The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost to her Department was of the van-based advertising campaign advising illegal immigrants to go home, launched in Autumn 2013; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
The cost for this campaign (Operation Vaken) has previously been published. I refer the hon member to Parliamentary Question 215728 which I answered on 3 December 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-06-09.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when Ministers or senior officials of his Department last met with credit ratings agencies to discuss the accuracy of the credit record histories of UK nationals; and if he will make a statement.
Harriett Baldwin
Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of companies and organisations to discuss relevant issues.
Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Parish Councils in which areas have been established since 2010; and how many new expressions of interest for creating new Parish Councils are under consideration; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
The decision to create, modify or abolish a parish council was devolved to principal councils through the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The process for creating new town or parish councils does not require an expression of interest to be submitted to government as such the Department for Communities and Local Government does not maintain a definitive list of new Parish councils.
A local community may petition their local authority to carry out a community governance review to consider the creation of a new parish council; we do not record or receive details of these petitions.
Principal councils have responsibility for undertaking community governance reviews and deciding whether to give effect to recommendations made in those reviews. In making that decision, they are expected to take account of the views of local people.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has (a) made and (b) received from outside sources of the increase in demand for social care services from local councils over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
I recognise that demand for social care is growing and this was a consideration in last year’s Spending Review.
The Spending Review settlement provides up to £3.5 billion of new support for adult social care by 2019/20 – greater than the £2.9 billion that the Local Government Association estimated was needed for adult social care in their Spending Review submission. The vast majority of councils have already taken advantage of the opportunity to introduce a new Social Care Precept, which allows them in increase council tax by 2% above the existing threshold. By the end of the Parliament, this will raise up to £2 billion that must be spent exclusively on adult social care. In addition, by 2019/20 an extra £1.5 billion per year will be available for inclusion in the Better Care Fund.
Taken together, the Social Care Precept and the Better Care Fund will mean local government has access to the funding needed to increase social care spending in real terms by the end of the Parliament.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many responses his Department has received to the consultation on local government retention of business rates.
Mr Marcus Jones
The Government’s recent consultation on Business Rates Retention received 454 responses from a range of local authorities, those with business interests and other organisations. The Government will publish its response to the outcome of this consultation in due course.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which agreed EU directives have not yet been transposed directly into UK law; and if he will make a statement.
Greg Hands
Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will devolve (a) tax raising powers, (b) business and skills funding, (c) housing and planning, (d) transport, (e) health and (f) policing and criminal justice to the Mayor of London and London Assembly; and if he will make a statement.
Andrew Percy
Our devolution agenda is making huge strides in putting decision making powers in the hands of local people. London has been the trailblazer for that and already has significant powers across a range of policy areas including housing, transport and policing. We remain open to exploring opportunities to devolve further powers to local areas that may approach with such proposals, including London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2015-10-29.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Lithuanian government against plans for a convention centre to be built in the Jewish Cemetery in Piramont, Vilnius; and if he will make a statement.
Mr David Lidington
The Government is aware of plans announced by the Lithuanian Government to renovate the Soviet-era Vilnius Palace of Concerts and Sports, located in the Šnipiškės Jewish cemetery. The existing building on the site has been left derelict for some time. The Chairperson of the Jewish Community in Lithuania has been clear in her public support for the renovation, stressing that the current site is run-down and at risk otherwise of further deterioration. It is our understanding that there will be no significant structural changes and that only the interior will be renovated for use as a centre for conferences and cultural events. The surrounding area will be maintained as a memorial park. The Lithuanian Prime Minister has said that all Jewish cemeteries in Lithuania would be memorialised and marked by the end of 2017. We welcome his commitment to working alongside the Jewish Community of Lithuania and the international Jewish community on this renovation. The Lithuanian government has also said it will discuss the renovation with the Israeli government.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she estimates her Department’s investigations into applications for family reunion from Kuwaiti Bidoon people will be concluded; how many such application are outstanding in that category; when the earliest such application under that category that remains outstanding was submitted; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
UK Visas and Immigration is aware of around 380 outstanding applications for Family Reunion from individuals claiming to be the dependent of someone granted refugee status in the UK as a Kuwaiti Bidoon. The oldest application in this cohort where a decision has not yet been taken was submitted on 11 March 2014.
UK Visas and Immigration is committed to concluding these applications as soon as possible. They are complex and require detailed investigation, including consultation with international partners.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-01-27.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many clinical commissioning groups he estimates will publish a recovery plan in the next 12 to 18 months; and if he will make a statement.
George Freeman
As part of NHS England’s financial management processes, it expects clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) with planned cumulative overspends to provide it with recovery plans. Financial recovery plans may also be requested where a CCG’s financial position deteriorates during a financial year. In the past three years the number of CCGs with planned cumulative overspends has been nine in 2013/14 (with 19 actual cumulative overspends at year end), 18 in 2014/15 (19 at year end) and 22 in 2015/16 (29 forecast full year overspends as at November 2015).
NHS England has requested CCGs submit final financial plans for 2016/17 by the beginning of April. As in previous years, those planning cumulative deficits will be required to submit or refresh recovery plans. NHS England will not be in a position to estimate the number of CCGs likely to submit recovery plans in 2016/17 until the planning process is further advanced.