The Secretary of State recognises the importance of parks and green spaces in building safer, stronger and more integrated communities. We announced on 7 October that Government would invest £1 million in a second pocket parks programme to create new parks and also provide support to maintain and improve existing parks to help bring existing parks back into safe and regular use.<\/p>
The Government will shortly be publishing a prospectus, inviting bids for funding from across the England. Following closure of the application process, bids will be reviewed and announcement of successful applicants will be announced in spring 2018.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:21:10.793Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pocket Parks Scheme"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding will be allocated to the second round of pocket parks; and if any of those parks will be located in South Yorkshire.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4243", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dan Jarvis"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Barnsley Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dan Jarvis"} ], "uin" : "187343"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002717", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002717/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government understands the important part that sports and recreation places play in local communities.<\/p>
Over the five year period from 2015-16 to 2019-20 council\u2019s will have access to more than £200 billion after this month\u2019s budget. The Chancellor\u2019s announcement means a real-terms increase in funding for local government in 2018/19 and 2019/20.<\/p>
The Government has increased local councils\u2019 financial flexibility by removing conditions from many grants. This gives them more freedom over the money they receive and enables them to work with their residents to decide how best to spend it on local priorities.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:27:43.507Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of Government funding for local authorities and trends in local authority spending on sports and recreation spaces.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1506", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Gwynne"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Denton and Reddish"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Andrew Gwynne"} ], "uin" : "188754"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002722", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002722/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 places a requirement on commissioners, including local authorities, to consider the social, economic and environmental benefits of their approaches to services contracts before the procurement process starts. The existing scheme of UK procurement rules, which implement the EU public procurement directives, are preserved under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 when the UK leaves the European Union, with relevant adjustments necessary to ensure legal operability. This will give legal certainty and continuity to businesses, contracting authorities, and employees, on day one of Exit. We will use opportunities offered by our exit from the EU to carefully consider longer-term options for the UK's public procurement rules.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:22:01.757Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Procurement"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his oral contribution of 5 November 2018, Official Report column 1229, what guidance he has issued to local authorities on taking local value into account when awarding contracts.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/318", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Spellar"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Spellar"} ], "uin" : "188710"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003736", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003736/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Imprisonment should only ever be the last resort for non-payment of council tax. Before a magistrates\u2019 court commits someone to prison for failure to pay their council tax, it must inquire as to the debtor\u2019s means, and satisfy itself that failure to pay is due to \u201cwilful refusal or culpable neglect\u201d. This is to prevent persons who are genuinely unable to pay their council tax from being committed to prison. The Government does not have any plans to change the current arrangements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-19T16:24:15.72Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Council Tax: Non-payment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to bring England in line with the rest of the UK by ending the use of imprisonment for non-payment of council tax debt.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"} ], "uin" : "189834"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003848", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1003848/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
At the Budget the Government announced a one third discount off business rate bills for high streets and town centres worth almost £900 million. The discount will be available, subject to state aid, to retail properties with a rateable value of less than £51,000 such as shops, restaurants, cafes and drinking establishments. We will publish guidance shortly to help local authorities determine eligibility and implement the discount.<\/p>
Since 2016 the Government has announced a raft of measures to support business, including permanently doubling Small Business Rate Relief from 50 per cent to 100 per cent for eligible businesses, and raising the threshold for 100 per cent relief from £6,000 to £12,000. As a result, over 655,000 small businesses \u2013 occupiers of a third of all properties \u2013 pay no business rates at all. In addition, the Government brought forward to April 2018 the switch in the annual indexation of business rates from RPI to the main measure of inflation, currently CPI, which will be a saving for all ratepayers.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-16T13:33:49.527Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Non-domestic Rates"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the business rates relief for properties announced in Budget 2018 will apply to premises in planning use class D2.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kerry McCarthy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kerry McCarthy"} ], "uin" : "189620"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005702", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005702/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The leaders of all the Buckinghamshire councils have made clear to me their commitment to ensure the continuing improvement of children\u2019s services. It will be important throughout the transition to the recommendations of the Children\u2019s Commissioner are given due regard. I am considering how these recommendations may best be reflected in the Order which, if approved by Parliament, will implement the new unitary district council and make provision for transitional arrangements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-20T17:24:08.587Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Services: Children"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that the transition to a new single authority in Buckinghamshire will not affect existing programmes to improve the provision of Children's Services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/18", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Cheryl Gillan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chesham and Amersham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dame Cheryl Gillan"} ], "uin" : "190318"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005703", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005703/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The information to which the Secretary of State had regard when making his decision on the Buckinghamshire proposal for a single unitary council included financial estimates from Buckinghamshire County Council, indicating that savings of some £18 million per year could be made. Information on costs and benefits is available here: https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/council-and-democracy/our-plans/buckinghamshire-unitary/<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-20T17:28:03.287Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unitary Councils: Buckinghamshire"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the savings to be accrued as a result of the establishment of a single unitary district council in Buckinghamshire.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/18", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Cheryl Gillan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chesham and Amersham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dame Cheryl Gillan"}
], "uin" : "190319"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005704", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005704/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government\u2019s New Burdens doctrine ensures local planning authorities receive the relevant resources to meet their statutory obligations under neighbourhood planning. This Government has paid out over £23 million since 2012 to help local planning authorities meet their neighbourhood planning responsibilities. Local authorities can apply for funding of £20,000 for every neighbourhood plan that has passed its independent examination and reached referendum stage. Further details are available in the Chief Planners letter of May 2018 (full link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/717060/180605_Chief_Planner_Letter_NPG_18-19_-_revised.pdf<\/a>).<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-20T17:24:55.747Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unitary Councils: Buckinghamshire"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what additional financial support he plans to provide to the district councils in Buckinghamshire to enable them to fulfil the requirement to support town and parish councils in the production of neighbourhood plans during the period of preparation for a new single unitary district council.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/18", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Cheryl Gillan"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chesham and Amersham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dame Cheryl Gillan"}
], "uin" : "190320"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005705", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005705/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "