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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

101053

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	Department for Communities and Local Government: Written Questions
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 expects to answer Question 210273, tabled by the right hon. Member for Leeds Central on 13 October 2014.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	212000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2015 answer text <p>Question 210273 was answered on 18 December 2014.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 07/01/2015 17:21:11 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams previous answer version 25354 answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

101058

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	Big Society Network
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-her= Department to the Big Society Network since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	211933
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network.</p><p> </p><p>Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.</p><p> </p><p>Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 211934 211935 211938 question first answered 17/11/2014 11:39:50 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

101059

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	Big Society Network
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 value of (a) financial and (n) non-financial support provided by his-her= Department to the Big Society Network since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	211934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network.</p><p> </p><p>Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.</p><p> </p><p>Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 211933 211935 211938 question first answered 17/11/2014 11:39:50 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

101060

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	Big Society Network
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 office space to the Big Society Network since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	211935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network.</p><p> </p><p>Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.</p><p> </p><p>Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 211933 211934 211938 question first answered 17/11/2014 11:39:50 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

101063

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	Big Society Network
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 Big Society Network since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Wigan
tabling member printed	Lisa Nandy
uin	211938
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>My Department has not awarded any contract or provided any office space to the Big Society Network.</p><p> </p><p>Five members of staff were informally seconded to the Network during the summer/autumn of 2010, assisting with projects such as participatory budgeting and the Big Lunch. There was no direct cost to the Department of these placements; the notional value of the staff time in 2010 was in the region of £25,000 to £30,000.</p><p> </p><p>Secondments help staff get experience of outside sectors, bringing back new knowledge and skills to the Department. We have seconded staff to similar organisations on a temporary basis, such as Barnados, the Children's Society and the Prince's Trust.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 211933 211934 211935 question first answered 17/11/2014 11:39:50 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4082 label Biography information for Lisa Nandy

101070

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	Community Relations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's Bringing people together in strong, united communities policy webpage, if he will list all the projects aimed at tackling extremism and intolerance.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	212001
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>I refer the rt. hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement on integration made by my rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State (Eric Pickles) today.</p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 18/12/2014 15:11:28 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams previous answer version 25367 answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

100905

registered interest
date	24/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Burglary
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, at which courts people with 15 or more previous convictions were not sent to prison on conviction for burglary in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	211920
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2015 answer text <p>Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent judiciary, taking account of the circumstances of the case and the maximum penalty for the offence. But when sentencing an offender the courts must treat recent and relevant previous convictions as an aggravating factor. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of three years’ imprisonment for a third conviction for domestic burglary. The sentencing guideline for burglary aims to ensure that the effect on victims is at the centre of considerations about what sentence each offender should receive. The average custodial sentence length for domestic burglary has increased from 21.4 months in 2009 to 23.6 months in 2013.</p><p>This Government is committed to strengthening sentences, so that they combine both punishment and requirements that are effective at preventing further offending. We are transforming rehabilitation, by bringing together the best of the public, private and voluntary sectors, and only rewarding them when they actually do reduce re-offending.</p><p>During the 12 months ending June 2014, all local justice areas sentenced at least one offender with 15 or more previous convictions to a sentence that did not entail immediate custody for their latest conviction of a burglary offence.</p> answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead answering member printed Mike Penning question first answered 23/03/2015 17:54:02 answering member 1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

100320

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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	Social Rented Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what was spent on the Decent Homes Programme in each year since 2005.
tabling member constituency	Bethnal Green and Bow
tabling member printed	Rushanara Ali
uin	211623
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>The last Administration failed to meet its Decent Homes target. It pledged in 2000 that: “We... are committed to ensuring that all social housing is of a decent standard within 10 years” (DETR, <em>Quality and Choice: A Decent Home for All: The Housing Green Paper</em>, April 2000, p.11). But 16 per cent of local authority homes were not decent by 2010.</p><p>That last Government also cut the Decent Homes programme by £150 million in July 2009, cannibalising the housing programme to pay for other policies. I also observe the last Prime Minister planned to cut back housing investment, remarking before the general election: “Housing is essentially a private sector activity. Let's be honest about this... I don't see a need for us to continue with such a big renovation programme” (<em>BBC Newsnight</em>, 30 April 2010).</p><p>However, the Coalition Government is investing £2.3 billion from 2011 to 2016 to improve the quality of existing social housing through the Decent Homes programme and large-scale voluntary transfer gap funding The funding is for clearing the backlog, and therefore is less than under the last Administration – as by intention, there should be an increasingly smaller number of homes to pay to refurbish.</p><p>The table below shows spending since 2005.</p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>£ million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004-05</p></td><td><p>£578</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>£864</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>£814</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>£1,005</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>£1,017</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>£1,079</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>£756</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>£494</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>£563</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>£631</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014-15</p></td><td><p>est. £532</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>NB. The figure for 14-15 contains £15 million funding for South Tyneside which was brought forward from the 2015-16 allocation.</p><p>The number of non-decent local authority dwellings across England has fallen from 292,000 in 1 April 2010 to 146,000 in April 2014, with a forecast of a further fall to 113,000 by April 2015. This shows clear progress in refurbishing these homes.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 23/02/2015 16:51:14 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 24440 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4138 label Biography information for Rushanara Ali