Tag: Alex Cunningham

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the extension of Right to Buy on affordable housing supply.

Brandon Lewis

Under the 2012 reinvigorated Right to Buy, every additional home sold, as well as those homes sold to tenants through the voluntary agreement with the National Housing Federation and housing associations, will result in an additional home being provided. This will lead to an increase in overall housing supply.

The Government exceeded its affordable homes target over the last 4 years by 16,000 homes, delivering 186,000 new affordable homes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for Rural Community Councils.

Rory Stewart

The Secretary of State discussed a range of issues with the Chancellor of the Exchequer as part of the Spending Review. The Chancellor announced the outcome of the Spending Review on 25 November.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will publish an updated Tobacco Control Plan for England.

Jane Ellison

This Government is committed to reducing the prevalence of smoking in England to further improve and protect the health of the nation. In line with this commitment Government plan to publish a new tobacco control strategy for England next year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Part 1 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, what assessment he has made of whether all armed forces personnel aged 16 and 17 are able to study for 280 guided learning hours per year towards accredited qualifications.

Mark Lancaster

The Armed Forces meet the requirement of Raising the Participation Age, as defined in the Education and Skills Act 2008.

In the Naval Service, all new recruits, whether Royal Navy or Royal Marines and irrespective of age, undertake a Level 2 accredited apprenticeship. This is as part of Phase 2 training for the Royal Navy and Phase 1 training for the Royal Marines.

The Army provides full-time training and education to all recruits aged 16 and 17, largely through the Junior Entry courses at Army Foundation College, Harrogate.

All non-commissioned Royal Air Force recruits, regardless of their age, are enrolled onto a Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4 accredited apprenticeship according to their Trade.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to publish sea bass landing data by metier for 2014.

George Eustice

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) publishes annual data which includes total landings by UK vessels for bass in the UK Sea Fisheries Annual Statistics Report 2014. In conjunction with this report, the MMO publishes two more detailed datasets online which show bass landings by, for example, year, month, port of landing, vessel nationality, gear category, over/under 10m, area and rectangle. This information is available at the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/uk-sea-fisheries-annual-statistics-report-2014.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what plans he has to provide assistance to further education institutions which incur financial penalties as a result of triggering break clauses in the loan agreements they hold with banks resulting from his Department’s area reviews.

Nick Boles

As independent institutions colleges involved in an area review are responsible for their own financial arrangements with banks and other creditors. Area reviews are the mechanism through which post-16 institutions have the opportunity to work together to ensure that provision best suits local educational and economic needs. We expect that the recommendations of each review will lead to institutions that are financially sustainable.

The costs including any financial penalties arising from the recommendations of each review will be explored as part of the process. We expect the colleges, alongside local authorities and LEPs with devolved skills budgets, to consider how these costs can be met locally. Where there are costs that cannot be met, but which are essential to the successful implementation of the review, we have announced a facility for transitional funding to support this. We will provide more detail in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her speech at the Oxford Farming Conference on 6 January 2016, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how responsibility for maintaining local watercourses will be shared.

Rory Stewart

Following discussions between Defra, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Somerset Rivers Authority, the Secretary of State for DCLG confirmed that authorities in Somerset will be able to raise extra funding via a shadow precept from April 2016.

The Government also provides funding to Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) to carry out their duties under the Flood and Water Management Act. As part of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2016-17, the DCLG has proposed protecting LLFA funding in real terms over the life of this Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much has been paid out by local authorities to households in flood compensation payments that remains to be reimbursed to those authorities by his Department.

James Wharton

To date over £48 million has been paid out to local authorities through the Community and Business Recovery Fund and Council Tax and Business Rates discounts to assist households and businesses affected by the floods caused by Storms Desmond and Eva.

Local authorities have not notified the Department of any allowable costs not covered by the sums transferred. It is expected that further payments will be made shortly as flooded property numbers are confirmed and further funds requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 23729, what the Government’s policy is on the confiscation of the belongings of Syrian refugees over a certain value to help meet the cost of their stay in the UK.

James Brokenshire

The Government does not confiscate the belongings of Syrian refugees or refugees of any other nationality to help meet the cost of their stay in the UK.

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, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of deploying ocean-going drones to help catch illegal trawlers in Marine Conservation Zones in place of staffed patrol vessels.

George Eustice

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the ten Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities are responsible for enforcing fisheries legislation in UK waters off England. The MMO is considering carefully the potential for new technology to aid enforcement operations, and will continue to keep such technology under review.