The Government estimates that only 1 in 5 landlords would pay more tax as a result of the restrictions to landlords\u2019 finance cost relief, once it is fully implemented. When introduced, the government did not expect this measure to have a significant impact on either house prices or rent levels.<\/p>
The restrictions came in to effect in April 2017. The most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) index of private housing rental prices shows that rental prices increased by 0.9% in the 12 months to September 2018. A year ago (the 12 months to September 2017) the annual rate of growth was 1.6%.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:51:15.863Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Private Rented Housing: Low Incomes"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect on low-income tenants of landlords adjust their rental prices in relation to section 24 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 2015.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"} ], "uin" : "188265"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002089", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1002089/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
All social homes should be provided and maintained to a decent standard. Progress in the social sector has been made. In 2016, 13 per cent of homes were non-decent compared with 20 per cent in 2010. We are using the Social Housing Green Paper to consider whether the Decent Homes Standard is demanding enough and delivers the right standards for social housing alongside other tenures. In respect of the East Midlands, in June 2018 we announced a strategic partnership between Homes England and East Midlands Housing, which will see 748 additional affordable homes built in the region by March 2022.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4495", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kit Malthouse"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North West Hampshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kit Malthouse"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-12T17:17:53.66Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Rented Housing: East Midlands"} , "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 his Department has plans to improve the quality of social housing in the East Midlands.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"} ], "uin" : "188266"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999519", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999519/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Last year, the Government published the Clean Growth Strategy which set out our aspiration that as many homes as possible will be upgraded to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2035, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. A number of policies have been put in place to help drive domestic insulation including:<\/p>
<\/p>
- The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme which requires obligated energy suppliers to install energy efficiency and heating measures to people\u2019s homes in England, Scotland and Wales. ECO is funded at £640 million per annum (2017 prices, rising with inflation), and we are taking steps to focus that scheme on those in fuel poverty. The Clean Growth Strategy announced that we would extend support for home energy efficiency out to 2028 at least at the current level of ECO funding.<\/p>
<\/p>
- The Private Rented Sector Minimum standard regulations which were introduced on 1st<\/sup> April 2018 and require landlords to bring their properties to EPC Band E or above; or register an exemption, if one applies. We have recently announced that we will be strengthening those regulations further to require a contribution of up to £3,500 from landlords towards the cost of improvements.<\/p> <\/p> - Six local supply chain demonstration projects which are about to be launched across the country. They will focus on reducing the cost for retrofit and building supply chain capacity whilst also addressing the non-financial barriers to deeper retrofit, such as supply chain fragmentation and the high hassle costs of installing measures.<\/p> <\/p> - The Simple Energy Advice Service, which was launched as part of Green Great Britain Week. The new digitally-led service provides impartial and tailored advice on how homeowners can cut energy bills and make their homes greener. Individuals can also find out which insulation measure best suits their home, how much they could save and what governmental financial support is available.<\/p> <\/p> - The BEIS Thermal Efficiency Innovation Fund which awarded organisations £7.5m grant funding to develop technologies and approaches to improve the energy efficiency of existing UK (domestic and commercial) buildings in summer 2018. Funded project activities include piloting approaches to optimising the specification and performance of domestic insulation measures, and the development of innovative insulation materials and processes to reduce the installation costs of measures.<\/p> <\/p> - The launch of a new quality mark for home energy improvements following the independent Each Home Counts review to help provide greater consumer confidence in the quality of installations.<\/p> <\/p> We also committed in the Clean Growth Strategy to bring forward further measures in the future, including our intention to consult on making improvements to Building Regulations, and to look at a long-term trajectory for energy performance standards in the rented sector, with a view to as many rented homes as possible reaching EPC Band C by 2030.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3974", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Claire Perry"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Devizes"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Claire Perry"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-06T11:08:09.707Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Insulation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support his Department is providing to improve energy usage through better domestic insulation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
], "uin" : "187128"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999566", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999566/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bournemouth East"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Tobias Ellwood"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-06T15:54:51.117Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Forces: Pensions"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) armed forces widows and widowers and (b) war widows and war widowers have had their pensions reinstated following the removal of the means tested application process and other changes to widows\u2019 pension rights since April 2015.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
], "uin" : "187129"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999375", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999375/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Great Britain benefits from a diverse range of gas supplies, including our indigenous production, which means that demand can be met even under severe weather conditions, as was the case in March 2018. The Government keeps gas security of supply under constant review producing, with Ofgem, annual security of supply reports for Parliament. National Grid, as the system operator, also produce a Winter Outlook each year. Both National Grid\u2019s Winter Outlook and the statutory security of supply report conclude that gas supplies are secure this winter. As part of its ongoing work on security of supply, the Government is currently engaging with providers of flexible supply sources, including gas storage, on the trends in these markets and their implications for security of supply.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3974", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Claire Perry"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Devizes"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Claire Perry"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-06T11:08:39.447Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Natural Gas: Storage"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps the Government is taking to help energy suppliers improve gas storage to minimise the risk of a National Grid gas deficit warning this winter.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
], "uin" : "186427"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999376", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/999376/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The safety and integrity of Great Britain\u2019s gas transport infrastructure is governed by the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996 (PSR) and the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations 1996 (GSMR), made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Under these regulations, there is a duty on a pipeline operator to ensure that a pipeline is designed and constructed to appropriate standards and operated, managed and maintained safely.<\/p> <\/p> In addition, the Health and Safety Executive develops inspection and intervention plans, based on the risk profile of work activities, and works closely with pipeline operators to ensure the risks from pipelines remain adequately controlled.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4071", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sarah Newton"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Truro and Falmouth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sarah Newton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-05T17:16:18.843Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Natural Gas: Pipelines"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the North Sea Forties pipeline shutdown, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that privately owned gas transport infrastructure is adequately inspected and maintained.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
], "uin" : "186428"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997219", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997219/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on <\/em><\/strong>www.Gov.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a> in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p> The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p> 30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on <\/em><\/strong>www.Gov.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year.<\/em><\/strong> Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).<\/strong><\/em><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "185110"}
, {"_value" : "185111"}
, {"_value" : "185112"}
, {"_value" : "185113"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-01T17:03:03.127Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Freedom of Expression"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, how much of the £1 million free speech funding allocated to support freedom of expression projects globally has been spent to date.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
], "uin" : "185109"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997220", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997220/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on <\/em><\/strong>www.Gov.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a> in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p> The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p> 30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on <\/em><\/strong>www.Gov.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year.<\/em><\/strong> Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).<\/strong><\/em><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "185109"}
, {"_value" : "185111"}
, {"_value" : "185112"}
, {"_value" : "185113"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-01T17:03:03.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Freedom of Expression"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, how organisations apply for the funding announced in that press release.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
], "uin" : "185110"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997221", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997221/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on <\/em><\/strong>www.Gov.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a> in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p> The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p> 30 applications were received in relation to the call for bids on <\/em><\/strong>www.Gov.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. A number of other bids have been received directly by our network of Posts. We have allocated over£1.5m for media freedom and freedom of expression projects this financial year under the Magna Carta Fund. We are funding 15 projects in 14 countries. Expenditure is ongoing as we have not reached the end of this financial year.<\/em><\/strong> Further programme funding is available for press freedom work through the Good Governance Fund which covers Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine, and through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).<\/strong><\/em><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "185109"}
, {"_value" : "185110"}
, {"_value" : "185112"}
, {"_value" : "185113"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-01T17:03:03.237Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-10-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Freedom of Expression"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Foreign Secretary announces free speech funding, published on 2 November 2017, what criteria applications for the funding announced in that press release are judged against.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4641", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Norris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Nottingham North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alex Norris"}
], "uin" : "185111"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997223", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/997223/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " On 2 November 2017, the former Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would spend £1m "over the next financial year" on projects to support media freedom, in countries where it is under significant pressure. The FCO issued a call for bids for projects on Media Freedom through the Magna Carta Fund on <\/em><\/strong>www.Gov.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a> in May 2018. Selected Posts around the network have also put out separate, country-specific calls for bids. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p> The criteria was for projects which addressed restrictions on media freedom, for example through legislation or policy, and/or supported the training and protection of journalists. Projects needed to offer good value for money and demonstrate potential for impact, sustainability and replication. Posts also took into account specific local criteria. Decisions on funding were made by officials within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by officers at Posts around the network. <\/em><\/strong><\/p> <\/p>