The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what changes are planned for local government funding over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
Plans for local government funding will be set out shortly, alongside the publication of the provisional local government finance settlement for 2016-17.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bone on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on New Home Bonuses for district and borough councils; and if he will make a statement.
Brandon Lewis
As part of the Spending Review, the Government committed to the continuation of the New Homes Bonus. We will consult on reforms to the New Homes Bonus, including means of sharpening the incentive to reward communities for additional homes. We will also explore reducing the length of payments from six years including an option for savings of at least £800 million to be returned to local government and used to fund vital services such as adult social care. Details of both reforms will be set out shortly. There are no plans to change the basis of allocations for 2016/17. The allocations for 2016/17 will be published alongside the provisional Local Government Settlement for that year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bridget Phillipson on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2015 to Question 15582, if he will define bus franchising in relation to the North East Devolution Deal and how it differs from a Quality Contact Scheme.
Andrew Jones
The Buses Bill will provide the powers for local transport authorities to franchise their local bus services subject to agreement from Government. It will allow local transport authorities to replace the current deregulated bus market with a system of contracting, whereby the authority specifies the services or outcomes they are looking to achieve and bus companies bid to provide those services.
The final content of the Bill is still being developed, but the process through which the franchising powers are exercised is likely to differ from that set out in the Quality Contract Scheme process. The intended outcome of franchising is similar to that of a Quality Contract Scheme, although there are likely to be some differences. For example, the ten-year time limit that applies to Quality Contract Schemes is not expected to apply under franchising.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to provide additional practice guidance on applying planning policy and legislation in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
James Wharton
The National Planning Policy Framework provides strong protection for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is for decision makers to apply that policy and related legislation. The local planning authorities have responsibility for determining planning applications and developing local plan policies in the first instance.
The strong protection for these valued areas is supported by planning guidance. We keep this guidance under review to ensure it reflects up-to-date planning policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many applications have been made to councils for planning permission for change of use of a shop to betting premises since April 2015; and how many such applications have been successful.
Brandon Lewis
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold this information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons he has decided to recover the planning appeals by Caudrilla Resources to build shale gas wells at Roseacre and Preston New Road.
James Wharton
The reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision are set out in his letter to parties. This makes clear that the drilling appeals involve proposals for exploring and developing shale gas which amount to proposals for development of major importance having more than local significance and proposals which raise important or novel issues of development control, and/ or legal difficulties.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sarah Wollaston on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the planning protection for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; and if he will make a statement.
James Wharton
The National Planning Policy Framework provides strong protection for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is for decision makers to apply that policy and related legislation. The local planning authorities have responsibility for determining planning applications and developing local plan policies in the first instance.
The strong protection for these valued areas is supported by planning guidance. We keep this guidance under review to ensure it reflects up-to-date planning policy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many civil servants in his Department are in the redeployment pool.
Brandon Lewis
A redeployment pool is one of the steps DCLG would take if staff were at the risk of redundancy. DCLG is currently not in a redundancy situation, therefore, we do not have a redeployment pool or staff in it.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Julie Cooper on 2015-12-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much Burnley received from the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund in each year from 2010 to 2015.
James Wharton
The European Regional Development Fund during 2010 – 2015 has provided over £5 million in funding for Burnley.
The breakdown of European Rgional Development Fund projects in Burnley are as follows;
In addition to the above direct capital investments, small and medium enterprises in Burnley have also benefitted from a number of business support projects operating at county and regional level. Not least the £7.8 million BOOST Lancashire Growth Hub of which the Fund has invested £3.4 million.
The European Social Fund was managed as a national programme by the Department for Work and Pensions over that period.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2015-12-01.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many civil servants in his Department are in the redeployment pool.
Harriett Baldwin
The function of the redeployment pool is to give appropriate support to employees who have become surplus as a permanent post no longer exists for them. The redeployment pool helps them remain in employment and provides priority access to vacancies before they are advertised across Treasury.
There are no employees in the HMT redeployment pool.