Tag: Mark Menzies

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to adequately resource schools to meet the increased demand for school places from new residents of large housing developments in Fylde.

Edward Timpson

Local authorities are responsible for planning and securing sufficient school places in their area, and supporting them to do so is one of this Government’s top priorities.

Basic need funding is allocated to local authorities to support them in creating new school places. We use data provided by local authorities to ensure funding is targeted according to levels of need in each area. This Government has committed to investing a further £7 billion to create new school places between 2015 and 2021. Lancashire will receive £46 million of basic need funding from 2015-2018.

Where place pressure is created by future housing developments, we expect local authorities to seek contributions from developers as they are an important way of helping to meet the cost of future places. It is for the local planning authority to negotiate developer contributions through section 106 agreements or Community Infrastructure Levies, and to decide on the local infrastructure needs that this contribution should support.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that new housing developments are powered by renewable energy sources.

Andrea Leadsom

Building Regulations set demanding energy performance targets for new buildings, but without prescribing the materials or technologies to be used. This approach gives builders the freedom to innovate and to choose the most practical and cost-effective solutions for individual projects.

The standards were strengthened most recently in April 2014, to a level that means builders increasingly have to consider the use of renewable technologies in their designs. These could be solar panels, or they could be other types of renewable such as heat pumps and combined heat and power (CHP) boilers – which might be more acceptable in conservation areas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to ensure that the distribution of shale gas community benefit funds go to those households closest to potential drilling sites.

Michael Fallon

We have welcomed a package of community benefits that was put forward by industry. It is encouraging that industry will offer £100,000 per fractured well site during exploration, so communities can benefit early, as well as 1% of revenues at production.

The UK Onshore Operators Group has provided more information about the community benefits scheme and will be partnering with the UK Communities Foundation for two pilot schemes during the exploration stage. The UK Communities Foundation will work with local residents to use the funding according to their needs and priorities. UKOOG also announced further consultation on payments at production stage.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps he is taking to ensure that the risk of flooding is taken into account in any potential shale gas sites.

Michael Fallon

Any development (including a shale gas site) that is planned near a main river or a flood defence (including a sea defence) will require a flood defence consent from the Environment Agency. The Environment Agency is a statutory consultee in the planning process and can object to any development that they consider to be at high risk of flooding. The Environment Agency will continue to assess each site on a case by case basis and work with operators and local planning to ensure sites are protected from flood risk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Northern Rail on modernising stations on the South Fylde line.

Stephen Hammond

As owner and manager of the stations on the South Fylde line, it is for Network Rail and Northern to look at improving facilities at the stations on this line, working to develop schemes with other local stakeholders.

Government support and funding for station modernisation and improvements are available through various schemes including Access for All and the National Station Improvement Programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the importance of regional airports in meeting the UK’s aviation needs.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government’s Aviation Policy Framework affirms that the Government wants to see the best use of the UK’s existing airport capacity. It recognises that airports across the UK play an important role in local economies, and in securing connectivity for local populations – as well as having an important role in helping to accommodate wider forecast growth in demand for aviation in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Virgin Trains on ensuring that its proposed train service from Blackpool to Euston will stop at Kirkham Station.

Stephen Hammond

On 19 June 2014 the Secretary of State announced that Virgin had been awarded a new Direct Award franchise. This commenced on 22 June 2014, and will run until the new planned commencement of the next competed franchise in April 2017.

Virgin and Network Rail will now submit an application to the Office of Rail Regulation for new services between Blackpool North and London Euston, which will include stops at Kirkham & Wesham and Poulton le Fylde stations. The new services are planned to commence in December 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what digital-by-default Government services will be available by next year; and what support he plans to make available to older people and those who are not yet online.

Mr Nick Hurd

By March 2015, 25 major government services will be redesigned and rebuilt as digital-by-default making them simpler, clearer and faster to use. Full details are listed on gov.uk/transformation

This Government’s approach is digital-by-default but not compulsion. We want to help get more people online, through our Digital Inclusion programme, but for those who cannot or will not we will always provide assistance, whenever they need it.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to promote golfing holidays in the (a) North West and (b) UK.

Mrs Helen Grant

Golfing holidays in both the North West and the rest of the UK are promoted by VisitEngland and VisitBritain. Liverpool is using £62,500 from VisitEngland’s Growing Tourism Locally programme, funded through the Regional Growth fund, to promote ‘England’s Golf Coast’ in the golfing press, using the staging of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool to encourage visits to the region. VisitBritain’s consumer website highlights golf courses across the whole of the UK including the Golf Coast, which also features in their Sport is GREAT pillar guide. In advance of the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, VisitBritain has organised familiarisation trips taking American and European journalists to the course. Previous experience tells us that hosting the Ryder Cup is worth tens of millions of pounds to the UK and to the local economy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Menzies on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make available additional funding to improve care for people with dementia.

Norman Lamb

Improving dementia care is a priority for the Government, and the Prime Minister. On the 28 February, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced his ambition for improving dementia care and support for people with dementia, their family and carers.

NHS England has identified around £90 million annually that is available nationally to the National Health Service to support timely diagnosis of dementia and to ensure that by 2015, two-thirds of people with dementia have a diagnosis and receive appropriate support following diagnosis.

The Department has committed to double funding for research for dementia by 2015.

The Department has also provided major funding to improve dementia care for the following:

– Dementia Friends programme, £2.4 million funded by Cabinet Office and the Department;

– Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) £54 million in April 2012 and £108 million in April 2013;

– Dementia Friendly Environments Capital Fund £50 million, October 2012;

– Dementia Awareness Campaign £3.2 million, September 2012;

– Dementia Workforce Development Fund for Social Care Staff (administered by Skills for Care) £2.4 million July 2012. In addition to this we have funded further Workforce Projects to the value of £1,640,000 since 2012-13 (£540,000 in 2012-13, £700,000 in 2013-14 and £400,000 planned for 2014-15);

– Breakthrough Innovation Challenge Prize £1 million announced, June 2012; and

– Social Services support to Memory Services £10 million, September 2011.