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41162

	registered interest
	date	04/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name
	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 3 March 2014, Official Report, column 694W, on polling stations, what assessment he has made of the effect of foreign language translation by local authorities on integration of non-English speakers into their communities.
	tabling member constituency	Bromley and Chislehurst
	tabling member printed	Robert Neill
	uin	190554
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>In March 2013, my Department published new guidance for local authorities outlining how councils should stop translating into foreign languages. As outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement of 12 March 2013, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 5WS, such translation weakens integration; discourages communities from learning English; undermines rather than strengthens equality goals; harms community relations; and is an expensive waste of taxpayers' money at a time when councils need to be making sensible savings. It is disappointing that councils like Tower Hamlets have disregarded that guidance, and reflects broader issues with the dysfunctional governance and divisive practices of the council.</p><p>I would add that in light of previous instances of electoral fraud, including impersonation in polling stations, postal voting irregularities and allegations of improper influence, Ministers in this Department have concerns about the practice of allowing foreign language translators/interpreters inside polling stations. The privacy of the ballot must be protected and voters inside a polling station should not be subject to any pressure or influence to vote in a particular way. In that context, the integrity of the ballot box and of the local democratic process requires independent and transparent scrutiny in polling stations by polling agents, council staff, the police and, indeed, passing members of the public who are also voting. This is undermined by polling room administration being conducted in foreign languages.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	1601 label Biography information for Sir Robert Neill

47177

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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, which five companies were used most often to provide temporary workers for his Department in the last financial year; and how much in agency fees was paid to each of them.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
	tabling member printed	Chris Leslie
	uin	195547
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>In answering this question, we have used the Cabinet Office definition for contingent labour (temporary staff) which includes admin and clerical agency staff, interim managers and specialist contractors: use of such staff for short-term or specialist work can be better value for money than hiring staff on permanent contracts.</p><p>Details of the five companies that my Department has used most often in the last financial year for the provision of contingent labour are set out below:</p><p>Financial Year 2013-14</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Organisation</p></td><td><p>Total Expenditure (excluding VAT)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Capita Resourcing Ltd</p></td><td><p>£1,736,580</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Reed Employment Services</p></td><td><p>£172,702</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Reed Specialist Recruitment Ltd</p></td><td><p>£136,335</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Manpower UK Ltd</p></td><td><p>£40,423</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Premier Employment Group Ltd</p></td><td><p>£22,677</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To put this in context, my Department has cut spending on contingent labour from £14.4 million in 2009-10 to £3.3 million in 2013-14 as a result of the tightening of its internal management controls, institutionalising these in its systems and adhering to Treasury and Cabinet Office spending rules. This represents a saving of £11.1 million a year (2013-14 compared to 2009-10)</p><p>In addition to the savings on temporary workers, our departmental audited annual accounts for the core Department show that staff costs fell from £216 million in 2009-10 to £99 million in 2012-13, a reduction of 54% in cash terms, or a further saving of £117 million a year.</p><p>These savings also reflect the Coalition Government's agenda of decentralisation, ending the micromanagement of local government, the abolition of regional government, and the broader need to tackle the deficit left by the last Administration.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	422 label Biography information for Mr Chris Leslie

47181

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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, which 10 consultancy firms were paid the most by his Department in the last financial year; and how much each of those firms was paid.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
	tabling member printed	Chris Leslie
	uin	195569
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The table below sets out the ten consultancy firms that were paid the most by my Department in the last financial year</p><p>The data complies with definitions on Consultancy laid down by the Cabinet Office which excludes agency staff and interim (contingent) labour.</p><p><strong>Financial Year 2013-14</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Organisation</p></td><td><p>Total Expenditure (excluding VAT)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Local Partnership LLP*</p></td><td><p>£150,918</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>PricewaterhouseCoopers</p></td><td><p>£108,516</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ove Arup &amp; Partners</p></td><td><p>£66,790</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Amec Environment &amp; Infrastructure</p></td><td><p>£62,509</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Ernest &amp; Young LLP</p></td><td><p>£20,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Capgemini UK Plc</p></td><td><p>£17,000</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Grant Thornton UK LLP</p></td><td><p>£8,815</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Giant Professional Limited</p></td><td><p>£6,400</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oakleigh Consulting Ltd</p></td><td><p>£4,950</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Land Use Consultants</p></td><td><p>£1,345</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>* Local Partnerships is a company that is jointly owned by HM Treasury and the Local Government Association; it provides commercial expertise on matters of infrastructure, legal and contractual complexity and acts for the benefit of the public sector.</p><p>My Department has cut spending on consultancy from £36.6 million in 2009-10 to £0.5 million in 2013-14. This represents a saving of £36.1 million a year (2013-14 compared to 2009-10) and has been achieved through contract renegotiations, terminations and adherence to Cabinet Office controls on consultancy spending.</p><p>To put this in context, based on current estimates (which reflect accounting consequences from machinery of government changes) the DCLG Group is reducing its annual running costs by around 40% in real terms between 2010-11 and 2014-15. This equates to net savings of at least £532 million over this spending review period and includes savings of around £420 million from the closure of the Government Offices for the Regions.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	422 label Biography information for Mr Chris Leslie

47510

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2014
	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 UK firefighters left the service in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	East Lothian
	tabling member printed	Fiona O'Donnell
	uin	195804
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The following figures refer to England only, any further figures would be a matter for the relevant devolved administration.</p><p> </p><p><em> </em>The total numbers of firefighters leaving fire and rescue authorities in England over the last five years are shown in the table.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p><strong>All firefighter leavers from fire and rescue authorities, England</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Wholetime Firefighters</p></td><td><p>Retained Duty System</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>1,980</p></td><td><p>1,069</p></td><td><p>3,049</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>1,622</p></td><td><p>1,174</p></td><td><p>2,796</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>1,338</p></td><td><p>1,345</p></td><td><p>2,683</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>1,320</p></td><td><p>1,461</p></td><td><p>2,781</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>1,190</p></td><td><p>1,500</p></td><td><p>2,690</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>Source: Annual returns for fire and rescue authorities in England</em></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	3964 label Biography information for Fiona O'Donnell

47511

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2014
	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 UK firefighters (a) died on duty and (b) sustained accidents leading to medical retirement in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	East Lothian
	tabling member printed	Fiona O'Donnell
	uin	195818
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The following figures refer to England only, any further figures would be a matter for the relevant devolved administration.</p><p>The number of firefighter deaths on duty are shown in the table.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p><p> </p></td><td><p>Firefighter deaths while on duty, England</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>Source: Annual returns for fire and rescue authorities in England</em></p><p>The Department does not collect data on specific accidents leading to medical retirement. It does collect the number of medical discharges each year. To assist the hon. Member these have been provided in the table.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="4"><p>Leavers on Medical Discharge from Fire and Rescue Authorities, England</p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Wholetime Firefighters</p></td><td><p>Retained Duty System</p></td><td><p>Total</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>27</p></td><td><p>11</p></td><td><p>38</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>35</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p>47</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>32</p></td><td><p>33</p></td><td><p>65</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>51</p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>76</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>55</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>95</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>Source: Annual returns for fire and rescue authorities in England</em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	3964 label Biography information for Fiona O'Donnell

47918

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2014
	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, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2014, Official Report, column 800W, on Business Improvement Districts: Birmingham, when he expects to publish the report on the Business Improvement District for Sparkbrook and Springfield, or to reach a decision on that matter.
	tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
	tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
	uin	196137
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>A decision will be taken on the appeal against the establishment of the Sparkbrook and Springfield Business Improvement District in due course and all interested parties will be informed.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff