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1132005

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Local Government: Audit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the failure of EY to complete local authority audits within the required time limits.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield South East
tabling member printed	Mr Clive Betts
uin	264322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2019 answer text <p>We are aware of this issue, affecting 19 local government bodies and, together with Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd, are monitoring the situation. It is not acceptable for a professional services firm like EY to be unable to meet its contractual obligations to the statutory timetable and we expect the situation to be resolved as quickly as possible.</p><p>The forthcoming review of the local audit regime will consider the implications of our audit policy, including the timeliness of audit completion.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 18/06/2019 13:27:52 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	394 label Biography information for Mr Clive Betts

1132063

registered interest
date	13/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Local Government Finance: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to review the rural sparsity factor in the calculation of Government support for rural areas; and if he will ensure that changes can be incorporated within the delivery of the Rural Services Delivery Grant.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	264312
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government’s aim is to increase local government’s retention of business rates from 50 per cent to 75 per cent. To ensure the increase in business rates retention is fiscally neutral, some existing grants (including the Rural Services Delivery Grant) will be devolved to local authorities so that these responsibilities are funded through retained business rates. We recognise that some redistribution of business rates between authorities will continue to be necessary to ensure that no council loses out if it is unable to collect enough business rates locally to meet its needs. We are therefore undertaking a review of local authorities’ relative needs and resources to determine the basis on which redistribution will take place in the new system.</p><p>The review of relative needs and resources will set fresh baseline funding levels for councils in England, and we are working closely with local government representatives and others to examine all of the available evidence for the costs faced by authorities, including how geographical features such as rurality and density affect the cost of delivering services across the country, and how to account for these in a robust manner. In December 2018 we published a consultation paper that set out a proposed ‘Area Cost Adjustment’ methodology to account for these factors. This included consideration of how levels of 'accessibility' and 'remoteness' - the impact of journey times on labour and procurement costs - might account for the additional costs associated with sparsity, isolation or market size. For example, local authorities with longer journey times from service points to households may have to pay their staff (e.g. on domiciliary care visits) for more hours in order to deliver an equivalent level of service.</p><p>In developing this innovative new approach, we have worked closely with both local government and other government departments, including the Department for Transport and DEFRA as champions for rural proofing. Our most recent consultation closed on 21 February and we are considering the many representations made in response, before taking further decisions on the shape of the review.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 18/06/2019 13:36:33 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1130371

registered interest
date	06/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Council Tax: Tax Rates and Bands
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has pans to encourage local authorities to reduce rates of council tax.
tabling member constituency	Stevenage
tabling member printed	Stephen McPartland
uin	261214
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2019 answer text <p>Council tax levels are determined by local authorities, although the Government maintains a referendum threshold to ensure local residents can have the final say on excessive increases. Referendum principles are set each year alongside the Local Government Finance Settlement, and proposals for 2020-21 will be published later in the year.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak grouped question UIN 261215 question first answered 11/06/2019 09:26:09 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	4093 label Biography information for Stephen McPartland

1129618

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Environmental Health and Trading Standards
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to increase the number of (a) environmental health officers and (b) trading standards officers after the UK leaves the EU.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
uin	259844
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The local staffing for the delivery of regulatory services is a matter for those local authorities that have the statutory responsibility. Government has provided resources and support for councils for Brexit preparations. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has made £58 million available to help councils prepare for and manage EU exit. The FSA has already made £4 million available in total so far (£2 million in 18/19, and £2 million in 19/20) for ensuring that food safety obligations are met in the event of a no deal Exit. DEFRA made 200 free training places available to help with the signing of Environmental Health Certificates.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 10/06/2019 11:40:42 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1129116

registered interest
date	03/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, 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 Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the difference in spending per head between 2009-10 and 2017-18 by local authorities in the five most deprived areas in England and Wales.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	258978
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2019 answer text <p>The definition of spending power is not comparable over the period 2010-11 to 2019-20 due to changes in the finance and function of local government. A consistent measure of core spending power is available for the period 2015 -16 to 2019 -20. The Department does not calculate Core Spending Power per head.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 06/06/2019 15:28:26 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1128275

