{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Wera+Hobhouse&max-AnswerDate=2019-10-30&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Wera+Hobhouse&max-AnswerDate=2019-10-30&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Wera+Hobhouse&max-AnswerDate=2019-10-30&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government&_metadata=all", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Wera+Hobhouse&_page=0&max-AnswerDate=2019-10-30&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Wera+Hobhouse&max-AnswerDate=2019-10-30&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Wera+Hobhouse&max-AnswerDate=2019-10-30&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140568", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1140568/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Local welfare provision was devolved to local authorities as the Government believes that they\u2019re best place to understand local priorities.<\/p>

The Government has made over £200 billion available to councils over this spending review to spend on local services including local welfare provision.<\/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" : "2019-07-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-24T15:29:36.387Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Crisis Loans"} , "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 assessment he has made of the implications for his Department policies of (a) the March 2019 The Children\u2019s Society report entitled Nowhere to turn and (B) the finding that since the devolution of crisis support in 2013, the number of people receiving crisis support from either national or local government has reduced by 75 per cent.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "279449"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1037112", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1037112/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government has a duty to inform people and businesses about how leaving the EU might affect them, and to advise on the steps they may need to take to prepare for Brexit.

Over the coming weeks, we will be using a range of channels to direct UK citizens, businesses, EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU to a dedicated area on GOV.UK at Gov.uk/euexit.

Information on the costs associated with this campaign will be released in due course as part of normal data transparency releases.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4060", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Jake Berry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rossendale and Darwen"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jake Berry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-10T14:50:01.247Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Brexit"} , "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 his Department is spending on a public information campaign to prepare people for the potential effects of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "206011"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/986388", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/986388/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published on www.gov.uk<\/a> and can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dclg-ministerial-data<\/a>. The information published includes all meetings up to and including March 2018. Meetings that have not yet been published, but are due to be in the future, include:<\/p>

On 11 July 2018 I met with Councillors David Fothergill and Faye Purbeck from Somerset County Council and Councillor Harvey Siggs from Mendip District Council following their request for a meeting to discuss their thoughts about future organisation of Somerset. There was no minute of the meeting, though I wrote to the Councillors on 26 July 2018 as a follow up to the meeting, and I am placing a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.<\/p>

Following my meeting with the Somerset councillors, I invited all the Somerset MPs to meet with me on 11 September 2018 to discuss their thoughts on future organisation of Somerset. Following that meeting I wrote to all those MPs with some additional information.<\/p>

On 19 July 2018, Jake Berry MP attended a roundtable meeting about high streets and local growth with various councillors and businesses. Councillor David Fothergill from Somerset County Council was in attendance.<\/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" : "2018-10-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-17T14:47:22.643Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Councillors: Somerset"} , "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, if he will publish the (a) dates on which Ministers in his Department had meetings with any elected Somerset County Councillors since 7 May 2015 and (b) the agendas and minutes of the matters discussed for each of those meetings.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "178520"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/985632", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/985632/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Owners of second homes are generally liable for council tax. Only where a property is available for short-term lets for 140 days or more per financial year, is it considered a holiday-let, and therefore assessed for business rates instead. However, the Government is aware of concerns about holiday homes and is looking into this issue to see if the criteria under which holiday lets are valued for business rates are appropriate.<\/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" : "2018-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-19T09:17:43.417Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Second Homes: Council Tax"} , "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 assessment his Department has made of the effect on the level of Council Tax receipts of the practice of second homeowners avoiding the payment of council tax by registering a second home as a business.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "178364"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/984963", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/984963/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Holiday lets are a valuable part of the local business landscape. They are assessed for business rates if they are available for short-term lets for 140 days or more per financial year. This rule is widely understood and provides a clear method of deciding whether a property should be liable for council tax or business rates. It ensures that properties do not switch year-to-year between council tax and business rates merely due to success in letting out the property. However, the Department is aware of concerns about this criterion, and is considering whether it remains appropriate.<\/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" : "2018-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-10-16T14:19:01.943Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Holiday Accommodation: 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, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the procedures for assessing the liability of holiday lets for business rates.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "177781"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/937783", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/937783/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Department has no immediate plans to seek accreditation from the National Living Wage Foundation in relation to paying the real living wage. However, the Department does qualify to apply for the referenced accreditation as we do not employ anyone, either nationally or in London, that earns less than the hourly living wage rate for the respective areas as defined by the National Living Wage Foundation. A table highlighting the Department\u2019s lowest hourly rate of pay in comparison to the current National Living Wage hourly rate is shown below.<\/p>

<\/p>

<\/p><\/td>

Real Living Wage<\/p><\/td>

MHCLG Min Hourly Rate (Net Contractual Hours)<\/p><\/td>

MHCLG Min Hourly Rate (Gross Contractual Hours)<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

London<\/p><\/td>

£10.20ph<\/p><\/td>

£13.16ph<\/p><\/td>

£11.59<\/p><\/td><\/tr>

National<\/p><\/td>

£8.75ph<\/p><\/td>

£11.30ph<\/p><\/td>

£9.95<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4060", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Jake Berry"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rossendale and Darwen"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jake Berry"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-07-16T14:46:33.673Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-07-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Living Wage"} , "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 he has plans for his Department to be accredited by the National Living Wage Foundation in relation to paying the real living wage; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "162606"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/891326", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/891326/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The information relating to the return of £817 million was published as part of Table 4 in the Supplementary Estimates Explanatory Memorandum 2017/18:<\/p>

https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/communities-and-local-government/Correspondence/Supplementary-estimates-explanatory-memorandum-2017-18.pdf<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4007", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dominic Raab"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Esher and Walton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dominic Raab"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/891326/answer/previousversion/55041", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4007", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dominic Raab"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Esher and Walton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dominic Raab"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-03T13:41:35.157Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March to Question 132182 on the return of £817 million to the Treasury, if he will provide a breakdown of the original intended recipients of the funding that has now been returned.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "138093"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/890519", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/890519/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government is investing over £9 billion in the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21, to support councils and housing associations to deliver genuinely affordable homes where they are needed most.<\/p>

We have confirmed long-term rent certainty for social landlords in England and announced that we will be providing councils with £1 billion of additional borrowing to deliver homes where demand is greatest. These measures, and the additional Affordable Homes Programme funding, will support local authorities to deliver a new generation of council house building.<\/p>

The programme is flexible and sets no ring-fences on particular forms of tenure, so providers can bid into the programme to develop a wide range of homes to meet the housing needs of a range of people in different circumstances and housing markets \u2013 building the right homes in the right places.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4007", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dominic Raab"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Esher and Walton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dominic Raab"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/890519/answer/previousversion/54658", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4007", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dominic Raab"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Esher and Walton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dominic Raab"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-05-01T12:24:28.953Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 22 March to Question 132182 on Housing: Finance, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the bidding process for local authorities councils to be allocate housing-related funding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "137637"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/886231", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/886231/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

It is the statutory guidance, issued by the Secretary of State on 27 March 2018 under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which states that a proposal for unitary local government should seek to achieve unitary authorities with populations as a minimum substantially in excess of 300,000.<\/p>

The Secretary of State has issued this guidance, including on population size, having regard to past reorganisations, the Northamptonshire County Council Best Value Inspection Report of March 2018, and research, including that from the County Councils Network in 2016 into lessons from previous unitarisations which found that the scale of a unitary council was key, with larger authorities able to deliver economies of scale while smaller unitary councils were more likely to be less resilient, putting key services at potential risk.<\/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" : "2018-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "136427"} , {"_value" : "136428"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-04-23T15:27:18.547Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-04-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unitary Councils"} , "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, for what reasons his Department has changed the lower parameter of a population of 300,000 for a unitary authority from being set only in guidance to being a requirement; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "136426"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/886232", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/886232/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

It is the statutory guidance, issued by the Secretary of State on 27 March 2018 under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which states that a proposal for unitary local government should seek to achieve unitary authorities with populations as a minimum substantially in excess of 300,000.<\/p>

The Secretary of State has issued this guidance, including on population size, having regard to past reorganisations, the Northamptonshire County Council Best Value Inspection Report of March 2018, and research, including that from the County Councils Network in 2016 into lessons from previous unitarisations which found that the scale of a unitary council was key, with larger authorities able to deliver economies of scale while smaller unitary councils were more likely to be less resilient, putting key services at potential risk.<\/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" : "2018-04-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "136426"} , {"_value" : "136428"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-04-23T15:27:18.69Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-04-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Unitary Councils"} , "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 the (a) reasons and (b) evidential basis are for the threshold of a population of 300,000 being chosen as a requirement for unitary authorities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4602", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wera Hobhouse"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bath"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wera Hobhouse"} ], "uin" : "136427"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMember.label=Biography+information+for+Wera+Hobhouse&_page=1&max-AnswerDate=2019-10-30&answeringDeptSortName=Housing%2C+Communities+and+Local+Government", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 20, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }