UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Baroness King of Bow

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness King of Bow – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Sir James Munby’s ruling in In re. Z(A Child) (No.2) [2016] EWHC 1191(Fam) that UK law is incompatible with the human rights of single parents who have children born through surrogacy.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Surrogacy is a complex issue, the legislation about which has not been significantly addressed by respective administrations since the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985. The Government recognises the arguments for the need for a review, and we have therefore asked the Law Commission, as part of the consultation on its 13th work programme this summer, to consider including a project on surrogacy

    The Government has accepted the judgment by Sir James Munby from the High Court. We will be looking to update the legislation on Parental Orders, and are now considering how best to do this.

    The Government recognises surrogacy as an important option for some people wishing to start a family and is currently considering how best to clarify the current legal arrangements for intended parents, surrogates and their families. The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service campaign to increase awareness of Parental Orders is ongoing and targeted at health workers, local authority registration staff and surrogacy agencies. It will be evaluated in full upon completion in autumn 2016; in-campaign monitoring indicates its messaging is reaching the target audience.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 10 March (WA 351) on homelessness, how much was awarded to each of the 47 local authorities for preventing homelessness in 2011–12.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    Under this and the last Administration, the Department for Communities and Local Government has provided grant funding to a number of local authorities to support the provision of advice on preventing homelessness to complement the funding we provide to the voluntary sector.

    The London Borough of Croydon received £1,591,050 in grant in 2010-11 for homelessness prevention, which was intended to support a range of activities including a contribution to the costs of providing homelessness advice to local authorities in London. The payment to Croydon was made under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 (the general power to pay grant to local authorities towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred). The grant was unring-fenced and not subject to any conditions.

    As was the position with funding provided to Newham, as set out in the answers to the noble Lady on 13 February 2013, Official Report, column WA165 and of 27 March 2013, Official Report, column WA247, there was no contract either between the Department and the London Borough of Croydon or the Department and Andy Gale.

    While departmental officials had discussions with Croydon about how the grant was to be spent, Ministers in this Administration had no involvement with local authorities on commissioning such services.

    A copy of the The Homelessness Revenue Grant Determination 2011-12 (31/1974) dated 1 March 2012 which lists the amount of funding received by 47 local authorities in 2011-12 for homelessness prevention work has been placed in the Library of the House.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much funding was provided to the London Borough of Croydon in 2010–11 to host Andy Gale as a homelessness advisor and what work was required under the terms of that contract.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    Under this and the last Administration, the Department for Communities and Local Government has provided grant funding to a number of local authorities to support the provision of advice on preventing homelessness to complement the funding we provide to the voluntary sector.

    The London Borough of Croydon received £1,591,050 in grant in 2010-11 for homelessness prevention, which was intended to support a range of activities including a contribution to the costs of providing homelessness advice to local authorities in London. The payment to Croydon was made under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 (the general power to pay grant to local authorities towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred). The grant was unring-fenced and not subject to any conditions.

    As was the position with funding provided to Newham, as set out in the answers to the noble Lady on 13 February 2013, Official Report, column WA165 and of 27 March 2013, Official Report, column WA247, there was no contract either between the Department and the London Borough of Croydon or the Department and Andy Gale.

    While departmental officials had discussions with Croydon about how the grant was to be spent, Ministers in this Administration had no involvement with local authorities on commissioning such services.

    A copy of the The Homelessness Revenue Grant Determination 2011-12 (31/1974) dated 1 March 2012 which lists the amount of funding received by 47 local authorities in 2011-12 for homelessness prevention work has been placed in the Library of the House.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Communities and Local Government will be paying new burdens funding to compensate local authorities for the additional costs of introducing local Council Tax Reduction Schemes in 2015–16.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    In line with the new burdens doctrine, we will be assessing the need for continued new burdens funding for Local Council Tax Support in 2014-15, alongside consideration of the allocation of Local Council Tax Support Administration subsidy.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 18 March (WA 24), whether they decided against appointing a representative of private tenants on the Private Rented Sector Taskforce; and if so, why.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    As I explained in my previous answer, the Taskforce is a technical advisory group to provide professional and expert knowledge on increasing institutional investment in the private rented sector and support new build schemes.

    It does not have any remit on broader policy on the private rented sector. It does not seek to ‘represent’ the views of any sector or group. The determination of government policy remains a matter for Ministers.

    Notwithstanding, the Taskforce has engaged with organisations representing private tenants and the broader private rented sector.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much income from capital receipts from sales under the Right to Buy scheme has been paid to HM Treasury by local authorities in each year since 2010–11.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    The table below answers the noble Lady’s question:

    Financial Year

    Receipts arising in that year1 from Right to Buy sales (or equivalents)2 which are payable to HM Treasury (£ million)3

    2010-20114

    114.4

    2011-2012

    138.9

    2012-2013

    123.6

    April 2013-December 2014

    120.85

    Notes

    1 Figures include the payable part of mortgage repayments and repayments of discounts paid in the current year in respect of Right to Buy sales made in previous years.

    2 For 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, figures include the payable part of receipts arising from all other disposals of dwellings. For 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, figures only include receipts arising from sales of dwellings to secure tenants which are below market value and some shared ownership sales.

    3 All figures are provisional, though those for all years up to 2012-2013 have been audited which means that they are less likely to be amended.

    4 Until the end of 2010-2011, receipts received by authorities which were debt-free on 31 March 2004 were payable not to HM Treasury but to the Department of Communities and Local Government and its predecessor departments.

    5 The figure for 2013-2014 is only for the first three quarters of that year.

    For 2009-2010, receipts arising from the sale of dwellings received by local authorities that were not debt-free that were paid to HM Treasury amounted to £132.7 million. For 2008-2009, the equivalent figure was £135.9 million.

    The reinvigoration of Right to Buy since April 2012 has ensured, for the first time ever, that the receipts from the additional sales (those over what was forecast prior to the change) are reinvested to help fund new homes for affordable rent. So far, £300 million has been generated from additional sales and already over 2,000 homes have been started on site or acquired.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 30 January (WA 253), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the terms of reference of the review being carried out by Social Finance into innovative models of providing temporary accommodation for homeless families.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    I have placed a copy of the terms of reference contained within the Social Finance contract in the Library of the House. The final report will be published in due course, and I will write to the noble Baroness with a copy when it is available.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston 21 October 2013 (WA 120–1), what estimate they have made of (1) fraud, (2) claimant error, and (3) departmental error, in the payment of Council Tax Benefit in 2012–13.

    Lord Freud

    The information requested can be found in the latest national statistics on Fraud and Error in the Benefit System: 2012 to 2013 Estimates. This report was published on 16 January 2014. The link to the report can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/271654/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-2012-13_estimates-160114.pdf

    “

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authorities have increased the minimum payment required under their local Council Tax Reduction Schemes following the withdrawal of transition funding for 2014–15.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    We do not collect this information centrally. These are local schemes, and it is for local authorities to ensure that the effect on specific groups of council tax payers is proportionate and fair.

    The £100 million transition grant was a voluntary grant for the first year only of the new system of local council tax support. We have been clear from the outset that it was intended to give councils time to transition to the new localised regime and realise greater efficiencies such as cutting fraud and error, which cost £230 million in 2012-13.

    Spending on council tax benefit doubled under the last Government, costing taxpayers £4 billion a year – equivalent to almost £180 a year per household. Welfare reform is vital to tackle the budget deficit left by the last Administration. Our reforms to localise council tax support now give councils stronger incentives to support local firms, cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people into work.

  • Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Baroness King of Bow – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness King of Bow on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to tackle employment discrimination amongst transgender people.

    Baroness Northover

    The Government is strongly committed to advancing equality for transgender people and ending discrimination in the workplace. The Equality Act 2010 provides protection from discrimination because of gender reassignment in employment.

    In March 2011 the Government published Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: Moving Forward; and in December 2011 Advancing transgender equality: a plan for action both of which set out the actions to be taken across Government to enhance equality for transgendered individuals. Actions included the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs improving the experiences of transgender people seeking work. These include providing employers with help on employing transgender people and ensuring training is available to Jobcentre Plus staff on the specific challenges faced by transgender people.