The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rebecca Long Bailey on 2016-04-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total receipts from Government asset sales were in each financial year from 1986 to 2009.
Greg Hands
Reporting on asset sales is made on a financial year basis in departmental accounts. Details of any specific historic asset sales can be found in announcements made at the time of sale.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Chalk on 2016-04-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the budget is for the Cyber Innovation Centre in Cheltenham.
Greg Hands
The Chancellor announced the Cyber Innovation Centre for Cheltenham in November 2015, helping to ensure Cheltenham remains a world leader in cyber excellence. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will be running a competitive tender process to invite providers to run the centre to ensure that this initiative delivers the best possible value for money. We will disclose the budget when the tender exercise has completed, which we anticipate will be this autumn.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of the devolution of business rates on business growth in (a) former steel works and coalfield areas and (b) other local authority areas with a depleted industrial base.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Government intends to move to 100 per cent business rates retention in England by the end of this Parliament. The new system will have stronger incentives to boost growth, and areas that take bold decisions to further increase growth will see the benefits. We will be giving councils the power to cut the business rates multiplier to improve the business environment for enterprise and attract further businesses to their area. But we recognise that not all councils are the same. In setting up this system we will ensure that there is redistribution between councils so that areas do not lose out just because they currently collect less in local business rates, and will put protections in place for authorities that see their business rates income fall significantly.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether there are any circumstances under which a devolution deal with a combined authority will be undertaken without an elected mayor being proposed.
James Wharton
The Government is open to discussing any devolution proposals that include strong, accountable governance arrangements. But we have been clear—the most ambitious, far-reaching powers and responsibilities will be offered only to those areas that provide a directly-elected, single point of accountability.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many public consultations his Department has conducted on the subject of mayors in Cheshire and Warrington since 2010.
James Wharton
Devolution deals, including commitments for mayoral governance, are negotiated and agreed with those democratically elected to represent their area, and who are accountable to their local electorate.
This Department has not undertaken direct public consultations on this matter in Cheshire and Warrington.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received in favour of elected mayors in Cheshire and Warrington.
James Wharton
Cheshire and Warrington were one of 38 areas across the country to submit devolution deal proposals in September 2015. Devolution deal proposals are developed and led by local areas. Therefore, the decision to release information regarding the content of any submission—including governance objectives—is a matter for the local area to decide, not the Government.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nick Smith on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) incidents have been reported to trading standards teams of and (b) prosecutions have taken place for food with falsely-labelled ingredients in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Jane Ellison
Monitoring food businesses to ensure compliance with legislation on food labelling and composition is the responsibility of county councils, unitary authorities, the London Boroughs and some but not all metropolitan borough councils. These local authorities are also responsible for taking enforcement action, including prosecutions, where non-compliance is found.
Data is reported to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on the number of food analyses undertaken in relation to compositional issues and labelling and presentation issues; 23,599 analyses were undertaken in 2014/15, 16,899 for compositional issues and 6,700 for labelling and presentation issues.
Data is also reported to the FSA on the total number of prosecutions concluded for food standards issues. This includes action in relation to composition, labelling and presentation but also for other issues such as chemical contamination. In 2014/15, 75 United Kingdom food establishments were subject to prosecution.
The FSA has recently established a central register of successful food law prosecutions. Data collected for the first year of operation of the register is not yet complete, but in future it will provide more definitive data on prosecutions for offences of this nature.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Tracey on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many emergency traveller sites there are in England; and how many of those sites are operational.
Brandon Lewis
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect or publish data on emergency traveller sites.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gerald Kaufman on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he intends to answer the letter to him dated 10 March 2016 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Ms B Touhy.
Mr Marcus Jones
A reply was sent to the right hon. Member on 26 April.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Elliott on 2016-04-21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to prevent scam and nuisance calls exploiting unknowing consumers.
Mr Edward Vaizey
The Government takes all types of fraud, including those operating through telephones, extremely seriously.
The Government is taking forward a range of measures to tackle nuisance calls, which will increase consumer protection and choice by strengthening the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) ability to take enforcement action against organisations that break the law.
Specific actions include; lowering the threshold under the the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulation 2003 (PECR) to make it easier for the ICO to take action against organisations that break the law, resulting in £3,420,000 worth of fines issued; and we recently made an amendment to PECR, requiring direct marketing companies registered in the UK, to display Calling Line Identification.
The Department is also working closely with Home Office who recently launched a new joint fraud taskforce to tackle the issue of scams. Further information about the taskforce is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-launches-new-joint-fraud-taskforce
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