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90439

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2014
	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	Domestic Visits
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2014, Official Report, column 618W, on official visits, what domestic visits he has made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was.
	tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
	tabling member printed	Sheila Gilmore
	uin	208006
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2015 answer text <p>Ministers undertake regular visits to a wide variety of local authority areas in England, whilst balancing their Parliamentary work, internal Ministerial meetings in London and meetings of Cabinet Committees. Ministers also regularly host delegations from local authorities for meetings in Westminster.</p><p> </p><p>The list below provides a list of visits up to the end of January 2015. It would entail disproportionate cost to provide a detailed commentary on the purpose of each visit, but a brief summary is included. To assist the hon. Member, a selection of political visits is also included.</p><p> </p><p>Such visits also need to be viewed alongside the visits that other members of the Ministerial team have made, and the published list of meetings with external organisations.</p><p> </p><p>2013</p><p> </p><p>Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council area on 21 January 2013, growth policy</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Enfield area on 22 January 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Cheshire West and Chester Unitary authority area on 1-2 February 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Borough of Eastleigh area on 11 February 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Borough of Eastleigh area on 22 February 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Oxfordshire County Council area on 1 – 2 March 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Reading Borough Council area on 18 March 2013, growth policy</p><p> </p><p>Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council area on 15 April 2013, local government and growth policy</p><p> </p><p>Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth area on 19 April 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees Council area on 25 April 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Ribble Valley Council area on 26 April 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Mid Devon Council area on 29 April 2013, political</p><p> </p><p>Leicestershire County Council area on 13 May 2013, troubled families</p><p> </p><p>Royal Borough of Greenwich area on 18 June 2013, faith and integration</p><p> </p><p>Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council area on 4 July 2013, local government policy</p><p> </p><p>Salford City Council area on 4 July 2013, community rights</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Hackney area on 30 July 2013, community rights</p><p> </p><p>Thurrock Council area on 9 August 2013, Thames Gateway policy</p><p> </p><p>Hastings Borough Council area on 15 August 2013, coastal communities’ policy</p><p> </p><p>Medway Council area on 18 August 2013, faith and integration</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Southwark area on 23 September 2013, community rights</p><p> </p><p>Telford and Wrekin Council area on 7 November 2013, growth and housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Cheshire West and Chester Council area on 18 November 2013, local government policy</p><p> </p><p>Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council area on 28 November 2013, local Enterprise Zones</p><p> </p><p>Waveney District Council area on 7 December 2013, high streets policy</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>2014</p><p> </p><p>Portsmouth City Council area on 16 January 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Norfolk County Council area on 31 January 2014, growth and housing policy</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Croydon area on 10 February 2014, flood response and recovery</p><p> </p><p>Cherwell District Council area on 11 February 2014, flood response and recovery</p><p> </p><p>Oxford City Council area on 11 February 2014, flood response and recovery</p><p> </p><p>Arun District Council area on 20 February 2014, coastal defences and flooding</p><p> </p><p>Runnymede Borough Council on 20 February 2014, flood response and recovery</p><p> </p><p>Fife Council area on 24 February 2014, coastal communities’ policy</p><p> </p><p>Aberdeen Council area on 24 February 2014, Cabinet meeting</p><p> </p><p>London Borough Council of Hounslow area on 3 April 2014, community rights and housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Derbyshire County Council area on 22 April 2014, growth policy and local enterprise zones</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Havering area on 23 April 2014, housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Cambridge City Council area on 23 April 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Metropolitan Borough of Dudley Council area on 24 April 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Wandsworth area on 1 May 2014, troubled families</p><p> </p><p>Stoke-on-Trent City Council area on 2 May 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Brent Council area on 5 May 2014, faith and integration</p><p> </p><p>Newark-on-Trent City Council area on 19 May 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Newark-on-Trent City Council area on 1 June 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Bedfordshire County Council area on 12 June 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Manchester City Council area on 26 June 2014, housing policy</p><p> </p><p>West Riding of Yorkshire Council area on 26 June 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Doncaster City Council area on 27 June 2014, housing policy</p><p> </p><p>East Riding of Yorkshire Council area on 27 June 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Harrogate Borough Council area on 5 July 2014, Le Grand Départ</p><p> </p><p>Salisbury City Council area on 10 July 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Staffordshire County Council area on 11 July 2014, commemorative event</p><p> </p><p>West Sussex County Council area on 21 July 2014, commemorative event</p><p> </p><p>Hampshire County Council area on 29 July 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>London Borough Council of Hounslow area on 1 August 2014, faith and integration</p><p> </p><p>North East Lincolnshire Council area on 1 August 2014, growth policy and local Enterprise Zones</p><p> </p><p>Glasgow City Council area on 4 August 2014, commemorative event</p><p> </p><p>Mid Sussex District Council area on 23 August 2014, commemorative event</p><p> </p><p>Bedford Borough Council on 2 September 2014, housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Essex County Council on 4 September 2014, coastal defences</p><p> </p><p>Tendring District Council area on 4 September 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Harrow area on 14 September 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Birmingham City Council area on 17 September 2014, Waste management</p><p> </p><p>Birmingham City Council area on 30 September 2014, local enterprise zones</p><p> </p><p>London Borough of Wandsworth area on 21 October 2014, growth and housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council area on 23 October 2014, housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Pendle Borough Council area on 24 October 2014, regeneration and housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Stroud District Council area on 27 October 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Royal Borough of Greenwich area on 29 October 2014, better care fund</p><p> </p><p>Manchester City Council area on 30 October 2014, better care fund</p><p> </p><p>Stroud District Council area, Cheltenham Borough Council area and Staffordshire County Council area on 6 November 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Westminster Council area on 9 November 2014, commemorative event</p><p> </p><p>Stroud District Council area on 20 November 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Westminster City Council area on 25 November 2014, commemorative event</p><p> </p><p>Flyde Borough Council area on 27 November 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Central Bedfordshire Council area on 28 November 2014, housing policy</p><p> </p><p>Northampton Borough Council area on 28 November 2014, political</p><p> </p><p>Essex County Council area on 11 December 2014, housing policy</p><p> </p><p>2015</p><p> </p><p>Cardiff City Council and Newport City Council area on 8 January 2015, political</p><p> </p><p>Bath and North East Somerset Council area on 15 January 2015, political</p><p> </p><p>Leicester City Council and Charnwood Borough Council area on 29 January 2015, local Enterprise Zones</p><p> </p><p>The list reflects the fact that the Department’s responsibilities are broadly devolved outside England. All visits are conducted in line with the provisions of the Ministerial Code.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 24/02/2015 17:20:54 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 18923 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	3965 label Biography information for Sheila Gilmore

