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155432

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	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	Fire Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act to permit fire authorities to contract out the full provision of fire and rescue services.
	tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
	tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
	uin	214403
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>We are supportive of fire and rescue authorities looking at new and innovative ways of delivering their services to best meet the needs of their communities. <br> <br> We have no current plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend sections 44 and 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act and I refer the hon. Member to the previous Parliamentary Under Secretary of State responsible for fire services (Brandon Lewis) speech in an Adjournment Debate on 13 May 2013 (<em>Official Report</em>, column 470 onwards) where he set out the Government's position on mutuals very clearly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 17/11/2014 16:02:06 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

155433

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2014
	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	Cleveland Fire Brigade
	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 his Department has had with Cleveland Fire Brigade about the introduction of public service mutuals.
	tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
	tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
	uin	214402
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>I and my officials meet representatives from fire and rescue authorities from time to time on a range of matters. Since becoming Fire Minister in July, neither my officials nor I have had a meeting with Cleveland Fire Brigade to discuss the introduction of public service mutuals. <br><br></p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 17/11/2014 16:03:51 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

176352

	registered interest
	date	28/01/2015
	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	Poverty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when his Department last published data about the extent of deprivation in different parts of the UK.
	tabling member constituency	East Ham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
	uin	222450
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>The Department for Communities and Local Government produces measures of neighbourhood deprivation in England. The most recent publication is the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2010" target="_blank">English Indices of Deprivation 2010</a>, published in March 2011. The devolved administrations each publish their own Indices of Deprivation but there is no UK-wide version. The Department is currently updating the English Indices of Deprivation, for publication in summer 2015.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 02/02/2015 16:40:38 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

63199

	registered interest
	date	23/06/2014
	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	Fire Services
	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 estimate the Government spend per head of population on fire and rescue services in (a) Nottinghamshire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) England in each of the last three years.
	tabling member constituency	Sherwood
	tabling member printed	Mr Mark Spencer
	uin	201779
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The table below shows local authority expenditure on fire and rescue services, as well as the number of fire incidents attended, over the last decade. It illustrates the significant fall in the number of incidents attended, whilst average spending has remained broadly the same over that long-term period.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td colspan="2"><p><em>Expenditure per head</em></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><em>Fire incidents attended</em></p></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td><p>Nottinghamshire</p></td><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>Nottinghamshire</p></td><td><p>England</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003-04</p></td><td><p>£31.98</p></td><td><p>£34.82</p></td><td><p>13,800</p></td><td><p>473,600</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004-05</p></td><td><p>£35.83</p></td><td><p>£38.36</p></td><td><p>9,000</p></td><td><p>342,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>£35.40</p></td><td><p>£40.56</p></td><td><p>8,700</p></td><td><p>336,100</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>£36.85</p></td><td><p>£43.03</p></td><td><p>8,600</p></td><td><p>336,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>£38.61</p></td><td><p>£43.46</p></td><td><p>7,700</p></td><td><p>293,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>£38.61</p></td><td><p>£40.60</p></td><td><p>6,300</p></td><td><p>249,200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>£39.54</p></td><td><p>£41.71</p></td><td><p>6,200</p></td><td><p>241,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>£38.48</p></td><td><p>£41.12</p></td><td><p>5,600</p></td><td><p>228,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£37.64</p></td><td><p>£39.87</p></td><td><p>6,100</p></td><td><p>223,900</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£36.98</p></td><td><p>£39.61</p></td><td><p>3,300</p></td><td><p>154,400</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><sup>Sources: Revenue Outturn forms and Office of National Statistic’s mid-year population estimates. </sup></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My Department does not publish statistics by the former Government Office Regions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Last year, Sir Ken Knight’s independent review of the fire and rescue services found huge variations in the way that local fire and rescue authorities operated. Services continue to spend according to the budget they are given, rather than to the risks they have to manage. Huge variations exist between how the 46 different fire authorities operate, with the cost per head of providing a service almost double in some areas to that of others. This did not seem to be related to whether they are large or small, rural or urban, deprived or affluent.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Sir Ken concluded that there were significant opportunities for sensible savings such as through: sharing of senior staff, 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, locally-led mergers and operational collaborations, new fire-fighting technology, preventative approaches and working with local businesses.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 09/09/2014 14:58:57 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer

77127

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2014
	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	Floods
	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 has been made on making the full amount of flood funds available to local communities.
	tabling member constituency	Rossendale and Darwen
	tabling member printed	Jake Berry
	uin	204999
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the flood recovery progress report published on 27 November, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 01/12/2014 09:33:48 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4060 label Biography information for Sir Jake Berry

77542

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2014
	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	Fire Services: Industrial Disputes
	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 25 June 2014, Official Report, column 311, on the firefighters' dispute, what his proposals are to resolve the firefighters' dispute; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Knowsley
	tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
	uin	205671
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The consultation on the draft regulations has now concluded and whilst final decisions are still to be taken on the detail of the scheme design, representative bodies and the employers were informed on 9 July that the Department had decided to reinstate the offer made in June last year, regarding more generous actuarial reductions to the pensions of firefighters who retire between the ages of 55 and 57. The actuarial reduction rate applied to benefits accrued in the 2015 scheme would be 21.8 per cent at age 55, and 17.9 per cent at age 56, using today’s assumptions. This compares favourably with the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2006, where the reduction at age 55 is around 40 per cent, and at age 56 is around 38 per cent. All pension benefits built up by a member in their current scheme will be fully protected, calculated on their final salary, and can be taken on retirement from the member’s current pension age without actuarial reduction. On top of this, as set out in the recent consultation, our proposals include a significant reduction in employee contribution rates for firefighters transferring from the 1992 Scheme to the 2015 Scheme. Contributions for such a firefighter earning £29,000 a year will go down from 14.2 per cent to 12.2 per cent in April 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Despite these arrangements, the Fire Brigades Union has continued with its campaign of strike action. Progress towards resolving this dispute remains entirely in their hands.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 21/07/2014 15:01:24 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

77543

	registered interest
	date	14/07/2014
	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	Fire Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the average response time was for a first appliance to a fire incident in England in a (a) dwelling and (b) non-dwelling in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14 for each brigade in England.
	tabling member constituency	Knowsley
	tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
	uin	205672
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>To assist the rt. hon. Member, a table giving the latest available information has been placed in the Library of the House. Information for 2013-14 response times is not currently available and will be published on the 7 August 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Overall, average response times in England in the most recent year available are broadly unchanged from 2010-11.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 21/07/2014 15:02:25 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

89994

	registered interest
	date	01/09/2014
	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	Fire Services
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department audits the annual reports submitted to it on operations of fire and rescue services; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Colchester
	tabling member printed	Sir Bob Russell
	uin	207772
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2014 answer text <p>Section 25 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament every two years on the extent to which fire and rescue authorities are acting in accordance with the Fire and Rescue National Framework, which includes a requirement that authorities publish an annual statement of assurance on financial, governance and operational matters. A copy of that report has been placed in the Library of the House. <br><br>On 15 July 2014 the Secretary of State reported that he was satisfied that each fire and rescue authority in England had been acting in accordance with the Framework.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 08/09/2014 15:43:27 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	35 label Biography information for Sir Bob Russell

89995

	registered interest
	date	01/09/2014
	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	Fire Services: Pensions
	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 provide additional funds to Essex Fire and Rescue Service to cover the cost of payments to the Firefighters Injury Pension scheme incurred in each financial year since 2006.
	tabling member constituency	Colchester
	tabling member printed	Sir Bob Russell
	uin	207773
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2014 answer text <p>The regulations governing the Firefighters’ Pension Schemes set out which payments are eligible for annual pension top-up grant claims by fire and rescue authorities and is paid by the Department. The statutory ‘<em>Guidance for fire and rescue authorities on new financial arrangements for firefighter pensions with effect from April 2006</em>’ issued by the Department in 2006 provides guidance for fire and rescue authorities to implement the finance arrangements, including setting out which specific payments are eligible for top-up grant expenditure and which are not eligible. The guidance sets out that injury awards are not eligible expenditure for the top up grant.</p><p> </p><p>We understand that, since the changes were implemented in 2006, Essex Fire and Rescue Authority has incorrectly claimed certain injury payments as eligible expenditure through the top-up grant. We are in discussions with the fire authority on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 09/09/2014 15:32:30 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	35 label Biography information for Sir Bob Russell

77041

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2014
	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	Fires: Safety
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance is given by his Department on safety of havans in Hindu community, cultural and religious events and the compatibility of such instruments with existing fire regulations.
	tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
	tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
	uin	205132
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>This Government strongly supports faith communities being able to celebrate and mark religious festivals and exercise their freedom of religion.</p><p> </p><p>Any event involving fires requires the application of some sensible planning. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all commercial premises and others to which the public have access. It requires the employer or building owner to assess the risk of fire to any occupants and put in place adequate fire safety measures to remove or reduce the risk to as low as reasonably practicable.</p><p> </p><p>We have not produced any specific guidance on Havan, although we have produced more general guidance on fire safety, including advice on open-air events, and on small and large assemblies. These can be found online at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities/fire-safety-advice-documents" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities/fire-safety-advice-documents</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 17/07/2014 15:39:50 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
	tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra