UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Caroline Ansell

  • Caroline Ansell – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Empty Buildings in Town Centres

    Caroline Ansell – 2023 Parliamentary Question on Empty Buildings in Town Centres

    The parliamentary question asked by Caroline Ansell, the Conservative MP for Eastbourne, in the House of Commons on 9 January 2023.

    Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con)

    What steps he is taking to encourage developers to redevelop empty buildings in town centres.

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Dehenna Davison)

    Regenerating our town centres is essential to the Government’s commitment to level up the country. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill includes measures to tackle vacant properties, such as high street rental auctions, and it clarifies compulsory purchase powers. We have also revised the business development and use class rules so that commercial buildings can change easily between uses. Through the town deals programme and future high streets fund, the Government are also investing £3.6 billion to regenerate town centres, which of course includes projects to redevelop empty shops.

    Caroline Ansell

    With zero VAT on new build, demolition and greenfield development would seem to be the smart choice for developers, while empty buildings such as the former Debenhams in Eastbourne town centre, which would carry 20% VAT for renovation, are overlooked and year on year move towards dilapidation. Has any assessment been made of the number of new homes that could be delivered should different VAT regimes be levelled up? And, as there has been a great deal of negative campaigning—[Interruption.] I will come to that point next time.

    Mr Speaker

    One question.

    Dehenna Davison

    I thank my hon. Friend for her question; she is a fantastic champion for levelling up in her community. Questions on VAT would be a matter for His Majesty’s Treasury, but we are of course committed to reviewing incentives around brownfield development and will announce further details on the scope of that review in due course.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the contribution of competition between airports to the future development of the aviation industry in the South East; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

    The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what training her Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps she has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

    George Eustice

    Defra has a team leading on the Family Test who collaborate with the Department for Work and Pensions. The team work closely with staff across the Department to raise awareness, following the guidance on the family test issued by DWP.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-04-28.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has formally accepted the recommendations made by the Airports Commission in its report published in July 2015 on night flights and the ruling out of a fourth runway at Heathrow Airport; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    A number of important decisions on airport capacity were taken by the Government in December, including to accept the case for expansion in the South-East. However, we must take the time to get the decision right on a preferred scheme. The Government is further considering the environmental impacts and the best possible measures to mitigate the impacts of expansion. We anticipate this work will conclude by summer 2016.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to local education authorities and academy trusts when they have been the victim of fire; and if she will make a statement.

    Edward Timpson

    Local education authorities and academy trusts are expected to take responsibility for managing the risks and issues of fire related incidents and must make appropriate arrangements to insure against fire damage and associated disruption.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to maintain the current level of train services between Eastbourne and Gatwick Airport under any proposals for a second Brighton mainline; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    The Government has recently commissioned the London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study to examine the strategic case for investment in existing and new rail capacity. The findings of the Study will help Ministers make decisions on future rail network investment, which will help shape service patterns to Eastbourne and other areas of the South Coast. The intent of the Study is to ensure that services meet the current and future needs of passengers on this critical link between London and the South Coast.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training her Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps she has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of her Department; and if she will make a statement.

    Karen Bradley

    The Family Test has been integrated into the Department’s impact assessment process. Workshops are being scheduled to further assist staff in understanding how to apply the guidance introduced for the Family Test issued by the Department for Work and Pensions.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Caroline Ansell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, who he plans to consult about the soft drinks industry levy; and when that consultation will be launched.

    Damian Hinds

    We will launch a formal consultation covering various aspects of the proposed levy this summer and we are developing the consultation questions now. The consultation will be open to anyone to respond.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which Hospital Trusts have moved out of special measures since the Care Quality Commission inspection regime was introduced; and if he will make a statement.

    Ben Gummer

    The following 10 Trusts have exited Special Measures since it started in July 2013:

    – Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

    – East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

    – George Eliot Hospital Trust

    – Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    – Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust

    – The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings’ Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

    – Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

    – United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

    – Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    Every patient rightly expects the best possible quality of care and services. We are pleased that following the hard work by staff at these trusts and significant improvement, the Care Quality Commission recommended that these trusts exit Special Measures.

  • Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Caroline Ansell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Caroline Ansell on 2015-11-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce times, (b) increase capacity and (c) increase the reliability of rail journeys between Eastbourne and (i) Gatwick Airport, (ii) Brighton and (iii) London; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    A significant and wide ranging time table change will be implemented on the Brighton Main Line in December 2015. This is intended to improve service reliability and resilience for customers across Sussex, including Eastbourne customers travelling to/ from Gatwick and London. There are likely to be secondary benefits for the Coast Way East service between Brighton and Eastbourne.

    As part of the £6.5bn Thameslink programme, the Government is making investments to improve the reliability and capacity of the Brighton Main Line. In the medium to longer term, a range of major infrastructure upgrades have been proposed by the rail industry to further improve reliability of the Brighton Main Line. These proposals are currently undergoing detailed development, with a view to Ministers considering the case for their implementation in the next 5 year railway funding period, which starts in 2019. Again, these upgrades would benefit customers across Sussex, including those in Eastbourne.