63851

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	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: Pensions
	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 place in the Library correspondence he has received from Essex County Council and Brentwood Council on changes to councillors' eligibility for the Local Government Pension Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	202283
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2015 answer text <p>Brentwood Borough Council did not send in a response to the consultation on “Taxpayer-funded pensions for councillors and other elected local office holders”. A copy of Essex County Council’s response is attached.</p><p> </p><p>This differential interest no doubt reflects the fact that Brentwood Borough Council did not have any councillors in the Local Government Pension Scheme (a consequence of the decision of my hon. Friend, the Member for Great Yarmouth, when he was leader of the Council not to join the scheme), whereas Essex did. Non-participating councils tended not to respond to the consultation.</p><p> </p><p>Prior to the consultation, only 16 per cent of councillors were actually members of the scheme and only 55 councils actually responded. The majority of Councils and Councillors submitted no objection to the Government’s proposal to end Councillor’s access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>Such taxpayer-funded local government pensions have now been abolished, subject to practical transition measures introduced as a result of the consultation. These reforms will save taxpayers’ money, strengthen the independence of councillors, and reflects that the fact that councillors are not salaried employees of the council. Nothing prevents councillors from contributing to their own private personal pension, receiving tax relief like any other member of the public.</p><p> </p><p>The suggestion by some that these changes would discourage people from running for election has not been borne out. In last year’s London borough elections, all candidates nominated in the knowledge that there would be no taxpayer-funded pensions if they were elected; yet more candidates ran for election in London in 2014 than in 2010 (source: <em>London datastore</em>).</p><p> </p><p>I suspect that the council tax-paying public would be less than impressed at the Labour Party’s calls to reintroduce such taxpayer-funded pensions.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 15/01/2015 17:45:38 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins attachment 1 file name 0223 Benn - Letter.pdf title Letter - Essex County Council Response
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

