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1131865

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2019
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Allowances
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the system for reimbursing MPs expenses; and if IPSA will make it its policy to reinstate the previous system for the reimbursement of expenses.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	263668
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>IPSA considered a range of options for its new system of reimbursing MPs’ business costs and expenses. The system selected is more integrated and efficient than its predecessor systems, and holds the personal data of MPs and their staff more securely. The software selected is widely used in the United Kingdom, including in many public bodies. Prior to its launch in April, the effectiveness of the system was thoroughly tested, including by MPs and their staff. Its benefits include:</p><p> </p><p>- A ‘single sign-on’ capability to allow MPs and their staff to access the system directly through their secure parliamentary account without an additional logon.</p><p>- MPs and staff no longer need to send paper receipts and invoices to IPSA, but can scan or photograph them and upload them digitally onto the system. This improves data security and means that IPSA can process and reimburse claims more quickly.</p><p>- MPs’ staff members can now be reimbursed directly by IPSA for their own expenses rather than via their MPs.</p><p>- MPs and their staff are now able to amend their personal details, including any change of name or address, on the new system themselves, without needing to submit a form to IPSA.</p><p>- The new system allows claims from different budgets to be submitted on the same form, rather than having to submit multiple forms.</p><p>- MPs and their staff have constant access to financial information about the amounts left in their budgets and the status of any repayments or amounts owed, rather than waiting a monthly financial statement from IPSA.</p><p> </p><p>As of 13 June, 612 MPs have successfully submitted claims on the new system. IPSA is committed to supporting and training MPs and their staff as they become accustomed to the new online claims system. IPSA does not intend to make it its policy to reinstate the previous system.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 20/06/2019 12:12:33 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker previous answer version 123708 answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1131867

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2019
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Members: Email
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what estimate he has made of the number of emails from hon. Members sent to IPSA in June 2019 that have not received a response within three days; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	263669
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>IPSA has a key performance target to respond to 90 per cent of emails within five working days. Between 1 June and 13 June, IPSA responded to 88 per cent of the 563 emails received within this target. IPSA has recently brought in five temporary staff to help improve its response times following the introduction of a new finance, payroll and expenses system in April 2019.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 20/06/2019 12:09:53 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker previous answer version 123710 answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1131868

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2019
	answering body	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept id	90
	answering dept short name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	answering dept sort name	Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
	hansard heading	Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority: Working Hours
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what steps he is taking to help ensure that IPSA has sufficient resources to extend its working hours so that (a) telephone calls can be answered during the hours the House sits and (b) responses can be given to emails from MPs within three to five working days.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	263670
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>IPSA’s December 2018 user survey found that 68 per cent of MPs and their staff were satisfied with the support that they receive from IPSA on the phone, up from 53 per cent in 2017. Since the introduction of its new online finance and expenses system in April 2019, IPSA has experienced a higher-than-normal volume of calls, with some calls taking up to 45 minutes as MPs and their staff familiarise themselves with the new system. To respond to this increased demand, IPSA has recruited five temporary staff to answer the phone to MPs, and has temporarily closed its phone lines at 4pm in order to respond to the queries raised. IPSA expects to re-open its phone lines until 5pm when this demand subsides.</p><p>IPSA has a key performance target to respond to 90 per cent of emails within five days. In 2018-19, IPSA responded to over 85 per cent of the 54,500 letters and emails that were received within five working days of receipt. In April 2019, following the introduction on the new system, IPSA only replied to 70 per cent of emails within this target. The additional temporary staff will also address this increased demand.</p><p>IPSA’s performance is monitored by the Speaker’s Committee for the IPSA which approves IPSA’s budget and targets, including how it responds to MPs’ queries.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker question first answered 20/06/2019 12:11:25 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker previous answer version 123711 answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Mr Charles Walker answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1180185

	registered interest
	date	24/02/2020
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Bats
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what (a) policy changes and (b) steps the Church of England is taking in relation to the 2019 survey of bats in churches undertaken with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund,
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	19751
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2020 answer text <p>The £3.8m funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund that was secured in 2018, enabled not just one survey, but a five-year Bats in Churches partnership project made up of the Church of England, Natural England, Historic England, the Bat Conservation Trust, and the Churches Conservation Trust.</p><p>The project is working with ecologists, church architects, heritage experts and church communities to support and develop bespoke solutions for around 120 churches struggling with unsustainable bat roosts across the country. Churches that are part of the project are continuously monitored to ensure there is no damage to the bat populations. Additionally, a nationwide volunteer-led four-year survey, the ‘Bats in Churches Study’ is to be launched this summer and will give an in-depth picture of how bats are using Church of England churches and the attitudes of churchgoers towards them.</p><p>The Bats in Churches project is now in its second year and can report the delivery of three successful mitigation works in some of the worst affected churches, in Braunston-in-Rutland, Tattershall and Swanton Morley. These three schemes have enabled congregations and the wider community to co-exist harmoniously alongside the bats and for church heritage to be respected.</p><p>Other projects nearing completion include:</p><ul><li>St Pega’s Church Peakirk, following a lead theft that has enabled bat mitigation to be incorporated into the re-roofing repair work.</li><li>St John the Baptist Church in Cold Overton is similarly incorporating bat mitigation into its repairs.</li></ul><p>Support for churches sheltering bats is available from the Bats in Churches project who are running events to build networks of volunteers, links to bat and heritage groups and specialist cleaning workshops and advice.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire answering member printed Andrew Selous question first answered 28/02/2020 10:56:16 answering member 1453 label Biography information for Andrew Selous
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1168492

	registered interest
	date	19/12/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	David Duckenfield
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the (a) first, (b) second and (c) third prosecution against Mr David Duckenfield on manslaughter in relation to the Hillsborough tragedy; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	31
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>This was a complex and harrowing case. Every effort was made to build a robust case for prosecution, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and the case was handled by a team of experienced specialist prosecutors.</p><p> </p><p>As it involved the prosecution of more than one defendant, it is not possible to state definitively the total costs in relation to the prosecution of David Duckenfield alone. In June 2017, David Duckenfield, the police commander in charge of safety during the Hillsborough stadium disaster, was charged with gross negligence manslaughter. At trial in April 2019, the jury was unable to reach a verdict against David Duckenfield, while a second defendant, Graham Mackrell, was convicted of a health and safety offence. In November 2019, after a retrial at Preston Crown Court, the jury found David Duckenfield not guilty.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS estimates the cost of legal counsel fees and other prosecution costs for the prosecution of both David Duckenfield and Graham Mackrell to be approximately £1.97 million. CPS records do not capture the cost of the time spent by internal CPS staff on this case.</p><p> </p><p>The CPS cannot comment on costs incurred by the police, HM Courts and Tribunals, or any other partners in this case. Nor can the CPS comment on the private prosecution referred to in the question, which was brought against David Duckenfield by the Hillsborough Family Support Group in 2000.</p> answering member constituency Northampton North answering member printed Michael Ellis question first answered 07/01/2020 13:09:39 answering member 4116 label Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1191156

	registered interest
	date	28/04/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Horticulture: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons garden centres that have taken steps to comply with social distancing measures are not allowed to re-open for business during the covid-19 lockdown; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	40962
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2020 answer text <p>Garden centres are being asked to close along with many other retail premises to minimise the spread of the coronavirus. The Government has set up five tests that must be met before the lockdown measures can be lifted. These consider NHS capacity, death rates, transmission rates, availability of PPE, and avoidance of a second peak of the virus.</p><p>It is positive to see the emerging thoughts on how businesses such as garden centres can reopen safely – we will need to continue to work together on how easing measures could work when it is the right time to do so. Online retail is still open and encouraged, and postal and delivery services will continue to run.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 04/05/2020 14:49:55 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1192833

	registered interest
	date	04/05/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Horticulture: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40963 on Horticulture: Coronavirus, if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) scientific advice and (b) risk assessment evaluation which informed the decision that garden centres should remain closed during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	42899
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2020 answer text <p>Garden centres in England may open from Wednesday 13 May, and the Regulations for England will be updated to provide clarity to garden centre owners, and the public. We strongly encourage both employers and customers to continue to follow social distancing guidance at all times in order to protect public health and our economy. Advice on social distancing is published on gov.uk <a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fguidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19%2Fguidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19&amp;data=02%7C01%7CReena.Gudka%40beis.gov.uk%7Cffabe43528d24bb4031b08d7f5bff73f%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637248077164159364&amp;sdata=bEflY3f4gb5ont97cZZVrXUAFnLNm%2BWusIP1nOsEOAI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19</a></p><p>At all times we have been consistently guided by scientific advice to protect lives. HMG have published evidence discussed at SAGE on gov.uk (<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fgroups%2Fscientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response&amp;data=02%7C01%7CReena.Gudka%40beis.gov.uk%7Cffabe43528d24bb4031b08d7f5bff73f%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C637248077164169320&amp;sdata=CAIo07Prwgsy7645C%2BakBAefuGiJLOpcvy3uyQKAv6I%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-group-for-emergencies-sage-coronavirus-covid-19-response</a>). These documents show the scientific evidence that helped shape SAGE advice that went to Ministers and COBR. Further research is being continually developed and used to inform advice to decision makers and we will ensure this is published as soon as it is no longer under consideration.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 11/05/2020 16:56:09 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1193211

	registered interest
	date	05/05/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Small Businesses: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will issue guidance to local authorities on the definition of eligibility for access to the £117 million fund for discretionary grant payments to businesses announced on 1 May 2020; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	43585
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2020 answer text <p><br>The Government has allocated additional funding to local authorities in England in the form of a discretionary grant fund of up to £617m. This will be divided between English local authorities in proportion to the amount they will pay out under the existing grant schemes (Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality &amp; Leisure Grant Fund).</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for this fund. The following businesses should be considered as a priority:</p><ul><li>Businesses in shared workspaces;</li><li>Regular market traders who do not have their own business rates assessment;</li><li>B&amp;Bs which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and</li><li>Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Local authorities may choose to pay grants to businesses outside of the outlined priority areas, according to local economic need, so long as the grants are aimed at:</p><ul><li>Businesses with ongoing fixed building-related costs</li><li>Businesses which can demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in income due to the Covid-19 crisis</li><li>Business with fewer than 50 employees</li><li>Businesses that were trading on 11th March</li></ul><p>Businesses already in receipt of the Small Business grant, a Retail, Hospitality and Leisure grant or Self-employed Income Support Scheme payment are not eligible.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance will be published on the discretionary grant scheme in due course following consultation with local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 11/05/2020 16:52:34 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1193212

	registered interest
	date	05/05/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Small Business Grants Fund: Dorset
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much of the £617 million of funding allocated to local authorities on 1 May 2020 to enable them to make discretionary grant payments to businesses is available for (a) Dorset Council and (b) BCP Council; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	43586
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/05/2020 answer text <p>On 1 May the Government announced a further up to £617 million available to local authorities to support those small businesses with high fixed property-related costs but that are not eligible for the current grant schemes. This is an additional 5 per cent uplift to the £12.33 billion funding previously announced for the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF). We will confirm the exact amount to be available to each local authority in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 11/05/2020 16:56:49 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

1180186

	registered interest
	date	24/02/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Parking: Codes of Practice
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the timeframe is for the conclusion of the public consultation on the code of practice in relation to the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
	tabling member constituency	Christchurch
	tabling member printed	Sir Christopher Chope
	uin	19752
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2020 answer text <p>A full public consultation on the Parking Code of Practice will take place within six months, to give the parking industry, the public and other interested parties the opportunity to have a say. Further details of the consultation, including precise timeframes, will be announced in due course. We have also committed to developing the final Code this year.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 27/02/2020 16:33:15 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope