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  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the additional capabilities the Joint Force 2025 will provide to the armed forces.

    Penny Mordaunt

    Joint Force 2025 is about rebalancing our Armed Forces to strengthen the front line and maintain our military advantage. It will ensure that the Armed Forces are able to tackle a wider range of more sophisticated potential adversaries.

    Joint Force 2025 will be able to deploy a larger force more quickly or undertake a large number of smaller operations simultaneously and will include enhanced Counter Terrorism capabilities; more fighter jet squadrons; new Protector armed remotely piloted aircraft; Maritime Patrol Aircraft; increased Carrier capability and readily deployable STRIKE brigades. Joint Force 2025 will also benefit from greater investment in new areas of capability such as cyber and space.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has made of the proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) West Sussex and (b) Mid Sussex that will have access to superfast broadband by completion of phase two of the superfast broadband programme.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    By the end of phase two of the Superfast Broadband Programme approximately 95% of homes and businesses in West Sussex will have access to superfast broadband. For the Mid Sussex constituency over 96% of premises will have access to superfast broadband by the end of the project.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on which dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have met with BT to discuss separating Openreach from its parent company.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    This is a matter for the independent telecoms regulator, Ofcom, who is currently reviewing the markets for digital communications in the UK and is due to report at the end of this month. Government has no role in this process.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what metrics his Department uses to measure the effectiveness of deposit protection schemes.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Tenancy Deposit Schemes provide monthly reports on service performance and six monthly statistical returns covering deposits accepted, the number of complaints received and the number of cases adjudicated upon. These reports are discussed quarterly with the Department.

    The Tenancy Deposit Schemes in England are currently protecting over 3 million deposits on behalf of tenants, helping to raise standards in the private rented sector and ensuring that tenants are treated fairly at the end of the tenancy.

  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many (a) rural and (b) urban public libraries have closed in (i) Wiltshire and (ii) England in each year since 2000.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    The Department does not commission information relating to the closure of rural and urban libraries. Data relating to public libraries is collected and published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. My Rt Hon Friend will note that the number of library service points in the Wilshire Library Authority has increased from 34 in 2000, to 36 in 2015. Meanwhile, in Labour-run Wales, the number of library service points in the same period dropped from 321 to 274.

    31 March

    Total service points open ten hours or more per week, including mobile libraries, in England

    Total service points open ten hours or more per week, including mobile libraries, in Wiltshire Library Authority

    2000

    3,501

    34

    2001

    3,497

    34

    2002

    3,504

    34

    2003

    3,510

    35

    2004

    3,524

    35

    2005

    3,474

    35

    2006

    3,500

    36

    2007

    3,494

    36

    2008

    3,469

    37

    2009

    3,451

    37

    2010

    3,428

    37

    2011

    3,393

    37

    2012

    3,243

    37

    2013

    3,181

    36

    2014

    3,142

    36

    2015

    3,076

    36
  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to protect the rural services delivery grant.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Parliament approved the local government finance settlement for 2016-17 on 10 February. Recognising the particular costs of providing services in sparse rural areas, Rural Services Delivery Grant will increase by more than fivefold in 2016-17, to £80.5 million.

  • Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Jamie Reed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jamie Reed on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to make a decision on whether to formally apply for EU Solidarity Funding to support communities affected by flooding in Cumbria.

    James Wharton

    The Government has not ruled out applying to the EU Solidarity Fund. We are assessing the case for an application and will make a decision by the end of February. The European Union Solidarity Fund does not provide additional funding to local areas, but simply reimburses emergency costs that the Government would have incurred anyway. For this reason, the Government’s immediate priority remains dealing with the urgent needs of those affected, which is why we have provided over £200 million to help those affected by the floods to support recovery and repair.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made on the proportion of new build housing constructed in this Parliament that will be bungalows.

    Brandon Lewis

    It is not for the Department to estimate the amount of new build housing that will be bungalows. The National Planning Policy Framework and 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 in their area.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of brownfield sites in the West Sussex County Council area have been re-designated as community land trusts in each of the last five years.

    Brandon Lewis

    The Department does not hold information centrally on the amount or type of land held by Community Land Trusts.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Nicholas Soames – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2016-02-04.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many domestic violence refuge places there were in (a) West Sussex and (b) Mid Sussex on 1 January (i) 2010 and (ii) 2016.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    Data on the number of domestic violence refuge places is not held centrally. It is for local areas to assess their needs for domestic abuse services and to make decisions on the provision of safe accommodation, including refuges and support for victims of domestic abuse.