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45872
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-03-31more like thismore than 2014-03-31
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government remove filter
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept sort name Communities and Local Government more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities affected by flooding can claim under the Bellwin scheme for the cost of disposing of sandbags that have been contaminated with sewage. more like this
tabling member constituency Leeds Central remove filter
tabling member printed
Hilary Benn more like this
uin 194489 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-04-07more like thismore than 2014-04-07
answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]</em></p><p>Local authorities can claim the costs of removing sandbags used during the flooding emergency, under the Bellwin scheme. This includes sandbags that have been contaminated with sewage.</p><p> </p> more like this
answering member constituency Great Yarmouth more like this
answering member printed Brandon Lewis more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-04-07T12:00:00.00Zmore like thismore than 2014-04-07T12:00:00.00Z
answering member
4009
label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis more like this
previous answer version
4499
answering member constituency Great Yarmouth more like this
answering member printed Brandon Lewis more like this
answering member
4009
label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis more like this
tabling member
413
label Biography information for Hilary Benn more like this
45873
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-03-31more like thismore than 2014-03-31
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government remove filter
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept sort name Communities and Local Government more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities affected by the recent floods are offering council tax discounts to flooded-out householders under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. more like this
tabling member constituency Leeds Central remove filter
tabling member printed
Hilary Benn more like this
uin 194492 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-04-09more like thismore than 2014-04-09
answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]</em></p><p>My rt. hon. Friend, the PrimeMinister announced on 19 February 2014 that Government will reimburse local authorities for providing council tax discounts for flooded homes. 48 local authorities have reported that they had already offered discounts by 17 March, with a further 63 planning to do so in using their discretionary powers under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. It is for local authorities to determine whether they wish to take up the Government's offer of funding, depending on the precise scale and extent of local flooding.</p><p> </p> more like this
answering member constituency Great Yarmouth more like this
answering member printed Brandon Lewis more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-04-09T12:00:00.00Zmore like thismore than 2014-04-09T12:00:00.00Z
answering member
4009
label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis more like this
previous answer version
4501
answering member constituency Great Yarmouth more like this
answering member printed Brandon Lewis more like this
answering member
4009
label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis more like this
tabling member
413
label Biography information for Hilary Benn more like this
46050
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-03-31more like thismore than 2014-03-31
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government remove filter
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept sort name Communities and Local Government more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department's (a) catering and (b) hospitality budget was in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013. more like this
tabling member constituency Leeds Central remove filter
tabling member printed
Hilary Benn more like this
uin 194474 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-04-09more like thismore than 2014-04-09
answer text <p> </p><p>My Department has no separate budget for catering and hospitality in 2012 and 2013.</p><p>To assist the rt. hon. Member, I would note that this Government has dramatically cut spending compared to the last Labour Government and put in place far tighter rules and restrictions on spending.</p><p>· The Department spent £553,230 on catering and hospitality in 2008-09, and £456,142 in 2009-10.</p><p>· By 2012-13, spending had been reduced to £58,882 (plus £16,727 of delayed billing from the year before).</p><p>· We anticipate spending in the region of £36,000 in the year 2013-14 (the precise figure will be audited at financial year end).</p><p>The expenditure undertaken is essentially for light refreshments for a large number of small official events such as:</p><p>· European Regional Development Fund events (meetings with external visitors and Local Management Committee meetings);</p><p>· Conferences and workshops with representatives of local government, housing, planning and local communities;</p><p>· Public roadshows and Portas Pilot events;</p><p>· All-day recruitment assessment centres, training and induction courses.</p><p>We do not routinely incur any expenditure on refreshments for Ministers other than <em>de minimis </em>expenditure on tea and coffee for Ministers' meetings with external visitors, or on the rare occasion when Ministers undertake overnight stays on official business outside London.</p><p>Our Departmental savings has also been assisted by terminating Ministerial group spending on Government Procurement Cards, as practiced by the Labour Government at taxpayers' expense at the likes of Sky City Casino, the Cinnamon Club, the Wolseley, Brasserie 44, Boisdales, Inn the Park, Mango Tree, Shepherds, Incognico, Buffalo Bar, Mr Chu's China Palace, Tantric Jazz and Fat Tuesdays.</p><p>We have showed that there is considerable scope for the public sector to generate significant savings in this area, as evident from the ongoing saving of up to half a million pounds a year.</p><p>To place our savings in context, as noted in the answer of 8 April 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, House of Lords, Column 270WA, when the rt. hon. Member was Secretary of State, he spent £444,891 on catering, hospitality and refreshments in 2008-09 and £552,367 in 2009-10.</p><p>I know that the rt. hon. Member has a particular interest in biscuits, so to help quantify this amount, his spending in his last year in office is equivalent today to buying 720,479 packets of Jamie Dodgers from Waitrose (albeit, with a free cup of coffee thrown in).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Great Yarmouth more like this
answering member printed Brandon Lewis more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-04-09T12:00:00.00Zmore like thismore than 2014-04-09T12:00:00.00Z
answering member
4009
label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis more like this
tabling member
413
label Biography information for Hilary Benn more like this
44977
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-03-25more like thismore than 2014-03-25
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government remove filter
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept sort name Communities and Local Government more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of local authorities which registered for emergency financial assistance under the Bellwin Scheme as a result of recent flooding have received payment within 15 working days. more like this
tabling member constituency Leeds Central remove filter
tabling member printed
Hilary Benn more like this
uin 193630 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-04-03more like thismore than 2014-04-03
answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]</em></p><p>Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is casually linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. It operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.</p><p>As at 27 March 2014, only five local authorities have submitted Bellwin claims in respect of the recent flooding. One of these claims was paid within 15 days. The other four claims have only been received in the last few days and should also be paid within 15 days. Local authorities have until the end of June 2014 to apply.</p><p> </p> more like this
answering member constituency Great Yarmouth more like this
answering member printed Brandon Lewis more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-04-03T12:00:00.00Zmore like thismore than 2014-04-03T12:00:00.00Z
answering member
4009
label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis more like this
tabling member
413
label Biography information for Hilary Benn more like this
43015
registered interest false more like this
date less than 2014-03-13more like thismore than 2014-03-13
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government remove filter
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many applications to dispose of statutory allotments have been (a) submitted, (b) approved and (c) rejected in each local authority area in each year since 2010. more like this
tabling member constituency Leeds Central remove filter
tabling member printed
Hilary Benn more like this
uin 191956 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2014-05-14more like thismore than 2014-05-14
answer text <p> </p><p>Further to the Allotments Act 1925, applications for consent to dispose of allotment land are submitted to the Department by local councils (parish councils and principal authorities). The table below shows the breakdown of applications since May 2010.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><em>Granted</em></p></td><td><p><em>Withdrawn</em></p></td><td><p><em>Refused</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2010- March 2011</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15 to date</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To place this in context, the Secretary of State granted 34 allotment disposals in 2007, granted 22 in 2008 and granted 18 in 2009, whilst only 2 were declined, which is a greater rate than under this Administration.</p><p>I observe that the rt. hon. Member has been quoted in the media attacking such consents. He would have been wiser however to have undertaken a closer examination of the 68 individual consents granted to the local councils since May 2010.</p><p>The table below provides some context to help explain why there was a reasonable case by the representative local bodies for changing the statutory status of the land.</p><p>In January 2014, my Department published <em>Allotment Disposal Guidance: Safeguards and Alternatives</em> replacing the previous guidance from 2002. The new guidance strengthens allotment protection, as the requirement for waiting lists to be taken into account must now be rigorously applied to all that council's waiting lists, not just the waiting list for the site to be disposed of. This aims to ensure that poorly maintained sites are not used to justify disposal. Ministers will be closely monitoring to ensure that this new guidance is followed.</p><p>Notwithstanding, I have taken the opportunity to analyse these previous cases in the table below. The National Allotment Society was consulted in every case, and nine out of ten decisions were consistent with advice from the National Allotment Society (where advice was given); the remaining cases where the advice diverged related to land not actually in use as allotments, requiring a judgement call on whether it was realistic to bring the land back into productive use.</p><p>Having analysed these approvals, I can note that half of the land disposed was not actually in use as allotments. Moreover, in every case where existing allotment plot holders were displaced, evidence from local authorities indicates that alternative plots were made available to them.</p><p>More new plots were proposed to be created and/or vacant sites proposed to be brought back into use than the number of proposed disposals of in-use allotment plots. Consequently, the statutory disposal process overseen by the Secretary of State since May 2010 should have resulted in an <strong>increase</strong> in allotment provision not a reduction. This reflects this Government's commitment both to supporting local communities grow their own food and to protecting important community assets.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Bristol West more like this
answering member printed Stephen Williams more like this
grouped question UIN 196310 more like this
question first answered
less than 2014-05-14T12:00:00.00Zmore like thismore than 2014-05-14T12:00:00.00Z
answering member
1492
label Biography information for Stephen Williams more like this
attachment
1
file name 2269 & 2521 Benn - Table.docx more like this
title Allotments - Disposal Consents Granted more like this
tabling member
413
label Biography information for Hilary Benn more like this