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  • Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chris Leslie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Leslie on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2016 to Question 32596, if he will place in the Library the spreadsheet used to calculate the allocation of the 2016-17 transition grant to individual authorities.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Secretary of State has published an explanatory note setting out the method of calculation of the Transition Grant. Copies have been made available in the libraries of both Houses. It is available to view at:
    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/510870/Explanatory_note_on_the_allocation_of_the_Transition_Grant.pdf.

    The spreadsheet showing individual authority allocations was published on 8 February as part of the Core Spending Power: Supporting Information tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/corespending-power-final-local-government-finance-settlement-2016-to-2017.

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  • Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rebecca Long Bailey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy to require social housing providers to ensure that a proportion of their properties are adapted for disabled residents.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government already has measures in place to help people with disabilities to live independently. It has committed to support disabled people to live safely in independent accommodation suitable to their needs by investing over £1 billion pounds through Disabled Facilities Grant since 2010.

    There are no plans to require local authorities to require social housing providers to ensure that a proportion of their properties are adapted for disabled residents.

    The Government is also investing over £200 million to develop over 4,000 affordable homes providing specialised accommodation for older people and adults with physical disabilities, learning difficulties or mental health needs, through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund. The statutory ‘reasonable preference’ requirements 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.

  • Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 4 May 2016 to Question 33503, in what locations his Department plans to deliver the 400,000 affordable homes referred to in that Answer; and at what level a home will be defined as affordable in (a) London and (b) England.

    Brandon Lewis

    The 400,000 affordable homes will include:

    • 200,000 Starter Homes
    • 135,000 Help to Buy: Shared Ownership homes
    • 10,000 homes which allow tenants to save for a deposit while they rent
    • 8,000 specialist homes for older people and people with disabilities.

    We do not pre-determine how much affordable housing funding is allocated to different areas. Local Authorities will set out their affordable housing requirements as part of the planning process.

    The definition of affordable housing is set out in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/6077/2116950.pdf.

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  • Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Rushanara Ali – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rushanara Ali on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 12 May 2016 to Question 36790, what plans his Department has to review progress under its voluntary agreement with the National Housing Federation and housing associations on replacing homes sold under right-to-buy with new affordable homes.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government is working with the National Housing Federation and housing associations on the detailed design of the scheme, including data collection necessary for reviewing progress.

  • Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelly Tolhurst on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to adopt the recommendations made in the Local Plans Expert Group report, published in March 2016.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Local Plans Expert Group published their report on 16 March 2016, and this was open for representations until 27 April.

    We are committed to streamlining the plan-making process and are carefully considering the report and representations received.

  • Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Kelly Tolhurst – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelly Tolhurst on 2016-06-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his Department’s policies of the conclusion of the report by the Local Plans Expert Group, published in March 2016, paragraph s15, that local plans in the South East may not enable the full scale of housing need to be met.

    Brandon Lewis

    The National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities to identify and plan for the housing needs in their area. Planning guidance is clear that Green Belt and other constraints may restrict the ability of an individual authority to meet its need.

    The Framework is clear that the supply of new homes may be delivered by larger scale development, such as new settlements or urban extensions, and the Government is supporting new locally led garden towns and villages in places where communities want them.

    The Local Plans Expert Group published their report on 16 March 2016, and this was open for representations until 27 April. The report and representations are receiving careful consideration and a further statement will be made in due course.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-06-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Border Force vessels patrol UK territorial waters at any one time; and how many are needed to ensure the required levels of surveillance and security of the UK’s coastline.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Border Force is committed to operating three cutters in UK waters at any given time. We currently have a total of four available for use in UK waters, with one rotated into use where required. These figures only include the number of cutters currently deployed in UK territorial waters and do not include the additional military and law enforcement vessels available. Border Force takes a multi-layered approach to maritime security; using a combination of cutters, radar and aerial surveillance to detect efforts to smuggle guns and drugs or facilitate illegal entry into the country. They also work closely with domestic and international partners on an intelligence-led approach, allowing us to tackle the criminals involved before they leave for the UK. Border Force is also investing in a new fleet of rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBS) as part of a new maritime security strategy. The vessels will patrol the UK coast, helping to intercept attempts to smuggle migrants, drugs and dangerous weapons into the country.

  • Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ian Mearns – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Mearns on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to implement recommendation 15 of the Department for Transport’s Maritime Growth Study, published in September 2015, on improving links between the Royal Navy and the wider UK maritime sector.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Royal Navy (RN) has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to allow Warfare Officers to obtain commercial Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certificates of competency. Discussions with the MCA have commenced to develop a similar MOU for Engineer Officers and Ratings. More widely the RN continues to seek to align its training with STCW requirements. The RN Resettlement Service also offers impartial advice on second careers with many strong links with maritime sector organisations and companies.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-06-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many illegal maritime arrivals have reached the UK in each year since 2010.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Specific details on numbers or locations of suspected illegal maritime arrivals are not disclosed for security reasons.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-06-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 26 May 2016 to Question 38217, on his Department’s BME pay gap, where the information about this is held; and what estimate he has made of the cost of providing the information.

    Penny Mordaunt

    The Ministry of Defence does not capture and report data on hourly earnings, and therefore does not provide comparative data in this way.

    The Department has recently published an Equal Pay Audit 2015 report which can be found at the following address:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-equal-pay-audit-report-2015

    This Audit presents a comparison of male to female and White to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) annualised average salaries in the period 1 October 2014 to 1 October 2015. This meets the Department’s obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty to provide information on its workforce identified by the Equality Act 2010.