Tag: Mark Williams

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people in receipt of disability living allowance or personal independence payments have received support from the Help to Buy scheme.

Kris Hopkins

This Government is committed to supporting people’s aspirations to own their own home. That is why we have introduced schemes such as Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme and Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee scheme, which is managed by HM Treasury. We do not collect data on the number of people purchasing a home using either of the Help to Buy schemes who are in receipt of disability living allowance or personal independence payments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average waiting time was in each local authority for an assessment for a disabled facilities grant in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Kris Hopkins

The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect this information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will provide incentives to developers to ensure that new homes planned for construction in 2014-15 will be (a) wheelchair accessible and (b) built to lifetime homes standards.

Stephen Williams

Part M of the Building Regulations set minimum access standards for new homes. The Government plans to introduce an optional level of accessibility above these minimum access standards which will set out criteria for age friendly, accessible and adaptable standards. The Government also plans to set out within Part M an optional standard which will set out criteria related to the specific needs of wheelchair adaptable and accessible housing.

Furthermore, the National Planning Policy Framework already sets out that Local Plans should take into account the current and future needs of range of households including older and disabled people.

This combination of Building Regulations and national planning policy sets a robust framework to promote adaptable and accessible housing.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to ensure accessible housing, meeting internationally recognised visitability standards, for people who become disabled in 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Williams

The Approved Document to Part M (Access to and use of buildings) of the Building Regulations already includes key criteria for visitability including requiring reasonable provision for level or gently sloping entrances, level thresholds, minimum entrance door widths and circulation in the entrance storey, and provision of an entrance level WC

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of homes in (a) Ebbsfleet and (b) other planned garden cities will be (i) wheelchair accessible and (ii) built to lifetime homes standards.

Nick Boles

It is important that all locally-led large scale new developments like Ebbsfleet incorporate a high standard of design, and I am keen to see the use of design tools like Building for Life 12 which can serve this objective. Responsibility for delivering on the local plans for Ebbsfleet will sit with the new Urban Development Corporation and it would be premature to make any commitments on design standards at this stage. Ultimately, the development should be created in partnership with local communities and it should reflect and respond to their needs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, column 515W, on Western Sahara, if the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa will also meet representatives of POLISARIO, the UN-recognised body, to discuss issues relating to Western Sahara.

Hugh Robertson

British Ministers do not have direct contact with the POLISARIO Front. Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Officials in London regularly meet POLISARIO representatives to discuss Western Sahara. FCO Officials also undertake visits to the region, and to the refugee camps at Tindouf.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on how the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara affects the ability of terrorist and criminal gangs to recruit disaffected youth in the refugee camps or the occupied territory.

Hugh Robertson

We monitor the security situation in the region from a number of sources. We are aware of frustration in both Western Sahara and the Tindouf refugee camps at the lack of progress in the political process and at the socio-economic conditions in the camps. However, we are not aware of any evidence to suggest increased radicalisation of Sahrawi youth by terrorist or criminal gangs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospital day beds were taken because of delayed discharge relating to inaccessible housing available for disabled outpatients in (a) 2013-14 and (b) May 2014.

Norman Lamb

This data is not collected centrally.