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227097

registered interest
date	12/03/2015
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	Recycling: York
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 waste was recycled in City of York local authority area in 2009-10 and in each subsequent year.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Sir Hugh Bayley
uin	227388
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2015 answer text <p>The information requested is shown in the attached table.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 17/03/2015 16:07:06 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins attachment 1 file name 227388 Bayley.docx title City of York waste recycling
tabling member	385 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Bayley

227099

registered interest
date	12/03/2015
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	Fire and Rescue Services: Pensions
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 discussions he has had with fire authorities in England and Wales on pension rights for firefighters who fail fitness tests due to illness; and how many of those authorities have indicated to him that they cannot pay those pensions.
tabling member constituency	East Antrim
tabling member printed	Sammy Wilson
uin	227419
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2015 answer text <p>I recently met with the National Employers to discuss firefighter fitness issues in England. Where underlying medical reasons have been identified that restrict or prevent an individual from achieving the necessary fitness standards for undertaking their role as a firefighter, the individual should be referred to occupational health, and must receive the necessary support to facilitate a return to operational duties. The fire and rescue authority should also fully explore opportunities to enable the individual to remain in employment, including through reasonable adjustments and appropriate redeployment within the role, where it appears the medical condition prevents a return to operational duties. In those circumstances, where there are no such opportunities or suitable alternative employment is unavailable, then the fire and rescue authority will commence the formal assessment for ill-health retirement by referring the case to the Independent Qualified Medical Practitioner. Where it is determined that a firefighter is permanently unable to continue in their role as a firefighter they would become entitled to the immediate payment of a lower tier ill-health pension. In addition to this, they would also receive a higher tier ill-health enhancement if it was also determined that they could not undertake any regular employment. The definition of ill-health is wide, and includes both physical and mental conditions, including arthritis and post-traumatic stress syndrome. It is important to note that, where a firefighter is deemed eligible for medical retirement, the authority must pay the ill-health pension - there is no discretion.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2015 Firefighters Pension Scheme firefighters will accrue pension more quickly than their counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will consequently achieve a higher ill-health pension.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 19/03/2015 12:57:23 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	1593 label Biography information for Sammy Wilson

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

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

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

226234

registered interest
date	10/03/2015
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	Local Government Finance: Sefton
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 difference is between the amount that will be received from central Government by Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council under the (a) provisional and (b) final 2015-16 local authority settlement.
tabling member constituency	Southport
tabling member printed	John Pugh
uin	226911
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>The final local government finance settlement for Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council for 2015-16, which was announced on 3 February 2015, included an additional £485,000 compared to the provisional settlement. This was Sefton’s share of the additional £74 million provided to upper tier local authorities. This is to assist with continuing pressures on health and social care and in providing local welfare.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/03/2015 09:53:37 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	1454 label Biography information for John Pugh

226440

registered interest
date	10/03/2015
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	Refuges: Domestic Abuse
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 victims of domestic violence are able to seek immediate refuge away from their home.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	227064
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting vulnerable victims of domestic abuse and we recognise the key role refuges play in keeping victims of domestic abuse and their children safe. This is why we have in place clear duties to ensure vulnerable victims of domestic abuse who have fled their homes are provided with accommodation.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has provided £10 million to 148 areas across England to help maintain a resilient national network of refuges to ensure victims domestic abuse get the help and support they need. This funding will improve the level and quality of support in existing refuges as well as increasing the number of bed spaces across England.</p><p> </p><p>This is complemented by new statutory guidance on homelessness and domestic abuse that sets out the level of support that victims can expect to receive in refuges. It makes clear that refuges should offer support to all victims and not just those living locally.</p><p> </p><p>There is a range of support for victims of domestic abuse. Some victims will be accommodated in refuges, but Sanctuary Schemes and mainstream local authority accommodation may be an option for others. Since 2010 Sanctuary Schemes have prevented over 20,000 households from becoming homeless. They provide professionally installed security measures, with appropriate support, to allow those experiencing domestic violence to remain in their own accommodation where it is safe for them to do so, where it is their choice and when the perpetrator no longer lives there.</p><p> </p><p>We are continuing to fund Women’s Aid to run UKRefugesOnline, a UK wide database of domestic abuse services, for 2015-16 so that those looking to find a safe place and the appropriate support can do so as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>We have also invested over £500 million to tackle and prevent homelessness and rough sleeping since 2010 and a proportion of this will be used to support victims of domestic abuse. This funding is in addition to the £6.5 billion that the Government has provided in housing related support over this spending review period to help the most vulnerable people, including victims of domestic abuse.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 16/03/2015 09:52:47 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

227370

registered interest
date	10/03/2015
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	Village Halls: Planning Permission
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 policy is on the planning permission required for the sale and development of village halls; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
uin	908068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>National policy makes clear that planning should promote the retention of community facilities, including meeting places such as village halls. As well as empowering villages to create neighbourhood plans, we have introduced the Community Right to Bid to help protect Assets of Community Value such as village halls.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 16/03/2015 16:44:14 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

227371

registered interest
date	10/03/2015
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	Local Development Frameworks
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 ensure that all councils adopt local development frameworks; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North West Norfolk
tabling member printed	Mr Henry Bellingham
uin	908063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2015 answer text <p>Eighty per cent of councils have a published Plan compared with one in six with an adopted Core Strategy in May 2010. Up to date Local Plans are the best way of determining what development is appropriate and where. I have recently written to many councils emphasising the importance of up to date plans</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 16/03/2015 17:21:39 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	1441 label Biography information for Lord Bellingham