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  • Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Thangam Debbonaire – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thangam Debbonaire on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on meeting the health and social care needs of older people who need affordable and accessible homes where they can live independently but with support when needed.

    Brandon Lewis

    Decisions on how to meet the health and social care needs of older people who need affordable and accessible homes and monitoring the supply of such accommodation are best made by local authorities. Government believes that local planning authorities remain best placed to determine the extent to which provision of more accessible housing is necessary and appropriate in their local area, and have appropriate powers to introduce development plan policies to meet these needs, having regard to the National Planning Policy Framework, Planning Guidance and other relevant matters.

    The National Planning Policy Framework & Planning Guidance requires local authorities to plan for a mix of housing based on current and future demographic trends, and the needs of different groups, including elderly people, in their area.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to work with local authorities whose areas experienced flooding over winter 2015-16 in order to support their local high street economy.

    James Wharton

    DCLG launched a funding package in December worth £100 million to directly support flooded householders and businesses by:

    • launching the Bellwin Fund so that local authorities incurring costs over the threshold can apply;
    • making a grant of up to £500 for each household available through local authorities to help with recovery costs;
    • exempting households from paying council tax for the entire time they are out of their home;
    • making a grant equivalent to £2,500 per business available through local authorities to help businesses to recover from loss of trade;
    • and giving business rates relief to those that have had their trading disrupted.

    Our Recovery Package also supports homes and businesses to protect their properties against future floods through the Property Level Resilience Scheme.

    In addition to this bespoke recovery package, we’re taking action to help high streets thrive through a range of targeted tax breaks, sensible planning changes and measures to ensure fairer parking for motorists. At the Budget, we announced the biggest ever cut in business rates in England – worth £6.7 billion over the next five years and cutting business rates for all ratepayers, meaning 600,000 of the smallest businesses won’t have to pay business rates again.

  • Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will confirm that any funding received as a result of the application for EU Solidarity Fund Assistance will be distributed to those communities affected by recent flooding.

    James Wharton

    We are determined to do all we can to support flood-affected areas, which is why we have already paid out over £250 million to ensure that communities and businesses can get back on their feet as soon as possible. Once our application to the EU Solidarity Fund has been finalised, and approved by the Commission, we will consider how any additional funding should be used.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the proposals in his Department’s White Paper, A BBC for the future, published in May 2016, what discussions he has had with the BBC on reducing the level of salary arrangements for managerial and celebrity appointments.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I have had discussions with the BBC throughout the Charter Review process. Although the level at which the BBC pays its managerial and talent appointments is a matter for the BBC, the Government’s White Paper, A BBC for the future​: a Broadcaster of Distinction, sets out that the BBC will maintain the current cap on talent spend of a maximum of 16 per cent of internal content costs. As part of their duty to ensure the BBC delivers value for money, the new BBC board will also have a duty to manage talent costs and conduct and report on a rolling programme of talent pay reviews, with independent, expert advice. The new Board’s remuneration committee will have to approve salaries above £250K and publish the names of those paid over £450K.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the proposals in his Department’s White Paper, A BBC for the future, published in May 2016, what discussions he has had with the BBC on challenging a perceived culture of political bias at the corporation.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    I have had discussions with the BBC throughout the Charter Review process. Under the plans in the White Paper, ‘A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction’, the BBC’s obligations for impartiality and accuracy will, for the first time, be regulated by an external body, Ofcom. The culture of the BBC will be a matter for the new unitary board in delivering its new mission ‘To act in the public interest, serving all audiences with impartial, high-quality and distinctive media content and services that inform, educate and entertain.’

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Answer of 9 May 2016 to Question 36437, if he will publish a list of cultural events and organisations located (a) north of Leeds and (b) elsewhere directly funded by his Department, outside of funding for the Arts Councils in (i) the last three years and (ii) the next three years.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Northern Powerhouse is a priority for Government, and through projects like The Great Exhibition of the North, we will look to showcase the innovation and imagination of the region, give a real boost to local tourism, and provide an important creative legacy. The information you have requested is published annually in the Department’s report and accounts. It lists all cultural events and organisations throughout the country that are directly funded by the Department. In the last three years we have provided direct funding to a number of institutions, including the Royal Armouries, Leeds (£24.3 million), while the National Railway Museum in York receives annual funding via the Science Museums Group* who have distributed approximately £128 Million to their eight bodies between 2012/13 and 2014/15. Elsewhere in England the Government funds a number of cultural organisations directly, including the Peoples Museum in Manchester (£484,760 between 2012/13 and 2013/15) and National Museums Liverpool (£63.5 million between 2012/13 and 2014/15).​In addition, a number of the Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies such as the BFI, Tate,​and Heritage Lottery Fund have financed a number of cultural events and projects throughout England. The next three years’ funding will be published in future reports and will include current projects such as the Great Exhibition of the North​, Hull City of Culture 2017​ and the Factory in Manchester​; where the Government has announced £78 million of funding.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how the planned further opening of the BBC archive will be funded at the stage of (a) capture, (b) preservation, (c) cataloguing, (d) digitisation, (e) storage, (f) licensed use and (g) non-licensed use.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The BBC receives over £3.7 billion of public money each year through the licence fee. As set out in the Government’s White Paper, ‘A BBC for the future​: a Broadcaster of Distinction’, we encourage the BBC to do more to open up its archive and ensure that it can be used by the public and as wide a range of institutions and organisations as possible​. ​How the BBC uses the public money it receives to achieve this is matter for the BBC.

  • Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Craig Whittaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to increase tourism in Yorkshire from (a) domestic and (b) foreign visitors.

    David Evennett

    Yorkshire had a record breaking year for inbound tourism in 2014 following the Grand Depart, and there were 1.29 million visits from international tourists to the region in 2015. Domestic overnight trips to Yorkshire were also strong in 2015: £1.92 billion was spent by these tourists in that year – an 11% increase on spending in 2014. Yorkshire also benefited from the £1m staycation campaign run early in 2016 to attract domestic visitors to the area following that winter’s floods.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether public funding will be made available to support the maintenance of the BBC archive as a digital platform.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The BBC receives over £3.7 billion of public money each year through the licence fee. As set out in the Government’s White Paper, ‘A BBC for the future​: a Broadcaster of Distinction’, we encourage the BBC to do more to open up its archive and ensure that it can be used by the public and as wide a range of institutions and organisations as possible​. ​How the BBC uses the public money it receives to achieve this is matter for the BBC.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-05-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the potential cost of securing rights for content in relation to the creation of a BBC Ideas Service.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The BBC Ideas Service is an exciting proposal put forward by the BBC as part of a package of proposals for the next Charter period. It will be for the BBC to set out the detail of its plans for Ideas Service, including the cost of the service.