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  • Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Andrew Percy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure garden cities offer affordable homes and a place to live for all age groups.

    Brandon Lewis

    It is our ambition that garden communities will provide a range of homes that meet the needs of all age groups and all types of tenures. We intend that they will provide a range of affordable homes, including Starter Homes aimed at first-time buyers aged between 23 and 40.

  • Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Brown – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Brown on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the Local Housing Allowance cap on the level of supply of supported housing.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable, including through protecting and further boosting the supported housing supply we have already.

    We are continuing to work with the supported housing sector and other partners to develop a sustainable and workable future for supported housing and will announce next steps in due course.

    In the meantime we have put in place a one year exemption for supported housing from the Local Housing Allowance cap.

  • Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Tim Farron – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Farron on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people were living in the private rented sector by (a) age group and (b) local authority area in each of the last five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department collects information on the age of private renters via the English Housing Survey (EHS). The size of the EHS sample does not permit us to produce local authority estimates. England figures going back to 2003 can be found in AT1.4 here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/501068/2014-15_Section_1_Households_tables_and_figures_FINAL.xlsx

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) initial estimate and (b) actual cost was for the HMS Queen Elizabeth.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    As reported in successive Major Projects Reports, the original approved cost of the Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) Aircraft Carrier programme was £3.9 billion, including the capitalised costs of the Assessment and Demonstration Phases. The approvals and cost management have been based on the QEC Class for a two-ship programme, and it is therefore not practicable to apportion costs to the individual Aircraft Carriers.

    The current approved cost of the QEC Aircraft Carrier programme is £6.2 billion, as announced by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) on 6 November 2013 (Official Report, column 251-254). Whilst there are cost pressures, and final costs cannot be agreed until the programme finishes around 2019. The MOD continues to work closely with the Aircraft Carrier Alliance to drive the programme to remain within the current approved cost.

  • Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Ronnie Cowan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ronnie Cowan on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether new arrangements are to be introduced for delivering the Nuclear Warhead Capability Sustainment Programme.

    Michael Fallon

    As announced in the Written Ministerial Statement on 21 April 2016 (HCWS689), the contract between the Ministry of Defence and AWE Management Limited (AWEML) has been reviewed and now falls under the Single Source Procurement Framework which is overseen by the Single Source Regulations Office.

    As a result of the review, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has greater control over the programme, while ensuring that AWE continues to deliver value for money for the taxpayer. The contract between MOD and AWEML also provides the opportunity for higher performance incentives, as well as reductions if targets are not met.

  • Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Nigel Evans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Evans on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his long-term plans are for the operation and use of RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

    Penny Mordaunt

    RAF Akrotiri has performed a vital strategic function in support of operations over many years and continues to fulfil that function today including in support of operations in Iraq and Syria. We expect RAF Akrotiri to remain an essential element of the UK’s overseas presence for years to come.

  • Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Sharon Hodgson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sharon Hodgson on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many secondary schools use cashless payment systems for school meals.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    Cashless payment systems can have a number of advantages, including better queue management, removing issues around pursuing payment and reducing potential stigma for those claiming free school meals. However, it is for governing boards to decide the best system for collecting payment for school lunches and the department does not collect data on how many schools use such systems. The department has produced non-statutory guidance for schools on biometric systems in general, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268649/biometrics_advice_revised_12_12_2012.pdf

    “

  • Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Barry Gardiner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Gardiner on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications for her consent for disposal of school playing fields by maintained schools or academies her Department has (a) received and (b) approved in each of the last five years; and in how many such cases she has written to the school concerned to remind them of their obligations to submit an application in the correct way.

    Edward Timpson

    The data is not held in the format requested but there are layers of protection of playing field land. These include legislative safeguards in the School Standards and Framework Act 1997 and the Education Act 1998 and, in the case of academies, further safeguards in academy funding agreements. The Secretary of State must give consent prior to the disposal of public land which is currently used for any school or which has been used for a school in the last eight years. We publish a list of departmental decisions on applications for consent to dispose of school playing field land since May 2010 on GOV.UK at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-land-decisions-about-disposals.

    The Secretary of State does not routinely write to schools to remind them of their obligations; it is the land owner’s obligation to ensure that it meets its legal responsibilities.

    “

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2016 to Question 40823, at how many academies did each regional school commissioner take formal intervention measures in 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    In the calendar year 2015, regional school commissioners took formal action in 115 academies; 72 academies were moved to a different sponsor and 43 academies were issued with a formal notice.

    The table below shows the number of interventions in each RSC region:

    East Midlands & Humber

    23

    Lancashire & West Yorkshire

    9

    North

    3

    North East London & East

    22

    North West London & South Central

    12

    South London & South East

    12

    South West

    23

    West Midlands

    11

    Total

    115
  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academies applied for an exemption from providing a broadly Christian daily act of collective worship in each year since 2010; and how many of those schools were defined as non-faith.

    Edward Timpson

    13 open academies have applied for an exemption from providing a broadly Christian act of collective worship since April 2012 when the Education Funding Agency was established. All of the applicants were non-faith schools as only non-faith schools can apply for an exemption.

    Financial Year

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    2015/16

    Open academies who have applied for an exemption from providing a broadly Christian act of collective worship

    0

    1

    10

    2