Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost was to local authorities in England of (a) collecting and (b) disposing of road sweepings in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by Marcus Jones
Data on the expenditure by local authorities on Street cleansing (not chargeable to Highways) is published online in the Revenue Outturn Cultural, Environmental, Regulatory and Planning Services (RO5), which is available at the following link:
http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the total cost incurred in the disposal of rural road sweepings in England in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
This information is not centrally held in the form requested.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the proportion of new homes planned for construction in 2014-15 that will be (a) wheelchair accessible and (b) built to lifetime homes standards.
Answered by Stephen Williams
DCLG does not collect information on the number of wheelchair-accessible or lifetime homes standard planned for 2014-15.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities in the UK maintain a register of accessible or adapted homes; and what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on registers of accessible housing.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Department does not hold this information.
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities are able to access suitable accommodation which meets their needs.
Accessible housing registers can be useful and we are aware that some councils and social landlords have incorporated such an approach within their lettings scheme.
The Government believes it is more important that people who require accessible housing are given the right level of priority under a council's housing allocation scheme, and that councils and social landlords are able to make the best use of affordable housing in their area, including accommodation which is accessible or has been adapted.
That is why, through the Localism Act, we have retained the statutory reasonable preference requirements which ensure that priority for social housing is given to those who need to move on medical and welfare grounds (including grounds relating to a disability). We have also made sure that council and housing association landlords have the flexibility to use their social housing stock in a way which best meets the needs of individual households and their local area.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people in receipt of disability living allowance or personal independence payments have received support from the Help to Buy scheme.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
This Government is committed to supporting people's aspirations to own their own home. That is why we have introduced schemes such as Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme and Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee scheme, which is managed by HM Treasury. We do not collect data on the number of people purchasing a home using either of the Help to Buy schemes who are in receipt of disability living allowance or personal independence payments.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average waiting time was in each local authority for an assessment for a disabled facilities grant in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect this information.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of homes in (a) Ebbsfleet and (b) other planned garden cities will be (i) wheelchair accessible and (ii) built to lifetime homes standards.
Answered by Nick Boles
It is important that all locally-led large scale new developments like Ebbsfleet incorporate a high standard of design, and I am keen to see the use of design tools like Building for Life 12 which can serve this objective. Responsibility for delivering on the local plans for Ebbsfleet will sit with the new Urban Development Corporation and it would be premature to make any commitments on design standards at this stage. Ultimately, the development should be created in partnership with local communities and it should reflect and respond to their needs.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the demand for (a) homes built to lifetime home standards and (b) wheelchair accessible homes.
Answered by Stephen Williams
The Department for Communities and Local Government, does not hold information on the overall demand for lifetime homes or wheelchair-accessible properties in the UK.
While the Department's English Housing Survey does ask respondents whether their current accommodation requires adaptations given their disability or long standing illness, these questions do not ask specifically about wheelchair accessibility. It is therefore not possible to estimate demand for wheelchair accessible properties in England using this data source.
Estimates using the English Housing Survey show there to be around 1.1 million wheelchair-accessible homes in England, equating to 5 per cent of the dwelling stock. Data reported by social landlords, in England, shows that around 1 per cent (2,700 of 240,000 general needs lettings) of tenants taking up a social letting in 2011/12 identified their household as needing wheelchair accessible housing (source: The Continuous Recording of Lettings and Sales of Social Housing in England).
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide incentives to developers to ensure that new homes planned for construction in 2014-15 will be (a) wheelchair accessible and (b) built to lifetime homes standards.
Answered by Stephen Williams
Part M of the Building Regulations set minimum access standards for new homes. The Government plans to introduce an optional level of accessibility above these minimum access standards which will set out criteria for age friendly, accessible and adaptable standards. The Government also plans to set out within Part M an optional standard which will set out criteria related to the specific needs of wheelchair adaptable and accessible housing.
Furthermore, the National Planning Policy Framework already sets out that Local Plans should take into account the current and future needs of range of households including older and disabled people.
This combination of Building Regulations and national planning policy sets a robust framework to promote adaptable and accessible housing.
Asked by: Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat - Ceredigion)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to ensure accessible housing, meeting internationally recognised visitability standards, for people who become disabled in 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Stephen Williams
The Approved Document to Part M (Access to and use of buildings) of the Building Regulations already includes key criteria for visitability including requiring reasonable provision for level or gently sloping entrances, level thresholds, minimum entrance door widths and circulation in the entrance storey, and provision of an entrance level WC