Tag: Lord Greaves

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of, and what conclusions they have drawn from, the report by JMP Consultants Ltd for the Passenger Transport Executive Group Destination Growth: the Case for Britain’s Regional Railways.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Passenger Transport Executive Group’s Destination Growth report is a useful contribution to the research that underpins the case for Britain’s Regional Railways.

The Government is investing record amounts in building a world-class rail network across Great Britain, helping to create jobs, boost businesses, and secure long-term economic growth in every part of the country.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-11-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they give local authorities on (1) the minimum desirable frequency of waste collections for (a) recyclates, (b) food waste, and (c) other residual waste, and (2) the criteria that they should use when deciding such frequencies.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Decisions on collection arrangements and frequency are for each Local Authority to make, taking into account local circumstances including the practicalities, characteristics of the area, providing the service that local residents want, and the need to protect public health and the environment.

Defra has funded the Waste and Resources Action Programme to provide advice and support to Local Authorities on good practice for waste and recycling, and to help Local Authorities promote their services more effectively and make them convenient. We are also encouraging greater harmonisation of waste collection and recycling services across different local authority areas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-12-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make regulations under section 89(3) of the Localism Act 2011.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Communities across England have used Community Rights to list land and buildings that are important to them as assets of community value; over 2,600 to date. The Government currently has no plans to make regulations under section 89(3).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-01-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns, on 13 January (HC Deb, col 845), whether any part of North Wales forms a part of the Northern Powerhouse, and if so, which parts, and what procedures, exist for joint decision-making with and support from the Welsh Government.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

This Government has presided over a fundamental shift of power from Westminster to the people and communities of this country by promoting unprecedented decentralisation. North Wales is an integral part of the Government’s Northern Powerhouse vision. Businesses and Local Authorities in North Wales who Wales Office Ministers speak to are clear that North East Wales and North West England form one single economic entity and are best placed to drive economic development and deliver public services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Neighbourhood Development Orders have been approved by referendum in each year since and including 2012; where those referendums were held; and what development each referendum authorised.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Department does not undertake formal monitoring of Neighbourhood Development Orders, however we are aware of four Neighbourhood Development Orders that have passed referendum since 2012, including three Community Right to Build Orders. Details are set out in the attached table.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the levels of community infrastructure levy levied by each local planning authority in England.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

This information is not centrally collected by Government. Community Infrastructure Levy charging authorities are required to publish their levy rates in a Charging Schedule and make this available on their website. Community Infrastructure Levy rates must be based on local viability evidence and are subject to two public consultations and independent examination. Draft charging schedules, relevant evidence and the recommendations of the independent examiner are also published.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much surplus land owned by the Department for International Development and its agencies they estimate is suitable for building new houses on; how much has been released in each year since 2010–11; and how much they expect to release in (1) the current year, and (2) each year to 2020–21.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

During the last Parliament, the Government exceeded its ambition to release surplus land with capacity for 100,000 homes. The housing capacity of the land released by Government Departments and their arms length bodies is set out in the attached table.

Over this Parliament, the Government is committed to releasing surplus public sector land with capacity for up to 150,000 homes by 2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government is working with Departments to review their land holdings in order to identify suitable surplus public sector and finalise disposal plans for this Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much surplus land owned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and its agencies they estimate is suitable for building new houses on; how much has been released in each year since 2010–11; and how much they expect to release in (1) the current year, and (2) each year to 2020–21.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

During the last Parliament, the Government exceeded its ambition to release surplus land with capacity for 100,000 homes. The housing capacity of the land released by Government Departments and their arms length bodies is set out in the attached table.

Over this Parliament, the Government is committed to releasing surplus public sector land with capacity for up to 150,000 homes by 2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government is working with Departments to review their land holdings in order to identify suitable surplus public sector and finalise disposal plans for this Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what amendments were made to the formula for police funding following the consultation process with individual police forces.

Lord Bates

We received over 1,700 responses to our recent public consultation on proposed police funding reforms. The overwhelming view from respondents was supportive of a new formula and the principles we set out. We have carefully analysed the feedback received and, in light of this, are proposing a number of refinements to the model:

– retain population volume and households with no adults employed and dependent children as core indicators;

– clarify that the second population characteristic we intend to use is the updated ‘urban adversity’ version of the Acorn 5 indicator which has replaced the old ‘hard pressed’ version (this ensures that the model is in line with CACI Limited’s current Acorn classifications);

– revise the bar density measure so that it takes account of bar volume as well as bar density, reflecting strong consultation feedback that this better captures scale and the impact of clusters of bars and the night-time economy within a force area;

– remove ‘Band D equivalent properties’ as a core indicator, reflecting strong consultation feedback that this variable did not adequately capture the ability to raise additional precept income as intended;

– add an Area Cost Adjustment (ACA) to the model to reflect regional variations in the cost base.

These proposed refinements to the model produce an adjusted set of weightings across the remaining four core indicators as follows:

Variable	Weighting
Population volume	30%
Households with no adults employed and dependent children	31%
Urban adversity/Acorn 5	31%
Volume and density of bars	8%

The Policing Minister wrote to all PCCs and Chiefs on 8 October to provide detail on the proposed refinements and to set out the indicative force-level impact and invite further comments.

We will then finalise the model in light of further feedback received.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will announce proposals for the use of the proposed £1 billion fund to support brownfield housing schemes.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The operation and focus of the Brownfield Fund are currently being developed and details will be available when the Fund is launched.