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48155

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.
tabling member constituency	Wokingham
tabling member printed	Mr John Redwood
uin	196199
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My Department does not routinely record this information in the format requested. However, this Administration has cut spending significantly on office supplies, cutting expenditure from £480,180 (inc VAT) in 2009-10 to £73,738 in 2013-14.</p><p>In 2010, we conducted an internal review of the Department's spend on office supplies which highlighted several opportunities to achieve savings. A rationalised list of stationery items was created which:</p><p>· reduced the available catalogue of items from around 3,500 to approximately 220;</p><p>· replaced higher value branded items, with non-branded equivalents; and</p><p>· adopted recycled printer toners and copier paper.</p><p>Significant savings were also achieved by aggregating the spend of all Departments and awarding a single Cabinet Office contract for stationery items and one for electronic office supplies (printer toners and other consumables). These contracts were awarded in September 2011 and DCLG were among the first departments to adopt them in November 2011.</p><p>As part of our planned move of office accommodation this summer (to share with the Home Office to save taxpayers' money), stationery across the department will be surrendered and pooled, with the potential to save money by not ordering items locally and preventing a build-up of surplus stationery stock.</p><p>I hope this illustrates how every bit of the public sector has the potential to deliver sensible savings on back office costs.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 30/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	14 label Biography information for Sir John Redwood

48157

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the planning system gives priority to creating additional school places.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	196238
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government recognises the importance of building new schools. The National Planning Policy Framework therefore makes clear the importance of planning for new school development in order to ensure that a sufficient choice of school places is available. The Government has also introduced additional permitted development rights to allow the change of use from some existing buildings to a state funded school.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

48158

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the average number of people on a waiting list for an allotment for every 100 plots available in England.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	196308
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My Department does not estimate allotment waiting list times, as it is individual local authorities which have the legal responsibility for the management and provision of allotments in their area, ensuring that those who want to start an allotment can do so.</p><p>Notwithstanding, a survey of allotment waiting lists was carried out by the National Allotment Society and Transition Town West Kirby in July 2013. Whilst there is a degree of difficulty in creating precise estimates, their research indicated that there was an average of 52 people waiting for every 100 plots (as of January 2013). These waiting list figures were down on their previous surveys, which indicated an average of 57 people waiting in January 2011 and 59 people waiting in January 2010.</p><p>The 2013 survey also noted that that 65 new allotment sites had been created in the previous two years, across 51 councils, creating roughly 2,000 new allotment plots.</p><p>The Coalition Government has introduced a range of measures to help communities who want land to grow fruit and vegetables. Through new community rights, local residents have increased opportunities to protect existing allotments from development and increase provision of green spaces. For example, in Thame, in Oxfordshire, their new neighbourhood plan will create an additional hectare of allotment land. Allotments have also been listed as assets of community value.</p><p>As part of our commitment to supporting local community groups, my Department has also published a best practice guide for community groups wanting to find land to grow fruit and vegetables, as well as an additional guide on establishing community orchards and other spaces for food growing. These can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-for-food-growing-a-guide" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-for-food-growing-a-guide</a></p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-orchards-a-how-to-guide" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-orchards-a-how-to-guide</a></p><p>In January 2014, my Department published <em>Allotment Disposal Guidance: Safeguards and Alternatives </em>replacing the previous guidance from 2002. The new guidance strengthens allotment protection, as the requirement for waiting lists to be taken into account must now be rigorously applied to all that council's waiting lists, not just the waiting list for the site to be disposed of. This aims to ensure that poorly maintained sites are not used to justify disposal. Ministers will be closely monitoring to ensure that this new guidance is followed.</p><p>I also refer the rt. hon. Member to my answer today to him of questions 191956 &amp; 196310, which explains how the Secretary of State's decisions on allotments since May 2010 have resulted in an increase in usable allotment land.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 196309 196311 question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

48159

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the average length of time a person has been on a waiting list for an allotment in each year since 2010 in England.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	196309
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My Department does not estimate allotment waiting list times, as it is individual local authorities which have the legal responsibility for the management and provision of allotments in their area, ensuring that those who want to start an allotment can do so.</p><p>Notwithstanding, a survey of allotment waiting lists was carried out by the National Allotment Society and Transition Town West Kirby in July 2013. Whilst there is a degree of difficulty in creating precise estimates, their research indicated that there was an average of 52 people waiting for every 100 plots (as of January 2013). These waiting list figures were down on their previous surveys, which indicated an average of 57 people waiting in January 2011 and 59 people waiting in January 2010.</p><p>The 2013 survey also noted that that 65 new allotment sites had been created in the previous two years, across 51 councils, creating roughly 2,000 new allotment plots.</p><p>The Coalition Government has introduced a range of measures to help communities who want land to grow fruit and vegetables. Through new community rights, local residents have increased opportunities to protect existing allotments from development and increase provision of green spaces. For example, in Thame, in Oxfordshire, their new neighbourhood plan will create an additional hectare of allotment land. Allotments have also been listed as assets of community value.</p><p>As part of our commitment to supporting local community groups, my Department has also published a best practice guide for community groups wanting to find land to grow fruit and vegetables, as well as an additional guide on establishing community orchards and other spaces for food growing. These can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-for-food-growing-a-guide" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-for-food-growing-a-guide</a></p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-orchards-a-how-to-guide" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-orchards-a-how-to-guide</a></p><p>In January 2014, my Department published <em>Allotment Disposal Guidance: Safeguards and Alternatives </em>replacing the previous guidance from 2002. The new guidance strengthens allotment protection, as the requirement for waiting lists to be taken into account must now be rigorously applied to all that council's waiting lists, not just the waiting list for the site to be disposed of. This aims to ensure that poorly maintained sites are not used to justify disposal. Ministers will be closely monitoring to ensure that this new guidance is followed.</p><p>I also refer the rt. hon. Member to my answer today to him of questions 191956 &amp; 196310, which explains how the Secretary of State's decisions on allotments since May 2010 have resulted in an increase in usable allotment land.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 196308 196311 question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

48160

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes have been self-built in each of the last eight years.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	196286
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Department does not hold official statistics.</p><p>To assist the preparation and implementation of policy to support self-builders, the Department is examining how best the take-up of self-build can be quantified.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

48162

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people of no faith are consulted and listened to when formulating policy on faith and communities.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	196267
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The ‘Creating the Conditions for Integration' paper sets out the Government's approach to achieving a more integrated society, for everyone of faith and of no faith to live and work successfully alongside each other. In September 2012 my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister appointed my noble Friend, Baroness Warsi as Minister for Faith and Communities. Along with colleagues, such as myself, the Minister has worked closely with faith and non-faith groups on an approach to integration.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 01/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

48163

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many applications he has (a) received and (b) approved for the disposal of allotment sites in each year since 2010 in England; and in what local authority each such site was located.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	196310
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Further to the Allotments Act 1925, applications for consent to dispose of allotment land are submitted to the Department by local councils (parish councils and principal authorities). The table below shows the breakdown of applications since May 2010.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><em>Granted</em></p></td><td><p><em>Withdrawn</em></p></td><td><p><em>Refused</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2010- March 2011</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>6</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>15</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>17</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15 to date</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To place this in context, the Secretary of State granted 34 allotment disposals in 2007, granted 22 in 2008 and granted 18 in 2009, whilst only 2 were declined, which is a greater rate than under this Administration.</p><p>I observe that the rt. hon. Member has been quoted in the media attacking such consents. He would have been wiser however to have undertaken a closer examination of the 68 individual consents granted to the local councils since May 2010.</p><p>The table below provides some context to help explain why there was a reasonable case by the representative local bodies for changing the statutory status of the land.</p><p>In January 2014, my Department published <em>Allotment Disposal Guidance: Safeguards and Alternatives</em> replacing the previous guidance from 2002. The new guidance strengthens allotment protection, as the requirement for waiting lists to be taken into account must now be rigorously applied to all that council's waiting lists, not just the waiting list for the site to be disposed of. This aims to ensure that poorly maintained sites are not used to justify disposal. Ministers will be closely monitoring to ensure that this new guidance is followed.</p><p>Notwithstanding, I have taken the opportunity to analyse these previous cases in the table below. The National Allotment Society was consulted in every case, and nine out of ten decisions were consistent with advice from the National Allotment Society (where advice was given); the remaining cases where the advice diverged related to land not actually in use as allotments, requiring a judgement call on whether it was realistic to bring the land back into productive use.</p><p>Having analysed these approvals, I can note that half of the land disposed was not actually in use as allotments. Moreover, in every case where existing allotment plot holders were displaced, evidence from local authorities indicates that alternative plots were made available to them.</p><p>More new plots were proposed to be created and/or vacant sites proposed to be brought back into use than the number of proposed disposals of in-use allotment plots. Consequently, the statutory disposal process overseen by the Secretary of State since May 2010 should have resulted in an <strong>increase</strong> in allotment provision not a reduction. This reflects this Government's commitment both to supporting local communities grow their own food and to protecting important community assets.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 191956 question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams attachment 1 file name 2269 & 2521 Benn - Table.docx title Allotments - Disposal Consents Granted
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

48164

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of people on a waiting list for an allotment in England in each year since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	196311
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My Department does not estimate allotment waiting list times, as it is individual local authorities which have the legal responsibility for the management and provision of allotments in their area, ensuring that those who want to start an allotment can do so.</p><p>Notwithstanding, a survey of allotment waiting lists was carried out by the National Allotment Society and Transition Town West Kirby in July 2013. Whilst there is a degree of difficulty in creating precise estimates, their research indicated that there was an average of 52 people waiting for every 100 plots (as of January 2013). These waiting list figures were down on their previous surveys, which indicated an average of 57 people waiting in January 2011 and 59 people waiting in January 2010.</p><p>The 2013 survey also noted that that 65 new allotment sites had been created in the previous two years, across 51 councils, creating roughly 2,000 new allotment plots.</p><p>The Coalition Government has introduced a range of measures to help communities who want land to grow fruit and vegetables. Through new community rights, local residents have increased opportunities to protect existing allotments from development and increase provision of green spaces. For example, in Thame, in Oxfordshire, their new neighbourhood plan will create an additional hectare of allotment land. Allotments have also been listed as assets of community value.</p><p>As part of our commitment to supporting local community groups, my Department has also published a best practice guide for community groups wanting to find land to grow fruit and vegetables, as well as an additional guide on establishing community orchards and other spaces for food growing. These can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-for-food-growing-a-guide" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/space-for-food-growing-a-guide</a></p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-orchards-a-how-to-guide" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-orchards-a-how-to-guide</a></p><p>In January 2014, my Department published <em>Allotment Disposal Guidance: Safeguards and Alternatives </em>replacing the previous guidance from 2002. The new guidance strengthens allotment protection, as the requirement for waiting lists to be taken into account must now be rigorously applied to all that council's waiting lists, not just the waiting list for the site to be disposed of. This aims to ensure that poorly maintained sites are not used to justify disposal. Ministers will be closely monitoring to ensure that this new guidance is followed.</p><p>I also refer the rt. hon. Member to my answer today to him of questions 191956 &amp; 196310, which explains how the Secretary of State's decisions on allotments since May 2010 have resulted in an increase in usable allotment land.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 196308 196309 question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

48165

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help older people with their housing needs; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Chatham and Aylesford
tabling member printed	Tracey Crouch
uin	196350
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government is committed to increasing the supply of suitable housing for older people and also to helping people to live independently at home for longer.</p><p>The Government is improving choice for those who wish to move by providing £315 million between 2013-14 – 2017-18 through the Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund. Phase I of the fund was announced last year and will deliver more than 3,500 affordable homes for older people and adults with disabilities or mental health needs. The successful bids for Phase II of the programme, which aims to stimulate development in the wider private market, will be announced later this year.</p><p>The National Planning Policy Framework asks local planning authorities to assess the full housing requirements in their area and plan for a mix of housing based on demographic trends and the needs of different groups in the area, including older people. The planning guidance advisesthat local planning authorities should count housing provided for older people, including residential institutions in Use Class C2, against their housing requirement. The approach taken, which may include site allocations, should be clearly set out in the Local Plan. Copies of the Framework and the guidance have been placed in the Library of the House.</p><p>To help extended families, the Government introduced in April a 50 per cent council tax discount on family annexes. We have also made amendments to the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations, exempting from the levy those wanting to extend their own homes, or install residential annexes within their own property boundary.</p><p>The Department for Communities and Local Government is providing funding of £785 million between 2011-12 – 2014-15 for the Disabled Facilities Grant which is administered by local authorities in England and provides adaptations to the homes of disabled people to help them to live as independently as possible in their own home. A further £220 million will be made available in 2015-16.</p><p>Since 2011-12, the Government has funded FirstStop with over £2 million to provide a national information and advice service to older people, their families and carers on housing, care and finance.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 01/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	3950 label Biography information for Dame Tracey Crouch

48166

registered interest
date	10/04/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funds his Department has allocated (a) for identifying troubled families and (b) in performance payments for turning those families around to each local authority participating in the Troubled Families Programme to date.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	196481
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The funding for the troubled families programme does not operate on an ‘allocation' basis; the programme operates as set out in the financial framework: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11469/2117840.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11469/2117840.pdf</a></p><p>Up to £448 million has been allocated in total as a budget for this programme with up to £4,000 available for each family turned around. The latest performance information broken down by local authority area can be found here <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/troubled-families-programme-progress-by-31-december-2013" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/troubled-families-programme-progress-by-31-december-2013</a> and more recent information covering the period up until February 2014 is due to be published shortly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn