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174084

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2015
	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	Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authorities in England have taken part in the Weekly Collection Support Scheme; how many authorities took part in the expression of interest process; which have subsequently received financial support, and how much; and of those, which have reinstated weekly collections of general (“grey” or “residual”) waste, which have used the support to collect food waste separately, and which have used it in other ways.
	tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
	uin	HL4187
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2015 answer text <p>In March 2012, my Department received initial expressions of interest from 151 lead local authorities, which resulted in bids from 113 local authorities. Some local authorities submitted multiple expressions of interest which were consolidated before final bid stage. The final bids were then assessed in line with the published criteria, and recipients then awarded funding.</p><p>A detailed table listing the schemes that are being supported is attached and on my Department’s website.</p><p> </p><p>It may be helpful to the noble Lord to outline what this Government has delivered since 2010:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Safeguarded weekly collections for 6 million households through the Weekly Collection Support Scheme as well as championing innovation and best practice; the answer of 14 May 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, House of Commons 646W, outlined how 14 million households in England have some form of weekly collection of smelly rubbish.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Issued the first ever Whitehall guidance on weekly bin collections, demolishing the myths that fortnightly bin collections are needed to save money or increase recycling. This best practice was directly informed by the Weekly Collections Support Scheme;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Supported over 40 innovative reward schemes to back recycling through the Weekly Collection Support Scheme (as pledged in the Coalition Agreement); the winning bids for a further Recycling Rewards Scheme for 2015-16 will be announced shortly;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Stopped the Audit Commission inspections which marked down councils who do not adopt fortnightly rubbish collections, and rejected the Audit Commission guidance which advocated fortnightly collections (“Waste Management: The Strategic Challenge and Waste Management Quick Guide”);</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Abolished the Local Area Agreements and National Indicator 191 imposed by Whitehall which created perverse incentives to downgrade waste collection services;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Scrapped the Whitehall requirement for municipal Annual Efficiency Statements, which allowed a reduction in the frequency of a household rubbish collection service to qualify as a “valid efficiency” and allowed revenue from bin fines to classed as a “cashable efficiency gain”;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Scrapped the imposition of eco-towns which would have had fortnightly bin collections and/or bin taxes as part of the “eco-standards”;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Through the Localism Act, revoked the 2008 legislation that allowed for the imposition of new bin taxes;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Issued guidance to stop the imposition of illegal ‘backdoor bin charging’ on households bins;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Stopped funding the ‘Waste Improvement Network’ which told councils to adopt fortnightly collections as best practice;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Challenged the incorrect interpretation by some bodies that European Union directives require fortnightly collections, and resisted the imposition of bin taxes by the European Union;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Removing powers of entry and snooping powers from bin inspectors and scrapped guidance telling councils to rifle through families’ bins;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Changed building regulations and planning guidance to tackle ‘bin blight’, and worked with the NHBC Foundation to produce new best practice guidance for house builders;</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><ul><li>Changing the law through the Deregulation Bill to scrap unfair bin fines.</li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Without our active support, Ministers are clear that weekly collections would have disappeared across England. This Government’s approach can be contrasted with the devolved Labour-led Administration in Wales, where fortnightly bin collections are official policy, and pilots of monthly bin collections are being actively encouraged.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmed question first answered 12/02/2015 14:39:13 question first ministerially corrected 16/02/2015 17:33:13 answering member 3470 label Biography information for Lord Ahmed attachment 1 file name PQ HL4187 List of successful bidders to the Weekly Collection Support Scheme.xls title List of Supported Schemes previous answer version 45064 answering member printed Lord Ahmed answering member 3470 label Biography information for Lord Ahmed attachment 1 file name 150203 PQ677818 Lord Greaves - Attachment.pdf title List of Supported Schemes
	tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves

101699

	registered interest
	date	29/10/2014
	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	Local Government Services: Migrants
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment have they made of the costs to local authorities of providing housing and other services to people with no other recourse to public funds.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL2521
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government does not hold a national estimate of the costs to local authorities of providing housing and other services to people with No Recourse to Public Funds.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/11/2014 12:04:07 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

