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  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made on the effect of changes in the size of the regular Army on the UK’s ability to fulfil NATO obligations.

    Mr Mark Francois

    We remain fully confident the UK is able to fulfil its obligations to NATO as we implement our Future Force 2020 plans. As explained to NATO Allies during recent NATO defence planning discussions, the UK has a realistic and achievable plan to meet our target of a sensible whole force balance and the UK already has an enviable reputation in NATO for addressing the defence planning targets the Alliance gives us.

  • Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Toby Perkins – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Toby Perkins on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to ensure that anonymous military graves at Padstow Cemetery are updated in situations where the identity of the former soldier has been discovered.

    Anna Soubry

    A claim as to the identity of an individual buried in Padstow Cemetery in a grave bearing a headstone with the inscription “A Royal Marine of the Great War”, is currently awaiting review by officials in the Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre. If the claim is supported by clear and convincing evidence they will task the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to replace the headstone with a new memorial bearing the individual’s name.

  • Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Simon Kirby – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Simon Kirby on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made in implementing the Military Covenant; and if he will make a statement.

    Anna Soubry

    There is a statutory obligation on the Defence Secretary to report annually on progress in implementing the Armed Forces Covenant. The second annual report was published in December 2013 and contains comprehensive updates on the four major areas specified in the Armed Forces Act 2011, namely healthcare, education, housing, and the operation of inquests.

    I look forward to significant further progress in the coming year, including supporting Service personnel to buy their first home through the £200 milion Forces Help to Buy scheme, improving patient care by establishing a unified defence primary healthcare service, and allocating £40 million to support charities which assist veterans with housing needs.

    The Covenant is not just a matter for the Government; recognising and respecting the specific needs of the Armed Forces community is a duty incumbent on the whole of society. Charities, employers, local authorities and individuals can play their role in providing the support and fair treatment that our Service personnel, veterans and service families so richly deserve.

  • Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Margaret Curran – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Curran on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which companies have been awarded sub-contracts for construction of HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales since June 2013; at which sites he expects work under each such contracts to be carried out; and what the monetary value is of each such contract.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 June 2013 (Official Report, column 1279W).

  • Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in how many cases an Article 4 direction has resulted in the rejection of a planning application which has not subsequently been overturned by the Planning Inspectorate; and what assessment he has made of the typical circumstances of such cases.

    Nick Boles

    This information is not held centrally.

  • Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Hilary Benn – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to answer question number 193630 tabled on 25 March 2014 for Answer on 31 March.

    Brandon Lewis

    Question number 193630 was answered on 3 April, Official Report, Column 776W.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the extent to which firms in each region will be economically disadvantaged as a result of the Government’s decision to delay the revaluation of business rates; and if he will publish a list of firms likely to be so disadvantaged.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Valuation Office Agency published their high level estimates of the impacts of a revaluation in 2015 on 12 November 2012. Their analysis suggests that around 800,000 premises would have seen a real terms increase in their rates at a 2015 revaluation compared with around 300,000 seeing a decrease. A copy of that analysis, including which sectors would have been hardest hit by a 2015 revaluation, is available in the Library of the House.

  • Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lyn Brown – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lyn Brown on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications made by betting shops have been rejected by local authorities and subsequently overturned by the Planning Ispectorate in (a) Newham and (b) the UK in each year since 2008.

    Nick Boles

    We hold information for England; information for other parts of the UK is a matter for the devolved Administrations.

    The table below sets out the number of planning appeals on betting shops decided by the Planning Inspectorate in England in each year since 2008.

    Decision Year

    Allowed

    Dismissed

    Total

    2008

    13

    9

    22

    2009

    9

    11

    20

    2010

    10

    7

    17

    2011

    18

    9

    27

    2012

    4

    10

    14

    2013

    8

    10

    18

    There is no clear trend, other than fewer appeals being allowed in the last two years, and I would note that the numbers involved are small. Any planning application or appeal needs to be considered on its individual merits in light of the prevailing local circumstances and planning policies.

    During this period, three appeals relating to the London Borough of Newham in 2011 were allowed involving changes to A2 use.

    The detailed reasoning for the approvals were outlined in the three decision letters, but it may assist the hon. Member to note that (a) one case involved an application which had been rejected on grounds it was a move to a non-retail use, yet the inspector noted that the premises had been operating as a non-retail use for over 40 years, (b) another had been rejected on similar grounds, yet there was already an extant planning permission for the premises to change to a non-retail use, and (c) the other was since the premises was changing from an amusement arcade and was already in use for a form of gambling.

    The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is undertaking a broader review of gambling policy. This Government is taking action to support healthy and vibrant local high streets. This is part of a wider set of measures designed to get empty and redundant buildings back into productive use and make it easier for valued town centre businesses like shops, banks and cafés to open new premises, while giving councils greater powers to tackle the harm to local amenity caused by a concentration of particular uses.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many vacant premises are currently located at each enterprise zone.

    Kris Hopkins

    More than 7,600 jobs have been created and 260 new businesses attracted to the 24 Enterprise Zones over the period April 2012- December 2013. However, I am unable to disclose zone-level information as the estimates that Enterprise Zones provide us with may be subject to local commercial sensitivities and disclosure may prejudice commercial negotiations. For this reason, it is for individual zones to determine whether they make this information available.

  • Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Chuka Umunna – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chuka Umunna on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many jobs have been (a) created and (b) safeguarded at each enterprise zone to date; how many (i) jobs and (ii) firms are currently based at each enterprise zone; and how many businesses have begun occupying premises at each enterprise zone since it began operation.

    Kris Hopkins

    More than 7,600 jobs have been created and 260 new businesses attracted to the 24 Enterprise Zones over the period April 2012- December 2013. However, I am unable to disclose zone-level information as the estimates that Enterprise Zones provide us with may be subject to local commercial sensitivities and disclosure may prejudice commercial negotiations. For this reason, it is for individual zones to determine whether they make this information available.