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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will extend to government departments, government agencies and other public bodies the requirement for local authorities to publish lists of the brownfield land they own.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Government records details of its land and property holdings on the electronic Property Information Management System database. The Government Property Finder website draws on this information and allows the public to search and map the estate. The Cabinet Office is currently considering future data requirements, including whether there should be any specific reporting requirements on brownfield land.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the £20 million of funding for providing English tuition for speakers of other languages announced by the Prime Minister is new money, and if so, from which budget heading it will come; whether that additional provision will be available for (1) both Muslim men and women who come to the UK on spousal visas and whose English requires improvement; (2) persons of other religions, and none, who come to the UK on spousal visas; (3) persons who are living in the UK by virtue of other kinds of permissions, such as other types of visas or following applications for asylum; (4) Muslim women and other persons who have come to the UK from other countries in the EU; and (5) UK citizens, whether or not they are Muslims; and whether that additional provision will be restricted according to how long a person has lived in the UK or their age.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The £20 million community-based English language training offer is new funding which will be routed through DCLG and will form part of its Integration Programme. The detail of how the programme will be designed, targeted and delivered will be informed by the findings of Louise Casey’s Review into boosting opportunity and integration amongst isolated groups and the learning from the six community projects we have funded as part of our current Integration Programme. In particular, we will work with Louise Casey to identify the most isolated communities in England to make sure this programme is targeted at those women who need it most. We are working to deliver as early a launch date as possible for the programme in 2016/17.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of (1) the percentage of the buildings in Ramadi that are (a) unharmed by the violence in Iraq, (b) damaged, but still usable, and (c) damaged or destroyed to the extent that they are no longer usable; and (2) the proportion of the housing in Ramadi that is no longer habitable by modern standards.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UN and other agencies have not yet been able to undertake an assessment of damage to buildings and infrastructure in Ramadi as a result of the remaining threat from Daesh and improvised explosive devices inside the city. The most recent analysis by the UN Operational Satellite Applications Programme, published online by the UN Institute for Training and Research, indicates that between July 2014 and 19 December 2015 some 4,696 buildings have been damaged inside the city.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been their contribution to the current battle for Ramadi; what is their estimate of the resident population of Ramadi in (1) 2004, (2) 2009, (3) 2015, and (4) now; what is their assessment of where the people who have left that city are now living; and what contribution they are making to the support and help for these displaced people.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Royal Air Force’s close air support operations continue to play a key role in the Coalition’s support to the Iraqi Security Force’s in the battle for Ramadi. A lack of official data in Iraq makes population estimates unreliable. The best population estimates we have for Ramadi are 455,000 in 2004 and 376,000 in 2011. The planning figure used by the UN Development Programme stabilisation work is 500,000. The majority of the population of Ramadi had already left when Daesh entered the city, with most fleeing to host communities or camps. The UN estimated the residual population of the city at approximately 12,000-15,000 people. The UK has provided £79.5million in humanitarian support across Iraq since June 2014. The UK is the biggest donor to the UN emergency pooled funding mechanism and provides support through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other international bodies for those displaced.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the expenditure on the provision of English courses for speakers of other languages (1) in further education colleges and other public sector bodies, and (2) in other ways, in each of the last 10 years, including the current academic year; which bodies will deliver the extra language tuition to be provided from the £20 million announced by the Prime Minister; and when that extra tuition will commence.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

The table below shows estimated funding for adult skills budget ESOL provision from 2009/10 onwards. We do not hold data before 2009/10 or collect data by the status of the providers.

BIS funding for ESOL is allocated by the Skills Funding Agency as part of a provider’s adult skills budget. In addition, there are a number of ESOL courses funded through the Agency’s community learning budget, but we do not collect data which enables us to provide a breakdown of the expenditure on these. SFA-funded providers which deliver ESOL include Further Education colleges, local authorities and a few other providers. The Department for Communities and Local Government funds a range of organisations contracted to deliver their current community-based English language projects.

Our new £20 million community-based English language training offer will be informed by the findings of Louise Casey’s Review and the learning from the six community projects we have funded as part of our current integration programme. In particular, we will work with Louise Casey to identify the most isolated communities in England to make sure this programme is targeted at those women who need it most and on the detail of how it will be delivered. We are working towards as early a launch date as possible for the programme in 2016-17.

*Funding values are estimated using data from the Individualised Learner Record (ILR). Estimated funding provides an indication of the level of government funding and should not be treated as actual spend.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will amend guidance to planning authorities in order to strengthen their advice on (1) measures for the prevention and alleviation of flooding when determining planning applications, including off-site improvement works funded by section 106 obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy; (2) effective sustainable drainage systems; and (3) restrictions on building on flood plains and other sites with a high liability to flooding.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

We already have clear, robust planning policy and guidance on flood risk in place. There are strict tests in the National Planning Policy Framework to protect people and property from flooding which all local planning authorities are expected to follow, underpinned by our on-line planning practice guidance.

The Framework is clear that through their Local Plans and planning decisions, local planning authorities should avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains. They should develop policies to manage flood risk from all sources and look to safeguard land from development that is required for flood management. They should also use opportunities offered by new development to reduce the causes and impacts of flooding. The Framework makes clear that new development should not increase flood risk elsewhere. In areas at risk of flooding, the Framework states the development should only be considered appropriate where it gives priority to the use of sustainable drainage systems.

Planning law requires that planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The Framework is a material consideration in planning decisions.

Updated planning guidance is designed to support local planning authorities in the effective implementation of these policies. This includes guidance on sustainable drainage systems which was strengthened last year and the use of mitigation measures to make development safe. Where appropriate, local planning authorities can secure off-site works through planning obligations or the Community Infrastructure Levy. We have made very clear in the guidance that where the Framework’s tests to protect people and property from flooding are not met new development should not be allowed.