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100112

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	Department for Communities and Local Government: Written Questions
	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 answer Question 207630, tabled on 1 September 2014 by the right hon. Member for Leeds Central.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	211289
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>Questions 207630 and 207599 were answered on 30 October.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 211290 question first answered 11/11/2014 16:22:39 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 24183 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

100114

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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 Plans
	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 percentage of local planning authorities in England have (a) not published, (b) not submitted and (c) not adopted a local plan as of 21 October 2014.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
	tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
	uin	211286
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>I refer the rt. hon. Member to my written answer of 9 October 2014, PQ 208138.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/10/2014 15:48:50 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 24174 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

100319

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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	Members: Correspondence
	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 plans to reply to the letter of 24 July 2014 from the hon. Member for Warley, on compulsory purchase orders.
	tabling member constituency	Warley
	tabling member printed	Mr John Spellar
	uin	211411
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>My Department takes seriously its responsibilities to respond to MP’s letters in a timely fashion. Having checked all of our databases I can find no record of the letter the rt. hon. Member for Warley refers to and I respectfully ask him to send me a copy so that I may respond.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/10/2014 15:41:51 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	318 label Biography information for John Spellar

100321

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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	Social 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, how many homes in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency, (b) the borough of Tower Hamlets, (c) London and (d) England failed to meet the decent homes standard in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Bethnal Green and Bow
	tabling member printed	Rushanara Ali
	uin	211624
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to my written answer of 21 October 2014, PQ 206256.</p><p> </p><p>Figures are held by local authority area, not parliamentary constituency.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 29/10/2014 16:35:05 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 24450 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4138 label Biography information for Rushanara Ali

100435

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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	Refuges
	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 number of children living with parents in women's refuges in (a) Huddersfield, (b) Kirklees, (c) Yorkshire and (d) England.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	211435
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>The Statistics requested are not centrally held.<br><br></p><p>Decisions on the provision of accommodation for victims of domestic abuse are for local authorities; we expect local authorities to commission services based on the needs of their communities, taking account of locally available data sources.</p><p> </p><p>The dynamics of domestic abuse mean that accommodation can play an important role in the resolution of interpersonal abuse and conflict. This is why the homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and for vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own.</p><p> </p><p>There is a range of support for victims of domestic abuse. Some victims will be accommodated in refuges, but Sanctuary Schemes and mainstream local authority accommodation may be an option for others, while some victims will pursue independent solutions with help and advice from support schemes as necessary.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has secured £6.5 billion investment to help vulnerable people through housing related support. This forms a key element of refuge funding through local authority commissioned services. We also fund UKRefugesOnline a UK wide database of domestic violence services which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline. This service enables those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and potential refuge vacancies around the country so that victims can get the help they need as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has ring-fenced nearly £40 million of funding for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services until 2015. This funding is used to part-fund 54 multi-agency risk assessment conference co-ordinators and 144 independent domestic violence advisers. We have piloted and rolled out Clare's Law and domestic violence protection orders; extended the definition of domestic abuse to cover controlling behaviour and teenage relationships; run two successful campaigns to challenge perceptions of abuse; and placed Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing to make sure lessons are learned from individual tragedies.</p><p> </p><p>We are keeping this matter under review, and are keen to support best practice and greater joint working<em>. </em></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 211433 211434 question first answered 28/10/2014 15:39:30 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

100451

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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	Refuges
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that there are sufficient women's refuges to meet demand.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	211433
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>The Statistics requested are not centrally held.<br><br></p><p>Decisions on the provision of accommodation for victims of domestic abuse are for local authorities; we expect local authorities to commission services based on the needs of their communities, taking account of locally available data sources.</p><p> </p><p>The dynamics of domestic abuse mean that accommodation can play an important role in the resolution of interpersonal abuse and conflict. This is why the homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and for vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own.</p><p> </p><p>There is a range of support for victims of domestic abuse. Some victims will be accommodated in refuges, but Sanctuary Schemes and mainstream local authority accommodation may be an option for others, while some victims will pursue independent solutions with help and advice from support schemes as necessary.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has secured £6.5 billion investment to help vulnerable people through housing related support. This forms a key element of refuge funding through local authority commissioned services. We also fund UKRefugesOnline a UK wide database of domestic violence services which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline. This service enables those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and potential refuge vacancies around the country so that victims can get the help they need as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has ring-fenced nearly £40 million of funding for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services until 2015. This funding is used to part-fund 54 multi-agency risk assessment conference co-ordinators and 144 independent domestic violence advisers. We have piloted and rolled out Clare's Law and domestic violence protection orders; extended the definition of domestic abuse to cover controlling behaviour and teenage relationships; run two successful campaigns to challenge perceptions of abuse; and placed Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing to make sure lessons are learned from individual tragedies.</p><p> </p><p>We are keeping this matter under review, and are keen to support best practice and greater joint working<em>. </em></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 211434 211435 question first answered 28/10/2014 15:39:29 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

100452

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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	Refuges
	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 women's refuges are operating in (a) Huddersfield, (b) Kirklees, (c) Yorkshire and (d) England.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	211434
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>The Statistics requested are not centrally held.<br><br></p><p>Decisions on the provision of accommodation for victims of domestic abuse are for local authorities; we expect local authorities to commission services based on the needs of their communities, taking account of locally available data sources.</p><p> </p><p>The dynamics of domestic abuse mean that accommodation can play an important role in the resolution of interpersonal abuse and conflict. This is why the homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and for vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own.</p><p> </p><p>There is a range of support for victims of domestic abuse. Some victims will be accommodated in refuges, but Sanctuary Schemes and mainstream local authority accommodation may be an option for others, while some victims will pursue independent solutions with help and advice from support schemes as necessary.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has secured £6.5 billion investment to help vulnerable people through housing related support. This forms a key element of refuge funding through local authority commissioned services. We also fund UKRefugesOnline a UK wide database of domestic violence services which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline. This service enables those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and potential refuge vacancies around the country so that victims can get the help they need as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>This Government has ring-fenced nearly £40 million of funding for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services until 2015. This funding is used to part-fund 54 multi-agency risk assessment conference co-ordinators and 144 independent domestic violence advisers. We have piloted and rolled out Clare's Law and domestic violence protection orders; extended the definition of domestic abuse to cover controlling behaviour and teenage relationships; run two successful campaigns to challenge perceptions of abuse; and placed Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing to make sure lessons are learned from individual tragedies.</p><p> </p><p>We are keeping this matter under review, and are keen to support best practice and greater joint working<em>. </em></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 211433 211435 question first answered 28/10/2014 15:39:30 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

100673

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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
	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 representations he has received on recording of council meetings in public.
	tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
	tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
	uin	211754
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 9 October 2014, PQ 208759, and the answer to her of 8 April 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 222W.</p><p> </p><p>We receive correspondence on a range of local government issues.</p><p> </p><p>We have published a plain English guide on the openness of council meetings to help councils, the press and members of the public.</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-and-accountable-local-government-plain-english-guide" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-and-accountable-local-government-plain-english-guide</a></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 29/10/2014 16:32:01 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

100674

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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 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 assessment his Department has made of the effect on changes in spending on local government since May 2010 on (a) staff morale and motivation and (b) level of services.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	211756
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Whilst savings have been made to help tackle the deficit left by the last Labour Government, they have been over-stated. Local government spending (excluding education) is actually higher than it was under the last Labour Government as the table below illustrates:</p><p><em>Local authority net current expenditure (excluding education) in England (£ million)</em></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2008-09</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2009-10</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010-11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£70,870.578</p></td><td><p>£74,705.768</p></td><td><p>£75,956.637</p></td><td><p>£75,000.191</p></td><td><p>£74,807.852</p></td><td><p>£77,063.700</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><sup>Note: Local government spending on education has structurally fallen due to the transfer of schools to Academy status, which are not funded through Local Education Authorities.</sup></p><p>We have not undertaken any assessment of staff morale, as employment decisions are a matter for local councils as employers. However, residents’ satisfaction is either the same or has increased according to independent surveys:</p><p> </p><p>• Research by ICM has found that 57 per cent of the public think that the quality of public services has improved or stayed the same compared to five years ago. Recycling collections, parks and open spaces, leisure centres and refuse collections are areas where the public think services have particularly improved (ICM Research, <em>BBC News Bailout Anniversary Poll: Attitudes towards public services</em>, September 2013).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>• Opinion research by PwC in 2014 has noted: ‘As with our 2013 survey, almost half of the public we surveyed were unaware of any reductions in local council services in their area. To some extent, this is a testament to the success of local authorities to date in focussing on internal efficiencies while protecting the frontline’ (PwC, <em>The Local State We’re In: PwC’s annual local government survey</em>, 2014, p.7).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>• A Ipsos Mori survey in 2014 has found that two-thirds (63 per cent) of local residents have said that local authority budget reductions have not made a noticeable difference to services (Zurich Municipal, <em>A new world of risk; change for good</em>, July 2014, p.19).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>• The number of respondents who were very or fairly satisfied with the way their local council runs things was 69 per cent in October 2010 (LGA, <em>Polling on resident satisfaction with councils</em>, September 2012). The latest 2014 figures were 70 per cent and 67 per cent (LGA, <em>Polling on resident satisfaction with councils, Full report</em>, January and July 2014).</p><p> </p><p>This shows the scope for the public sector to make sensible savings, whilst protecting frontline services and keeping council tax down.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 03/11/2014 17:01:28 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

100675

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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	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 methodology his Department recommends for the calculation of five year land supplies; whether planning authorities are required to use regional spatial strategy figures in such calculations; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
	tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
	uin	211685
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>The Coalition Government has abolished the last Administration’s top-down Regional Strategies which imposed housing numbers on local councils and fuelled resentment against new development.<br><br>Our planning reforms have ensured that councils should determine where new homes should and should not go through their Local Plans. It is for elected local councils working with their local communities to decide how best to meet their objectively assessed housing needs.</p><p><br>Our Planning Guidance, which we published on 6 March, sets out a clear and simplified methodology for assessing development needs for housing. Planning ahead for housing is the best way to make sure communities and business can have confidence and ensure enough housing is delivered to meet local needs.</p><p> </p><p>Housing projections provide the starting point estimate of overall housing need, but can then be adjusted to reflect other factors including any constraints on land. This creates a housing requirement figure, which is used as the starting point for calculating a five-year land supply.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/10/2014 14:24:51 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson