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171068

registered interest
date	17/12/2014
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	Affordable 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 assessment his Department has made of the effect of planning changes implemented since 2010 allowing the construction of affordable homes.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	219070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/01/2015 answer text <p>I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 1 September 2014, <em>Official Report, </em>columns 1-2W. Through our reforms of the planning system and other measures to fix the broken housing market, we have seen planning permission granted for 240,000 homes in the year to September 2014. <br><br>Almost 217,000 affordable homes have been delivered in England since April 2010, and our Affordable Homes Programme will deliver 170,000 homes over the current spending review period (2011-2015), levering in £19.5 billion of public and private funding. At the recent Autumn Statement we announced this Government would extend the capital expenditure for affordable housing to 2020.This means that we plan to deliver 275,000 affordable homes in the next five years, the fastest such rate of build out in over two decades</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 12/01/2015 18:41:45 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

171069

registered interest
date	17/12/2014
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	Affordable 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 plans his Department has for a successor scheme to the Affordable Homes Programme.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	219071
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government’s National Infrastructure Plan announced an extension of affordable housing capital investment to 2018-19 and 2019-20, of £1.9 billion. This will bring the total of public and private investment to £38 billion which will help ensure 275,000 new affordable homes are provided between 2015 and 2020. This means over the next Parliament we will build more new affordable homes than during any equivalent period in the last twenty years.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 06/01/2015 17:25:26 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

170622

registered interest
date	16/12/2014
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	Local Government Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has published to assist local authorities to reduce waste and make savings rather than cutting frontline services.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	218982
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2015 answer text <p>My Department has undertaken a range of work to help councils deliver sensible savings and improve local services. A list of examples is below:</p><p> </p><p>50 ways to save – examples of sensible savings in local government</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/50-ways-to-save-examples-of-sensible-savings-in-local-government" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/50-ways-to-save-examples-of-sensible-savings-in-local-government</a></p><p> </p><p>Good practice in local government savings</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/good-practice-in-local-government-savings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/good-practice-in-local-government-savings</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance on detecting and preventing fraud (part of the Transparency Code)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-transparency-code-2014" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-transparency-code-2014</a></p><p> </p><p>The Knight Review on the scope for efficiencies and operational improvements in the fire sector</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/facing-the-future" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/facing-the-future</a></p><p> </p><p>Fire and rescue procurement and collaboration</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-and-rescue-procurement-aggregation-and-collaboration" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-and-rescue-procurement-aggregation-and-collaboration</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance on weekly rubbish collections (including guidance on delivering savings whilst maintaining a comprehensive weekly service)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-weekly-rubbish-collections" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-weekly-rubbish-collections</a></p><p> </p><p>Localism Act pay statements guidance (how councillors can use their powers to control senior pay deals)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/openness-and-accountability-in-local-pay-guidance" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/openness-and-accountability-in-local-pay-guidance</a></p><p> </p><p>Taxpayer funding of trade unions: delivering sensible savings in local government</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taxpayer-funding-of-trade-unions-delivering-sensible-savings-in-local-government" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/taxpayer-funding-of-trade-unions-delivering-sensible-savings-in-local-government</a></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/01/2015 15:50:52 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

170764

registered interest
date	16/12/2014
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	Travellers: Caravan Sites
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment the Department has made of the prevalence of the use of pre-emptive injunctions to protect land from unauthorised encampments.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	219045
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government is concerned about the cost and disruption that can be caused by unauthorised encampments. In August 2013, we sent all council leaders in England updated guidance <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dealing-with-illegal-and-unauthorised-encampments-a-summary-of-available-powers" target="_blank">(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dealing-with-illegal-and-unauthorised-encampments-a-summary-of-available-powers</a>) reminding them to act swiftly and setting out the strong powers councils and landowners have to deal with illegal and unauthorised encampments, including the use of pre-emptive injunctions. There are concerns about reports that, at times, the police and local authorities, have not been willing to use powers available to them. The Department will therefore be looking to have discussions with Ministerial colleagues to look at what more we can do to help councils and the police deal effectively with unauthorised encampments.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 219043 question first answered 06/01/2015 17:27:52 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

170765

registered interest
date	16/12/2014
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	Travellers: Caravan Sites
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities to ensure they understand their powers to remove unauthorised encampments.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	219043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government is concerned about the cost and disruption that can be caused by unauthorised encampments. In August 2013, we sent all council leaders in England updated guidance <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dealing-with-illegal-and-unauthorised-encampments-a-summary-of-available-powers" target="_blank">(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dealing-with-illegal-and-unauthorised-encampments-a-summary-of-available-powers</a>) reminding them to act swiftly and setting out the strong powers councils and landowners have to deal with illegal and unauthorised encampments, including the use of pre-emptive injunctions. There are concerns about reports that, at times, the police and local authorities, have not been willing to use powers available to them. The Department will therefore be looking to have discussions with Ministerial colleagues to look at what more we can do to help councils and the police deal effectively with unauthorised encampments.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 219045 question first answered 06/01/2015 17:27:52 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

170329

registered interest
date	15/12/2014
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	Council Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which councils have signed up to his Department's offer of additional funding to freeze council tax in 2014-15.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	218809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>In total 251 authorities in England froze or reduced their band D council tax in 2014-15, which is 60% of those eligible. A list of authorities which met the criteria of the 2014-15 council tax freeze scheme and therefore received the additional funding is available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/317658/140415_312335_Council_Tax_Freeze__Revenue__Grant_Determination_2014-15.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/317658/140415_312335_Council_Tax_Freeze__Revenue__Grant_Determination_2014-15.pdf</a></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/12/2014 16:07:08 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

170331

registered interest
date	15/12/2014
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	Non-domestic Rates: Barnet
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 the Department has made of the number of small firms and shops in (a) the London borough of Barnet and (b) Hendon constituency which will have a reduction in business rates in 2015-16.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	218808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>The Chancellor announced at the 2014 Autumn Statement an extra £650 million of support for 2015-16 business rates bills, bringing the total support from 2013 and 2014 Autumn Statement polices in 2015-16 to £1.4 billion. Autumn Statement 2014 help includes:</p><p> </p><ul><li>doubling small business rate relief for a further year. In England, this means an estimated 385,000 properties will pay no rates at all, while a further 190,000 properties will benefit from tapered relief.</li><li>a 2% cap on the increase of the small business rates multiplier. This is a continuation of the 2% cap introduced in 2014-15 as part of Autumn Statement 2013 measures;</li><li>increasing the temporary £1,000 discount for shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values below £50,000 to £1,500 for 2015-16, benefitting an estimated 300,000 properties in England; and</li><li>extending the existing transitional relief scheme for two years for properties with a rateable value up to and including £50,000.</li></ul><p> </p><p>These policies are in addition to previous Autumn Statement measures that continue into 2015-16, including:</p><p> </p><ul><li>a 50 per cent discount for 18 months to new occupants of vacant shops;</li><li>allowing businesses to keep their small business rate relief for a year where they take on an additional property; and</li><li>business rates relief for empty new builds.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Central Government also now funds 50% of any local discount granted.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not collect data on a constituency basis, but Hendon constituency lies entirely within the boundary of the London Borough of Barnet. In addition to this, local authority level data is not yet available for the number of properties that will benefit from Autumn Statement 2014 measures in 2015-16. The attached table shows the number of properties in 2014-15 within the boundary of the London Borough of Barnet that benefit from business rates measures extended in this year’s Autumn Statement.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 18/12/2014 16:23:33 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins attachment 1 file name 218808 Offord - Table.docx title Table
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

166951

registered interest
date	01/12/2014
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	Green Belt
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what further steps his Department has taken to help local authorities execute their responsibilities in relation to plan-making and protection for the greenbelt.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	216573
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2015 answer text <p>The Coalition Government has ensured that strong protections for the Green Belt are in place. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that most types of new building are inappropriate in Green Belt and by definition, harmful to it. Such development should not be approved except in very special circumstances. Green Belt boundaries can be altered only in exceptional circumstances following local consultation and independent scrutiny of the Local Plan. The total amount of Green Belt in England has remained constant at 13 per cent.<br><br>In October we issued additional guidance to help local authorities allocate land appropriately in Local Plans [http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/blog/guidance/housing-and-economic-land-availability-assessment/stage-5-final-evidence-base/]. This underlines the importance of Green Belt protection.<br><br><br>The Localism Act 2011 has strengthened the role of Local Plans and abolished the last Administration's top-down Regional Strategies which sought to delete the Green Belt in and around 30 towns and cities. Our streamlined Framework strongly encourages areas to get up-to-date Local Plans in place, and we have been actively supporting councils in doing so. We have recently seen a major improvement: 80 per cent of authorities now have a published Plan. To place this in context, six years after the Labour Government's 2004 Planning Act, by May 2010, only one in six local planning authorities had an adopted Core Strategy, reflecting how the tortuous regional planning process slowed down development and stymied local plan-making and local decision-making.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 06/01/2015 17:22:49 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

77045

registered interest
date	10/07/2014
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	Empty Property: Greater London
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 the Department has made of the number of private sector vacancies in London.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	205068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Reflecting commitments made in the Coalition Agreement, getting empty and redundant buildings back into use is a key priority for this Government. Under the Coalition Government, the number of empty homes in England has so far fallen to a 10 year low:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· The number of long-term empty homes has fallen by a third from 316,251 in October 2009 to 216,050 in October 2013.</p><p> </p><p>· The overall number of empty homes (all types) has fallen by a fifth from 770,496 in October 2009 to 635,127 in October 2013.</p><p> </p><p>· In London, the number of empty homes has fallen by a third, from 85,062 in October 2009 to 59,313 in October 2013.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A breakdown by local authority, including public sector tenure, can be found in Live Table 615.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>But there is more to do. The Coalition Government has a comprehensive package of policies to help get empty homes and buildings back into use. They include:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Funding a £235 million empty homes programme to help local communities in restoring empty properties, both residential and commercial, and helping provide new homes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Rewarding councils for bringing empty homes back into use through the New Homes Bonus. Since April 2011, councils have received over £2.2 billion for bringing empty homes back into residential occupation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Giving councils new powers to remove council tax subsidies to empty homes, and use the funds to keep the overall rate of council tax down. HM Treasury have also changed tax rules to discourage the use of corporate envelopes to invest in high value housing which may be left empty or under-used to avoid paying tax.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Cancelling the Labour Government’s Pathfinder programme which sought to demolish homes, instead of focusing on refurbishment and getting empty homes into use. We have taken forward the best practice guidance produced by our independent adviser, George Clarke, and embedded it in our housing programme funding schemes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Reforming Community Infrastructure Levy rules to provide an increased incentive for brownfield development, and extending exemptions for empty buildings being brought back into use. We have also been consulting on proposals to lift Section 106 burdens on vacant buildings being returned to use.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Introducing the Right to Contest, building on our existing Community Right to Reclaim Land, which lets communities ask that under-used or unused land owned by public bodies is brought back into beneficial use. This new right applies to sites currently in use, but are not vital for operations. It gives businesses and members of the public an opportunity to challenge government on the best use of its estate.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Reforming permitted development rights in a number of ways to free up the planning system and facilitate the conversion of redundant and under-used non-residential buildings into new homes.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams grouped question UIN 200781 question first answered 03/09/2014 14:22:27 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

62216

registered interest
date	17/06/2014
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	Cemeteries: Planning Permission
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has published for the use of local authorities in determining planning permission applications for the creation of cemeteries.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	200634
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>In March, we published new planning guidance, which local planning authorities can use when determining planning applications. It explains that planning applications are considered on their own merits and, by law, must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The ‘Open space, sports and recreation facilities' section of the guidance addresses provision of open spaces of public value.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>More broadly, separate to the planning system, the underlying statutory duties for local (burial) authorities are outlined in the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977. The associated guidance is overseen by the Ministry for Justice, and is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/burials-and-coroners/burial-ground-managers.pdf" target="_blank">www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/burials-and-coroners/burial-ground-managers.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 01/07/2014 15:40:52 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord