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170069

registered interest
date	12/12/2014
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	Parking: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the report by the RAC Foundation <i>Local Authority Parking Finances in England 2013/14</i>, what assessment they have made of English local authorities' income from off- and on-street car parking operations to ensure they are not making excessive profits.
tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
uin	HL3704
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2015 answer text <p>The figures published by the RAC Foundation are based on data returns published by my Department. Council returns’ suggest that profit (“net income”) on parking services was £635 million in 2013-14. Penalty charge income from on-street parking was £343 million. The RAC Foundation observe that some councils’ operational costs have fallen due to greater efficiencies, overall gross income has increased; as a result, net profit has risen. Legislation and guidance is clear that on-street parking should not be used as a source of general revenue.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Unreasonable parking charges and fines push up hard-working people's cost of living. If parking is too expensive or difficult, shoppers will simply drive to out of town supermarkets or just shop online, undermining the vitality of town centres and leading to ‘ghost town’ high streets. This Government has rejected the last Administration’s policy of encouraging higher parking charges and aggressive parking enforcement, and is standing up for hard-working people and local shops.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are introducing a series of reforms, including:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>· Stopping the abuse or misuse of on-street parking CCTV;</p><p> </p><p>· Reforming operational parking guidance so it is less heavy handed with motorists, prevents over-aggressive action by bailiffs, positively supports local shops and clearly reinforces the prohibition against parking being used to generate profit;</p><p> </p><p>· Introducing mandatory 10 minute “grace periods” at the end of on-street paid and free parking, and looking to extend this to off-street municipal parking;</p><p> </p><p>· Implementing a new right to allow local residents and local firms to demand a review of parking in their area, including charges and the use of yellow lines;</p><p> </p><p>· Proposing a widening of the powers of parking adjudicators, and updating guidance so the public know when they can be awarded costs at tribunals;</p><p> </p><p>· Trialling a 25% discount for drivers at appeal stage, reversing the current disincentive for drivers with a legitimate case to appeal; and</p><p> </p><p>· Changing guidance so drivers parking at an out-of-order meter are not fined if there are no alternative ways to pay.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have also recently updated the local government Transparency Code to increase information about local parking charges and the number of parking spaces, which we expect councils now to implement as required by the statutory code.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The measures on curtailing parking CCTV are contained within the Deregulation Bill, and I hope that noble peers will be supporting our measures at Report Stage in light of the figures in the RAC Foundation report.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/01/2015 14:42:19 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

169703

registered interest
date	11/12/2014
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	Garden Communities
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how their plans for new Garden Cities differ in comparison to the original concept.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/12/2014 answer text <p>There is no difference. Our locally-led Garden Cities prospectus, published in April, offered a package of support to localities wishing to bring forward new high quality, well designed new communities which put the resident at the heart of planning. As stated in that prospectus, the Government does not wish to impose a set of detailed development principles on localities taking forward new garden cities, but will instead work with localities to support them in developing and delivering their own vision.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/12/2014 14:53:29 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

169704

registered interest
date	11/12/2014
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	Community Assets
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to review the protected period for Community Right to Bid powers.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3691
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2014 answer text <p>Under the Community Right to Bid, the protected period ensures that if, after either an interim (6 weeks) or full (six months including the six weeks) moratorium has been triggered but where a sale to the community did not result, the same owner wishing to sell the asset will not be subject to any further delay as no further moratorium can be triggered in this period. In total this is an eighteen month period which would include within it the interim or full moratorium.</p><p> </p><p>Parliament agreed that this provision struck an appropriate balance between the property rights of an owner and the rights of the community. Post-legislative scrutiny for the Community Right to Bid will be taken forward over the next year and will be an opportunity to consider the efficacy of the right and whether the balance is right, including on this question.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/12/2014 14:11:37 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

169328

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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	Holiday Accommodation: Greater London
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 8 December (HL Deb, col 1593–6), when the report of the full consultation results in respect of the Deregulation Bill will be published.
tabling member printed	Baroness Gardner of Parkes
uin	HL3614
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government has stated its clear intent to use the Deregulation Bill to help reform the outdated provisions of section 25 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973.</p><p> </p><p>Londoners who want to rent out their homes for less than 90 consecutive days, such as through a service like Airbnb, technically still have to pay to apply for planning permission from their council – something that does not apply anywhere else in the country. These provisions caused controversy during the 2012 Olympics, and are irregularly enforced by different London boroughs leading to confusion.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We want to change this archaic system by giving Londoners the freedom to rent out their homes on a temporary basis, such as when they are on holiday, without having to deal with unnecessary red tape and the bureaucracy of paying of a municipal permit. The internet is changing the way we work and live, and the law needs to catch up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The measure will not allow homes to be turned into hotels or hostels – this would still require ‘change of use’ planning permission, and measures will be put in place to prevent abuse of such reforms or the permanent loss of residential accommodation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Such reforms will benefit London’s strong tourism industry by expanding the pool of competitively priced accommodation, and allow families to earn some extra cash when they themselves go away on holiday.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Such reforms would follow changes introduced last year to make it easier for residents to rent out an unused home parking space to earn extra money, helping expand the availability of parking options for commuters and visitors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are planning to publish the Government’s formal response to the consultation on the <em>Review of Property Conditions in the Private Rented Sector</em>; we will also publish details of our proposed approach to the detail of the underlying secondary legislation ahead of Lords Report debate on the enabling primary legislation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL3615 HL3616 question first answered 07/01/2015 14:08:21 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3596 label Biography information for Baroness Gardner of Parkes

169329

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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	Holiday Accommodation: Greater London
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 8 December (HL Deb, col 1593–6), which of the 32 London local authorities (1) were strongly against, (2) were not opposed to, and (3) supported, the proposals in clause 33 of the Deregulation Bill in their response to the consultation.
tabling member printed	Baroness Gardner of Parkes
uin	HL3615
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government has stated its clear intent to use the Deregulation Bill to help reform the outdated provisions of section 25 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973.</p><p> </p><p>Londoners who want to rent out their homes for less than 90 consecutive days, such as through a service like Airbnb, technically still have to pay to apply for planning permission from their council – something that does not apply anywhere else in the country. These provisions caused controversy during the 2012 Olympics, and are irregularly enforced by different London boroughs leading to confusion.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We want to change this archaic system by giving Londoners the freedom to rent out their homes on a temporary basis, such as when they are on holiday, without having to deal with unnecessary red tape and the bureaucracy of paying of a municipal permit. The internet is changing the way we work and live, and the law needs to catch up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The measure will not allow homes to be turned into hotels or hostels – this would still require ‘change of use’ planning permission, and measures will be put in place to prevent abuse of such reforms or the permanent loss of residential accommodation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Such reforms will benefit London’s strong tourism industry by expanding the pool of competitively priced accommodation, and allow families to earn some extra cash when they themselves go away on holiday.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Such reforms would follow changes introduced last year to make it easier for residents to rent out an unused home parking space to earn extra money, helping expand the availability of parking options for commuters and visitors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are planning to publish the Government’s formal response to the consultation on the <em>Review of Property Conditions in the Private Rented Sector</em>; we will also publish details of our proposed approach to the detail of the underlying secondary legislation ahead of Lords Report debate on the enabling primary legislation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL3614 HL3616 question first answered 07/01/2015 14:08:22 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3596 label Biography information for Baroness Gardner of Parkes

169330

registered interest
date	10/12/2014
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	Holiday Accommodation: Greater London
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 8 December (HL Deb, col 1593–6), how they are ensuring that "all the points and concerns" raised by London local authorities will be covered in the guidelines and regulations relating to clause 33 of the Deregulation Bill.
tabling member printed	Baroness Gardner of Parkes
uin	HL3616
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2015 answer text <p>The Government has stated its clear intent to use the Deregulation Bill to help reform the outdated provisions of section 25 of the Greater London Council (General Powers) Act 1973.</p><p> </p><p>Londoners who want to rent out their homes for less than 90 consecutive days, such as through a service like Airbnb, technically still have to pay to apply for planning permission from their council – something that does not apply anywhere else in the country. These provisions caused controversy during the 2012 Olympics, and are irregularly enforced by different London boroughs leading to confusion.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We want to change this archaic system by giving Londoners the freedom to rent out their homes on a temporary basis, such as when they are on holiday, without having to deal with unnecessary red tape and the bureaucracy of paying of a municipal permit. The internet is changing the way we work and live, and the law needs to catch up.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The measure will not allow homes to be turned into hotels or hostels – this would still require ‘change of use’ planning permission, and measures will be put in place to prevent abuse of such reforms or the permanent loss of residential accommodation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Such reforms will benefit London’s strong tourism industry by expanding the pool of competitively priced accommodation, and allow families to earn some extra cash when they themselves go away on holiday.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Such reforms would follow changes introduced last year to make it easier for residents to rent out an unused home parking space to earn extra money, helping expand the availability of parking options for commuters and visitors.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We are planning to publish the Government’s formal response to the consultation on the <em>Review of Property Conditions in the Private Rented Sector</em>; we will also publish details of our proposed approach to the detail of the underlying secondary legislation ahead of Lords Report debate on the enabling primary legislation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL3614 HL3615 question first answered 07/01/2015 14:08:22 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3596 label Biography information for Baroness Gardner of Parkes

169072

registered interest
date	09/12/2014
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list those green belts in which they are considering the removal of existing green belt protection from development.
tabling member printed	Lord Marlesford
uin	HL3562
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>As pledged in the collation Agreement, this Government has safeguarded national Green Belt protection. We have abolished the top-down Regional Strategies of the last Administration which sought to delete the Green Belt in and around 30 towns and cities.</p><p> </p><p>In recent months, we have published waste planning policy which increases protection of the Green Belt; issued planning guidance which re-affirms the importance of the Green Belt during Local Plan preparation; and have consulted on proposed changes to planning policy on traveller sites to further increase Green Belt safeguards.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/12/2014 14:32:20 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1854 label Biography information for Lord Marlesford

168449

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
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: Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the current level of the Local Government Pension Scheme deficit.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3479
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>The Scheme conducts an actuarial valuation every three years. The 2013 valuation estimated that the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales had a funding level of 79% and a deficit of £47 billion.</p><p> </p><p>The shadow Scheme Advisory Board has also brought together the funds’ triennial valuation reports to provide a view of the Scheme’s overall position (<a href="http://www.lgpsboard.org/index.php/schemedata/scheme-valuation" target="_blank">http://www.lgpsboard.org/index.php/schemedata/scheme-valuation</a>). The Government has asked the shadow Board to identify and assess alternative ways to address the deficit and looks forward to receiving their proposals.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Government introduced a reformed Local Government Pension Scheme from 1 April 2014, which will help the funds to reduce this deficit and ensure the scheme remains affordable in the long term and fair to both scheme members and taxpayers. Furthermore, the Government’s consultation <em>Opportunities for collaboration, cost savings and efficiencies</em> set out how the funds could reduce their investment costs by a further £660 million each year by working together and investing more efficiently.</p><p> </p><p>The consultation is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-pension-scheme-opportunities-for-collaboration-cost-savings-and-efficiencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-pension-scheme-opportunities-for-collaboration-cost-savings-and-efficiencies</a></p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/12/2014 13:21:43 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

168450

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
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: Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they estimate that savings could be made to the administration of the Local Government Pension Scheme and the operation of its sub-funds if the management of the funds were moved from active managers to tracker funds; and if so, to what extent.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3480
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>The consultation <em>Opportunities for collaboration, cost savings and efficiencies </em>set out how the Local Government Pension Scheme could deliver annual savings of £660 million by reforming the way the funds make their investments. Advice commissioned by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Minister for Local Government using the Contestable Policy Fund was used to inform the consultation. Of the £660 million savings identified, the analysis showed that £420 million could be found by using passive, rather than active management of listed assets such as bonds and equities. Over 200 consultation responses were received and a Government response will be published early in 2015.</p><p> </p><p>Both the consultation and supporting analysis are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-pension-scheme-opportunities-for-collaboration-cost-savings-and-efficiencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-pension-scheme-opportunities-for-collaboration-cost-savings-and-efficiencies</a></p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/12/2014 13:20:28 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

168451

registered interest
date	08/12/2014
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: Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the performance of active fund managers has been over the last six years in the 89 sub-funds of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3481
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department does not hold data on the performance of active fund managers working Local Government Pension Scheme funds.</p><p> </p><p>The consultation <em>Opportunities for collaboration, cost savings and efficiencies </em>was developed using analysis provided to the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Minister for Local Government using the Contestable Policy Fund. The analysis examined the investment returns of the Scheme as a whole in each of the major equity markets as well as for bonds and gilts. The evidence demonstrated that over the ten years to 31 March 2013, regardless of whether active or passive fund managers were used, the aggregate performance of the Scheme had been in line with each market index.</p><p> </p><p>Both the consultation and supporting analysis are available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-pension-scheme-opportunities-for-collaboration-cost-savings-and-efficiencies" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-pension-scheme-opportunities-for-collaboration-cost-savings-and-efficiencies</a></p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/12/2014 14:33:40 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn