(2) how much (a) the Tenants Service Authority and (b) Homes and Communities Agency and its predecessor bodies spent on public relations in each of the last three years.
Final audited information for the HCA and the TSA for the year ending 31 March 2009 will be available after the end of the financial year.
The predecessor bodies of the HCA were English Partnerships, the investment arm of the Housing Corporation, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities. A range of programmes previously delivered by Communities and Local Government (CLG) also transferred to the Agency. The remainder of the Housing Corporation transferred to the Tenants Service Authority.
The following table shows the amount spent on publicity and public relations by English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation in the last three years:
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Publicity Public relations Publicity Public relations Publicity Public relations Housing Corporation1 95 20 104 250 98 212 English Partnerships 1,899 627 2,223 650 2,464 982 1 The Housing Corporation does not have specific budget codes for PR and Publicity, we have instead determined these costs as: expenditure against PR companies, Publicity, and Events. HC expenditure against Web Hosting and Publications cannot be disaggregated between internal and external communications costs, and is therefore excluded from the above figures. 2 While these have been identified as PR companies, it is probable that some of these costs may account for ‘public affairs consultancy’.
The publicity and public relations costs for the Academy for Sustainable Communities could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost. The spend related to CLG programmes that transferred to the Homes and Communities Agency cannot be disaggregated.
The following table provides details of the buildings owned by the HCA and their open market values at 31 March 2008, which represents the last audited position.
£000 St. George’s House, Gateshead 2,500 Arpley House, Warrington 5,800
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 March 2009, Official Report, column 740W-42W, to the hon. Member for Peterborough (Mr. Jackson) that listed the HCA’s regional offices. In addition, two corporate centres are located in London (at Buckingham Palace Road and Maple House) and the HCA Academy is located in Leeds (at Foundry Street).
HCA is currently undertaking a review of its accommodation. The agreed future structure will reflect business need and will unlock as many efficiency savings as possible.
The Tenant Services Authority does not own any office space. The TSA rents office space on the 6th floor of Maple House in London, and the 4th floor of Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester.
No valuation is made against rented accommodation.