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18743

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2013
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding was allocated from Homes and Community Agency to (a) develop new affordable housing and (b) bring empty homes back into use in Harrow in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Mr Gareth Thomas
	uin	174351
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 7 November 2013]</em></p><p>The figures for affordable housing are as follows for the London Borough of Harrow area:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>£22 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>£45 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>£26 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£15 million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£13 million</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Since April 2012, allocations from the Affordable Housing Programme have been overseen by the Greater London Authority rather than the Homes and Communities Agency. There have been no specific allocations on empty homes over this period.</p><p>As outlined to the hon. Member in the answer of 7 January 2013, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 121W, I would note that the new Affordable Rent model now allows for more affordable housing to be delivered with lower levels of taxpayer capital subsidy and lever in more private investment.</p><p>As the National Audit Office has observed: “The Department selected the best delivery model open to it for the funds it had available” and “The Department has so far achieved its policy objective to maximise the number of homes delivered within the available grant funding” (National Audit Office, “Financial viability of the social housing sector; introducing the Affordable Homes Programme”, 4 July 2012, HC465, pp.6-7).</p><p>I also note that the Mayor's proposed Housing Strategy states: “£1.8 billion of public funding has been secured by the Mayor which will unlock an estimated additional £3.7 billion of other investment for London to enable 55,000 affordable homes to be delivered between 2011-15” (Mayor of London, “The Revised London Housing Strategy”, December2011, p.35).</p><p>Across England, 170,000 affordable homes have been delivered so far since April 2010, and a total of £19.5 billion of public and private investment is being spent on affordable housing over the current Spending Review period.</p><p> </p><p><em> </em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

598398

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2016
	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: Pensions
	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 representations he has received on reform of the Local Government Pensions Scheme; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	47874
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>We have received a large number of recent representations about the power of intervention in the investment regulations currently before the House. Under the new regulations, administering authorities are significantly more responsible and accountable for their investment decisions. They will no longer be constrained by central prescription on how their assets are invested, provided they act reasonably within the framework provided by the regulations and guidance.</p><p>The power of intervention has been included in the regulations as a backstop in order to protect around £200 billion of funds in the local government pension scheme, in the rare circumstances where it might be necessary to do so. As set out in the Government response to consultation the regulations include a number of safeguards, including full consultation with the relevant authority, to ensure that the power is used appropriately and proportionately. We have made clear that the intervention power will be used sparingly and only where fully justified.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 13/10/2016 16:18:04 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

599375

	registered interest
	date	11/10/2016
	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 Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what further steps he plans to take to give councils greater flexibility and control over budgets; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	48074
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2016 answer text <p>We have already given councils greater control by offering a 4-year settlement, and by the end of the Parliament, local government will retain 100% of business rates raised locally. Devolution Deals have awarded Mayoral Combined Authorities with greater flexibilities over investment funding through the Single Pot; this local control will only increase with devolution of the Adult Education Budget from 2018/19, subject to readiness conditions in Deal agreements. The Government believes that these policies fundamentally change the way local government operates, to give councils greater flexibility and control over budgets.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 17/10/2016 16:15:52 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

427034

	registered interest
	date	09/11/2015
	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	Housing: Cooperatives
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will exempt housing co-operatives from the right to buy scheme; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	15675
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2015 answer text <p>Under the voluntary agreement with the National Housing Federation, there will be a presumption that housing associations will sell tenants the property in which they live, but there will be some broad circumstances where a housing association can exercise discretion to decline a sale. These circumstances include properties held by co-operative housing associations.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 16/11/2015 14:05:07 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

599378

	registered interest
	date	11/10/2016
	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: Assets
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what further steps he plans to take to allow local authorities to use capital receipts from the sale of its assets to fund local authority services; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	48075
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2016 answer text <p>The time limited flexibility, recently introduced by the government, allows local authorities to use capital receipts to fund the revenue costs of any project that is designed to generate ongoing revenue savings in the delivery of public services. Such projects will deliver an ongoing benefit for taxpayers.</p><p>Parliament has decided that capital receipts cannot normally be applied to finance revenue expenditure. This is consistent with the fundamental principle that long term assets should not be used to finance immediate costs. I have no plans to seek approval from Parliament to revoke this principle and allow local authorities to use capital receipts to fund ongoing service delivery.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 17/10/2016 16:20:28 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

598395

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2016
	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	Parish and Town Councils
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Parish Councils in which areas have been established since 2010; and how many new expressions of interest for creating new Parish Councils are under consideration; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	47876
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>The decision to create, modify or abolish a parish council was devolved to principal councils through the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. The process for creating new town or parish councils does not require an expression of interest to be submitted to government as such the Department for Communities and Local Government does not maintain a definitive list of new Parish councils.</p><p>A local community may petition their local authority to carry out a community governance review to consider the creation of a new parish council; we do not record or receive details of these petitions.</p><p>Principal councils have responsibility for undertaking community governance reviews and deciding whether to give effect to recommendations made in those reviews. In making that decision, they are expected to take account of the views of local people.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 13/10/2016 16:19:29 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

598397

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2016
	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	Housing: Construction
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what monitoring his Department undertakes of the number of homes built on surplus public land sold for housing development; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	47873
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>The current objective of the Public Land for Housing Programme is to release land with capacity for 160,000 much needed homes.</p><p>Although this is the primary objective, we plan to collect data from departments to monitor the development of sites up to completion. This will include the number of homes granted planning permission for each site and when construction starts.</p> answering member constituency Croydon Central answering member printed Gavin Barwell question first answered 13/10/2016 14:43:18 answering member 3955 label Biography information for Lord Barwell
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

90619

	registered interest
	date	04/09/2014
	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	Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the (a) highest and (b) lowest full-time equivalent salary paid by (i) his Department and (ii) its public bodies was in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12, (C) 2012-13, (D) 2013-14 and (E) 2014-15; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Mr Gareth Thomas
	uin	208303
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2014 answer text <p>The attached table lists the information since 2009-10.</p><p> </p><p>All staff are paid at least the Living Wage, and the London Living Wage where appropriate.</p><p> </p><p>Staff costs for core DCLG have fallen from £216 million in 2009-10 to £95 million in 2013-14, a reduction of 56 per cent in cash terms and an annual saving of £121 million a year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 09/10/2014 15:33:56 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins attachment 1 file name PQ-208303 Table.docx title Departmental Salary previous answer version 19174 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

598396

	registered interest
	date	10/10/2016
	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	Brexit
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from English local authorities on the effect of UK withdrawal from the EU; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	47872
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2016 answer text <p>The Secretary of State and the department has a positive working relationship with local authorities and engages with them on a wide range of policies both at the ministerial and official level.</p><p>The Secretary of State recognises the value that local authorities can add to the work the government is carrying out on identifying the effects of the UK's exit from the European Union and will continue to engage with them as we prepare for the UK's exit.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 13/10/2016 14:45:53 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

599374

	registered interest
	date	11/10/2016
	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	Non-domestic Rates
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many representations he has received from business groups on the reform of business rates in the last six months; if he will publish such representations; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Harrow West
	tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
	uin	48073
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2016 answer text <p>The Government’s recent consultation on Business Rates Retention received 21 representations from businesses or associated representative bodies. The Government will publish its response to the outcome of this consultation in due course. To ensure business views are fully taken into account government has also established a business interest group, to contribute to the policy and technical debate.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 17/10/2016 16:16:18 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
	tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas