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45442

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	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 role of firefighters in responding to the recent floods.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	194056
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]</em></p><p> </p><p>More than 1,000 firefighters from across the country assisted with the flood response over December, January and February. We are extremely grateful for the work that they did to reduce water levels and help communities deal with the flooding.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

45441

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	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 assessment he has made of the appropriateness of the current recommended age of retirement for firefighters.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	194055
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]</em></p><p>An independent review for the Firefighters' Pension Committee in 2013 found that, under current practices, firefighters would be operationally fit at age 60 if they maintain a physically active and healthy lifestyle. One in three members of a firefighters' pension scheme is in the New Firefighters' Pension Scheme 2006, which already has a Normal Pension Age of 60. The Public Service Pensions Act 2013 set the Normal Pension Age for the reformed firefighters' pension scheme to be age 60 from 2015, in line with the recommendation from Lord Hutton's independent report.</p><p>A firefighter with a full career earning £29,000 will be able to retire at age 60 with a pension of £19,000 per annum. Firefighters will be able to retire before the scheme's Normal Pension Age with an actuarial reduction.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

45440

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	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 change the contribution rates to the Firefighters Pension Scheme.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	194054
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]</em></p><p>The Government response to the consultation on employee contribution rates to apply in the Firefighters' Pension Schemes from 1 April 2014 was published on 6 March alongside the amending regulations. The Government response can be found at <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/firefighters-pension-scheme-1992-and-new-firefighters-pension-scheme-2006" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/consultations/firefighters-pension-scheme-1992-and-new-firefighters-pension-scheme-2006</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

45439

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	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 assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in local government spending on the effectiveness of fire brigades.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	193997
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]</em></p><p>Fire and rescue authorities are best placed to assess and manage their services and do this through integrated risk management planning. Fire and rescue authorities now attend 46 per cent fewer incidents than ten years ago and they allocate their resources according to local risk<em>.</em></p><p>There is still scope for fire and rescue authorities to make sensible savings, e.g. through reforms to flexible staffing and crewing arrangements, better procurement; shared services, collaboration with emergency services and other organisations on service delivery and estates, sickness management; sharing of senior staff, locally led mergers and operational collaborations, new fire-fighting technology, preventative approaches and working with local businesses.</p><p>In his independent review, Sir Ken Knight concluded that fire and rescue authorities need to transform themselves to reflect the entirely different era of risk and demand they now operate in.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

45208

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester Central
	tabling member printed	Lucy Powell
	uin	193958
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The proportion of Department staff currently working reduced hours by Civil Service pay grade is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Administrative</strong></p><p><strong>Officer</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Executive Officer</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Higher Executive Officer</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Fast Stream</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>% Part-Time</strong></p></td><td><p>8.7%</p></td><td><p>11.4%</p></td><td><p>10.3%</p></td><td><p>2.1%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Senior Executive Officer</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Grade 7</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Grade 6</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>All Senior Civil Servants</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>% Part-Time</strong></p></td><td><p>12.5%</p></td><td><p>14.8%</p></td><td><p>10.0%</p></td><td><p>12.5%</p></td><td><p>11.7%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The proportion of Department staff currently working reduced hours by gender is as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Male</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Female</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>% Part-Time</strong></p></td><td><p>2.7%</p></td><td><p>20.3%</p></td><td><p>11.7%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>With regards to flexi-time, the Department operates a Flexible Working Hours system of attendance under which managers may agree that staff work flexibly within certain set hours. This policy applies to all non-Senior Civil Service staff at all office locations and is subject to operational need.</p><p>The Department does not hold a central record of staff working from home, a compressed working week, job share, and term-time only. These arrangements are agreed between managers and staff and may reflect very short term arrangements as well as those of a more enduring nature. As home working and compressed hours arrangements do not impact on pay or employment terms these arrangements are not recorded on the Department's central HR system. Where job share and term-time arrangements have an impact on pay or employment terms and conditions these staff are recorded as part-time on the Department's central HR system.</p><p>The Department's definition of part-time working is the same as reduced hours and so the above proportions still apply.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4263 label Biography information for Lucy Powell

