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142145

registered interest
date	06/11/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Housing: Energy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the consequences on energy efficiency of housing of scrapping the Code for Sustainable Homes.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	213798
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>The Housing Standards Review has clearly established the Government's policy to rationalise and simplify the many overlapping and confusing technical housing sandards currently in operation. The Review will enable quality and sustainable housing developments to be brought forward more easily but without compromising essential safety and accessibility protections.<br><br>The Government does not anticipate any negative impact on the energy efficiency of housing as a consequence of the Code for Sustainable Homes being wound down. The Code does not affect the existing housing stock, and only affects a proportion of new homes being constructed. The new Building Regulations Part L, brought in from April 2014, already requires an aggregate 6% energy performance above current Code 3 equivalent, and has introduced a mandatory energy efficiency requirement for all new homes. The Housing Standards Review consultation proposes that from the point when the proposals are implemented the energy efficiency requirements in the Regulations will be set at a level equivalent to Code level 4. This is equivalent to a further uplift of 20% on 2010 Part L, across the build mix. Finally, the Government has firmly committed to delivering zero carbon housing from 2016.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 11/11/2014 17:30:27 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

101805

registered interest
date	30/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Lighting
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 issue guidance to (a) local authorities and (b) fire and rescue authorities that they should implement a replacement programme to introduce LED lighting in their buildings.
tabling member constituency	Colchester
tabling member printed	Sir Bob Russell
uin	212615
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>My Department sets minimum standards in the Building Regulations for the energy efficiency of lighting when installed in new and existing buildings, but does not issue guidance on replacement programmes for lighting. The standards in the Building Regulations can be met by LEDs, but it is for local authorities and fire and rescue authorities to judge for themselves when replacement of existing systems will be practical and cost-effective. LED retrofit solutions and key considerations are covered in the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Code of Practice for the Application of LED Lighting Systems, published earlier this year.<br><br>Although LEDs are improving all the time, they are not at the moment necessarily any more energy efficient than modern fluorescent luminaires - or better when comparing things like light quality, reliability, maintainability and lifetime costs - to justify wholesale replacement of existing lighting systems. The main advantage of LEDs over fluorescent luminaires is that they do not contain any mercury and, when compared with compact fluorescent lamps, reach full brightness immediately.<br><br>DECC has policy responsibility for the Ecodesign Directive, which includes requirements for the efficiency of lamps that can be placed on the EU market. By 2016, only LEDs and the most efficient halogen lamps will be able to meet the standards.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 06/11/2014 17:14:27 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	35 label Biography information for Sir Bob Russell

101807

registered interest
date	30/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Housing: Sustainable Development
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 prepare and publish a new draft code for sustainable homes.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	212607
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>The Housing Standards Review has clearly established the Government’s policy to rationalise and simplify the many overlapping and confusing technical housing standards currently in operation. The Review will enable quality and sustainable housing developments to be brought forward more easily but without compromising essential safety and accessibility protections. The outcome of the Review also means that a number of the requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes will be consolidated into the Building Regulations, which would require substantial changes to the content of the current Code, as well as reconsideration of its role. So in the light of this, the Government stated in the recent technical consultation that the current Code will be wound down to coincide with the changes incorporating the new standards coming into force, early in the new year. The consultation also set out proposals on the transitional arrangements, and for the handling of legacy developments being built out to current Code requirements.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 212394 question first answered 06/11/2014 16:44:57 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

101808

registered interest
date	30/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Housing: Sustainable Development
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to enable local authorities to promote sustainable house building.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	212608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government has policies and programmes in place to assist local authorities to build more homes. This includes the £122 million additional borrowing allocated to 22 councils to help them build new affordable homes and support local growth. We will make further announcements of additional borrowing to local councils later in the year. This is only possible thanks to the decisive action we have taken to reduce the deficit left by the last Labour Government. Further details of the actions we have taken recently to support house building, amongst other departmental work, are set out in the written statement made on13 October 2014 (Official Report, Written Ministerial Statements, Column 2WS).</p><p> </p><p>All new homes have to meet Building Regulations’ requirements and in April strengthened energy performance standards came into effect. In the Housing Standards Review, the Government is streamlining the technical standards which apply to new housing development and consolidating as far as possible necessary requirements into Building Regulations to ensure new homes are sustainable. As part of the review, the Government intends to bring forward optional Building Regulations requirements in areas such as accessibility and water efficiency which will enable local authorities to apply higher standards than the Building Regulations national minimum standard where there is a local need, and viability is not compromised.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to sustainable development and local authorities should consider applications for housing development in that context.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 212393 question first answered 06/11/2014 16:40:58 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

101533

registered interest
date	29/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Housing: Construction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to promote environmental and sustainable housebuilding following the abolition of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	212394
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>The Housing Standards Review has clearly established the Government’s policy to rationalise and simplify the many overlapping and confusing technical housing standards currently in operation. The Review will enable quality and sustainable housing developments to be brought forward more easily but without compromising essential safety and accessibility protections. The outcome of the Review also means that a number of the requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes will be consolidated into the Building Regulations, which would require substantial changes to the content of the current Code, as well as reconsideration of its role. So in the light of this, the Government stated in the recent technical consultation that the current Code will be wound down to coincide with the changes incorporating the new standards coming into force, early in the new year. The consultation also set out proposals on the transitional arrangements, and for the handling of legacy developments being built out to current Code requirements.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 212607 question first answered 06/11/2014 16:44:57 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

101536

registered interest
date	29/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Housing: Construction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to assist local authorities build more sustainable homes.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	212393
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government has policies and programmes in place to assist local authorities to build more homes. This includes the £122 million additional borrowing allocated to 22 councils to help them build new affordable homes and support local growth. We will make further announcements of additional borrowing to local councils later in the year. This is only possible thanks to the decisive action we have taken to reduce the deficit left by the last Labour Government. Further details of the actions we have taken recently to support house building, amongst other departmental work, are set out in the written statement made on13 October 2014 (Official Report, Written Ministerial Statements, Column 2WS).</p><p> </p><p>All new homes have to meet Building Regulations’ requirements and in April strengthened energy performance standards came into effect. In the Housing Standards Review, the Government is streamlining the technical standards which apply to new housing development and consolidating as far as possible necessary requirements into Building Regulations to ensure new homes are sustainable. As part of the review, the Government intends to bring forward optional Building Regulations requirements in areas such as accessibility and water efficiency which will enable local authorities to apply higher standards than the Building Regulations national minimum standard where there is a local need, and viability is not compromised.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to sustainable development and local authorities should consider applications for housing development in that context.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 212608 question first answered 06/11/2014 16:40:58 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

101051

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Business: Loans
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on each of the six actions outlined in his Department's report, Ethnic Minority Businesses and Access to Finance, published in June 2013; what external meetings Ministers have had to discuss (a) those actions and (b) the issues raised in the report in each month since the report; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Streatham
tabling member printed	Mr Chuka Umunna
uin	211994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2014 answer text <p>The Ethnic Minority Business and Access to Finance review has raised awareness and encouraged engagement between the banking community and ethnic minority businesses. The report was published in July 2013 with a plan for action. <br><br>The actions were addressed primarily at the industry, British Bankers' Association and others including Local Enterprise Partnerships, supported by Government. Progress against the actions is set out below. <br><br>Action 1: Spreading the Word<br><br>The banking community continues to work with accountants, business groups and specialist business networks through the Enterprise Diversity Alliance and other forums such as the National Black Women's Network and the Yorkshire Asian Business Association, to raise awareness of the range of support available. This has included developing finance guides, refreshing the Better Business Finance website to make it more friendly, and running a national campaign aimed at all SMEs to inform them of the support available, including the appeals process if rejected for finance. <br><br>These details have been made available to ethnic minority businesses through key regional events, newsletters, and the various partners and networks that sit on the British Bankers' Association Diversity and Inclusion Business Council launched in 2014. The Authority also sits on the advisory group of the Enterprise Diversity Alliance, with a number of banks who also run specific Enterprise Diversity Alliance business support and finance work-streams.<br><br>Action 2: Making support easier to access<br><br>The British Bankers' Association, with banks, has run a series of mentoring workshops and because of these, and follow up bank support, some ethnic minority businesses have created their own mentoring networks and many of these businesses have taken up mentoring support. Events are held in areas with a high concentration of ethnic minority businesses notably Leicester, London, Wolverhampton and Birmingham, to raise awareness, understanding and build confidence in accessing finance. <br><br>Specialist mentoring is offered to ethnic minority businesses through mentoring organisations such as Business in the Community, Capital Enterprises and SCA Management Consulting Ltd. If a mentee wishes to specify a particular ethnicity for their mentor they can do so at the matching stage. <br><br>Action 3: Promote the alternatives<br><br>The Government is legislating through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill to require large banks to refer declined small business finance applications to online platforms, who will seek to match businesses seeking finance to alternative lenders. Community Development Finance Institutions will be able to access these platforms alongside a range of other lenders, including challenger banks and peer-to-peer lenders. This proposal will help put small businesses seeking finance in touch with lenders who may be able to help them.<br><br>Action 4: Use Local Enterprise Partnerships to best advantage<br><br>Local Enterprise Partnerships have been established as voluntary partnerships and are encouraged by Government to ensure that their boards are representative of the businesses in their locality, and are not dominated by a single group or organisation.<br><br>Action 5: Expanding our understanding<br><br>The 2013 Ethnic Minority Business report http://www.sme-finance-monitor.co.uk/ was published earlier this year. The 2014 report is due to be published in January 2015. This work, coupled with that of the bank and BIS supported Enterprise Research Centre, is being used by the British Bankers' Association's Diversity and Inclusion Business Council to determine policy actions to take forward.<br><br>Action 6: Supporting the dialogue<br><br>The Ethnic Moinority Business representation at the Business Finance Roundtable is through Professor Monder Ram of Birmingham University who runs the Enterprise Diversity Alliance, co-leads the Enterprise Research Centre diversity work and is a member of DWP's Ethnic Minority Employment Stakeholder Group. Alongside this sits the British Bankers' Association Diversity and Inclusion Business Council launched in 2014 which includes the leading Ethnic Minority Business experts and networks. <br><br>As actions have been progressing since 2013, no further Ministerial meetings have taken place.<br><br></p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 11/11/2014 16:36:37 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams previous answer version 25357 answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4128 label Biography information for Chuka Umunna

101057

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Society Network Foundation
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 value was of contracts awarded by his Department to the Society Network Foundation since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	211932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Communities and Local Government has not awarded a contract, seconded any staff, provided any office space or provided any financial or non-financial support to the Society Network Foundation.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 211936 211937 211939 question first answered 03/11/2014 17:15:48 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

101061

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Society Network Foundation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has provided any office space to the Society Network Foundation since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	211936
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Communities and Local Government has not awarded a contract, seconded any staff, provided any office space or provided any financial or non-financial support to the Society Network Foundation.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 211932 211937 211939 question first answered 03/11/2014 17:15:48 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

101062

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Society Network Foundation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has seconded any officials or special advisers to the Society Network Foundation since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	211937
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Communities and Local Government has not awarded a contract, seconded any staff, provided any office space or provided any financial or non-financial support to the Society Network Foundation.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 211932 211936 211939 question first answered 03/11/2014 17:15:48 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy