§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the most recent figures for the number of(a) second residences which are entitled to the 50 per cent. council tax rebate and (b) holiday residences taxed as such for business purposes broken down by (i) parish, (ii) district, (iii) unitary authority and (iv) county for the nations and regions of the UK, expressed (A) numerically and (B) as a percentage of the housing stock. [35568]
238Wwhat the cost incurred was; and how many staff were employed in MAIB investigations in each of the last five years. [35736]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe MAIB receives, on average about 1,500 accident reports each year. Only a small number are subjected to a full investigation but many more are followed up in Administrative Inquiries where further information is sought. A number of these lead to the identification and promulgation of lessons to be learned. The sole aim of the MAIB is to prevent accidents at sea.
The figures are produced in tabular form.
Prior to 1999 only selected investigation reports were published. All investigations completed since have resulted in the production of a report that has been made publicly available. In very general terms the MAIB has tended to look at fewer accidents overall each year but more thoroughly.
The costs of all investigations are met from the running cost budget of the Branch. This has increased in each of the past five years. The greater expenditure incurred in 1998 was due to additional costs involved in conducting a higher than normal number of underwater surveys.
§ Dr. WhiteheadThe information is as follows:
(a) We estimate that approximately 220,000 second homes (defined as furnished and no-one's main residence) in England were entitled to the 50 per cent. council tax discount as at October 2000. This represents 1.0 per cent. of the total domestic housing stock in England. Comparable figures for each parish, district and county/unitary area in England are not available.
(b) 15,507 premises in England were subject to non-domestic rates and let as self-catering holiday homes at 1 January 2002. While many of these premises are individual self-catering holiday homes, some whole sites of holiday homes are counted as a single premises for rating purposes, even though they contain many individual homes. The figures do not include premises where it is not intended that the property is let as holiday accommodation for more than 140 days in a year as these are subject to council tax and not to non-domestic rates. Nor do the figures include bed and breakfast accommodation that is liable to non-domestic rates.
The figure mentioned is equivalent to the 0.07 per cent. of the total domestic housing stock in England, as recorded at 1 April 2001 on the 2001 HIP Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix. Although the HIP figures include holiday residences, it is possible that they are not counted in the same way as they are for non-domestic rating purposes.
I will write separately to the hon. Member with equivalent figures for each principal local authority in England. Separate figures are not, however, available for parishes.
239WFigures for (a) and (b) for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the relevant devolved Administrations.