receiving at least a two star rating from the Housing Inspectorate. Those marked* 910W have fulfilled these two conditions and funding has therefore been confirmed. Salford and Camden have since withdrawn from the ALMO programme.
Expenditure incurred in carrying out the statutory consultation required under section 106A of the Housing Act 1985, including the cost of any ballot, is considered to be in connection with the management of dwellings held within the Housing Management Account and therefore must be charged to that account.
No payment is made by central Government towards the cost of such consultation and figures for the total expenditure on this, including the cost of fees, consultants and information campaigns by local authorities, are not held centrally.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what steps he has taken to consult council tenants about the Fourth Option of allowing councils to retain and improve their council house stock; [162931]
(2) what consultations he has held with (a) councils and (b) the Local Government Association about the Fourth Option of allowing councils to retain and improve their council housing stock. [162933]
§ Keith HillThere has been no need for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to consult with individual council tenants or local government associations about local authority stock retention. All local authorities are aware that they can retain their housing stock if they can meet the decent homes standard through existing funding streams.