143456

	registered interest
	date	07/11/2014
	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	Politics and Government: Greater London
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the effectiveness of the current structures of governance in London.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL2741
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>Since 2010, the Coalition Government has made a series of reforms which have decentralised power down to local government and down to local communities below it.</p><p> </p><p>This has included strengthening the governance structures in London at a variety of levels: by devolving power and funding over housing, economic development and the Olympic legacy to the Mayor and Assembly through the Localism Act 2011; by abolishing unelected bodies such as the Government Office for London and London Development Agency; supporting the creation of a London-wide economic partnership; and delivering a broader set of reforms to local government transparency, accountability, housing finance and local government finance which the London Boroughs in particular have benefited from.</p><p> </p><p>The London Enterprise Panel was established by the Mayor in 2012 in response to the Government’s invitation to areas to form Local Enterprise Partnerships. It provides a forum which enables the Mayor, London Boroughs and the private sector to work together to take a strategic view of regeneration, employment and skills in the capital. The Panel has successfully negotiated a growth deal which includes delivering £120 million of investment in London’s Further Education colleges and work to develop new ways to help those furthest from the labour market into work.</p><p> </p><p>As set out in the Government response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee Report: <em>Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Greater London Authority Act 2007 and the London Assembly</em> (Cm 8761), the Government believes there is scope for governance reform in the relation to the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers have serious concerns about the governance in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets following an independent inspection report, and are consulting the council on the report and a proposed package of interventions as outlined in the Oral Statement of 4 November 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, House of Commons, Column 663.</p><p> </p><p>The Coalition Government considers that power should be devolved to the lowest appropriate level including to communities and individuals. For instance, we have introduced powers for local communities in London to establish neighbourhood forums to take forward neighbourhood planning and introduced a range of ‘community rights’ such as the Community Right to Challenge and the Community Right to Bid for Assets of Community Value.</p><p> </p><p>Parish councils can also provide communities with a democratically accountable voice and a structure for taking community action. London saw its first parish council in decades have its first elections in May 2014, in Queens Park, Westminster. A number of other local communities in London are now campaigning for parish councils to be set up. The Government is also making it easier to set up new town and parish councils where they do not currently exist and is seeking to amend legislation to do so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 20/11/2014 15:18:11 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

147396

	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	Council Housing
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action are they taking to support council tenants who want to form housing cooperatives.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL2800
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2014 answer text <p>We encourage local authorities to work closely with their communities to look at the range of options open to them. This may include forming community led groups, such as co-operatives, Community Land Trusts or Tenant Management Organisations. My officials continue to discuss issues affecting co-operative housing more generally with the co-operative sector.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Council tenants have the Right to Manage, which enables them to set up a Tenant Management Organisation (a management co-operative) to manage the homes in their area, with a management allowance from the Council. The Tenant Empowerment Programme, £2 million in 2014/15 and £1 million in 2015/16, supports social housing tenants to engage in, manage and/or take control of their housing services. This includes training, support and funding to enable tenant groups to take up their Right to Manage. There are currently over 200 Tenant Management Organisations across England, managing around 80,000 homes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In October 2012, we funded the Co-operatives UK to establish and run the Community Shares Unit to grow a sustainable market and promote the long term success of the community shares model, as a means to raising equity finance and increasing participation in community enterprises and projects. Community-led housing is one of the areas identified as requiring development.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are also encouraging community led organisations, including co-operatives, to apply for funding through the 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme. The Homes and Communities Agency has held back over 25% of their £1.7 billion budget, for which it is now inviting bids. This should be of particular help to smaller community-led organisations.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 20/11/2014 15:55:45 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

