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  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what support the Government plans to provide to communities in (a) West Cumbria and (b) Somerset (i) during and (ii) after the construction of new nuclear development in those areas.

    Andrea Leadsom

    The Government aims to maximise the supply chain, skills and infrastructure opportunities from new nuclear development for host communities. DECC chairs fora in both West Cumbria and Somerset that bring together senior stakeholders, including local and central Government. During construction of a nuclear plant, local communities receive funding from the developer through a mechanism in the Development Consent Order. We also encourage communities to bid for Government funding to capitalise on new nuclear opportunities, such as the upcoming Growth Deal 3. In 2013 the Government announced a Community Benefit package for new nuclear host communities once a plant begins operating. This totals £1000 per megawatt of capacity for each year of the plant’s initial life.

  • Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Greg Knight – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Knight on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will commission research into improving pedestrian safety on pavements and to determine whether accidents occur more often on tarmacadam or on concrete slab surfaces; and if he will make a statement.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department for Transport has no current plans to commission research into the issue of pedestrian’s safety on footways or to ascertain whether accidents occur more often on tarmacadam or on concrete slab surfaces.

    Guidance is already available to highway authorities in respect to providing good and safe surfaces for pedestrians. The Department for Transport Manual for Streets – https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/341513/pdfmanforstreets.pdf – also provides advice on footways and advises that surfaces used by pedestrians need to be smooth and free from trip hazards.

    It is ultimately for each highway authority to decide on what materials they use for ensuring the best footway surface for the area for which they are responsible.

    “

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will set out the (a) number, (b) nature, (c) date of and (d) grounds of decisions Ministers in his Department have made to disagree with local authority proposals for housing development in their areas since 2010.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Planning Inspectorate published statistics can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/planning-inspectorate-statistics

    and covers volumes relating to the questions raised.

    “

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects the first sale of higher value council housing allowed by the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to take place.

    Brandon Lewis

    Under the Housing and Planning Act, local authorities have a duty to consider selling vacant higher value housing. Local authorities will know which homes will be defined as higher value, and therefore which homes they have a duty to consider selling, once Parliament has scrutinised and approved the regulations, including the higher value regulations which are subject to affirmative resolution.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what methodology he plans to use to determine the market rents of social housing properties for the purposes of the pay to stay policy.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government believes that it is only fair that tenants who benefit from low social rents, but who are on higher incomes and can afford it, should contribute more. For those council housing tenants who are subject to the policy, the majority will not face a full market rent, but will instead pay a higher rent on a graduated basis using an income taper (set at 15% of income above the threshold). In those cases where a full market rent is payable, it is for the local authority to decide on a methodology for determining market rent appropriate to their particular area. My Department will be supporting them through this process with advice and guidance.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish secondary legislation on the sale of higher value council homes under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

    Brandon Lewis

    There are a number of steps that need to be taken before the Government publishes the regulations. The regulations defining higher value will be subject to the affirmative procedure and so, once finalised, they will be published and laid before Parliament before being considered by the relevant committees and debated in both Houses.

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, under which legislative provisions he took his decision on Ipswich Council’s planning application for the development of the Ravenswood affordable housing scheme.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Secretary of State called in this application for his own determination under section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. His decision letter, which can be found on the Department’s website, stated that in deciding the application, the Secretary of State has had regard to section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 which requires that proposals be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

    A copy of the decision letter is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/called-in-decision-areas-u-v-and-w-ravenswood-nacton-road-ipswich-suffolk-ref-3004099-13-june-2016

    “

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons he has not allowed Ipswich Council’s recent proposal for the Ravenswood affordable housing development.

    Brandon Lewis

    The full reasons are set out in the Secretary of State’s decision letter on this case, which can be found on the Department’s website at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/called-in-decision-areas-u-v-and-w-ravenswood-nacton-road-ipswich-suffolk-ref-3004099-13-june-2016

  • John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    John Healey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Healey on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities will be affected by the sale of higher value council homes under the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

    Brandon Lewis

    The requirement to make a payment in respect of higher value vacant housing and to consider selling such housing applies to local authorities with a Housing Revenue Account. The scheme will therefore affect any such authorities who hold housing which falls within the definition of "higher value". That definition will be set out in regulations which are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure. In addition Government has the power to exclude types of housing from the policy through regulations.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-06-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 8 February 2016 to Questions 25834 and 25835, whether a final decision has been made on the retention of business rates generated by new nuclear development in Copeland by the billing authority.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Decisions on the details of the 100% business rates retention scheme have yet to be taken. We are currently working with the Local Government Association, local authorities and business interests on the design of the scheme and will set out our proposals for consultation in due course.