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226856

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
	answering dept id	92
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
	hansard heading	Treasury: Written Questions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Leader of the House what discussions she has had with HM Treasury in the light of 12 of the 15 Written Questions awaiting answer on 11 March for more than the target 10 working days being to HM Treasury.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
	uin	HL5645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>I take very seriously my responsibility as Leader of the House to encourage Ministers to be punctual in answering written questions. My office immediately approach departments who have not responded to questions after 10 working days, and remain in contact with them until the questions are answered. This process was followed with HM Treasury for the 12 questions that remained unanswered after 10 working days on 11 March. All of those questions have now been answered. At the end of this Session I will publish data on each department’s promptness in dealing with Questions for Written Answer to allow for proper scrutiny of their performance.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 24/03/2015 13:41:23 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

227330

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2015
	answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
	answering dept id	92
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
	hansard heading	Written Questions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Leader of the House what guidance she issues to Departments in respect of their providing full answers to questions for written answer, particularly when failure to answer has been followed up.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Gardner of Parkes
	uin	HL5717
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>As Leader of the House, I have a particular responsibility to encourage departments to be punctual in answering written questions, but the content of each answer is a matter for the minister concerned. All Ministers are accountable to the House for those answers. That direct accountability is important: that is why Ministers in this House must provide personally signed answers to members.</p><p> </p><p>To inform Ministers in answering questions put to them, the Ministerial Code says that “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament”. It also makes clear that “Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest”. In addition, the longstanding rules of this House on Questions for Written Answer (rules that the House reaffirmed in agreeing to the Procedure Committee’s 5<sup>th</sup> Report of the 2014-15 Session) set out that all answers should be complete and comprehensible.</p><p> </p><p>If any member has particular concerns about a response that they have received that they consider does not adhere to these rules, I would encourage them to raise it with me directly.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston grouped question UIN HL5810 question first answered 24/03/2015 13:45:04 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	3596 label Biography information for Baroness Gardner of Parkes

227995

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2015
	answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
	answering dept id	92
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
	hansard heading	Written Questions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their policy is that all Parliamentary Written Questions should be answered in full in all parts.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL5810
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>As Leader of the House, I have a particular responsibility to encourage departments to be punctual in answering written questions, but the content of each answer is a matter for the minister concerned. All Ministers are accountable to the House for those answers. That direct accountability is important: that is why Ministers in this House must provide personally signed answers to members.</p><p> </p><p>To inform Ministers in answering questions put to them, the Ministerial Code says that “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament”. It also makes clear that “Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest”. In addition, the longstanding rules of this House on Questions for Written Answer (rules that the House reaffirmed in agreeing to the Procedure Committee’s 5<sup>th</sup> Report of the 2014-15 Session) set out that all answers should be complete and comprehensible.</p><p> </p><p>If any member has particular concerns about a response that they have received that they consider does not adhere to these rules, I would encourage them to raise it with me directly.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston grouped question UIN HL5717 question first answered 24/03/2015 13:45:04 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

227481

	registered interest
	date	16/03/2015
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Church of England
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, what criteria the Commissioners will use in their decision on releasing additional funds to support Church mission and ministry; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
	tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
	uin	227726
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p>Last month, General Synod supported the idea of the Church Commissioners “giving consideration to the basis on which they might, for a limited period, release additional funds in order to support changes that will equip the Church of England more effectively for sustainable mission and ministry over the coming generations”.</p><p>The Commissioners’ own Board of Governors has also expressed its preparedness, following extensive consultation, to release additional time limited funds provided this could be done in an effective and disciplined manner. Robust processes are already in place to govern the distribution of existing discretionary funding streams and the same will be true of any additional funding.</p><p>The specific funding criteria have not yet been worked out but I can assure my hon. Friend that any additional money will only be released for focused, evidence-based projects which are rooted in dioceses’ strategies and will be advised by carefully worked through calculations by external actuaries as to the impact on the Commissioners’ ability to make distributions to the Church in perpetuity.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Sir Tony Baldry question first answered 19/03/2015 12:29:09 answering member 93 label Biography information for Sir Tony Baldry
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

227730

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2015
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	King Richard III
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, who has been invited to represent the Church of England at the service at Leicester Cathedral for the reburial of King Richard III.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Sir Hugh Bayley
	uin	227784
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p>The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd &amp; Rt Hon Justin Welby &amp; Mrs Welby will be representing the Church of England at the reburial service for King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral on the 26 March. The local diocese will be represented by the Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Tim Stevens alongside other senior clergy from across the country, local dignitaries, ecumenical guests and representatives of other faiths.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Sir Tony Baldry question first answered 19/03/2015 12:48:20 answering member 93 label Biography information for Sir Tony Baldry
	tabling member	385 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Bayley

347265

	registered interest
	date	28/05/2015
	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 Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions the Church Commissioners have had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on changes to planning regulations that could increase the supply of places suitable for bat roosts and reduce the incidence of bats roosting in churches.
	tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
	tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
	uin	407
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2015 answer text <p>Following the General Election the Church Commissioners plan to seek an early meeting with the Department for Communities and Local Government regarding changing the regulations on bat roosts. In recent years the Church of England has seen increased numbers of bats using church buildings as roosts. This increased usage of our church buildings by bats for roosting is causing considerable strain on the parish communities and volunteers who maintain the parish churches alongside the great expense in cleaning and restoration of items of great religious, cultural and historic significance. In extreme cases the presence of bats is preventing the building being used for worship or by its wider community.</p><p>The Church of England is working alongside Natural England on a substantial Heritage Lottery Fund bid which will seek to provide physical and long lasting solutions for the worst affected churches and create a wider support network for those with smaller or transient bat populations. Both St . Margaret of Antioch, Wellington and St Mary’s Church, Pembridge in my Hon Friend’s constituency have faced significant problems with bat populations. Both churches are part of the Heritage Lottery Fund bid and have already installed mitigation measures. We hope the bid for support will be successful and that this might then be able to bring some relief to churches across the country.</p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 02/06/2015 10:42:20 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

348080

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2015
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Clergy: Females
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how many members of the clergy in each of the last 10 years have been women.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	734
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2015 answer text <p>The most recent statistics available on the number of women in ordained ministry in the Church of England can be found in the table below. These figures combine all clergy who are full time or part time stipendiary clergy and those who are self-supporting clergy. Although more recent figures are not yet available, the general trend is towards an increase in women training for ordained ministry and the Church of England has most recently appointed three women as bishops who are:</p><p> </p><ul><li><p>The Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek,</p></li><li><p>The Bishop of Stockport, Rt Revd Elizabeth Lane,</p></li><li><p>And the Bishop of Hull, Rt Revd Alison White.</p></li></ul><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Female</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Male</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>3,650</p></td><td><p>7,725</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>3,575</p></td><td><p>7,843</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>3,535</p></td><td><p>8,087</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>3,401</p></td><td><p>8,257</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>3,414</p></td><td><p>8,531</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>3,268</p></td><td><p>8,645</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>3,119</p></td><td><p>8,785</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>2,986</p></td><td><p>8,936</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004</p></td><td><p>2,654</p></td><td><p>8,852</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 08/06/2015 16:31:11 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

348081

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2015
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Clergy: LGBT+ People
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what statistics the Church Commissioners collect on the number of LGBT men and women in the clergy.
	tabling member constituency	Ealing, Southall
	tabling member printed	Mr Virendra Sharma
	uin	735
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2015 answer text <p>The National Church Institutions of the Church of England do not maintain a record of the number of LGBT clergy.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 08/06/2015 16:33:24 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1604 label Biography information for Mr Virendra Sharma

381793

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2015
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Solar Power
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what proposals the Church Commissioners have received to allow community energy generation using church roofs for solar panels.
	tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
	tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
	uin	3028
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The General Synod of the Church of England is committed to the whole Church reducing its carbon footprint. One strategy which is proving popular in local communities is for the Church to use solar installations on its roof to generate energy for the benefit of the surrounding community.</p><p>Examples where community generation is working well can be found in St John's Church, Old Trafford and St George's Church, Kemp Town, Brighton where both churches are part of an energy cooperative. The Church of England is committed to environmental action and finding creative solutions to reduce the energy demands of its own buildings, more detailed advice can be found at <a href="http://www.churchcare.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.churchcare.co.uk</a></p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 22/06/2015 13:17:47 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

381794

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2015
	answering body	Church Commissioners
	answering dept id	9
	answering dept short name	Church Commissioners
	answering dept sort name	Church Commissioners
	hansard heading	Churches: Solar Power
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what support she is providing to churches for the installation of PV panels.
	tabling member constituency	North Herefordshire
	tabling member printed	Bill Wiggin
	uin	2916
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The Church of England’s Church Buildings Division offers advice and support to churches across the country who are seeking to generate energy from their roof. While this may not be appropriate for all sites there are a growing number of listed church buildings, currently over 200, who have successfully managed to install solar panels. One of the best examples of the use of solar panels is the 10th century All Saints Church in Wing, Buckinghamshire which has installed solar panels on the nave and south aisle roofs. More detailed advice can be found at <a href="http://www.churchcare.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.churchcare.co.uk</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Meriden answering member printed Mrs Caroline Spelman question first answered 22/06/2015 13:12:53 answering member 312 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Spelman
	tabling member	1428 label Biography information for Sir Bill Wiggin

226553

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Advertising
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how much the Law Officers' Departments spent on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) national newspaper advertisements, (d) local newspaper advertisements, (e) social media advertising and (f) other types of advertising in each year since 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	227294
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2015 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 17 March 2015 to UIN:227295</p> answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright question first answered 18/03/2015 14:28:01 answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

227248

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Attorney General: Off-payroll Working
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many staff in the Law Officers' Departments and its executive agencies and associated bodies were engaged off-payroll in each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Airdrie and Shotts
	tabling member printed	Pamela Nash
	uin	227541
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2015 answer text <p>The information requested is contained in the following tables.</p><p>The table below shows the average number of staff engaged off-payroll over the past five years by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI), and the Treasury Solicitor’s Department (TSol).</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Tsol, AGO and HMCPSI - Average number of staff engaged off-payroll<sup>1</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Average Headcount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2014 – February 2015</p></td><td><p>263</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2013 – March 2014</p></td><td><p>197</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2012 – March 2013</p></td><td><p>127</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2011 – March 2012</p></td><td><p>91</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2010 – March 2011</p></td><td><p>103</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>1 </em><em>Off payroll staff includes temporary (agency) and contract staff, including lawyers, other professionals and administrators. None of the above mentioned staff members are civil servants. The majority are temporary staff engaged through employment agencies to cover short term vacancies and to secure specific specialist legal and support skills.</em></p><p> </p><p>Prior to April 2014 the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) did not maintain a centralised record of staff employed off-payroll and it is not possible to provide information at the level of detail requested. The SFO can, however, provide an average number of temporary staff employed since April 2010. These figures are as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>SFO - Average number of temporary staff engaged off-payroll</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Average Headcount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2013 – March 2014</p></td><td><p>35</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2012 – March 2013</p></td><td><p>29</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2011 – March 2012</p></td><td><p>51</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2010 – March 2011</p></td><td><p>98</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>At the end of December January 2015 there were 86 temporary staff working at the SFO.</p><p> </p><p>The average number of staff in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) who were engaged off-payroll during each of the last five years up to the most recent period for which figures are available is shown in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>CPS - Average number of temporary staff engaged off-payroll<sup>1</sup></strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Average Headcount</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2014 – January 2015</p></td><td><p>7.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2013 – March 2014</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2012 – March 2013</p></td><td><p>1.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2011 – March 2012</p></td><td><p>5.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2010 – March 2011</p></td><td><p>20</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em><sup>1 </sup></em><em>The figures in the table have been calculated by taking relevant workforce statistics published each month and deriving an average for each financial year. It is possible, therefore, that the number of unique individuals employed during any financial year was higher than that indicated.</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 26/03/2015 14:59:23 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	3909 label Biography information for Pamela Nash

227685

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	ICT
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, which news applications staff in the Law Officers Departments are authorised to download and use on their work-provided phones and tablets.
	tabling member constituency	Shipley
	tabling member printed	Philip Davies
	uin	227817
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>Staff in the Law Officers’ Departments who use work provided phones or tablets are not authorised to download and use any news applications.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright question first answered 23/03/2015 11:40:27 answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright
	tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

227686

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many and what proportion of employees in the Law Officers Departments identify as (a) white or white British, (b) Asian or Asian British, (c) Black or Black British, (d) mixed or multiple ethnic group and (e) another ethnicity.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	227952
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text <p>It is not compulsory for staff to declare their ethnicity and the following table therefore only provides details on the number of staff in the Law Officers’ Departments who have chosen to declare their ethnicity, and the proportions these represent of the overall workforce.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Treasury Solicitor’s </strong></p><p><strong>Department (TSol) *</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Serious Fraud Office</strong></p></td><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Crown Prosecution </strong></p><p><strong>Service </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Ethnic Origin</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Asian/Asian British</p></td><td><p>122</p></td><td><p>6.1%</p></td><td><p>29</p></td><td><p>7.3%</p></td><td><p>471</p></td><td><p>7.4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Black/Black British</p></td><td><p>97</p></td><td><p>4.8%</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>4.3%</p></td><td><p>351</p></td><td><p>5.5%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Mixed/Multiple Ethnic</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p>2.6%</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>3.8%</p></td><td><p>142</p></td><td><p>2.2%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>White/White British</p></td><td><p>883</p></td><td><p>44.2%</p></td><td><p>194</p></td><td><p>48.9%</p></td><td><p>4478</p></td><td><p>70.9%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other Ethnic</p><p>Background</p></td><td><p>31</p></td><td><p>1.5%</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>72</p></td><td><p>1.1%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><em>* TSol data also covers the staff of the Attorney General’s Office and Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.</em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 25/03/2015 14:40:33 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

227992

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Serious Fraud Office
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the performance of the Serious Fraud Office.
	tabling member printed	Lord Morris of Aberavon
	uin	HL5807
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2015 answer text <p>The current Director has returned the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to its original role and purpose of tackling the topmost tier of fraud, bribery and corruption cases with a greater emphasis on those that harm the UK’s reputation as a safe place to do business.</p><p> </p><p>The follow-up report to the 2012 inspection carried out by Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate was published in November 2014. It provides a snapshot of the SFO in 2013 and made clear that a “considerable amount of work had been done” to address the recommendations of the inspection, and that “There has been genuine commitment from managers and staff alike to review and update processes and structures and to improve every aspect of case handling, from intelligence gathering and analysis, to casework management and disclosure handling”.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Tankerness question first answered 26/03/2015 13:03:28 answering member 630 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Tankerness
	tabling member	565 label Biography information for Lord Morris of Aberavon

227993

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Sexual Offences: Prosecutions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to prosecutions of high profile sex abuse cases, and (2) the financial resources available to the Crown Prosecution Service to carry out such prosecutions; and what, if any, plans the Crown Prosecution Service has to amend its procedures and practices in relation to such prosecutions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Morris of Aberavon
	uin	HL5808
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2015 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) considers all cases that are referred by investigators according to the same test, as set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. In 2013/14, the CPS prosecuted 12,445 sexual offence cases, of which 9,104 resulted in a conviction, a conviction rate of 73.2%. This was an increase on the previous year when the conviction rate was 72.4% .</p><p> </p><p>In order to ensure that there are sufficient resources to prosecute sexual offence cases, the CPS continues to work closely with Her Majesty’s Treasury and criminal justice system partners to analyse and manage the impact of increasing volumes. This is in addition to a range of activity to further prioritise sexual offence cases such as the establishment of Rape and Serious Sexual Offence (RASSO) Units in every region and the publication of legal guidance to further support effective prosecutions.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Tankerness question first answered 26/03/2015 13:10:44 answering member 630 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Tankerness
	tabling member	565 label Biography information for Lord Morris of Aberavon

228063

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: North West
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many dedicated staff there are to deal with domestic violence cases at each Crown Prosecution Service office in the North West.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Mark Hendrick
	uin	228086
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text <p>Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North West has two main offices based in Preston and Greater Manchester. In addition there are two smaller offices at Barrow and Cumbria.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>CPS North West has 230 prosecutors of varying grades who have received comprehensive domestic violence training. These staff are split between Preston and Manchester.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There are 9 Specialist Domestic Violence Co-ordinators in Greater Manchester and 9 Specialist Domestic Violence Prosecutors who prosecute the Specialist Domestic Violence Courts in Cumbria and Lancashire.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 25/03/2015 11:10:35 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

228257

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	GlaxoSmithKline
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, whether there is a point of contact for members of the public who wish to help the Serious Fraud Office investigation into GlaxoSmithKline.
	tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
	tabling member printed	Eric Ollerenshaw
	uin	228186
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has a secure reporting mechanism, SFO Confidential, which can be accessed through its website.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 24/03/2015 17:02:41 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4141 label Biography information for Eric Ollerenshaw

228766

	registered interest
	date	18/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Human Rights
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what recent discussions he has had with cabinet colleagues on implementation of the UK's domestic and international legal obligations on human rights.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
	tabling member printed	Mr William Bain
	uin	908282
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the oral question from the Hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn) earlier today.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Kenilworth and Southam answering member printed Jeremy Wright question first answered 24/03/2015 13:40:52 answering member 1560 label Biography information for Sir Jeremy Wright
	tabling member	1610 label Biography information for Mr William Bain

228469

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Abortion
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, for what reasons the Crown Prosecution Service made the decision that it would not be in the public interest to pursue a private prosecution on gender abortion charges against Dr Prabha Sivaraman and Dr Palaniappan Rajmohan.
	tabling member constituency	Heywood and Middleton
	tabling member printed	Liz McInnes
	uin	228357
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>In accordance with the two stage test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the CPS carefully considered the evidence submitted by the private prosecutor both on its own and in addition to the material already in its possession from the earlier decision. In both cases the CPS concluded that there was no realistic prospect of conviction for the charge selected by the private prosecutor.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In addition the CPS considered whether both sets evidence taken together might be sufficient to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for <strong><em>any</em></strong> abortion offence. It was concluded that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute an offence of using poison, instruments or any other means with intent to procure an abortion but that this was very finely balanced. It further concluded that the public interest considerations in not pursuing a prosecution outweighed those in favour for the same reasons as in 2013, most importantly the lack of professional guidance on how doctors should approach comparative risk assessments.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The full reasons for the decision are available on the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) website: <a href="http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/cps_decision_to_stop_private_prosecutions_of_doctors_charged_with_abortion_offences/" target="_blank">http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/cps_decision_to_stop_private_prosecutions_of_doctors_charged_with_abortion_offences/</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 24/03/2015 17:04:15 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4342 label Biography information for Liz McInnes

228470

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	EU Countries
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, when he last met one of his counterparts from an EU member state; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
	tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
	uin	228351
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text <p>The Attorney General last met with EU counterparts during the Global Law Summit, which took place in London between 23 – 25 February 2015. Matters discussed included countering violent extremism, domestic prosecution policy and broader criminal justice issues.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 25/03/2015 11:12:05 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

228767

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Pay
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what the average hourly pay is of employees in the Law Officers' Departments identified as (a) White or White British and (b) from a Black, Asian or other minority ethnic group.
	tabling member constituency	Ashfield
	tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
	uin	228577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2015 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Mr Robert Buckland question first answered 26/03/2015 12:15:30 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero

347281

	registered interest
	date	28/05/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Private Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, on how many occasions the Director of Public Prosecutions has (a) taken over and (b) discontinued private prosecutions in the last 10 years for which data is available.
	tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
	tabling member printed	Mary Glindon
	uin	317
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/06/2015 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service does not maintain an authoritative central record of the number of private prosecutions (a) taken over and (b) discontinued by the Director of Public Prosecutions. To identify the number would require a manual exercise to review individual files which would incur a disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 03/06/2015 13:06:32 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

347772

	registered interest
	date	01/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	FIFA
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, whether criminal investigations are being carried out to determine whether UK financial institutions have been used to carry out illegal transactions related to FIFA.
	tabling member constituency	Eltham
	tabling member printed	Clive Efford
	uin	626
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2015 answer text <p>The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been aware of allegations relating to FIFA for some time and has kept the situation under active review. It would not be appropriate to go into the details of those allegations.<br><br>For the SFO to open an investigation, the Director must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect serious or complex fraud within the UK's criminal jurisdiction.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 627 question first answered 04/06/2015 12:01:01 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	165 label Biography information for Clive Efford

347773

	registered interest
	date	01/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	FIFA: Corruption
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what discussions (a) Ministers in his Department and (b) the Serious Fraud Office have had with (i) the Swiss authorities and (ii) the US Justice Department about the investigation of fraud, racketeering and money laundering at FIFA.
	tabling member constituency	Eltham
	tabling member printed	Clive Efford
	uin	625
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2015 answer text <p>The Serious Fraud Office engages regularly with its overseas counterparts to discuss issues of mutual interest, but it is not appropriate to comment on such casework discussions as might take place.</p><p> </p><p>It is not the practice for the Law Officers to comment upon live investigations, or to confirm or deny that Ministerial discussions about particular cases have taken place.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 08/06/2015 12:56:44 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	165 label Biography information for Clive Efford

347774

	registered interest
	date	01/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	FIFA
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, when the Serious Fraud Office first became aware that UK financial institutions may have been used to carry out illegal transactions relating to FIFA; what action was taken; and when he was first made aware of this possibility.
	tabling member constituency	Eltham
	tabling member printed	Clive Efford
	uin	627
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2015 answer text <p>The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been aware of allegations relating to FIFA for some time and has kept the situation under active review. It would not be appropriate to go into the details of those allegations.<br><br>For the SFO to open an investigation, the Director must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect serious or complex fraud within the UK's criminal jurisdiction.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 626 question first answered 04/06/2015 12:01:02 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	165 label Biography information for Clive Efford

348620

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Attorney General: Families
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the press release released by the Prime Minister on 18 August 2014, what steps he is taking to assess the impact of the Law Officers' Departments' policies on the family.
	tabling member constituency	Enfield, Southgate
	tabling member printed	Mr David Burrowes
	uin	1188
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2015 answer text <p>The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 through the publication of guidance for officials -<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf" target="_blank">Family Test Guidance</a></p><p>The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.</p><p>The Law Officers’ Departments have not applied the Test to date, however where applicable they would work with the DWP to embed the Test in policymaking processes.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 10/06/2015 09:56:21 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	1518 label Biography information for Mr David Burrowes

348648

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	FIFA: Corruption
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of the recent report by the US Department of Justice containing indictments against several senior football officials for corruption, bribery and racketeering in the British Overseas Territories of British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands; and what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Justice and (b) the Serious Fraud Office about potential prosecution of people named in that report.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
	uin	1275
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2015 answer text <p>The Serious Fraud Office has been following closely the emerging allegations and holds material which it is actively reviewing.</p><p> </p><p>I meet the Director and other Ministers frequently to discuss a variety of issues. However, as was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s policy to provide details of all such meetings.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 09/06/2015 10:30:17 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

348893

	registered interest
	date	08/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Sentencing: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many cases were referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentences scheme in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull East
	tabling member printed	Karl Turner
	uin	1396
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2015 answer text <p>The number of offenders referred to the Court of Appeal in 2013 and 2014 are set out in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offenders referred to the Court of Appeal</p></td><td><p>79</p></td><td><p>128</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The number of offenders whose sentences were considered unduly lenient and whose sentences were increased by the Court of Appeal in 2013 and 2014 are set out in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offenders whose sentences were unduly lenient</p></td><td><p>63</p></td><td><p>109</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offenders whose sentence was increased</p></td><td><p>61</p></td><td><p>105</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Detailed information on the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme was published on the Attorney General’s Office website on Thursday 11 June 2015. The information can be accessed at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 1397 question first answered 15/06/2015 12:15:55 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4030 label Biography information for Karl Turner

348894

	registered interest
	date	08/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Sentencing: Appeals
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many cases referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentences scheme in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 were successful.
	tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull East
	tabling member printed	Karl Turner
	uin	1397
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2015 answer text <p>The number of offenders referred to the Court of Appeal in 2013 and 2014 are set out in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offenders referred to the Court of Appeal</p></td><td><p>79</p></td><td><p>128</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The number of offenders whose sentences were considered unduly lenient and whose sentences were increased by the Court of Appeal in 2013 and 2014 are set out in the table below.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offenders whose sentences were unduly lenient</p></td><td><p>63</p></td><td><p>109</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Offenders whose sentence was increased</p></td><td><p>61</p></td><td><p>105</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Detailed information on the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme was published on the Attorney General’s Office website on Thursday 11 June 2015. The information can be accessed at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland grouped question UIN 1396 question first answered 15/06/2015 12:15:55 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4030 label Biography information for Karl Turner

349628

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Crown Prosecution Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many full-time equivalent staff who are qualified (a) barristers and (b) solicitors were employed by the Crown Prosecution Service in each year from 2010 to 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Sleaford and North Hykeham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Phillips
	uin	1930
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The number of full-time equivalent staff who are qualified (a) barristers and (b) solicitors who were employed by the Crown Prosecution Service in each year from 2010 to 2015 is shown in the table below</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>Barristers</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Solicitors</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>740.3</p></td><td><p>2085.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>741.3</p></td><td><p>1845.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>646.8</p></td><td><p>1705.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>612.2</p></td><td><p>1617.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>627.7</p></td><td><p>1627.7</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Notes: </strong>Data extracted from the CPS HR Database iTrent as at the 31<sup>st</sup> March in each year Data may be subject to change due to retrospective changes in the HR database Data may differ from previously published data due to differing specifications</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 18/06/2015 09:26:44 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4054 label Biography information for Stephen Phillips

349629

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Crown Prosecution Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the years from 2010 to 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Sleaford and North Hykeham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Phillips
	uin	1931
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The number of full-time equivalent people employed on the Crown Prosecution Service’s staff in each of the years from 2010 to 2015 is shown below.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FTE Staff</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>8,094</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>7,464</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>7,046</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>6,611</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>6,135</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 18/06/2015 09:30:21 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4054 label Biography information for Stephen Phillips

349630

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many criminal prosecutions were undertaken by the Crown Prosecution Service in each of the years 2010 to 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Sleaford and North Hykeham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Phillips
	uin	2029
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2015 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service publishes its casework statistics on a financial year basis. The number of criminal prosecutions finalised between April 2010 and March 2015 are as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2010-2011</p></td><td><p>2011-2012</p></td><td><p>2012-2013</p></td><td><p>2013-2014</p></td><td><p>2014-2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Finalised Prosecutions</p></td><td><p>958,834</p></td><td><p>896,505</p></td><td><p>806,458</p></td><td><p>738,064</p></td><td><p>664,493</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 17/06/2015 10:14:06 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4054 label Biography information for Stephen Phillips

349631

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Crown Prosecution Service
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of the budget of the Crown Prosecution Service was spent on (a) premises, (b) administration, (c) staff, (d) external suppliers, other than external Counsel, (e) external Counsel and (f) other costs in each of the years 2010 to 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Sleaford and North Hykeham
	tabling member printed	Stephen Phillips
	uin	2030
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The proportion of the budget that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spent on (a) premises, (b) administration, (c) staff, (d) external suppliers other than external Counsel, (e) external Counsel and (f) other costs in each of the years 2010 to 2015 is given below.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial year</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><td><p><strong>2014-15</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Premises</strong></p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td><td><p>7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Administration</strong></p></td><td><p>3%</p></td><td><p>3%</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Staff</strong></p></td><td><p>53%</p></td><td><p>56%</p></td><td><p>57%</p></td><td><p>57%</p></td><td><p>55%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>External suppliers</strong></p></td><td><p>13%</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td><td><p>13%</p></td><td><p>13%</p></td><td><p>14%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Counsel</strong></p></td><td><p>19%</p></td><td><p>16%</p></td><td><p>17%</p></td><td><p>19%</p></td><td><p>21%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Other</strong></p></td><td><p>1%</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong>Note: </strong>The figures for the years 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/13 do not sum to 100% because in each of these years the CPS reported a small underspend against its budget.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 18/06/2015 09:25:33 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4054 label Biography information for Stephen Phillips

349747

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Offences against Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, if he will make it his policy that people who have signed the Official Secrets Act should not be prosecuted for reporting information relating to possible child sex abuse offences.
	tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
	tabling member printed	Greg Mulholland
	uin	1861
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>It would not be appropriate to give a blanket undertaking that people who have signed the Official Secrets Act should not be prosecuted for reporting information relating to possible child sex abuse offences. However, I can, and have, given undertakings to public inquiries that, in certain circumstances, such prosecutions will not take place.</p><p>In other cases the decision to prosecute alleged offences of this kind will be made by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) using the two stage test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Firstly, is there sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and, if so, is a prosecution needed in the public interest. A factor when considering the public interest would be any reason given for the alleged breach.</p><p>Most offences under the Official Secrets Acts require my consent to prosecute. Therefore if the CPS did wish to bring proceedings they would need to seek my approval for those offences.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 18/06/2015 09:21:50 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	1540 label Biography information for Greg Mulholland

353905

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2015
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Prosecutions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Attorney General, how many letters of invitation to companies to enter negotiations for a deferred prosecution agreement the Serious Fraud Office has issued.
	tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne North
	tabling member printed	Catherine McKinnell
	uin	2337
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2015 answer text <p>The Serious Fraud Office has issued its first letters of invitation but it would not be appropriate to confirm numbers.</p><p>The process of reaching Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) happens in stages. Initial negotiations are confidential to encourage openness on the part of the company. Under the Criminal Procedure Rules, the Court determines whether any relevant hearings are heard in public or in private. Any DPA must be approved by a judge and publicised.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 17/06/2015 10:11:11 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell

226574

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Energy Performance Certificates
	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 make an assessment of the potential behavioural effects on managers and users of Government buildings of the repeal of regulations on display energy certificates; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Hazel Grove
	tabling member printed	Sir Andrew Stunell
	uin	227259
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>My officials are liaising with their colleagues across government to attempt to assess the behavioural effects of the Display Energy Certificate regime. Included with my Department's consultation on the future of the Display Energy Certificate regime, was a call for evidence, seeking from across the public sector information relating to the use and usefulness of Display Energy Certificates. We will assess the information provided through the discussions across Government, and in response to the call for evidence, to form a view of the behavioural effects of the current regime and of possible changes to it. <br><br>The possible changes set out in the consultation included a range of options, from doing nothing; through making some changes to reduce the amount of gold-plating in the current Display Energy Certificate regime; to replacing the requirement to obtain and display a Display Energy Certificate with one to obtain and display an Energy Performance Certificate, adding for public buildings the requirement to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate to the requirement to display them where they have been obtained that already exists for commercial buildings over 500m2. We will consider the responses to the consultation before forming a view as to which of the options it contained should be implemented. This will be set out in the government response to the consultation, which will be published in due course.<br><br>There is no requirement in the Display Energy Certificate regime to implement any recommendations made, although it may be prudent for cost-effective recommendations to be implemented where possible. <br><br>All Government departments have targets set under the Greening Government commitments, progress towards which must be regularly reported to the Home Affairs (Greening Government Commitments) sub-Committee.<br><br>Furthermore, the State of the Estate report, which covers the civil estate, is published annually by the Cabinet Office and reports progress against targets for energy performance. The State of the Estate Report 2013 reported that cross-government greenhouse gas emissions were, on average, 14% less in 2012/13 than in 2009/10. This represents a slight improvement on the 12% achieved the previous year and that all departments reported improvements against the 2009/10 baseline. Reduced energy consumption across the government estate is estimated to have saved the taxpayer £44 million since 2009/10.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 227257 227258 question first answered 16/03/2015 15:46:43 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
	tabling member	445 label Biography information for Lord Stunell

226592

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Lobbying
	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 Written Statement of 23 February 2015, Official Report, column 292WS, on Protecting Public Money, which are the (a) five local enterprise partnerships and (b) local authorities which have been paying for lobbyists in potential non-compliance with the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
	tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
	uin	227168
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2015 answer text <p>There is clear evidence of lobbying by Local Enterprise Partnerships by examination of current registers from the Association of Professional Political Consultants and from the Public Relations Consultants Association for public affairs consultancy (not public relations contracts):</p><p> </p><p>Recent registers have listed the following:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership – Bellenden Public Affairs;</li><li>Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership – Edelman;</li><li>Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership – Instinctif;</li><li>Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership – Instinctif.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Previous editions of the registers have also recorded:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership – Burson-Marsteller;</li><li>Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership – Insight Public Affairs;</li><li>Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership – College Public Policy;</li><li>Sheffield Local Enterprise Partnership – Connect Public Affairs.</li></ul><p> </p><p>There may be further lobbying contracts which have not been declared. I am also aware that Northamptonshire Local Enterprise Partnership in 2014 published a lobbying contract tender.<br><br>On one level, the transparency by the public affairs companies themselves is to be welcomed. However, as outlined in the Written Miniterial Statement of 23 February (HCWS292), the Government deems this expenditure to be an inappropriate and wasteful use of taxpayers’ money.<br><br>The same registers also show that a number of local authorities have public affairs consultancies, which seems at odds with the provisions in the local government Publicity Code.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/03/2015 15:56:04 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

226593

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Wind Power
	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 applications for repowering existing onshore wind farms were (a) received and (b) recovered by the Secretary of State in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Sunderland Central
	tabling member printed	Julie Elliott
	uin	227172
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>The Department does not hold information on planning applications received for repowering onshore wind farms. Neither does it record information on appeals recovered for this case type.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/03/2015 09:51:11 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4127 label Biography information for Julie Elliott

226596

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	EDF Energy: Somerset
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on who authorised the distribution of publicity information for EDF Energy in communications sent to local residents by Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
	uin	227126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p>This information is not held centrally.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 19/03/2015 13:08:05 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

226597

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Surveys
	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 (a) disabled and (b) all other staff in his Department reported experiencing bullying or harassment at work in the most recent Civil Service People Survey.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	227148
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>In the 2014 People Survey, 25 staff respondents declaring a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months. 62 staff respondents declaring that they did not have a long-standing physical or mental health condition, illness, impairment or disability reported that they had personally experienced bullying or harassment at work in the past 12 months.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst these figures are below the Civil Service average, the Department does not tolerate any form of bullying and harassment. Clear steps have been taken since the days of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister which was accused of a culture of bullying (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Select Committee, January 2006, HC 559).</p><p> </p><p>We have a clear policy that sets out the behaviours that are expected of all staff, and the behaviours that will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action. The policy also makes clear how staff should address any concerns they may have. Individual members of staff also have access to that policy and to a confidential employee assistance programme operated by an external provider that offers support, advice and counselling.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 24/03/2015 12:17:42 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

226598

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Energy: Conservation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what measures that reduce energy consumption in Government buildings (a) above and (b) below 500 square metres in area he plans to remove; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Hazel Grove
	tabling member printed	Sir Andrew Stunell
	uin	227258
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>My officials are liaising with their colleagues across government to attempt to assess the behavioural effects of the Display Energy Certificate regime. Included with my Department's consultation on the future of the Display Energy Certificate regime, was a call for evidence, seeking from across the public sector information relating to the use and usefulness of Display Energy Certificates. We will assess the information provided through the discussions across Government, and in response to the call for evidence, to form a view of the behavioural effects of the current regime and of possible changes to it. <br><br>The possible changes set out in the consultation included a range of options, from doing nothing; through making some changes to reduce the amount of gold-plating in the current Display Energy Certificate regime; to replacing the requirement to obtain and display a Display Energy Certificate with one to obtain and display an Energy Performance Certificate, adding for public buildings the requirement to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate to the requirement to display them where they have been obtained that already exists for commercial buildings over 500m2. We will consider the responses to the consultation before forming a view as to which of the options it contained should be implemented. This will be set out in the government response to the consultation, which will be published in due course.<br><br>There is no requirement in the Display Energy Certificate regime to implement any recommendations made, although it may be prudent for cost-effective recommendations to be implemented where possible. <br><br>All Government departments have targets set under the Greening Government commitments, progress towards which must be regularly reported to the Home Affairs (Greening Government Commitments) sub-Committee.<br><br>Furthermore, the State of the Estate report, which covers the civil estate, is published annually by the Cabinet Office and reports progress against targets for energy performance. The State of the Estate Report 2013 reported that cross-government greenhouse gas emissions were, on average, 14% less in 2012/13 than in 2009/10. This represents a slight improvement on the 12% achieved the previous year and that all departments reported improvements against the 2009/10 baseline. Reduced energy consumption across the government estate is estimated to have saved the taxpayer £44 million since 2009/10.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 227257 227259 question first answered 16/03/2015 15:46:43 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
	tabling member	445 label Biography information for Lord Stunell

226599

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Land Drainage
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Written Statement of 18 December 2014, HCWS 161, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of new responsibilities on local authorities relating to sustainable drainage systems.
	tabling member constituency	Cheltenham
	tabling member printed	Martin Horwood
	uin	227261
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>I have been asked to reply.</p><p>Defra has been determining the appropriate level of funding for the new burden incurred by Lead Local Flood Authorities in providing technical advice on surface water drainage in planning applications for major developments. We will be sending letters to these local authorities shortly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Cornwall answering member printed Dan Rogerson question first answered 16/03/2015 12:16:52 answering member 1504 label Biography information for Dan Rogerson
	tabling member	1499 label Biography information for Martin Horwood

226600

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Land Drainage
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Written Statement of 18 December 2014, HCWS 161, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on levels of fees relating to their responsibilities for sustainable drainage systems.
	tabling member constituency	Cheltenham
	tabling member printed	Martin Horwood
	uin	227262
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>Planning applications which include proposals for sustainable drainage systems are subject to normal planning application fees. Guidance on fees for planning applications is published within the on-line planning guidance.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 16/03/2015 17:07:14 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	1499 label Biography information for Martin Horwood

226601

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Energy: Conservation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what measures he has put in place to reduce energy consumption in Government buildings (a) above and (b) below 500 square metres in area since May 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Hazel Grove
	tabling member printed	Sir Andrew Stunell
	uin	227257
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>My officials are liaising with their colleagues across government to attempt to assess the behavioural effects of the Display Energy Certificate regime. Included with my Department's consultation on the future of the Display Energy Certificate regime, was a call for evidence, seeking from across the public sector information relating to the use and usefulness of Display Energy Certificates. We will assess the information provided through the discussions across Government, and in response to the call for evidence, to form a view of the behavioural effects of the current regime and of possible changes to it. <br><br>The possible changes set out in the consultation included a range of options, from doing nothing; through making some changes to reduce the amount of gold-plating in the current Display Energy Certificate regime; to replacing the requirement to obtain and display a Display Energy Certificate with one to obtain and display an Energy Performance Certificate, adding for public buildings the requirement to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate to the requirement to display them where they have been obtained that already exists for commercial buildings over 500m2. We will consider the responses to the consultation before forming a view as to which of the options it contained should be implemented. This will be set out in the government response to the consultation, which will be published in due course.<br><br>There is no requirement in the Display Energy Certificate regime to implement any recommendations made, although it may be prudent for cost-effective recommendations to be implemented where possible. <br><br>All Government departments have targets set under the Greening Government commitments, progress towards which must be regularly reported to the Home Affairs (Greening Government Commitments) sub-Committee.<br><br>Furthermore, the State of the Estate report, which covers the civil estate, is published annually by the Cabinet Office and reports progress against targets for energy performance. The State of the Estate Report 2013 reported that cross-government greenhouse gas emissions were, on average, 14% less in 2012/13 than in 2009/10. This represents a slight improvement on the 12% achieved the previous year and that all departments reported improvements against the 2009/10 baseline. Reduced energy consumption across the government estate is estimated to have saved the taxpayer £44 million since 2009/10.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 227258 227259 question first answered 16/03/2015 15:46:43 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
	tabling member	445 label Biography information for Lord Stunell

226602

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Non-domestic Rates
	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 last reviewed whether business rates are set at an appropriate level.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	227318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>We keep the business rates system under constant review and for the second consecutive year we have reduced the inflation increase in bills to 2%.</p><p> </p><p>That measure is part of an extra £650 million of support for 2015-16 bills announced at the 2014 Autumn, bringing the total support of 2013 and 2014 Autumn Statement polices to £1.4 billion. This help also includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>doubling small business rate relief for a further year. In England, this means an estimated 400,000 properties will pay no rates at all, while a further 200,000 properties will benefit from tapered relief;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>increasing the temporary discount for shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values below £50,000 from £1,000 to £1,500 for 2015-16, benefitting an estimated 200,000 properties in England; and</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>extending the existing transitional relief scheme for two years for properties with a rateable value up to and including £50,000.</li></ul><p> </p><p>These measures are in addition to previous Autumn Statement measures that continue into 2015-16, including:</p><p> </p><ul><li>a 50 per cent discount for 18 months to new occupants of vacant shops;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>allowing businesses to keep their small business rate relief for a year where they take on an additional property;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>business rates relief for empty new builds; and</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>allowing businesses to pay their business rate bills over 12 months, in order to assist with their cash flow.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Central Government also now funds 50% of any local discount granted.</p><p> </p><p><br><br>Today the Government also launched the review of business rates aimed at keeping the system fair, efficient and effective. The Review will report by Budget 2016.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/03/2015 15:48:33 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

226603

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Roads: Lighting
	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 his Department issues on consultation with the Ministry of Defence to local authorities with Ministry of Defence facilities or land within their street lighting provision which plan to turn off street lighting for periods during the night.
	tabling member constituency	Colchester
	tabling member printed	Sir Bob Russell
	uin	227277
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>My Department has not issued any guidance to local authorities in consultation with the Ministry of Defence about street lighting. It is up to locally elected councillors to make decisions on street lighting reflecting local circumstances and views.</p><p> </p><p>Although there is no prescriptive Whitehall guidance on street lighting, the Government publication, <em>Manual for Streets</em> (2007), while out of date in certain areas (e.g. on parking and density), contains some useful guidance on getting the balance right when providing street lighting, taking into account the different issues around safety, street clutter and light pollution. It can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/maual-for-streets.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/03/2015 09:54:34 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	35 label Biography information for Sir Bob Russell

226604

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Non-domestic Rates
	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 was paid in business rates (a) nationwide, (b) in the West Midlands and (c) in Coventry in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	227316
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>Table 1 and Table 2 (attached) present the data for the total and average amount of business rates between 2010-11 and 2015-16 paid in England and Coventry City Council respectively.</p><p>My Department does not produce regional statistics. The local government finance system does not operate on a regional basis, and Government Office Regions have been abolished.<br><br>The figures show that overall, business rates have fallen by 1.3% in real terms across England over the period and fallen by 7.7% in real tems in Coventry.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 227317 question first answered 16/03/2015 17:25:59 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins attachment 1 file name 227316, 227317 Cunningham.docx title Tables 1 & 2 - Business Rates
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

226605

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Non-domestic Rates
	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 amount paid in business rates by each business was (a) nationwide, (b) in the West Midlands and (c) in Coventry in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
	uin	227317
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>Table 1 and Table 2 (attached) present the data for the total and average amount of business rates between 2010-11 and 2015-16 paid in England and Coventry City Council respectively.</p><p>My Department does not produce regional statistics. The local government finance system does not operate on a regional basis, and Government Office Regions have been abolished.<br><br>The figures show that overall, business rates have fallen by 1.3% in real terms across England over the period and fallen by 7.7% in real tems in Coventry.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 227316 question first answered 16/03/2015 17:25:59 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins attachment 1 file name 227316, 227317 Cunningham.docx title Tables 1 & 2 - Business Rates
	tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

226606

	registered interest
	date	11/03/2015
	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	Empty Property
	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 estimate he has made of the number of long-term empty properties in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Lancashire and (d) Pendle constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Pendle
	tabling member printed	Andrew Stephenson
	uin	227326
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2015 answer text <p>Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and by local authority are published in the Department’s Live Table 615, which is available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My Department does not publish regional statistics.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I would note that under this Government, the number of long-term empty homes has fallen by a third from the base line of 316,251 in October 2009 to 216,050 in October 2013. The number of empty homes overall is at a ten year low.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Coalition Government has delivered a comprehensive package of policies to help get empty homes and buildings back into use. We have:</p><p> </p><ul><li>provided over £200 million to fund innovative schemes run by community groups, councils and housing associations up and down the country to bring empty properties back into use. So far, our funding has enabled local groups to create almost 6,000 new homes from empty property – providing apprenticeship and training opportunities as well as more homes and better neighbourhoods for local people – with the potential to deliver more.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Rewarded councils for bringing 100,000 empty homes back into use through the New Homes Bonus;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Given councils new powers to remove council tax subsidies to empty homes, and use the funds to keep the overall rate of council tax down. We have also changed tax rules to discourage the use of corporate envelopes to invest in high value housing which may be left empty or under-used to avoid paying tax;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Cancelled the Labour Government’s Pathfinder programme which sought to demolish homes, instead of focusing on refurbishment and getting empty homes into use; and revoked associated pro-demolition guidance from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Taken forward the best practice recommendations produced by our independent empty homes adviser, George Clarke—such as refurbishment and upgrading of existing homes should be the first and preferred option, and that demolition of existing homes should be the last option after all forms of market testing and options for refurbishment are exhausted; we have embedded these principles in our housing programme funding schemes;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Reformed Community Infrastructure Levy regulations to provide an increased incentive for brownfield development, extending exemptions for empty buildings being brought back into use. We have reduced Section 106 burdens on vacant buildings being returned to use.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Introduced the Right to Contest, building on our existing Community Right to Reclaim Land, which lets communities ask that under-used or unused land owned by public bodies is brought back into beneficial use. This new right applies to central Government sites currently in use, but are not vital for operations.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Amended national planning policy through the National Planning Policy Framework to encourage councils to bring back empty properties back into use;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Funded a new business rates reoccupation relief to help bring empty shops back into use; and</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Reformed permitted development rights in a number of ways to free up the planning system and facilitate the conversion of redundant and under-used non-residential buildings into new homes.</li></ul> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 17/03/2015 16:36:07 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
	tabling member	4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson