To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 6 March 2009, Official Report, columns 71-72WS, on local authority rents, for what reasons the announcement was not made as part of the local government finance settlement. (263032)

The housing revenue account system is independent of the Local Government Finance Settlement 2009-10. The announcement of help for local authorities to reduce their proposed rent increases for 2009-10 was made on 6 March as soon as was possible to do so after listening to the concerns of tenants and local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department plans to issue a new methodology for retail price inflation to be used for calculation of rent restructuring from 2009-10. (263034)

Communities and Local Government will be issuing a draft Amending 2009-10 Determination for consultation shortly. This will explain the calculations for revised 2009-10 guideline rents.

Changes in retail price inflation will be considered when we review guideline rents for 2010-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 March 2009, Official Report, columns 71-72WS, on local authority rents, what the estimated administrative costs are of rebilling of rents for 2009-10 by participating local authorities. (263035)

No such estimate has been made.

Local authorities’ spending allowances were set in the subsidy determination issued in December 2008, with higher inflation factors incorporated in the calculations than would apply now. We do not propose to revisit and reduce these assumptions in the same way that we are looking to reduce rent increases for 2009-10. Our priority and focus has been on helping council house tenants. We would expect, therefore, that local housing authorities will have the resources necessary to cover any such additional cost.

A letter was sent to councils on 11 March explaining how the revised arrangements will be taken forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 March 2009, Official Report, columns 71-72WS, on local authority rents, what estimate she has made of the proportion of local authorities which will bid for additional subsidy. (263036)

No estimate has been made of the proportion of local authorities that will take advantage of the announcement made in the written ministerial statement. This is a matter for individual authorities to decide according to local circumstances.