registered interest
date	22/05/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Council Tax: Students
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to made an assessment of the potential merits of revising the Council Tax Formula Grant to allow compensation for student discounts in respect of Parish and Town Councils.
tabling member constituency	North West Leicestershire
tabling member printed	Andrew Bridgen
uin	257537
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/06/2019 answer text <p>The majority of funding for Parish and Town Councils is provided through a precept on council tax bills and the Government has no plans to change that arrangement. The precept is calculated based on the Parish or Town Council's assessment of income and expenditure for the following financial year. The funding settlement for principal local authorities takes account of income foregone due to mandatory council tax discounts, including that for full time students.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 05/06/2019 11:28:47 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	4133 label Biography information for Andrew Bridgen

1126213

registered interest
date	13/05/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Non-domestic Rates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities in England awarded a local business rates discount in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19; which local authorities made those awards; and what the level was of each discount.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	253565
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>Data on the number of authorities and which authorities awarded a local business rates discount under Section 47 of the Local Government Act 1988 are collected from local authorities as a snapshot each year.</p><p>Data as at 31 December 2017 can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684809/1819_NNDR1_Supplementary_table_web.xlsx" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684809/1819_NNDR1_Supplementary_table_web.xlsx</a><br> <br> Data as at 31 December 2018 can be found at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/786864/NNDR1_2019-20_Supplementary_table.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/786864/NNDR1_2019-20_Supplementary_table.xlsx</a><br> <br> The Department does not collect data on the level of each discount awarded.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 16/05/2019 15:13:28 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

1125277

registered interest
date	08/05/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Park Homes: Council Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to lower the level of council tax paid by residents of park homes; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	251893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The level of council tax which is payable is set by the local authorities in an area and reflects the council tax band a home is in. Responsibility for setting the council tax bands of homes in England, including park homes, rests with the Valuation Office Agency who carry out their work independently of Ministers.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 13/05/2019 15:58:29 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

1125017

registered interest
date	07/05/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Troubled Families Programme: Marriage Guidance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of funding for relationships support provided through the troubled families programme has been ring-fenced for marriage support.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	251266
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The Troubled Families Programme is designed to support families with complex problems, including promoting family stability and reducing parental conflict. Funding for the programme is not ring-fenced and we do not collect information about spending on specific services such as marriage support. This funding flexibility allows upper tier local authorities and their partners to decide how best to deliver the programme in their own area, according to local need and priorities. Up to £920 million has been made available for the programme from 2015-2020. In addition, my department has worked closely with DWP to make sure delivery of the programme is coordinated with the Reducing Parental Conflict Programme, for which up to £39 million has been made available.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 13/05/2019 14:57:38 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

1123876

registered interest
date	30/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Non-domestic Rates
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of discretionary business rate relief for childcare providers offering funded places; and which local authorities offer that relief.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Gloria De Piero
uin	249258
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2019 answer text <p>Decisions on whether to grant discretionary business rates reliefs are taken by individual local authorities, and the Government does not hold data on whether local authorities award that relief to childcare providers.</p><p>Since Budget 2016 the Government has introduced business rates measures in England worth £13 billion over the next five years. This includes switching the indexation of business rates from the retail price index to the consumer price index, representing a cut in rates to all ratepayers, including childcare providers, worth over £6 billion over the next five years. The Government has also doubled the threshold for 100 per cent small business rate relief meaning that 655,000 businesses including many childcare providers now pay no business rates at all.</p><p>The Government monitors the childcare provider market closely through a range of research projects and plans to spend around £3.5 billion on our early education entitlements this year alone.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak grouped question UIN 249259 question first answered 07/05/2019 16:16:14 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	3915 label Biography information for Gloria De Piero