The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Attorney General, what the Law Officers’ Departments’ policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.
Mr Dominic Grieve
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the 26th March 2014 (Official Report, Col 300W).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Adam Afriyie on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to incentivise departmental officials to bring old Government data sets online in accessible formats.
Mr Francis Maude
The UK has been recognised as the international leader in data transparency. During our Presidency of the G8 in 2013 we led Members to commit to publishing data openly by default as a matter of principle through the Open Data Charter.
Departments are engaging the public and special interest groups about the most important data held by Government (whether old or new); publishing open data strategies and reporting to Parliament on progress on a quarterly basis.
Those data sets that are judged to have the most significant economic and social impact we refer to as the National Information Infrastructure, and are our priority for making available and accessible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.
Mr Francis Maude
Guidance on officials appearing before all-party parliamentary groups is set out in Volume 2 of the Directory of Civil Service Guidance, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60997/guide-civil-service-guidance-volume-2_0.pdf
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to encourage local authority pension funds to become signatories to the Stewardship Code.
Brandon Lewis
Each local authority that administers a pension fund is already subject to statutory guidance that states that it should recognise the Financial Reporting Council’s Stewardship Code and ensure that the Code is adopted by their fund managers, investment consultants and advisers. The guidance also states that the authority should include a statement of its policy on responsible ownership in its statement of the principles governing its investment decisions and report periodically to scheme members on the implementation of the policy. Sixteen of the eighty nine local government pension funds in England and Wales are themselves signatories to the Stewardship Code as asset owners.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to encourage local authority pension funds to become active owners or stewards of their assets as defined in the Financial Reporting Council’s Stewardship Code.
Brandon Lewis
Each local authority that administers a pension fund is already subject to statutory guidance that states that it should recognise the Financial Reporting Council’s Stewardship Code and ensure that the Code is adopted by their fund managers, investment consultants and advisers. The guidance also states that the authority should include a statement of its policy on responsible ownership in its statement of the principles governing its investment decisions and report periodically to scheme members on the implementation of the policy. Sixteen of the eighty nine local government pension funds in England and Wales are themselves signatories to the Stewardship Code as asset owners.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Uppal on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the need for local authority pension schemes to integrate environmental, social and governance issues into their investment decision-making.
Brandon Lewis
These issues are matters for individual local authorities that administer pension funds to consider when deciding upon their investment strategies. Each administering authority is required to publish a statement of principles, which should address such issues. Statutory guidance states that the authority must report periodically to scheme members on the implementation of their policies.
Notwithstanding, local authorities need to focus on delivering a good rate of return for their fund and value for taxpayers, given local government pensions cost taxpayers (via employer contributions) almost £6 billion a year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the development announced in Budget 2014 at Ebbsfleet will consist of affordable homes.
Nick Boles
The Government does not impose a particular level of affordable housing for housing schemes. The percentage of affordable units will be a matter for local decision making taking account of the local authorities’ local plans and site viability. Unrealistic Section 106 agreements result in no development, no regeneration and no community benefits.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.
Brandon Lewis
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham on 26 March 2014, Official Report, column 300W.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to establish garden city principles in Ebbsfleet.
Nick Boles
[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]
We expect the new Ebbsfleet Urban Development Corporation, once established, to develop the vision for Ebbsfleet Garden City in co-operation with local partners.
We would expect the Corporation, working with local partners and other experts, to consider how accepted Garden Cities principles, such as high quality, imaginative design, the provision of generous green space, mixed tenure homes and a strong local jobs offer, could be delivered in a way appropriate to local needs and circumstances.
The Government wants Ebbsfleet to set high standards in terms of design quality. The Built for Life principles are industry developed standards for good design. We would look to those coming forward with development proposals at Ebbsfleet to adopt them, and encourage them to be ambitious by aiming for a ‘green’ rating.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-03-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will update the Defence Strategic Guidance to reflect the Russian annexation of the Crimea.
Mr Philip Hammond
The 2010 National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) set the top level political direction and guidance for UK Defence. Defence Strategic Direction (DSD) translates this top level direction into broad priorities for Defence but it does not set specific goals, or relate to specific missions, activities or threats, and it would not be appropriate or practical to update DSD in the face of each individual crisis or threat.