156659

	registered interest
	date	19/11/2014
	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	Change of Use
	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 14 October 2014 to Question 209429, and the Housing Standards Review Technical Consultation issued in September 2014, if he will make it his policy that a national standard to replace the existing space standards used by local authorities apply to new dwellings created by conversion from other uses under permitted development rights.
	tabling member constituency	Greenwich and Woolwich
	tabling member printed	Mr Nick Raynsford
	uin	215249
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The published proposals from our Housing Standards Review relate to new build housing. The conversion of an existing building is technically more complex than a new build – as the existing configuration of internal walls and structures will influence the spatial dimensions of the new dwelling.</p><p> </p><p>Notwithstanding, any new dwellings created by change of use would be subject to Housing Health and Safety Rating System regulations on space and crowding, as well as aspects of the building regulations including fire safety, sound insulation and energy efficiency.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 01/12/2014 09:36:14 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	171 label Biography information for Mr Nick Raynsford

169753

	registered interest
	date	11/12/2014
	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 Rented Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to publish (a) his Department's conclusions on the Review of Property Conditions in the Private Rented Sector and (b) the summary of the views expressed in response to that consultation.
	tabling member constituency	Greenwich and Woolwich
	tabling member printed	Mr Nick Raynsford
	uin	218368
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department published a discussion document earlier this year, <em>Review of Property Conditions in the Private Rented Sector</em>, which invited views on what more could be done to improve property conditions and tackle rogue landlords. An announcement on the outcome of the consultation will be made in the New Year.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 16/12/2014 16:47:09 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	171 label Biography information for Mr Nick Raynsford

174087

	registered interest
	date	15/01/2015
	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	Recreation Spaces
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many adopted local plans include the designation of local green spaces; and how many such spaces have been designated.
	tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
	uin	HL4190
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2015 answer text <p>We do not collect detailed statistics on individual policies within Local Plans.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/01/2015 12:05:38 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves

178461

	registered interest
	date	09/02/2015
	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	Local Government Finance: Sefton
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the level of Sefton Council's (a) allocated and (b) unallocated reserves.
	tabling member constituency	Southport
	tabling member printed	John Pugh
	uin	223746
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>As at 31 March 2014, Sefton held £67.7 million in revenue reserves, of which £17.8 million was schools reserves and £49.9 million was non-ringfenced reserves. Of the non-ringfenced reserves, £39.7 million were earmarked reserves, and £10.2 million were unallocated reserves.</p><p> </p><p>These figures are taken from the Revenue Outturn form which has been completed by all local authorities in England and published at the following link;</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><br>We have encouraged councils to make creative use of reserves, such as &quot;invest to save&quot; projects to reduce long-term costs.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 23/02/2015 16:02:49 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1454 label Biography information for John Pugh

224660

	registered interest
	date	03/03/2015
	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: 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 estimate his Department made when assessing the potential availability of land for its proposed starter homes policy of the proportion of sites that might otherwise be brought forward for residential development without the introduction of that policy.
	tabling member constituency	Greenwich and Woolwich
	tabling member printed	Mr Nick Raynsford
	uin	226134
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2015 answer text <p>As laid out in the guidance on Starter Homes published by my Department, Starter Homes exception sites are expected to be on land that has been in commercial or industrial use, and which has not currently been identified for residential development. The types and sizes of site suitable for Starter Homes are likely to vary across the country, and will reflect the pattern of existing and former industrial and commercial use as well as local market conditions. Land in both public and private ownership can be considered</p><p> </p><p>The Coalition Government’s goal is to deliver 100,000 new homes under the scheme. Already more than 30 house builders have said that they support the plans.</p><p> </p><p>The Prime Minister has also set out Conservative Party policy intentions to take the scheme further in the next Parliament.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 225975 question first answered 09/03/2015 16:52:28 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 48312 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	171 label Biography information for Mr Nick Raynsford

225873

	registered interest
	date	09/03/2015
	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: Construction
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's proposed exceptions policy, whether starter homes can count towards affordable housing obligations on sites for development outside designated starter homes exceptions areas.
	tabling member constituency	Greenwich and Woolwich
	tabling member printed	Mr Nick Raynsford
	uin	226673
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2015 answer text <p>I refer the rt. hon. Member to my Department’s guidance on the national starter home exception site policy, which can be found at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/starter-homes-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/starter-homes-guidance</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 226652 question first answered 12/03/2015 16:10:50 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	171 label Biography information for Mr Nick Raynsford