91917

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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	Homelessness: Barnsley
	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 people in Barnsley East constituency were homeless in the latest period for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley East
	tabling member printed	Michael Dugher
	uin	209402
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>The statistics are collected at local authority level, rather than Parliamentary constituency. The latest statistics for the period April to June 2014 show that fewer than 5 households were accepted by Barnsley local authority as being owed a main homelessness duty and in total there were fewer than 5 households in temporary accommodation at the end of June. National and local authority data for homelessness are published on the Department's website at:<br><br>https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness<br><br>Homelessness remains lower than in 27 of the last 30 years. Since 2010 this Government has invested over £500 million to prevent and tackle all forms of homelessness and rough sleeping. The homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 17/12/2014 16:16:04 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	3916 label Biography information for Michael Dugher

77355

	registered interest
	date	11/07/2014
	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	Training
	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 awaydays his Department has held for officials in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date; and what the cost was of each such event.
	tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
	tabling member printed	Mr Andy Slaughter
	uin	205289
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>Under the last Labour Government, DCLG spent £196,585 on “away days” in 2008-09 and £137,678 in 2009-10. We have cut costs to just £272 in 2013 and to zero in 2014. This has resulted in notable savings to taxpayers. A table with details is attached.</p><p>These significant reductions in spending are a consequence of revised guidance to staff that team away days should take place at no or limited cost; this has included encouraging the use of rooms in the Department or a neighbouring Whitehall Department.</p><p>This is a significant departure from the expensive practices that took place under the last Administration, which included booking away days in luxury hotels, restaurants and a burlesque club.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/12/2014 17:17:40 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins attachment 1 file name 0378 Slaughter - Table.docx title Table of Awaydays
	tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

92911

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	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	Private Finance Initiative
	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 total private finance initiative liabilities of his Department are for the next 20 years; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
	tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
	uin	210083
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department does not have any PFI projects of its own but does provide support to local authority PFI projects through the revenue support grant system. <br><br><br>The Coalition Government has strongly emphasised securing value for money from PFI including savings through its Operational Savings Programme. This Department has achieved programme savings of £497 million since 2010 from projects during procurement and savings from operational PFI projects of £33 million.<br><br>Details of local authority sponsored PFI projects can be found on the government website at the following link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/pfi-projects-data-march-2013" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-initiative-projects=2013-summary-data. <br></a><br>This currently provides information as at 31st March 2013 but will be updated shortly with data as at 31st March 2014.<br><br></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 05/11/2014 16:17:01 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

91919

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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	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 criteria his Department used to determine which councils received an (a) increase and (b) decrease in funding in 2014-15.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	209518
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to my written answer to him of 23 October 2014, PQ 210903.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, I would note:</p><p> </p><p>· In 2014-15, Birmingham has an area spending power per dwelling of £2,679, considerably more than the comparable English average of £2,089.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Birmingham City Council has the highest revenue outturn spending in England after the Greater London Authority: a total of £2.0 billion in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Birmingham City Council is estimated to receive total government grants of £3,319 per dwelling in 2014-15; this compares with the English average of £2,628 and is the 13<sup>th</sup> highest in England (budgeted figures for revenue expenditure and financing; excludes income from mandatory housing benefits; includes education spending).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 209519 209745 question first answered 03/11/2014 17:22:01 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

91920

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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	Local Government Finance: Birmingham
	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 effects of the proposed changes to funding for Birmingham Council on deprivation and poverty in Birmingham.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	209519
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to my written answer to him of 23 October 2014, PQ 210903.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, I would note:</p><p> </p><p>· In 2014-15, Birmingham has an area spending power per dwelling of £2,679, considerably more than the comparable English average of £2,089.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Birmingham City Council has the highest revenue outturn spending in England after the Greater London Authority: a total of £2.0 billion in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Birmingham City Council is estimated to receive total government grants of £3,319 per dwelling in 2014-15; this compares with the English average of £2,628 and is the 13<sup>th</sup> highest in England (budgeted figures for revenue expenditure and financing; excludes income from mandatory housing benefits; includes education spending).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 209518 209745 question first answered 03/11/2014 17:22:01 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

92147

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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	Local Government Finance: Birmingham
	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 reason Birmingham council's funding in 2015 will be reduced by a greater amount than the national average reduction.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	209745
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to my written answer to him of 23 October 2014, PQ 210903.</p><p> </p><p>More broadly, I would note:</p><p> </p><p>· In 2014-15, Birmingham has an area spending power per dwelling of £2,679, considerably more than the comparable English average of £2,089.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Birmingham City Council has the highest revenue outturn spending in England after the Greater London Authority: a total of £2.0 billion in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Birmingham City Council is estimated to receive total government grants of £3,319 per dwelling in 2014-15; this compares with the English average of £2,628 and is the 13<sup>th</sup> highest in England (budgeted figures for revenue expenditure and financing; excludes income from mandatory housing benefits; includes education spending).</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 209518 209519 question first answered 03/11/2014 17:22:02 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

91254

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2014
	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	Public Health: 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 the full-year expenditure in each identified category of the Ring-fenced Public Health Grant was for (a) each local authority and (b) England in 2013-14.
	tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Wavertree
	tabling member printed	Luciana Berger
	uin	208799
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>This information was published in August, as part of the Revenue Outturn (RO3) statistical returns, and can be found online at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2013-to-2014-individual-local-authority-data-outturn" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2013-to-2014-individual-local-authority-data-outturn</a></p><p>This is the first year that such data has been published, following the new responsibilities being passed to local authorities.</p><p> </p><ul><li>The new data is provisional, as reported by local authorities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Shire districts will be listed with zero entries, as they do not have responsibility for public health.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>At the time of publication forms had not been received from Sefton and Southwark local authorities. The England totals shown include imputed values for these authorities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Some upper-tier authorities may have zero entries for some columns due to the manner in which the information has been initially provided by the local authority, by filling in the forms without the necessary detail. I would therefore suggest caution about making comparisons on the categories of expenditure between local authorities, based on the new draft data in its current form.</li></ul><p> </p><p>We are continuing to work to validate and improve it, and to follow up data anomalies with local authorities in partnership with Public Health England.</p><p> </p><p>Final, validated, outturn data will be published later this year.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 30/10/2014 17:08:52 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 19793 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4036 label Biography information for Luciana Berger

93117

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	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	Torbay
	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 visits were made by Ministers of his Department to Torbay constituency in the 12 months to 14 October 2014; whom the invitation for each such visit was issued by; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such visit.
	tabling member constituency	Torbay
	tabling member printed	Mr Adrian Sanders
	uin	210474
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>In the last 12 months, Ministers have not had the opportunity to visit the Parliamentary constituency of Torbay, but they have visited the local authority area of Torbay. We are open to further invitations, subject to Ministerial and Parliamentary commitments.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 30/10/2014 16:58:24 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	237 label Biography information for Mr Adrian Sanders