45202

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	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 he has made of the likely effect of the Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment) Regulations 2014 on the amount of Community Infrastructure Levy collected.
	tabling member constituency	City of Durham
	tabling member printed	Roberta Blackman-Woods
	uin	193888
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Over the next 10 years it is estimated that the average annual Community Infrastructure Levy revenues could be in excess of £450 million. This is based on forecasts of the latest household projections and that adoption rates of the levy will steadily increase over the next few years, leading to a rise in overall levy revenues. We now have 30 charging schedules in place and anticipate a further 10 to be adopted by early June 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1501 label Biography information for Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods

45203

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his most recent assessment is of the success of the zero carbon homes policy; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Stalybridge and Hyde
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Reynolds
	uin	193886
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Budget 2014 reaffirmed the Government's commitment to implement zero carbon homes from 2016. In Growth Review 2011 we set out a fair, practical and cost effective approach to zero carbon homes. This made house builders responsible for abating the carbon from energy use from systems which they can control – heating and hot water systems and building services - not the energy use from appliances which they cannot be expected to control. We are taking forward the zero carbon homes policy through a staged approach of steadily strengthening the energy performance requirements in the Building Regulations and through the introduction of cost-effective options for off-site carbon reductions – ‘Allowable Solutions'. Under this Government the energy performance requirements for new homes, the latest of which come into force on 6 April 2014, have been strengthened by around 30% from the previous 2006 standard saving house holder's fuel bills and cutting carbon emissions.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
	tabling member	4119 label Biography information for Jonathan Reynolds

45198

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on measures to allow town and parish councils to send agendas electronically.
	tabling member constituency	Corby
	tabling member printed	Andy Sawford
	uin	193805
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires local authorities (both principal and parish councils) to send summonses to attend meetings by post. Reflecting the take-up of digital communications, Ministers are minded to issue an Order under Section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 to facilitate this being done electronically; although we do believe that councillors should continue to have a right to receive communications in hard copy by post should they wish, and that this should be reflected in any legislative change.</p><p>We will be undertaking an informal sounding shortly on the wording of any draft Order with key partners, including the Local Government Association and the National Association of Local Councils.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4265 label Biography information for Andy Sawford

45199

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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
	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 deaths in fires in domestic properties in England there were in each year since 1999.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	193770
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The number of fatal casualties from fires in domestic properties in England has reduced by 42% from 1998/99 to 2012/13. The data for each year is provided in the table below.</p><p>The Government remains committed to ensuring the fire safety of people in their own homes. The Department's long-running fire safety campaign – established in 1988 and re-branded as Fire Kills in 1999 – is delivered in partnership with fire and rescue authorities across England. The award-winning campaign promotes a range of fire safety messages, primarily around the importance of working smoke alarms, to help drive down the number of fires and associated casualties.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Fatalities in dwelling fires in England</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1998/99</p></td><td><p>361</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1999/00</p></td><td><p>343</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2000/01</p></td><td><p>336</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2001/02</p></td><td><p>355</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2002/03</p></td><td><p>307</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003/04</p></td><td><p>333</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004/05</p></td><td><p>277</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005/06</p></td><td><p>280</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006/07</p></td><td><p>259</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007/08</p></td><td><p>275</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008/09</p></td><td><p>255</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>252</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>252</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>233</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>211</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

44977

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2014
	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
	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 and what proportion of local authorities which registered for emergency financial assistance under the Bellwin Scheme as a result of recent flooding have received payment within 15 working days.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	193630
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]</em></p><p>Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is casually linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. It operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.</p><p>As at 27 March 2014, only five local authorities have submitted Bellwin claims in respect of the recent flooding. One of these claims was paid within 15 days. The other four claims have only been received in the last few days and should also be paid within 15 days. Local authorities have until the end of June 2014 to apply.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn