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106156

	registered interest
	date	04/11/2014
	answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
	answering dept id	92
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
	hansard heading	Oral Questions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Leader of the House whether she will propose to the Procedure Committee a review of the system for tabling oral questions in the House of Lords in respect of the requirement for members to queue.
	tabling member printed	Lord Avebury
	uin	HL2628
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The process for tabling oral questions was considered in detail in the 2012-13 session. In response to concerns raised about the current “first-come-first-served” system - including a concern about the requirement to queue raised by my Noble Friend, Lady Sharples - the Procedure Committee proposed the introduction of a ballot in its place (Procedure Committee, 3rd Report, Session 2012-13). The House remitted the issue back to the Procedure Committee for further consideration (HL Deb 9 Jan 2013, cols 145-172). <br><br>That further review did not identify a clear consensus as to whether a ballot was preferred to the “first-come-first-served” system (see Procedure Committee, 5th Report, Session 2012-13; see also HL Deb 24 April 2013, cols 1406-1417). <br><br>I know that strong views persist on both sides of the argument about this issue. I will write to the Chairman of the Procedure Committee on my Noble Friend’s behalf to suggest that the matter might be discussed at a future meeting of the Procedure Committee.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 18/11/2014 14:34:08 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	1665 label Biography information for Lord Avebury

156122

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Serious Fraud Office
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what steps he has taken to ensure that the Serious Fraud Office is perceived as a fully independent body in investigations of foreign bribery cases.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
	tabling member printed	Anas Sarwar
	uin	906111
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>In all cases, decisions to investigate are made by the Director of the Serious Fraud Office who acts independently. The Protocol between the Attorney General and the Prosecuting Departments sets out the relationship between the Director, the Law Officers and the Government of the day and safeguards prosecutorial independence. A copy of the protocol can be found at; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protocol-between-the-attorney-general-and-prosecuting-departments</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 18/11/2014 14:27:17 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	3981 label Biography information for Anas Sarwar

156141

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Prisons: Crimes of Violence
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, if the Crown Prosecution Service will take steps to ensure that all assaults against prison officers are prosecuted.
	tabling member constituency	Wycombe
	tabling member printed	Steve Baker
	uin	906112
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to ensuring that assaults against prison officers are dealt with robustly. The CPS considers each case on its own facts and in accordance with the two stage test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.The Code outlines that a prosecution is more likely to be in the public interest if the offence was committed against a person serving the public. Furthermore, the specific CPS Legal Guidance on Prison Offences outlines that, if the victim is a prison officer performing his/her duty, the public interest is heavily in favour of prosecution.</p><p>In addition to this, the new joint protocol produced by the Prison Service, CPS and Association of Chief Police Officers will set out that when there are serious assaults on prison staff, the perpetrators will be prosecuted unless there is a good reason why not.</p> answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright question first answered 18/11/2014 15:30:03 answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright
	tabling member	4064 label Biography information for Mr Steve Baker

105860

	registered interest
	date	03/11/2014
	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	Pay
	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 Instant Rewards of what value were given to his Department's officials in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date.
	tabling member constituency	Barrow and Furness
	tabling member printed	John Woodcock
	uin	213061
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department has reduced staffing costs from £218 million a year in 2009-10 to £95 million in 2013-14. We have also completely overhauled and reformed the system of bonuses, in turn, reducing spending from £1.3 million in financial year 2008-09 and £1.2 million in financial year 2009-10 (£1.0 million in performance year 2009-10) to £440,000 in performance year 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p>For staff who are not Senior Civil Service, this included replacing the Annual Performance Bonus Scheme and the in-year Special Bonus Scheme, with an Exceptional Performance Scheme and in-year Instant Voucher Reward Scheme. The latter is designed to enable managers to provide immediate acknowledgment of exceptional performance for smaller scale achievements over a short period of time. Vouchers are given in values of £10 to £50.</p><p> </p><p>The types of work that may qualify for a nomination include:</p><p> </p><ul><li>identifying and taking actions that results in cost savings and efficiencies;</li><li>stepping in to support colleagues at short notice to deliver business goals;</li><li>delivering high quality work ahead of agreed timescales;</li><li>exceeding the expectations of colleagues or customers;</li><li>displaying exemplary behaviour which reflects DCLG’s values;</li><li>receiving outstanding feedback from colleagues or external customers.</li></ul><p> </p><p>From the scheme’s launch in June 2013 to December 2013, 360 staff received a reward with an average payment of £34. From January 2014 to September 2014, 285 staff received a reward with an average payment of £30.</p><p> </p><p>I am unsure of whether the hon. Member wishes to disparage such small-scale bonuses because they may involve giving out shopping vouchers, yet we believe that they are a cost-effective way of improving staff performance within Whitehall and delivering a better service to the public.</p><p> </p><p>Indeed, the vouchers given for saving taxpayers’ money have delivered at least £40,000 of quantifiable savings and further efficiency improvements on top. Under the Labour Government, the state congratulated those that regulated more, spent more and taxed more. We want to reward those who regulate less, spend less and tax less.</p><p> </p><p>I would hope the hon. Member, as a Co-operative Party MP, supports the underlying principles of staff involvement, economic participation and self-improvement which we are embracing.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/11/2014 17:13:20 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	3917 label Biography information for Lord Walney

114482

	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	Wind Power: Planning Permission
	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 5 November (HL2193), about planning applications for land-based wind turbines, how many planning applications were called in for decision by the Secretary of State in the last 12 months and how they were disposed of in each case.
	tabling member printed	Lord Avebury
	uin	HL2668
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>In the last 12 months three planning applications for land based wind turbine development have been called in for determination by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Following call in, two of the applications were withdrawn and a public inquiry on the third is due in early 2015. All three followed requests by local or neighbouring Members of Parliament to call in the applications.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/11/2014 14:28:22 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	1665 label Biography information for Lord Avebury

142126

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2014
	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
	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 hon. Members have written to him to express concerns about the future funding of local welfare assistance schemes.
	tabling member constituency	Easington
	tabling member printed	Grahame M. Morris
	uin	213706
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department receives correspondence on a wide range of matters, typically handling in the region of 10,000 letters a year from hon. Members.</p><p> </p><p>On 10 October, the Government published a consultation on local welfare provision in 2015-16, to which hon. Members are very welcome to respond to if they wish.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 213717 question first answered 18/11/2014 16:54:32 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

142137

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2014
	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	Devolution: 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 recent discussions he has had with the Mayor of London and members of the Greater London Assembly on the devolution of his Department's powers to the Greater London area; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Hackney North and Stoke Newington
	tabling member printed	Ms Diane Abbott
	uin	213701
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>Ministers and officials in the Department have regular discussions with representatives of the Greater London Authority on topical matters and matters relating to decentralisation, including, for example, provisions in the Infrastructure Bill, and the implementation of the housing and regeneration powers devolved through the Localism Act 2011.<br><br></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/11/2014 16:52:29 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	172 label Biography information for Ms Diane Abbott

142142

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2014
	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
	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 hon. Members have written to him to express concern about the future funding of local welfare assistance schemes.
	tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
	tabling member printed	Mr Andy Slaughter
	uin	213717
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department receives correspondence on a wide range of matters, typically handling in the region of 10,000 letters a year from hon. Members.</p><p> </p><p>On 10 October, the Government published a consultation on local welfare provision in 2015-16, to which hon. Members are very welcome to respond to if they wish.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 213706 question first answered 18/11/2014 16:54:32 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

142143

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2014
	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	Buildings
	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 buildings owned by his Department have been sold in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Walsall South
	tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
	uin	213772
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department’s estate largely consists of leasehold properties. Since 2010 the Department has surrendered the following leasehold facilities, reducing the annual cost of the civil estate by around £38.5 million:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Building surrendered</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Location</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Cunard</p></td><td><p>Liverpool</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Belgrave Centre</p></td><td><p>Nottingham</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sheffield House</p></td><td><p>Stevenage</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mast House</p></td><td><p>Plymouth</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Riverwalk</p></td><td><p>London</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Westbrook</p></td><td><p>Cambridge</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>City Tower</p></td><td><p>Manchester</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Lysnoweth</p></td><td><p>Truro</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Piccadilly Gate</p></td><td><p>Manchester</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bridge House</p></td><td><p>Guildford</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Queen Street</p></td><td><p>Leeds</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eland House</p></td><td><p>London</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><br><br>The move of my Department's main building from Eland House to Marsham Street, to share with the Home Office, will reduce our Department's running costs by £9 million a year from 2015-16, and save taxpayers a total of £220 million over the lifetime of the building's lease commitments.</p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The table below indicates the number of buildings sold in each calendar year:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Calendar Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Buildings sold</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>Nil</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>Nil</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>Nil</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>34</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014</p></td><td><p>23</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The Department did hold one freehold land asset, the Fire Service College which has now been sold. In March 2013, the sale of the 365 acre Fire Service College estate, comprising 34 buildings, other non-habitable structures and land was sold for £10 million. The land was covered by an overage clause meaning the Department will share in any profits from future development of the College site. In addition this has generated savings of £3.9 million in running costs per year.</p><p>Following the College sale the Department is currently disposing of 33 houses in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, which were formerly part of the Fire Service College but were not sold with the main Fire Service College estate. So far this year 23 of these houses have been sold generating a receipt of £5,163,100, and a further 2 houses are under offer. The market value of the properties upon which sales have been agreed range from £215,000 to £250,000 and the total expected income from the sale of the 33 houses and linked development land is around £7,500,000.</p><p>The Department holds 10 remaining residential houses at the site, which will be sold during 2015/2016.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/11/2014 17:07:03 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 27674 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

142146

	registered interest
	date	06/11/2014
	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	Piers
	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 pier companies created by local acts of parliament in the 19th century are still in existence.
	tabling member constituency	North West Norfolk
	tabling member printed	Mr Henry Bellingham
	uin	213783
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>My Department does not hold the specific information requested. Acts of Parliament are a matter of public record and can be found by consulting a legal journal such as Halsbury’s Statutes. Details of any 19th century pier companies, created by local Acts of Parliament, that are still in existence may be found by consulting the online search register at Companies House at <a href="http://companieshouse.gov.uk/" target="_blank">http://companieshouse.gov.uk/</a></p><p> </p><p>According to the National Piers Society, there are 58 surviving piers in the United Kingdom of which 33 are in private sector ownership, 21 are owned by local authorities and 4 are in community or other ownership.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 18/11/2014 16:58:00 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	1441 label Biography information for Lord Bellingham