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155355

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Crime: Statistics
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect on community relations with citizens of Asian origin of crime reporting referring to "the Asian community" without further specifying the group concerned.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL2813
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>No such assessment has been made.</p><p> </p><p>As a broader observation, it is important to recognise that the recent horrific sexual grooming crimes in Rochdale and Rotherham were committed by a small minority of men drawn from a British Pakistani background, whilst in Bristol most recently the convictions were of men drawn from a Somali background. I welcome both communities strongly condemning these vile acts, as it tarnishes their reputation. However, such criminal acts were compounded by a failure of public authorities to take action because of institutionalised political correctness.</p><p> </p><p>We need to tackle this head on – acknowledging that there is a criminal element in some communities; that there is a sexist mindset that allowed these men to prey on vulnerable women of all backgrounds; and that the authorities shied away from tackling such crimes.</p><p> </p><p>If we fail to do so, it will merely help extremists hijack and exploit the issue for their own ends, undermining our strong community relations, whilst they seek to spread divisions and mistrust.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 01/12/2014 12:55:23 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

155428

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Local Government Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the uptake of the community right to challenge; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Southport
tabling member printed	John Pugh
uin	214179
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Communities and Local Government does not formally monitor the uptake of the Community Right to Challenge or require local authorities to report the number of challenges. Informally we collate responses from follow-up surveys of users of our support programme and other sources. From this, we are aware of 49 expressions of interest being submitted to date. A survey of users of the Community Right to Challenge support programme, carried out in the summer of 2014, found that 43 of the 105 respondents intended to submit an Expression of Interest in the next 12 months.<br><br>The Department for Communities and Local Government has funded a support programme to help voluntary and community groups, Parish Councils and local authority employees to use the Community Right to Challenge or to bid for local government contracts. The programme has awarded grants worth £3.7 million to a total of 216 groups since 2012 and has responded to over 4,000 queries.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 20/11/2014 15:26:15 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	1454 label Biography information for John Pugh

155429

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Derelict Land: Greater London
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of potential brownfield development sites in London; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Hackney North and Stoke Newington
tabling member printed	Ms Diane Abbott
uin	214180
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>According to the National Land Use Database, there were an estimated 3,660 hectares of brownfield land in London that might have been available for redevelopment in 2010 (the latest, complete database). However redevelopment is not expected to be viable on all sites.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 20/11/2014 15:27:25 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	172 label Biography information for Ms Diane Abbott

155430

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Tobacco
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control; and what representations his Department received on the potential implications of the Declaration before June 2013.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	214200
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>My Department has not undertaken any formal assessment or review, nor am I aware of any representations prior to June 2013. It is for individual councils to determine whether they wish to sign up to such a voluntary, local government-led initiative.</p><p> </p><p>Notwithstanding, as stated in the Government’s 2011 <em>Tobacco Control Plan for England</em>, we recognise there may be legitimate operational reasons for local authorities to deal with the tobacco industry, such as action by trading standards to tackle the illicit tobacco trade (which is frequently linked to low-level and large-scale organised crime; costs taxpayers’ money through tax evasion; and makes it easier for children to smoke).</p><p> </p><p>Moreover, further to the Government’s recent evidence to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry on litter (21 October 2014, Reference LIT0093), we believe that councils and the wider public sector, as well as manufacturers and associated trade bodies, need to work together to tackle smoking-related litter – especially given the public smoking ban has increased smoking outside. Councils now have public health responsibilities, but this should not prevent joint working on litter and action to keep our streets clean.</p><p> </p><p>In both cases, we would recommend that all dealings are fully transparent.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/12/2014 17:12:54 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

155431

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Travel
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what purposes his Department has funded travel by Eurostar in 2014 to date.
tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
tabling member printed	John Woodcock
uin	214303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2014 answer text <p>The information requested is not routinely recorded and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.<br><br>The Department's work which relates to the European Union, such as the European Development Fund, and the Council of Europe, necessitates overseas travel.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 24/11/2014 16:19:25 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

155432

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Fire Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act to permit fire authorities to contract out the full provision of fire and rescue services.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	214403
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>We are supportive of fire and rescue authorities looking at new and innovative ways of delivering their services to best meet the needs of their communities. <br> <br> We have no current plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act and I refer the hon. Member to the previous Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for fire services (Brandon Lewis) speech in an Adjournment Debate on 13 May 2013 (<em>Official Report</em>, column 470 onwards) where he set out the Government's position on mutuals very clearly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 17/11/2014 16:02:06 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

155433

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Cleveland Fire Brigade
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Cleveland Fire Brigade about the introduction of public service mutuals.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	214402
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>I and my officials meet representatives from fire and rescue authorities from time to time on a range of matters. Since becoming Fire Minister in July, neither my officials nor I have had a meeting with Cleveland Fire Brigade to discuss the introduction of public service mutuals. <br><br></p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 17/11/2014 16:03:51 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

155769

registered interest
date	11/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Councillors
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to encourage more people to stand as councillors.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	906047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the Government response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee report, <em>Councillors on the frontline</em> (Cm 8582),</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/councillors-on-the-frontline-government-response" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/councillors-on-the-frontline-government-response</a></p><p> </p><p>As well as to the subsequent Ministerial response to the Westminster Hall debate (5 September 2013, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 186WH) and my evidence to the Select Committee of 21 October 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/11/2014 16:50:47 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

147376

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Refuges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 October (HL2419), why they do not centrally record the number or location of refuges in England; and what consideration they have given to collecting such records as a means to developing nationwide policy.
tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
uin	HL2780
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>My Department funds UKRefugesOnline a UK-wide database of domestic violence services which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline. This service enables those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and potential refuge vacancies around the country so that victims can get the help they need as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In terms of government records, such information has never been centrally held. Refuges are not commissioned at a national level, and are generally either provided by local authorities or by independent voluntary sector organisations. To start recording the number and location would involve creating a new monitoring and data reporting regime on local government. It is the broader policy of the Coalition Government to try to reduce the burden of data reporting on local government, as it costs taxpayers’ money and diverts resources away from frontline services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More broadly, this Government has secured £6.5 billion investment to help vulnerable people through housing related support. This forms a key element of refuge funding through local authority commissioned services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also allocated £40 million of funding for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services until 2015. This funding is used to part-fund 54 multi-agency risk assessment conference co-ordinators and 144 independent domestic violence advisers. We have piloted and rolled out Clare’s Law and domestic violence protection orders; extended the definition of domestic abuse to cover controlling behaviour and teenage relationships; run two successful campaigns to challenge perceptions of abuse; and placed Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing to make sure lessons are learned from individual tragedies.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are keeping this matter under review, and are keen to support best practice and greater joint working.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/11/2014 14:11:28 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison

147377

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Local Government: Cheshire
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to reconstitute the former Cheshire County Council by bringing together the unitary authorities of Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East.
tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
uin	HL2781
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>There are no plans to bring together the unitary authorities of Cheshire West and Chester and Cheshire East. Such resource intensive and disruptive restructuring of local government would be an unnecessary distraction. The two Cheshire councils already have the legal powers to share services and work together if they wish, and they do not need the Government’s permission to do so.</p><p> </p><p>The Tri-Borough initiative in London is a good locally-led example of how councils can work together to improve services and delivery savings without the need for local government restructuring.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/11/2014 12:03:32 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison