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49115

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, if he will make an assessment of the (a) fairness and (b) viability of reforming the firefighters' pension scheme allow members to retire on the basis of length of service rather than age.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	107177
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government is reforming all public service pension schemes to ensure that they remain fair to workers and sustainable for taxpayers. The transitional protection arrangements for the firefighters' pension schemes are set out in the Proposed Final Agreement which was published in May 2012. The transitional protections use age to calculate a member's entitlement to protection. More firefighters are protected from changes than any other large public service workforce.</p><p>There has been recent correspondence with the Fire Brigades Union on the scope and timing of discussions on this issue. Copies of this correspondence can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-scheme-reforms" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-scheme-reforms</a>.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 107178 question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

49116

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, whether he has (a) discussed with and (b) received any representations from the Fire Brigades Union regarding the adoption of a firefighters' pension scheme which would allow members to retire on the basis of length of service rather than age.
	tabling member constituency	South Shields
	tabling member printed	Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck
	uin	107178
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government is reforming all public service pension schemes to ensure that they remain fair to workers and sustainable for taxpayers. The transitional protection arrangements for the firefighters' pension schemes are set out in the Proposed Final Agreement which was published in May 2012. The transitional protections use age to calculate a member's entitlement to protection. More firefighters are protected from changes than any other large public service workforce.</p><p>There has been recent correspondence with the Fire Brigades Union on the scope and timing of discussions on this issue. Copies of this correspondence can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-scheme-reforms" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/firefighters-pension-scheme-reforms</a>.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 107177 question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4277 label Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck

43348

	registered interest
	date	17/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning appeals resulted in local authority decisions being overturned by the planning inspector in South Staffordshire in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011, (d) 2012 and (e) 2013.
	tabling member constituency	South Staffordshire
	tabling member printed	Gavin Williamson
	uin	192251
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p>Planning is a quasi-judicial process; it is a long-standing feature of the planning system that there is a right of appeal, just as there are with other local quasi-judicial decisions such as on licensing applications, gambling applications or parking fines.</p><p>The table below shows planning appeal decisions by calendar year for South Staffordshire District Council. To assist public scrutiny, I have provided comparative figures for a similar period before 2010.</p><p> </p><table><thead><tr><td><p><em>Calendar Year</em></p></td><td><p><em>Allowed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Split</em></p></td><td><p><em>Dismissed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Total</em></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>37</p></td><td><p>62</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>27</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p>81</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>14</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>18</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>35</p></td><td><p>53</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>33</p></td><td><p>52</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>16</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>26</p></td><td><p>42</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>8</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>22</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Whilst the precise number of appeals will fluctuate from year to year, this table shows that the number of appeals both (a) received and (b) allowed has fallen in recent years.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	4108 label Biography information for Sir Gavin Williamson

43992

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department paid Sir Ken Knight in (a) salary, (b) fees and (c) expenses for the independent review of efficiency and operations in fire and rescue authorities in England.
	tabling member constituency	North Tyneside
	tabling member printed	Mrs Mary Glindon
	uin	192775
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 24 March 2014]</em></p><p>Sir Ken Knight worked on his independent review between 1 January and 22 June 2013. He was paid £53,635 during this period. Between 1 January and 28 January 2013, Sir Ken was also the Government's Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser in addition to conducting initial fieldwork for his review. His salary rate whilst working on the Knight Review was in line with his previous salary rate when he was Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser.</p><p>Sir Ken's review found huge variations in the way the 46 fire and rescue authorities in England operate and highlighted the scope for the services to find £200 million in savings whilst safeguarding emergency operations and protecting public safety. His report highlighted the importance of collaboration with other local services in helping fire and rescue authorities to transform the way they run to meet the changing needs of communities. The Government will be publishing a formal response to the report in due course. The best fire and rescue authorities are already beginning to collaborate with police and ambulance services and local authorities – through co-location of stations and services, through sharing back office functions, including sharing senior staff, and through co-responding and joining up on service delivery.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 09/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4126 label Biography information for Mary Glindon

44526

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to ensure that the legal costs accrued over the closure of the Traveller site in Fylde are recovered from the travellers.
	tabling member constituency	Fylde
	tabling member printed	Mark Menzies
	uin	193259
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The High Court and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the Secretary of State to dismiss the planning appeal and uphold the enforcement notice in relation to an unauthorised traveller site at Fairfield Road, Hardhorn.</p><p>My Department seeks to recover the costs of litigation from the other parties where this is appropriate, and I can confirm that we will be seeking to do so in this case.</p><p>Flyde Borough Council may also seek to do the same through due legal process; however, this is a matter for the council rather than my Department.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	3998 label Biography information for Mark Menzies

44678

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department's policy is on allowing officials to appear before all-party parliamentary groups.
	tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
	tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
	uin	193383
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham on 26 March 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, column 300W.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

44672

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many proposals have been made by local authorities under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 in each year since that Act has been in force; and how many such proposals his Department has adopted.
	tabling member constituency	Hyndburn
	tabling member printed	Graham Jones
	uin	193399
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 27 March 2014]</em></p><p>In July 2009, 100 local authorities submitted proposals to the Selector, the Local Government Association. In December 2009, the Selector presented a short-list of 199 proposals, containing over 300 separate requests to the Government. Details of these proposals, the 39 actions this Government said it would take in response and an update on these actions that was published in July last year can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-communities-act-2007-decisions-on-local-councils-proposals-to-improve-local-areas" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-communities-act-2007-decisions-on-local-councils-proposals-to-improve-local-areas</a></p><p>Five local authorities submitted proposals in 2011. We carefully considered all the proposals and took forward two firm proposals. One local authority has submitted a proposal this year. It is under consideration.</p><p>The Government extended the power to submit proposals under the Act to town and parish councils in October last year. Since then five town and parish councils have submitted proposals, which are under consideration.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
	tabling member	3999 label Biography information for Graham P Jones

44675

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the development announced in Budget 2014 at Ebbsfleet will consist of affordable homes.
	tabling member constituency	City of Durham
	tabling member printed	Roberta Blackman-Woods
	uin	193427
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government does not impose a particular level of affordable housing for housing schemes. The percentage of affordable units will be a matter for local decision making taking account of the local authorities' local plans and site viability. Unrealistic Section 106 agreements result in no development, no regeneration and no community benefits.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 09/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
	tabling member	1501 label Biography information for Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods

44680

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to establish garden city principles in Ebbsfleet.
	tabling member constituency	City of Durham
	tabling member printed	Roberta Blackman-Woods
	uin	193458
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 31 March 2014]</em></p><p>We expect the new Ebbsfleet Urban Development Corporation, once established, to develop the vision for Ebbsfleet Garden City in co-operation with local partners.</p><p>We would expect the Corporation, working with local partners and other experts, to consider how accepted Garden Cities principles, such as high quality, imaginative design, the provision of generous green space, mixed tenure homes and a strong local jobs offer, could be delivered in a way appropriate to local needs and circumstances.</p><p>The Government wants Ebbsfleet to set high standards in terms of design quality. The Built for Life principles are industry developed standards for good design. We would look to those coming forward with development proposals at Ebbsfleet to adopt them, and encourage them to be ambitious by aiming for a ‘green' rating.</p><p> </p><p> </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	1501 label Biography information for Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods

44670

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the need for local authority pension schemes to integrate environmental, social and governance issues into their investment decision-making.
	tabling member constituency	Wolverhampton South West
	tabling member printed	Paul Uppal
	uin	193479
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2014 answer text <p>These issues are matters for individual local authorities that administer pension funds to consider when deciding upon their investment strategies. Each administering authority is required to publish a statement of principles, which should address such issues. Statutory guidance states that the authority must report periodically to scheme members on the implementation of their policies.</p><p>Notwithstanding, local authorities need to focus on delivering a good rate of return for their fund and value for taxpayers, given local government pensions cost taxpayers (via employer contributions) almost £6 billion a year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4078 label Biography information for Paul Uppal