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44668

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	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 steps he is taking to encourage local authority pension funds to become signatories to the Stewardship Code.
	tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
	tabling member printed	Paul Uppal
	uin	193480
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Each local authority that administers a pension fund is already subject to statutory guidance that states that it should recognise the Financial Reporting Council's Stewardship Code and ensure that the Code is adopted by their fund managers, investment consultants and advisers. The guidance also states that the authority should include a statement of its policy on responsible ownership in its statement of the principles governing its investment decisions and report periodically to scheme members on the implementation of the policy. Sixteen of the eighty nine local government pension funds in England and Wales are themselves signatories to the Stewardship Code as asset owners.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 193481 question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4078 label Biography information for Paul Uppal

44669

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	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 steps he is taking to encourage local authority pension funds to become active owners or stewards of their assets as defined in the Financial Reporting Council's Stewardship Code.
	tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
	tabling member printed	Paul Uppal
	uin	193481
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Each local authority that administers a pension fund is already subject to statutory guidance that states that it should recognise the Financial Reporting Council's Stewardship Code and ensure that the Code is adopted by their fund managers, investment consultants and advisers. The guidance also states that the authority should include a statement of its policy on responsible ownership in its statement of the principles governing its investment decisions and report periodically to scheme members on the implementation of the policy. Sixteen of the eighty nine local government pension funds in England and Wales are themselves signatories to the Stewardship Code as asset owners.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 193480 question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4078 label Biography information for Paul Uppal

44670

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	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 need for local authority pension schemes to integrate environmental, social and governance issues into their investment decision-making.
	tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
	tabling member printed	Paul Uppal
	uin	193479
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p>These issues are matters for individual local authorities that administer pension funds to consider when deciding upon their investment strategies. Each administering authority is required to publish a statement of principles, which should address such issues. Statutory guidance states that the authority must report periodically to scheme members on the implementation of their policies.</p><p>Notwithstanding, local authorities need to focus on delivering a good rate of return for their fund and value for taxpayers, given local government pensions cost taxpayers (via employer contributions) almost £6 billion a year.</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	4078 label Biography information for Paul Uppal

44678

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	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 Department's policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	193383
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham on 26 March 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, column 300W.</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	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

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

32412

	registered interest
	date	13/01/2014
	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, what funding will be put in place to support local discretionary welfare provision after 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Rochdale
	tabling member printed	Simon Danczuk
	uin	182969
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 16 January 2014]</em></p><p>The nationally run Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans were poorly targeted and failed to help those most in need. So, in 2012 as part of wider welfare reform, the Department for Work and Pensions abolished these national discretionary schemes and transferred responsibility to local authorities so they could deliver and tailor new local support as part of their existing services to their communities.</p><p>Councils can continue to provide support to those in their community who face financial difficulties or who find themselves in unavoidable circumstances, but there is no requirement to replicate the previous approach adopted by central government.</p><p>In contrast to a centralised grant system that was poorly targeted, under the Department for Work and Pensions' reforms, councils can now choose how best to support local welfare needs within their areas – what is right for, say, Rochdale may not be for other authorities. Some councils have already chosen to wind down their dedicated schemes following underspends.</p><p>In the next Spending Round period, from April 2015, central government continues to provide support to local authorities through general funds as part of the Coalition Government's commitment to reducing ring-fencing and ending top-down Whitehall control.</p><p>The Department for Work and Pensions provided a separate fund for 2013-2015 and are carrying out a review of the provision to date.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 12/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4059 label Biography information for Simon Danczuk

19992

	registered interest
	date	11/11/2013
	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, how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, his Department has made in each year since 2010; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
	tabling member printed	Chris Leslie
	uin	175475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>Role of the Department</em></p><p>Reflecting our responsibilities for local government, housing, planning and communities across England, the work of the Department involves staff travelling to different parts of the country.</p><p>Improved procurement has reduced our average domestic hotel rate in the UK by 8% between 2009-10 and 2012-13. Moreover, domestic flights for longer journeys can avoid the need for paying for staff to stay in a hotel overnight.</p><p>Since 2011-12, the Department accepted responsibility for some new functions outside of London, including residual functions following the closure of the Government Offices for the Regions and then oversight of the European Regional Development Fund following the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies. As these business functions relate to work in areas outside of London and to the European Commission, this has therefore increased our travel spend compared to the base of 2010-11. However, this is far more than offset by the very significant savings to taxpayers of the abolition of these regional bodies.</p><p>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>In addition to this, I note that the Regional Development Agencies were spending in the region of £246 million a year on administration (as cited in 11 March 2009, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 592W).</p><p><em>Spending data</em></p><p>The tables below list spending on travel by financial year. Figures for 2009-10 are from July 2009, as this is when the department's current approved travel agent contract commenced; those figures are therefore only for three-quarters of the financial year, and the full year is likely to be proportionately higher.</p><p> </p><table><thead><tr><td> </td><td><p><em>Overseas Travel</em></p></td><td><p><em>Overseas Accommodation</em></p></td><td><p><em>Overseas Subsistence</em></p></td><td><p><em>Total</em></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p>July 2009 - March 10</p></td><td><p>£408,621</p></td><td><p>£19,847</p></td><td><p>£79,574</p></td><td><p>£508,042 (part-year)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>£56,304</p></td><td><p>£21,759</p></td><td><p>£27,798</p></td><td><p>£105,861</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£69,463</p></td><td><p>£21,204</p></td><td><p>£19,946</p></td><td><p>£110,613</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£78,474</p></td><td><p>£29,224</p></td><td><p>£21,911</p></td><td><p>£129,609</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><thead><tr><td> </td><td><p><em>UK Travel</em></p></td><td><p><em>UK Accommodation</em></p></td><td><p><em>UK Subsistence</em></p></td><td><p><em>Total</em></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p>July 2009 - March 10</p></td><td><p>£621,028</p></td><td><p>£309,260</p></td><td><p>£174,888</p></td><td><p>£1,105,176 (part-year)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>£434,467</p></td><td><p>£199,563</p></td><td><p>£81,315</p></td><td><p>£715,345</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£980,307</p></td><td><p>£162,544</p></td><td><p>£71,913</p></td><td><p>£1,214,764</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£1,030,710</p></td><td><p>£166,149</p></td><td><p>£74,424</p></td><td><p>£1,271,283</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Explanatory notes:</p><p>- Overseas subsistence costs can include accommodation, meals and travel tickets purchased locally.</p><p>- The costs of internal travel abroad are not routinely recorded in the form requested and this information could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.</p><p>- Data on cost per trip is not centrally held in the form requested.</p><p>- For car hire, the data from our finance systems do not separate out expenditure for domestic and international car hire and this could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p><p>- For helicopter hire, our records show that the Department has incurred no expenditure on this since 2010-11.</p><p>- Figures contained in this answer may differ from previous answers to Parliamentary Questions, as the data extracts have been re-run and reflect ongoing accruals and data. Delays in billing or crediting transactions can sometimes have an effect on the spend data between the financial years.</p><p>Taken in the whole, we have reduced overall travel spending compared to the last Administration, and delivered substantive savings for taxpayers' from the abolition of regional government in England.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 176826 question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	422 label Biography information for Mr Chris Leslie

43992

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2014
	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 much his Department paid Sir Ken Knight in (a) salary, (b) fees and (c) expenses for the independent review of efficiency and operations in fire and rescue authorities in England.
	tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
	tabling member printed	Mrs Mary Glindon
	uin	192775
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 24 March 2014]</em></p><p>Sir Ken Knight worked on his independent review between 1 January and 22 June 2013. He was paid £53,635 during this period. Between 1 January and 28 January 2013, Sir Ken was also the Government's Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser in addition to conducting initial fieldwork for his review. His salary rate whilst working on the Knight Review was in line with his previous salary rate when he was Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.</p><p>Sir Ken's review found huge variations in the way the 46 fire and rescue authorities in England operate and highlighted the scope for the services to find £200 million in savings whilst safeguarding emergency operations and protecting public safety. His report highlighted the importance of collaboration with other local services in helping fire and rescue authorities to transform the way they run to meet the changing needs of communities. The Government will be publishing a formal response to the report in due course. The best fire and rescue authorities are already beginning to collaborate with police and ambulance services and local authorities – through co-location of stations and services, through sharing back office functions, including sharing senior staff, and through co-responding and joining up on service delivery.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 09/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

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

45438

	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 his Department is (a) undertaking or (b) plans to undertake a review of the check-off union subscription provision.
	tabling member constituency	Leicester South
	tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
	uin	194034
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p> </p><p>As I indicated in my answer of 13 September 2013, <em>Official Report, </em>Column 884W, Ministers in this Department do not believe it is appropriate for public resources to be used to support the collection and administration of membership subscriptions and believe is an outdated and unnecessary 20<sup>th </sup>century practice.</p><p> </p><p>It is also unsatisfactory that some trade unions collect the political levy via check-off, but make no attempt to inform would-be members that the political levy is optional, or even mention the right to opt out on their membership forms. It is the view of Ministers that this is a misleading and dubious marketing practice through omission.</p><p> </p><p>I can confirm that we are taking further steps to review such practices.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth