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176661

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Female Genital Mutilation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 January (HL3454) about female genital mutilation, whether the declaration signed by faith leaders covered the whole of the United Kingdom or just England and Wales.
tabling member printed	Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
uin	HL4570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2015 answer text <p>DCLG worked with activists to draw up a Faith Leaders Declaration against Female Genital Mutilation. This short Statement makes it clear that Female Genital Mutilation is not condoned by any faith and establishes a commitment to work together to end it.</p><p>Over 300 people including representatives from every major faith have signed the declaration. Faith leaders from any part of the United Kingdom will be very welcome to sign the declaration, and can do so by making contact with DCLG.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 20/02/2015 09:19:41 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4168 label Biography information for Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale

176662

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Female Genital Mutilation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 January (HL3454) about female genital mutilation, how many of the 17 community projects funded by the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Government Equalities Office include Scotland or are based in Scotland.
tabling member printed	Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
uin	HL4571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2015 answer text <p>The Department for Communities and Local Government and Government Equalities Office are funding 17 female genital mutilation and honour-based Violence projects for a total sum of £270,000. None of the projects cover Scotland or are based in Scotland as this is within the devolved remit of the Scottish Government.</p><p>The 17 projects are based across England in Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bristol, Essex, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Rotherham. The projects are as follows:</p><p><strong>Projects against female genital mutilation</strong></p><ul><li>Refuge: female genital mutilation prevention in London - £5,951</li><li>Women’s Health and Family Services: female genital mutilation prevention in London - £13,867</li><li>28 Too Many: female genital mutilation prevention in London - £7,000</li><li>Arc Theatre: female genital mutilation prevention in Essex - £4,680</li><li>Integrate Bristol: Across the country - £19,807</li><li>Enfield Child &amp; Young Persons Service: female genital mutilation prevention in London - £11,572</li><li>ROSA: The UK Fund for Women and Girls: female genital mutilation Website - £12,820</li><li>Bolton Solidarity Community Association: female genital mutilation prevention in Bolton and Greater Manchester - £16,172</li><li>JAN Trust: female genital mutilation prevention in London - £17,967</li><li>Brook Young People - £14,743</li><li>Africans United Against Child Abuse - £9,992</li><li>FORWARD and African Advocacy Foundation – £40,000 – a national charity to create a network of community champions to speak against female genital mutilation</li></ul><p><strong>Projects against honour-based violence including forced marriage</strong></p><ul><li>Refuge: so-called honour-based violence prevention in London - £7,393</li><li>Muslim Women’s Network: so-called honour-based violence prevention in Nottingham, Bradford, Rotherham and Manchester - £14,910</li><li>Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid: female genital mutilation and so-called honour-based violence prevention in Birmingham - £15,000</li><li>Karma Nirvana Community Champion Programme: Forced Marriage Prevention based in Leeds - £18,500</li><li>Imkaan - £39,625 - a national charity based in London to operate as a community champion helping groups work together and share best practice and working with 8 other organisations.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 20/02/2015 10:56:08 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4168 label Biography information for Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale

176721

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Housing Associations: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when the Government plans to consult on ways to increase the borrowing capacity of housing associations in relation to the valuation of properties transferred from local authorities.
tabling member constituency	Hammersmith
tabling member printed	Mr Andy Slaughter
uin	222688
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 answer text <p>The Government intends to issue a consultation document in due course.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/02/2015 17:20:48 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	1516 label Biography information for Andy Slaughter

176727

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received about the decision to withdraw funding for the Local Welfare Assistance scheme.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	222699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2015 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 February 2015, <em>Official Report</em>, Columns 5-7WS.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A summary of the responses to the consultation on local welfare provision in 2015-16, the local government finance settlement, and equality statements on both can be found here:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2015-to-2016" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/final-local-government-finance-settlement-england-2015-to-2016</a></p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 222925 question first answered 05/02/2015 16:10:14 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 42661 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden

176730

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Care Quality Commission
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will direct officials in his Department to meet officials in the Department for Health to discuss giving the Care Quality Commission wider powers than they currently have to undertake inspections of how local authorities commission their care services, even where no specific complaints have been made.
tabling member constituency	Stockton North
tabling member printed	Alex Cunningham
uin	222632
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The power for a Secretary of State to require the Care Quality Commission to undertake a special inspection of local authority commissioning of care services has already been commenced.</p><p> </p><p>The Coalition Government has a strong record of reducing top-down inspections of local government, reflecting commitments made in the Coalition Agreement. Intervention in the activities of locally accountable councils should only be considered where a last resort.</p><p> </p><p>I am not aware of any evidence that would constitute the kinds of exceptional circumstances that would warrant deployment of this power. Indeed it is arguable that local councils have been very effective in procuring care services and local taxpayers will thank them for having kept care costs under control.</p><p> </p><p>Even where there is evidence of poor commissioning practice by particular councils, the Government expects councils collectively, through the Local Government Association, to take the lead in improving poor performance. The Association has developed a programme of peer support available to councils, which includes mentoring and peer challenges.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 221242 221243 question first answered 09/02/2015 17:30:29 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	4122 label Biography information for Alex Cunningham

176731

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Housing: St Austell
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 new homes have been completed in St Austell and Newquay constituency in each of the last five years; and how many of those homes have been affordable housing.
tabling member constituency	St Austell and Newquay
tabling member printed	Stephen Gilbert
uin	222669
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 answer text <p>Statistics on house building starts and completions by tenure in each local authority district, including Cornwall, are published in the Department's live tables 253 (annual) and 253a (quarterly), which are available at the following link: <br><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building" target="_blank">http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building</a></p><p> </p><p>A more complete account of additional affordable housing including new build and acquisitions is provided for each local authority area in England and is published in the Department’s live table 1008, which is available at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply<br></a><br>These statistics are not available by parliamentary constituency.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/02/2015 17:41:57 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 42715 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4101 label Biography information for Stephen Gilbert

176732

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Housing Associations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he plans to take to deregulate housing associations.
tabling member constituency	Doncaster Central
tabling member printed	Ms Rosie Winterton
uin	222666
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2015 answer text <p>The Government fundamentally reformed the regulation of housing associations in 2011 through the Localism Act, streamlining the regulatory system and refocusing it on economic regulation. Under the current statute the Regulator has a duty to minimise interference and must be proportionate, consistent, transparent and accountable. Since then, the Regulator has been making changes where appropriate to encourage innovation and private investment, while ensuring the protection of social assets and maintaining the confidence of private investors in the sector. In part because of our reforms, the sector has been able to attract significant private finance to deliver more new homes.</p><p> </p><p>With £19.5 billion of public and private investment between 2011 and 2015 we are on course to deliver 170,000 new affordable homes. A further £38 billion public and private investment will help ensure 275,000 new affordable homes are provided between 2015 and 2020.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 05/02/2015 13:16:10 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis previous answer version 42704 answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	390 label Biography information for Baroness Winterton of Doncaster

176733

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Housing: Construction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what support is available to (a) Doncaster local authority area and (b) other local authority areas which are not among the Build pilot areas to accelerate house-building.
tabling member constituency	Doncaster Central
tabling member printed	Ms Rosie Winterton
uin	222667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 answer text <p>The Government is supporting all local authority areas, including Doncaster, to accelerate house-building through major policies including simplifying the planning system, programmes such as Help to Buy and Build to Rent, investment in affordable homes and in specific sites, and incentives like the New Homes Bonus.</p><p> </p><p>The £150 million Custom Build Serviced Plots fund is open to bids from the Doncaster area.</p><p> </p><p>These actions led to planning permissions for 240,000 homes being granted in the year to September 2014. Doncaster’s dwelling stock increased by 650 units in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p>Between April 2010 and September 2014, 520 units have been delivered in Doncaster through the Affordable Homes Programme.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside this, we have the following projects supporting housing building in Doncaster, funded through various Property and Regeneration funding programmes:</p><p> </p><p>- At Carr Lodge Farm, the amount invested to date is £4.24 million through the Accelerated Land Disposal plus £2.60 million though the National Coalfields Programme. 326 homes being delivered by developers Keepmoat, Strata and Fairgrove Homes.</p><p> </p><p>- At Bentley, the amount invested to date is £9.15 million though the National Coalfields Programme via the Public Land Initiative. 170 homes being delivered by developer Keepmoat.</p><p> </p><p>- At Askern, the amount invested to date is £7.34 million through the National Coalfields Programme. 288 homes being delivered: by developer Keepmoat.</p><p> </p><p>- At Brodsworth, the amount invested to date through the National Coalfields Programme is £11.8 million. Seeking planning permission for 350 homes. Plan to offer to Market in late 2015.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 03/02/2015 17:15:27 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	390 label Biography information for Baroness Winterton of Doncaster

176734

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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: ICT
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 refunding VAT for contracted out services on the (a) ability and (b) incentives for local authorities to (i) share software services and (ii) use off the shelf software and Cloud services.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne Central
tabling member printed	Chi Onwurah
uin	222662
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The management of local authority IT systems are a matter for individual councils. As a consequence, no assessment has been made of the effect of refunding VAT for contracted out services on the (a) ability and (b) incentives for local authorities to (i) share software services and (ii) use off the shelf software and Cloud services.</p><p> </p><p>The independent Service Transformation Challenge Panel published their report on 26 November 2014, and noted that local public services have yet to take widespread advantage of digital technology to improve the costs and quality of their services or enable more connected communities. We will be responding to the report in due course.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 09/02/2015 17:05:25 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins previous answer version 42657 answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	4124 label Biography information for Chi Onwurah

176735

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Planning Permission: Appeals
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 appeals against planning application refusals by local planning authorities have been (a) upheld and (b) dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Eastleigh
tabling member printed	Mr Michael Thornton
uin	222682
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2015 answer text <p>Planning is a quasi-judicial process; it is a long-standing feature of the planning system that there is a right of appeal, just as there are with other local quasi-judicial decisions such as on licensing applications, gambling applications or parking fines.</p><p>The Localism Act 2011 has strengthened the role of Local Plans and abolished the last Administration’s top-down Regional Strategies. Our streamlined National Planning Policy Framework strongly encourages areas to get up-to-date Local Plans in place, and we have been actively supporting councils in doing so. Local Plans now set the framework in which decisions on particular applications are taken, whether locally or at appeal, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. We have also allowed local communities to draw up Neighbourhood Plans, which also become part of the area’s statutory development plan.</p><p>The table below shows the number of appeals since 2009-10:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><em>Appeal decisions</em></p></td><td><p><em>Allowed</em></p></td><td><p><em>Dismissed</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>5,852</p></td><td><p>11,443</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>5,195</p></td><td><p>10,633</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>5,021</p></td><td><p>9,475</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>4,757</p></td><td><p>8,705</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>4,884</p></td><td><p>8,995</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><sup>Note: Planning inspectorate decisions, including written representations, hearings and inquiries.</sup></p><p>The table shows that since the National Planning Policy Framework was introduced in March 2012, the number of appeals is lower, as is the number allowed. 99% of decisions are made locally with only approximately 1% of planning applications overturned on appeal. This is in the context of rising housing starts, higher housing construction and rising planning permissions. This means there is more local decision-making, and our reforms are supporting badly-needed new homes within a locally-led planning system.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 23/02/2015 17:25:29 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	4273 label Biography information for Mr Mike Thornton