PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES - United Kingdom Parliament

1073W
Written Answers
26 MARCH 2013
Written Answers
1074W
Taxation: Electricity
Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer if he will consider the merits of introducing
an hypothecated windfall tax to remove unanticipated
and unreasonable profit resulting from the interaction
of the Renewables Obligation and the Carbon Price
Support; and if he will consider allocating the revenue
from such a tax to electricity consumers. [R] [149540]
Sajid Javid: The Government has no current plans to
impose a windfall tax. Our priority is to provide business
with the confidence to invest and expand, helping to
return the UK economy to sustainable, balanced growth.
This means having a tax system that is competitive,
stable, simple and predictable. The carbon price floor
will provide greater certainty for investors to incentivise
investment now in new low carbon electricity generation.
COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Council Tax Benefits
Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government which local
authorities applied for additional funds to supplement
their new council tax support schemes by 31 January
2013; and how much has been allocated to each such
local authority. [144024]
Brandon Lewis: Further to the offer outlined in my
written statement of 16 October 2012, Official Report,
columns 13-14WS, 195 billing authorities will receive
transition funding to help them in the first year of
running local council tax support. This represents more
than two-thirds of billing authorities. A table detailing
the funding has been placed in the Library.
The localisation of council tax support will help
tackle the deficit, delivering ongoing savings of £470 million
a year of taxpayers’ money, and it will give all councils
stronger incentives to cut fraud, promote local enterprise
and get people back into work.
The transition scheme is promoting best practice that
I hope all councils will learn from, and will help give
councils time to deliver savings from fraud and error,
which saw £200 million wrongly paid out in 2011-12.
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government (1) how many
and which local authorities in England have (a)
applied for council tax benefit transition grants and
(b) been successful; [145232]
(2) how much council tax transition grant has been
awarded to local authorities in England in total to date.
[145233]
Brandon Lewis [holding answer 28 February 2013]: I
refer the right hon. Member to the response I gave to
the hon. Member for North Devon (Sir Nick Harvey)
today, PQ 144024.
Housing
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government pursuant to his
answer of 18 October 2011, Official Report, column
905W, on housing, what recent assessment he has made
of the effect of (a) increasing longevity, (b) net
immigration, (c) average size of household and (d)
other factors on demand for housing. [149738]
Mr Prisk: Since the question was last asked, no new
projections of household growth have been made, and
as such the answer is the same as in October 2011.
Housing Associations: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government what estimate he
has made of the level of arrears of housing
associations based in London; and if he will make a
statement. [145966]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 4 March 2013]: The 2012
Global Accounts of housing providers, published by
the social housing regulator on Wednesday 20 March,
show that current tenant arrears at the end of the
2011-12 financial year were 4.8% in England.
This is an improvement on performance in arrears
compared to 2010-11. The report also notes that the
overall financial performance of the sector improved
compared to the year before.
We are not able to provide information on the level of
arrears of housing associations in London because
many housing associations own stock across local authority
areas.
Housing: Construction
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government what his policy is
on the promotion of new build, zero carbon homes.
[147872]
Mr Foster [holding answer 14 March 2013]: Budget
2013 reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to
implementing ’zero carbon homes’ from 2016. The
Department will publish a detailed plan, setting out its
response to the 2012 consultation on the energy efficiency
requirements in building regulations, by May 2013. The
Government will then consult on next steps, including
on the means of delivering allowable solutions, by summer
recess.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government when he next
intends to issue guidance to local authorities on
support for self-builders. [150161]
Mr Prisk: Industry-led guidance ‘Planning for Custom
Build Housing: A Practice Guide’ was launched in
November 2012 by the National Self Build Association.
This offers advice to local authorities, housing associations,
developers and self-build community groups on the
ways they can facilitate self- and custom-build development
and make it easier for people to build their own homes.
The guidance can be downloaded free from their website.
We are currently reviewing what further steps can be
taken to ensure that self-build and genuine small scale
development is not adversely affected by the introduction
of the Community Infrastructure Levy.
Housing: Sustainable Development
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for
Communities and Local Government how many of the
major housing decisions made in 2012 attained (a)
Code level 4 and (b) Code level 5 or above of the Code