The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to monitor the number of local authorities charging carers for the support they receive to help them in their caring role.
Alistair Burt
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 October 2015 to Question 13008.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received from rural community councils on their role in sustaining rural villages and communities.
Rory Stewart
In January 2015 the Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) Network, covering the 38 Rural Community Councils in England, called on Defra not to withdraw funding. Defra provided ACRE with £2,312,000 for 2015-16 to distribute amongst Rural Community Councils, allowing them to continue their role in sustaining rural villages and communities. We continue to work closely with ACRE to make sure Defra’s funding delivers the maximum benefit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what assessment she has made of the role of carbon and storage in delivering the industrial 2050 decarbonation and energy efficiency roadmaps.
Andrea Leadsom
The provision of ring-fenced capital support for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) was judged against other Government funding priorities as part of the Spending Review. Government has not taken the Spending Review decision lightly. The Government continues to view CCS as having a potential role in the long-term decarbonisation of the UK’s power and industrial sectors. Neither CCS Competition project proposed to capture CO2 from energy intensive industries.
The detailed design and implementation of CCS policy changes have yet to be determined. The Industrial 2050 Decarbonisation and Energy Efficiency Roadmaps reports published in March 2015 identified a potential role for industrial CCS technologies in decarbonising the steel, oil refining, chemicals and cement sectors. DECC and BIS continue to engage with the energy intensive industries and academics to develop decarbonisation Action Plans by the end of 2016 as the second phase of this process.
The Government remains committed to working with energy intensive industries including those in the Northern Powerhouse area. DECC provided £1million funding to Tees Valley Unlimited as part of the 2013 City Deal agreement to undertake an Industrial CCS feasibility study based on the chemicals and steel industry in the Teesside cluster and we continue to support that work. The devolution deal for Tees Valley, published in October this year, also included a commitment to explore how it can continue to develop its industrial CCS proposals.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that new homes built on flood plains are able to access affordable home insurance through the Flood Re programme.
Rory Stewart
The Flood Re Scheme is only available to properties built before 2009.
This cut-off date recognises that new housing development should be located to avoid flood risk, or where development in a flood risk area is necessary, it should be designed to be safe, appropriately resilient to flooding and not increase flood risk elsewhere, in line with the national planning policies in place. This means properties built from 2009 should already be insurable at affordable prices.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her ministerial colleagues on the Hunting Act 2004.
Rory Stewart
The Secretary of State regularly discusses all relevant polices with her ministerial colleagues as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what specific funding has been allocated to provide support for rough sleepers in each year since 2010.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable in society. Over the last Parliament, we invested over £500 million to enable local authorities and the voluntary sector to support the most vulnerable in society, including rough sleepers, by preventing and tackling homelessness in their local areas.
Some specific initiatives that targeted rough sleeping includes:
But one person without a home is one too many, which is why we will increase central investment over the next four years to £139 million for innovative programmes to prevent and reduce homelessness and rough sleeping. We also want to help local authorities provide advice and assistance to those at risk of homelessness which is why we have protected the homelessness prevention funding for local authorities through the provisional local government finance settlement, totalling £315 million by 2019-20.
The Government will continue to work closely with the voluntary sector and local authorities on how we improve the impact of homelessness services and break the cycle of homelessness.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment has been made of the potential cost of works to the former SSI steel works site on Teesside to prepare it for redevelopment.
Anna Soubry
The Official Receiver is currently delivering a safe and secure liquidation of SSI. Once that has been completed, the Government will work with local partners to understand the potential for the redevelopment of the site. The future use or uses of the site will be key in determining the level of remediation required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assistance is available to people undertaking flood protection measures who cannot afford to pay for the works before claiming a flood protection grant.
James Wharton
The Property Level Resilience scheme has been designed to enable local approaches to be developed which take account of the fact that many households or businesses may not be able to pay for works up front.
Local areas are finding local solutions. For example, Northumberland County Council are making Property Level Resilience payments in advance of works being carried out, but following receipt of a survey which highlights the measures required and at least two quotes for high value items.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 27063, what steps she plans to take to ensure oversight mechanisms are put in place when further powers to dredge watercourses are extended to farmers.
Rory Stewart
The draft Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2016 include conditions that must be followed by those wishing to undertake dredging under an exemption. If works are not undertaken according to the relevant conditions, then the Environment Agency will be able to take enforcement action. This includes suspension notices to stop any further works being carried out, enforcement and remediation notices requiring remediation within a specified period, and the power to prosecute.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the potential costs of making necessary improvements to flood defences in Carlisle since the recent floods affecting that area.
Rory Stewart
The Government will invest up to £58 million in flood defences in Cumbria once the Environment Agency has concluded a review of its need.
The Environment Agency expects their initial assessments will be complete in the summer. Any investments are likely to form a combination of improvements to existing defences, new defences and upstream attenuation / ‘slow the flow’ measures.