here - United Kingdom Parliament

849W
Written Answers
1 DECEMBER 2010
Written Answers
850W
Poverty: Children
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government if he will take
steps to ensure that local authorities are allocated the
resources to meet their obligations under the Child
Poverty Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.
[23042]
Sarah Teather: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are committed to ending child poverty
by 2020 and recognises the critical role of local authorities
and other partners in achieving that aim. Part 2 of the
Child Poverty Act 2010 introduced new duties for local
partners to cooperate and carry out local child poverty
needs assessments and develop joint child poverty strategies.
In recognition of the potential costs of carrying out
that work the Government have made an additional
£9.5 million available this year to ensure local authorities
have the resources to meet the local duties.
Funding will be provided for the remainder of this
implementation year (2010-11) to support local authorities
in England who are leading the co-operation around
the duties. Payments will be distributed to all ‘top-tier’
local authorities via the area based grant and the first
payments were made in October.
Squatting
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government how many incidents
of squatting were recorded (a) in Brighton and Hove
constituency and (b) nationally in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008,
and (iii) 2009. [27236]
Grant Shapps: Information on the number of dwellings
that are occupied by squatters is not held centrally.
Tenancy Deposit Schemes
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government what proportion
of disputes in respect of tenancy deposit protection
schemes resulted in a decision in favour of the tenant in
(a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-9 and (c) 2009-10. [27750]
Grant Shapps: My Department does not hold this
information. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the
three companies running the tenancy deposit protection
schemes directly.
Travellers: Caravan Sites
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government what steps he is taking to reduce
the number of (a) squatters and (b) unauthorised
encampments. [27311]
Grant Shapps: In relation to squatting, on 8 November
I published an online guide for home owners affected by
squatters. This sets out their rights and the action they
can take. We are also taking steps to help get empty
homes back into productive and lawful use, thus reducing
the scope for squatting.
In relation to Parliament square, I refer my hon.
Friend to my answer of 25 November 2010, Official
Report, column 439.
In relation to unauthorised encampments, I refer my
hon. Friend to the press notice of the Secretary of State
for Communities and Local Government, my right hon.
Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr
Pickles) on 29 August 2010, a copy of which is in the
Library. It outlines the new Government’s approach of
providing incentives and support for authorised Traveller
sites, while removing the counter-productive regime of
top-down planning and ensuring fair play in the planning
system.
The forthcoming Localism Bill and changes to secondary
legislation will include provisions to end the abuse of
retrospective planning permission and will give councils
stronger powers to tackle unauthorised development in
all its forms.
Working Neighbourhoods Fund
Mr Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government what assessment he has made
of the likely effects of the closure of the Working
Neighbourhoods Fund on the most deprived communities
in the country; and what sources of funding will be
available to support such areas in the spending review
period. [27456]
Robert Neill: The Working Neighbourhoods Fund
was a time-limited, three year programme scheduled to
run from 2009-11. In line with our equalities duties, an
equality impact assessment into the completion of the
Working Neighbourhoods Fund has been carried out
and will be published in due course.
Businesses and local authorities in areas which currently
receive the Fund will now be able to bid into the £1.4
billion Regional Growth Fund to kick-start private
sector-led growth. The Department for Work and Pensions
is also to introduce the Work Programme which will
provide an integrated package of support providing
personalised help for people who find themselves out of
work.
The Government are also giving communities and
neighbourhoods new rights, flexibilities, powers and
tools that they could use to drive forward local regeneration
and growth. For example through de-ringfencing of
local budgets, and introducing incentives through the
New Homes Bonus to direct more money to councils
that build houses. The hon. Member should be aware
that as outlined in the March 2010 Budget, the last
Government was planning in-year cuts to the Working
Neighbourhood Fund.
EDUCATION
Business: Education
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education
what plans his Department has for the future of enterprise
education in primary schools; and if he will make a
statement. [18817]
Mr Gibb: The Department currently has a contract
with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT)
to run the Enterprise Network to support the extension