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  • Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Seema Malhotra – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Seema Malhotra on 2016-02-03.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the (a) primary and (b) secondary policy purposes are of research and development tax credits.

    Mr David Gauke

    R&D tax credits support businesses to invest in Research & Development (R&D). They play a key role in the Government’s objective to have a tax system that supports productive investment. A 2015 evaluation by HM Revenue and Customs found that each £1 of tax foregone by R&D tax credits stimulates between £1.53 and £2.35 of additional R&D investment.

  • Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Bridget Phillipson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2016 to Question 24228, on public transport: North East, what his Department’s role is in finalising monitoring arrangements.

    James Wharton

    The Government is working with local partners in the North East to design an implementation plan for the North East devolution deal. Officials based in Cities and Local Growth team will work with local places to monitor the progress of implementation. When the necessary statutory instruments are in place, the Mayor will decide how to monitor the area’s transport policy, and will be directly held to account by local constituents.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will ensure that decisions on planning applications for fracking are taken within the local government planning process.

    James Wharton

    The Government has in place a local government led process for the consideration of planning applications for shale gas exploration. As part of this, mineral planning authorities have a responsibility to consider such applicationsunder the Town and Country Planning regime. The Government has taken steps to ensure this locally led regime is effective, as set out in Written Ministerial Statements made on 16 September, HCWS201 and HCWS202. This includes making available £1.2 million to ensure mineral planning authorities have adequate resource to reach timely decisions.

    Community involvement in planning applications and people’s safety and the environment will remain paramount. No decision has been made to take shale gas exploration out of this local government led process and there are no plans currently to consult on such a change.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what consultation he plans to undertake on changes to the planning process for applications for fracking.

    James Wharton

    The Government has in place a local government led process for the consideration of planning applications for shale gas exploration. As part of this, mineral planning authorities have a responsibility to consider such applicationsunder the Town and Country Planning regime. The Government has taken steps to ensure this locally led regime is effective, as set out in Written Ministerial Statements made on 16 September, HCWS201 and HCWS202. This includes making available £1.2 million to ensure mineral planning authorities have adequate resource to reach timely decisions.

    Community involvement in planning applications and people’s safety and the environment will remain paramount. No decision has been made to take shale gas exploration out of this local government led process and there are no plans currently to consult on such a change.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to extend the classification criteria of brownfield sites for housebuilding.

    Brandon Lewis

    Brownfield land is defined as previously developed land in the National Planning Policy Framework. We are consulting on whether it would be beneficial to strengthen national policy on the development of brownfield land for housing. The consultation closes on 22 February.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the post-construction obligations on large volume housing developers in enforcing compliance with building regulations.

    James Wharton

    It is the responsibility of the housing developer to ensure that work is compliant with the building regulations both during construction and post-construction. During the construction period, the building control body would be responsible for checking compliance. Post-construction, where there is a new home warranty in place, the warranty provider provides cover for up to ten years after construction and can include compliance with aspects of the building regulations.

  • Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to promote Help to Buy.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department promotes awareness of Help to Buy through the two Government websites Help to Buy and Own Your Home, through regular updates on the Help to Buy Twitter and Facebook accounts and through press advertising to promote Help to Buy: Equity Loan and London Help to Buy.

    Over 62,500 homes have been purchased through Help to Buy: Equity Loan, to end September 2015. On 1 February, we launched London Help to Buy which will enable people to purchase a home with up to 40% equity loan of the purchase price and a deposit as low as 5%. It could potentially help over 10,000 households to purchase a home in London over the next five years.

  • Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to promote shared ownership.

    Brandon Lewis

    Shared Ownership has an important role to play in helping those who aspire to home ownership but may be otherwise unable to afford it. The Autumn Statement confirmed £4.1 billion for 135,000 new Help to Buy: Shared Ownership starts by 2021 and we have relaxed restrictions on who can buy Shared Ownership homes. A new prospectus for the Affordable Homes Programme will be published in the spring.

  • Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jonathan Lord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Lord on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to promote the development of brownfield land.

    Brandon Lewis

    We are creating a £2 billion long term housing development fund to unlock housing on brownfield land. We will also require local authorities in England to maintain registers of brownfield land that is suitable for housing. In addition we are consulting on whether it would be beneficial to strengthen national planning policy on the development of brownfield land for housing. The consultation closes on 22 February.

  • Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Geoffrey Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Geoffrey Cox on 2016-02-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to announce a decision on the planning appeal submitted by the Route 39 free school in Torridge.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    This decision has now been announced. The announcement was made on Thursday 18 February.