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46203

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of local councillors who will resign as a result of new arrangements to allow the press and public to film local authority public meetings; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
uin	194608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>None. Council meetings are public meetings which already can be reported by the press. We are merely reforming the access rules to allow the press and public to report such meetings through digital and social media. It will help bring greater awareness of the good work that councillors do for their local communities.</p><p>I would observe that the cause of openness in council meetings was championed by Margaret Thatcher, in her maiden speech to this House. As a backbencher, she successfully introduced a Private Members' Bill – the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 – to open up meetings to the press and public, spurred on by the practice of the print unions getting Labour councillors to kick out journalists from council meetings who had crossed picket lines.</p><p>Whilst that the 1960 Act did not expressly permit filming, I note from perusing the Bill Committee Hansard that Mrs Thatcher was firmly of the view that broadcast journalists should have the same rights as other members of the press and public (<em>Official Report</em>, Standing Committee C, 13 April 1960). We are updating those analogue rights for a digital age.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

46204

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many affordable homes have been (a) started and (b) completed in (i) Peterborough constituency and (ii) North West Cambridgeshire constituency since May 2010.
tabling member constituency	Peterborough
tabling member printed	Mr Stewart Jackson
uin	194639
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Homes and Communities Agency publishes information every six months about the number of affordable housing starts on site and completions for programmes it funds, broken down by local authority district. This information is not available by parliamentary constituency. The published information can be found at:</p><p><a href="http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing-statistics" target="_blank">http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/housing-statistics</a></p><p>These statistics do not include information on any affordable housing that has not been reported to the Homes and Communities Agency, such as some affordable housing funded solely through developer contributions.</p><p>Over 170,000 new affordable homes have been delivered in England since April 2010 (to the end of September 2013). Our Affordable Homes Programme will lever in £19.5 billion of public and private investment over the current spending review period. Over 2015-18, we will be investing a further £23 billion in public and private funding for affordable housing.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	1551 label Biography information for Lord Jackson of Peterborough

46205

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what average weekly sum in council tax is now due from people whose liability for this tax was previously entirely met through council tax benefit.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	194687
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Monday 7 April 2014]</em></p><p>We do not collect this information centrally. These are local schemes, and it is for local authorities to ensure that the effect on specific groups of council tax payers is proportionate and fair.</p><p>Spending on council tax benefit doubled under the last Government, costing taxpayers £4 billion a year – equivalent to almost £180 a year per household. Welfare reform is vital to tackle the budget deficit left by the last Administration. Our reforms to localise council tax support now give councils stronger incentives to support local firms, cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people into work. We are ending the last Administration's ‘something for nothing' culture and making work pay.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 5034 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

46206

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made in introducing a pilot scheme for compensating households affected by house price depreciation near large infrastructure developments; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
uin	194659
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>At the Budget, we announced that we will launch a government funded, staged pilot for passing a share of the benefits of development directly to individual households.</p><p>Our development benefits pilot is not a direct compensation scheme associated with housing price depreciation near large infrastructure developments. Rather than households bringing forward claims for compensation, we are testing a model where the benefits of housing development are directly shared with households in the local area. This would be in the form of financial payments according to a fixed formula.</p><p>Work is underway to develop the scheme, including further research and evaluation of the approach and we expect to ask for expressions of interest for pilot schemes later this year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Grantham and Stamford answering member printed Nick Boles question first answered 08/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3995 label Biography information for Nick Boles
tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

46207

registered interest
date	01/04/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many firefighters were redeployed (a) nationally, (b) in Devon and Somerset and (c) in London last year.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Moor View
tabling member printed	Alison Seabeck
uin	194710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Department collects annual counts of staff for each fire and rescue authority in England and these are published in <em>Fire and Rescue Operational Statistics at </em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-and-rescue-authorities-operational-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-and-rescue-authorities-operational-statistics</a><em>.</em> The Department does not collect information on firefighter deployment or redeployment.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	1552 label Biography information for Alison Seabeck

45872

registered interest
date	31/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities affected by flooding can claim under the Bellwin scheme for the cost of disposing of sandbags that have been contaminated with sewage.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	194489
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]</em></p><p>Local authorities can claim the costs of removing sandbags used during the flooding emergency, under the Bellwin scheme. This includes sandbags that have been contaminated with sewage.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 4499 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

45873

registered interest
date	31/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities affected by the recent floods are offering council tax discounts to flooded-out householders under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	194492
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]</em></p><p>My rt. hon. Friend, the PrimeMinister announced on 19 February 2014 that Government will reimburse local authorities for providing council tax discounts for flooded homes. 48 local authorities have reported that they had already offered discounts by 17 March, with a further 63 planning to do so in using their discretionary powers under section 13A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. It is for local authorities to determine whether they wish to take up the Government's offer of funding, depending on the precise scale and extent of local flooding.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 09/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 4501 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

46048

registered interest
date	31/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homeless households were accepted as being owed a duty of accommodation by their local authority in each year since 2010; and how many such acceptances were the result of domestic violence.
tabling member constituency	Warrington North
tabling member printed	Helen Jones
uin	194443
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p><em>[Holding Reply: Thursday 3 April 2014]</em></p><p>I refer the hon. Member to Live Table 773 available on my Department's website at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286822/Table_773.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/286822/Table_773.xlsx</a> for data on homelessness acceptances and households with a priority need category of domestic violence.</p><p>Data at local authority level can be found in our “Detailed local authority level homelessness figures” spreadsheets which can be found on my Department's website at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness</a></p><p>The average numbers since 2010 are far less than under the last Administration, but there is no case for complacency or tolerance of domestic violence.The Coalition Government has ring-fenced nearly £40 million of stable funding for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services until 2015. This funding is used to part-fund 54 Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference coordinators and 144 Independent Domestic Violence Advisors. We have piloted and rolled out Clare's Law and Domestic Violence Protection Orders; extended the definition of domestic abuse to cover controlling behaviour and teenage relationships; run two successful campaigns to challenge perceptions of abuse; and placed Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing to make sure lessons are learned from individual tragedies.</p><p>The dynamics of domestic abuse mean that accommodation can play an important role in the resolution of interpersonal abuse and conflict. It is the foundation to ensuring that adult and child victims are afforded safety and security. This is why this Government has invested £470 million to prevent and tackle all forms of homelessness over the spending review period. The homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own.</p><p>There is a range of support for victims of domestic abuse. Some victims will be accommodated in refuges, but Sanctuary Schemes and mainstream local authority accommodation may be an option for others, while some victims will pursue independent solutions with help and advice from support schemes as necessary.</p><p>My Department also funds UKRefugesOnline a UK wide database of domestic violence services which supports the national 24 hour free phone domestic violence helpline. It enables those working with victims of domestic violence to identify appropriate services and potential refuge vacancies around the country so that victims can get the help they need as quickly as possible.</p><p>This Government has also made common sense changes to the law to allow local authorities to end the main homelessness duty with offers of accommodation in good-quality private sector accommodation. This helps homeless households move to settled accommodation more quickly and means they spend less time in temporary accommodation. Indeed, we have reduced the average stay in temporary accommodation from 20 months at the beginning of 2010 to 14 months now.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 4496 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	432 label Biography information for Helen Jones

46049

registered interest
date	31/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many first time buyers have been helped by the Government's Help to Buy scheme (a) nationally and (b) in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency.
tabling member constituency	Morecambe and Lunesdale
tabling member printed	David Morris
uin	194542
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p>This Government is committed to supporting people's aspirations to own their own home.</p><p>In the first eleven months of the scheme, 16,465 households purchased a new build home with the support of the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme.</p><p>By January 2014, the time of the last quarterly statistical release, first time buyers accounted for 89% of sales nationally. In Lancaster there were 16 sales by the end of January and first-time buyers accounted for 88% of all Help to Buy: equity loan sales in the area.</p><p>Home owners will also have been supported by the Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, which is overseen by HM Treasury.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	4135 label Biography information for David Morris

46050

registered interest
date	31/03/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his Department's (a) catering and (b) hospitality budget was in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	194474
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My Department has no separate budget for catering and hospitality in 2012 and 2013.</p><p>To assist the rt. hon. Member, I would note that this Government has dramatically cut spending compared to the last Labour Government and put in place far tighter rules and restrictions on spending.</p><p>· The Department spent £553,230 on catering and hospitality in 2008-09, and £456,142 in 2009-10.</p><p>· By 2012-13, spending had been reduced to £58,882 (plus £16,727 of delayed billing from the year before).</p><p>· We anticipate spending in the region of £36,000 in the year 2013-14 (the precise figure will be audited at financial year end).</p><p>The expenditure undertaken is essentially for light refreshments for a large number of small official events such as:</p><p>· European Regional Development Fund events (meetings with external visitors and Local Management Committee meetings);</p><p>· Conferences and workshops with representatives of local government, housing, planning and local communities;</p><p>· Public roadshows and Portas Pilot events;</p><p>· All-day recruitment assessment centres, training and induction courses.</p><p>We do not routinely incur any expenditure on refreshments for Ministers other than <em>de minimis </em>expenditure on tea and coffee for Ministers' meetings with external visitors, or on the rare occasion when Ministers undertake overnight stays on official business outside London.</p><p>Our Departmental savings has also been assisted by terminating Ministerial group spending on Government Procurement Cards, as practiced by the Labour Government at taxpayers' expense at the likes of Sky City Casino, the Cinnamon Club, the Wolseley, Brasserie 44, Boisdales, Inn the Park, Mango Tree, Shepherds, Incognico, Buffalo Bar, Mr Chu's China Palace, Tantric Jazz and Fat Tuesdays.</p><p>We have showed that there is considerable scope for the public sector to generate significant savings in this area, as evident from the ongoing saving of up to half a million pounds a year.</p><p>To place our savings in context, as noted in the answer of 8 April 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, House of Lords, Column 270WA, when the rt. hon. Member was Secretary of State, he spent £444,891 on catering, hospitality and refreshments in 2008-09 and £552,367 in 2009-10.</p><p>I know that the rt. hon. Member has a particular interest in biscuits, so to help quantify this amount, his spending in his last year in office is equivalent today to buying 720,479 packets of Jamie Dodgers from Waitrose (albeit, with a free cup of coffee thrown in).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 09/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn