Tag: Matthew Offord

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to speed up claims by asylum seekers.

Karen Bradley

Claims for asylum are increasing. In 2013 the number of asylum applications
within the EU was the highest it has been since 2002. The UK has experienced an increase
of 30% between 2010 and 2013 – with an 8% increase between 2012 and 2013 alone.

We are committed to resolving these quickly, while continuing to improve
the quality of our decision making, and we are making changes to our processes
and management to make sure we do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has published for the use of local authorities in determining planning permission applications for the creation of cemeteries.

Nick Boles

In March, we published new planning guidance, which local planning authorities can use when determining planning applications. It explains that planning applications are considered on their own merits and, by law, must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The ‘Open space, sports and recreation facilities’ section of the guidance addresses provision of open spaces of public value.

More broadly, separate to the planning system, the underlying statutory duties for local (burial) authorities are outlined in the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977. The associated guidance is overseen by the Ministry for Justice, and is available at:

www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/burials-and-coroners/burial-ground-managers.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of grave spaces that have been created in London since the introduction of the London Local Authorities Act 2007.

Simon Hughes

The Ministry of Justice has not made an estimate of the number of grave spaces created since the introduction of the London Local Authorities Act 2007 or the number of local authorities who have used powers under the Act to re-use graves. However, as the Ministry of Justice has responsibility for burial law and policy, I am keeping the issue of burial space under active review including considering what legislative changes might be necessary to address a shortage of graves.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of local authorities which have adopted powers under the London Local Authorities Act 2007 to re-use graves where burial rights have been extinguished since that Act came into force.

Simon Hughes

The Ministry of Justice has not made an estimate of the number of grave spaces created since the introduction of the London Local Authorities Act 2007 or the number of local authorities who have used powers under the Act to re-use graves. However, as the Ministry of Justice has responsibility for burial law and policy, I am keeping the issue of burial space under active review including considering what legislative changes might be necessary to address a shortage of graves.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his priorities are for renegotiating UK membership of the EU.

Mr David Lidington

The Government’s priorities are to reform the EU so that it is more flexible, competitive and democratically accountable. We want to see further deepening of the Single European Market, especially in services; an ambitious and sustained drive to cut red tape, and successful free trade negotiations with the United States, Japan and other countries. We are also seeking greater powers for groups of national parliaments to block or review EU legislation; an end to benefit tourism, and the development of Economic and Monetary Union in a way that safeguards the interests of countries which have chosen not to join the Euro. The Government has already made progress in delivering reform, including cutting the EU budget for the first time and securing reforms of the Common Fisheries Policy that include a ban on discards and a shift to the regional and local management of fisheries.