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174366

	registered interest
	date	19/01/2015
	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	Care Quality Commission
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if his Department will take steps with the Department of Health to progress the commencement of powers for the Care Quality Commission to undertake inspections of how local authorities commission their care services where no specific complaints have been made.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	221242
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The power for a Secretary of State to require the Care Quality Commission to undertake a special inspection of local authority commissioning of care services has already been commenced.</p><p> </p><p>The Coalition Government has a strong record of reducing top-down inspections of local government, reflecting commitments made in the Coalition Agreement. Intervention in the activities of locally accountable councils should only be considered where a last resort.</p><p> </p><p>I am not aware of any evidence that would constitute the kinds of exceptional circumstances that would warrant deployment of this power. Indeed it is arguable that local councils have been very effective in procuring care services and local taxpayers will thank them for having kept care costs under control.</p><p> </p><p>Even where there is evidence of poor commissioning practice by particular councils, the Government expects councils collectively, through the Local Government Association, to take the lead in improving poor performance. The Association has developed a programme of peer support available to councils, which includes mentoring and peer challenges.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 221243 222632 question first answered 09/02/2015 17:30:28 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

174367

	registered interest
	date	19/01/2015
	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	Care Quality Commission
	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 his Department has made of the effect of the commencement of wider powers for the Care Quality Commission to undertake inspections into local authorities' commissioning of care services.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	221243
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The power for a Secretary of State to require the Care Quality Commission to undertake a special inspection of local authority commissioning of care services has already been commenced.</p><p> </p><p>The Coalition Government has a strong record of reducing top-down inspections of local government, reflecting commitments made in the Coalition Agreement. Intervention in the activities of locally accountable councils should only be considered where a last resort.</p><p> </p><p>I am not aware of any evidence that would constitute the kinds of exceptional circumstances that would warrant deployment of this power. Indeed it is arguable that local councils have been very effective in procuring care services and local taxpayers will thank them for having kept care costs under control.</p><p> </p><p>Even where there is evidence of poor commissioning practice by particular councils, the Government expects councils collectively, through the Local Government Association, to take the lead in improving poor performance. The Association has developed a programme of peer support available to councils, which includes mentoring and peer challenges.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 221242 222632 question first answered 09/02/2015 17:30:29 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

176730

	registered interest
	date	29/01/2015
	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	Care Quality Commission
	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 direct officials in his Department to meet officials in the Department for Health to discuss giving the Care Quality Commission wider powers than they currently have to undertake inspections of how local authorities commission their care services, even where no specific complaints have been made.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	222632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The power for a Secretary of State to require the Care Quality Commission to undertake a special inspection of local authority commissioning of care services has already been commenced.</p><p> </p><p>The Coalition Government has a strong record of reducing top-down inspections of local government, reflecting commitments made in the Coalition Agreement. Intervention in the activities of locally accountable councils should only be considered where a last resort.</p><p> </p><p>I am not aware of any evidence that would constitute the kinds of exceptional circumstances that would warrant deployment of this power. Indeed it is arguable that local councils have been very effective in procuring care services and local taxpayers will thank them for having kept care costs under control.</p><p> </p><p>Even where there is evidence of poor commissioning practice by particular councils, the Government expects councils collectively, through the Local Government Association, to take the lead in improving poor performance. The Association has developed a programme of peer support available to councils, which includes mentoring and peer challenges.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 221242 221243 question first answered 09/02/2015 17:30:29 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

622693

	registered interest
	date	27/10/2016
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Northern Ireland Office: Apprentices
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many apprenticeships have been created in his Department in each region in each of the last five years; and how many participants in those apprenticeships subsequently secured a job within the Civil Service.
	tabling member constituency	Stockton North
	tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
	uin	50814
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2016 answer text <p>In light of the Government’s manifesto commitment to achieve three million new apprenticeship starts in England by the end of the Parliament, the Cabinet Office will be centrally collecting data on apprenticeships to allow the Civil Service to report on its contribution towards the national target.</p><p> </p><p>One apprenticeship has been created in my Department to date. This is based in London and commenced in February 2016. I am therefore unable to comment on whether the apprentice will later secure a job in the Civil Service.</p><p> </p><p>As my department has 42 staff based in England this meets the apprenticeship target set by the Civil Service.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 01/11/2016 15:12:12 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

595999

	registered interest
	date	07/10/2016
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Breast Milk: Donors
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what arrangements he plans to put in place for milk bank sharing between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland when the UK leaves the EU.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
	tabling member printed	Alison Thewliss
	uin	47199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2016 answer text <p>The issue of milk bank sharing is a devolved matter and as such falls to the Department of Health in Northern Ireland. However, the UK Government’s focus remains on making a success of exiting the European Union and getting the right deal both for Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 14/10/2016 12:03:44 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4430 label Biography information for Alison Thewliss

114947

	registered interest
	date	05/11/2014
	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	Welfare Assistance Schemes: Bedfordshire
	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 he expects to provide to (a) Bedford Borough Council and (b) Central Bedfordshire Council for local welfare assistance schemes in 2015-16.
	tabling member constituency	North East Bedfordshire
	tabling member printed	Alistair Burt
	uin	213516
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>On 10 October, the Government published a consultation paper which sets out the Government's proposed options on how local welfare provision could be funded in 2015/16. The Government has committed to analysing the responses alongside the findings of the review that the Department for Work and Pensions has recently undertaken into the existing provision, the findings of which were published in a report on 5 November. The findings from both the review and consultation will help to inform future funding levels.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 17/11/2014 11:27:47 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt

176882

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2015
	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	Termination of Employment
	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 compromise agreements his Department has made with departing staff in each year since 2010; and how many such agreements contained confidentiality clauses.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	222784
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>Since January 2010 eight departing DCLG employees have signed compromise agreements. <br><br>None of these cases concerned an issue of &quot;Whistle blowing&quot; and none sought in any way to restrict the rights of an individual to make public interest disclosure under The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.<br><br>None of these staff were forced to enter into these agreements and all received legal advice before they agreed to settlement.<br><br><br></p><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Year</strong></td><td><strong>Compromise Agreements</strong></td><td><strong>Confidentiality Clause</strong></td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>4</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>3</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br>The 2013 report by the National Audit Office into the public sector's use of confidentiality clauses noted how DCLG Ministers had stopped the previous Whitehall practices of payments being made for confidentiality clauses.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 09/02/2015 15:58:05 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

225613

	registered interest
	date	06/03/2015
	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	Health Services: Greater Manchester
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what analysis of financial risk to Greater Manchester councils has been made during the Manchester NHS devolution negotiations.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	226621
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2015 answer text <p>The devolution deal is about greater integration of the money spent locally on health and social care across the city by local authorities and health bodies. It does not affect the allocation of funding to councils in Greater Manchester. Greater integration and joint working has the potential to reduce costs and improve outcomes.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 11/03/2015 15:15:03 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

225615

	registered interest
	date	06/03/2015
	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	Mayors
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to introduce metro mayors in metropolitan counties other than Greater Manchester.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	226623
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>The <em>Government’s response to the Heseltine review</em> (Cm 8587, March 2013) stated that the Government would support local authorities that wish to create a combined authority or implement other forms of collaboration (for example, shared management), and would also support local authorities that wished to have a directly-elected conurbation mayor.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is open to discuss proposals from any areas on the scope to further decentralise in England, where there is both strong governance and the capacity and capability to deliver on driving economic growth. A directly-elected mayor may be one element of such a case. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution.</p><p> </p><p>The recent command paper, <em>Implications of devolution for England</em> (Cm 8969, December 2014) also sets the views of both Coalition parties on decentralisation in England.</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implications-of-devolution-for-england" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implications-of-devolution-for-england</a></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/03/2015 18:13:23 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

226233

	registered interest
	date	10/03/2015
	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	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 discussions he has had with local government representatives on altering section 7 (2) and (3) of the Local Government Act 1972 relating to elections in metropolitan districts.
	tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
	tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
	uin	226910
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2015 answer text <p>Whilst we have had no such discussions about these provisions in the Local Government Act 1972, which provide for metropolitan district councils to elect a third of the council in each of 3 years out of 4, my officials have had discussions or consultations with the councils of Birmingham and Rotherham about changing the pattern of their elections to the whole of the council being elected every four years.</p><p> </p><p>I have laid the necessary statutory orders to move Birmingham to whole council elections from May 2018 and I intend shortly to lay the order to move Rotherham to whole council elections from May 2016.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/03/2015 15:14:25 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne