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  • Mary Macleod – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Mary Macleod – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Macleod on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent representations he has received on the potential merits of extending the Right to Acquire to homes built before 1997.

    Kris Hopkins

    My Department has received a number of recent representations from individual housing association tenants to extend the Right to Acquire to homes built before 1997, to enable them to buy the home in which they currently live.

    The Right to Acquire is offered on a different basis to the Right to Buy, including the level of discount, to reflect the different tenancy and type of landlord. Housing association properties which were not part of a stock transfer have been provided through various forms of finance, including private money. However, the Government is committed to keeping the policy under review and we are open to further representations on this matter.

  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2014, Official Report, column 56W, on families: disadvantaged, what criteria his Department uses for assessing whether a family has been turned around.

    Kris Hopkins

    As set out in my answer to the hon. Member for Croydon North (Steve Reed) on 2 December 2013, Official Report, column 556W, the criteria used by local authorities to determine whether a family is deemed turned around are published in the Financial Framework for the Troubled Families Programme’s Payment by Results Scheme. This can be found at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-troubled-families-programme-financial-framework

    “

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Brighton and Hove City Council on the finalisation of the City Plan for the area; and if he will make a statement.

    Nick Boles

    The Localism Act 2011 has strengthened the role of Local Plans and abolished the last Administration’s top-down Regional Strategies. Our streamlined National Planning Policy Framework strongly encourages areas to get up-to-date Local Plans in place, and we have been actively supporting councils in doing so. Local Plans now set the framework in which decisions on particular applications are taken, whether locally or at appeal, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

    The Brighton and Hove Local Plan is currently at examination before an independent Inspector and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the content of the Plan. However, I understand that the Inspector has agreed a programme of additional work with Brighton and Hove Council.

  • Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Roberta Blackman-Woods – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that measures to protect bees and other pollinators are fully reflected in planning practice guidance.

    Nick Boles

    The National Planning Policy Framework sets out our policies for the conservation and enhancement of the natural environment. The biodiversity, ecosystems and green infrastructure section of our new web-based planning guidance explains how these matters should be taken into account in the planning system. Defra is consulting on a National Pollinator Strategy and my officials are working with Defra officials.

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of emergency telephone coverage in West Lothian local authority area.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not made any specific assessment of the adequacy of emergency telephone coverage in the West Lothian local authority area. However, the Department and the independent national telecommunications regulator (Ofcom) work closely with all the Scottish emergency services and communications providers on matters such as this through the Government’s 999/112 Liaison Committee. All the Scottish emergency services have been key contributors both in discussions on next generation access to 999 and in reviewing the code of practice that defines how emergency services and telecommunications providers work together.

  • Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Graeme Morrice – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graeme Morrice on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has any plans to end the employee trade union membership dues check-off system.

    Mrs Helen Grant

    Check-off is a matter delegated to Departments and it is for them to determine the appropriateness of continuing with the current arrangements. DCMS is in the process of reviewing its current arrangements for provision of check-off.

  • Alun Cairns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Alun Cairns – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alun Cairns on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect on industry of delays in the implementation of the Government’s proposals to streamline regulatory and competition appeals.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    No such assessment has been made. Ministers are currently considering the responses received to the consultation. They will then decide the scope and extent of proposals to be implemented.

  • Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Helen Goodman – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many paintings, artefacts and other objects were lent from the collections of grant-in-aid funded national museums and galleries to other grant-in-aid funded national museums and galleries in each year since 2010-11.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has collected and published the following data about the number of venues in the United Kingdom to which the sponsored national museums have lent objects from their collections.

    Number of UK loan venues

    Institution

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    British Museum

    178

    162

    169

    Imperial War Museum

    90

    376

    104

    National Gallery

    17

    35

    35

    National Maritime Museum

    71

    74

    81

    National Museums Liverpool

    193

    228

    239

    Science Museum Group 1

    164

    185

    240

    National Portrait Gallery

    133

    118

    118

    Natural History Museum

    182

    131

    32

    Royal Armouries

    107

    106

    120

    Sir John Soane’s Museum

    7

    3

    4

    Tate Gallery

    153

    147

    128

    Victoria and Albert Museum

    241

    262

    242

    Wallace Collection 2

    N/A

    N/A

    N/A

    1 From 2011-12, the total includes figures for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, following its merger with the Science Museum Group.

    2 The Wallace Collection cannot lend items under terms of its bequest.

  • Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Mark Menzies – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to improve mobile internet connectivity in rural areas.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    One of the licences granted in the 2013 4G auction contains a demanding indoor coverage obligation. The owner of this licence, Telefonica O2 UK, is obliged to provide indoor coverage for 4G mobile services to at least 98 per cent of the UK population (and to at least 95 per cent of the population of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales respectively) by the end of 2017. Ofcom expects that this level of indoor coverage will result in approximately 99 per cent outdoor coverage. As a result of the competitive UK telecoms market, all four of the UK mobile network operators have publicly committed to provide this level of coverage by the end of 2015.

    There is also likely to be further improvement in 2G and 3G coverage as a result of increasing roll out of combined 2G/3G/4G equipment by the industry.

    However, sometimes it is not commercially viable for operators to install and operate base stations and associated infrastructure in areas of very low population. On 3 October 2011, the Government announced the Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP) with up to £150 million funding to extend mobile phone coverage to remote and rural area across the country that currently receive no coverage from any network. The scheme sees Government provide the capital funding for Arqiva as contractors to build the new infrastructure. The four mobile network operators (EE, Telefonica, Three and Vodafone) will provide coverage from the sites and cover operating costs for the twenty year life of the project. The project is currently underway and is expected to deliver by 2015. It is focussed primarily on improving voice coverage but is also likely to improve data coverage. Details of this work can be found on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-it-easier-for-the-communications-and-telecoms-industries-to-grow-while-protecting-the-interests-of-citizens/supporting-pages/improving-mobile-coverage

    Ofcom has also published a plan to improve mobile coverage: http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2013/11/five-point-plan-to-improving-mobile-coverage/

    “

  • Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Katy Clark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Katy Clark on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to give the Advertising Standards Agency the power to fine advertisers for serious breaches of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Ofcom already has the power to fine advertisers for serious breaches of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising. The ASA is responsible for administering the Code of Broadcast Advertising, but is able to refer broadcasters to Ofcom for further action, including imposing fines, if needed. There are no plans to change this system.