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100674

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
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 assessment his Department has made of the effect on changes in spending on local government since May 2010 on (a) staff morale and motivation and (b) level of services.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	211756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Whilst savings have been made to help tackle the deficit left by the last Labour Government, they have been over-stated. Local government spending (excluding education) is actually higher than it was under the last Labour Government as the table below illustrates:</p><p><em>Local authority net current expenditure (excluding education) in England (£ million)</em></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>2008-09</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2009-10</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010-11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>£70,870.578</p></td><td><p>£74,705.768</p></td><td><p>£75,956.637</p></td><td><p>£75,000.191</p></td><td><p>£74,807.852</p></td><td><p>£77,063.700</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><sup>Note: Local government spending on education has structurally fallen due to the transfer of schools to Academy status, which are not funded through Local Education Authorities.</sup></p><p>We have not undertaken any assessment of staff morale, as employment decisions are a matter for local councils as employers. However, residents’ satisfaction is either the same or has increased according to independent surveys:</p><p> </p><p>• Research by ICM has found that 57 per cent of the public think that the quality of public services has improved or stayed the same compared to five years ago. Recycling collections, parks and open spaces, leisure centres and refuse collections are areas where the public think services have particularly improved (ICM Research, <em>BBC News Bailout Anniversary Poll: Attitudes towards public services</em>, September 2013).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>• Opinion research by PwC in 2014 has noted: ‘As with our 2013 survey, almost half of the public we surveyed were unaware of any reductions in local council services in their area. To some extent, this is a testament to the success of local authorities to date in focussing on internal efficiencies while protecting the frontline’ (PwC, <em>The Local State We’re In: PwC’s annual local government survey</em>, 2014, p.7).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>• A Ipsos Mori survey in 2014 has found that two-thirds (63 per cent) of local residents have said that local authority budget reductions have not made a noticeable difference to services (Zurich Municipal, <em>A new world of risk; change for good</em>, July 2014, p.19).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>• The number of respondents who were very or fairly satisfied with the way their local council runs things was 69 per cent in October 2010 (LGA, <em>Polling on resident satisfaction with councils</em>, September 2012). The latest 2014 figures were 70 per cent and 67 per cent (LGA, <em>Polling on resident satisfaction with councils, Full report</em>, January and July 2014).</p><p> </p><p>This shows the scope for the public sector to make sensible savings, whilst protecting frontline services and keeping council tax down.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 03/11/2014 17:01:28 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

100675

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
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	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 methodology his Department recommends for the calculation of five year land supplies; whether planning authorities are required to use regional spatial strategy figures in such calculations; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Tewkesbury
tabling member printed	Mr Laurence Robertson
uin	211685
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>The Coalition Government has abolished the last Administration’s top-down Regional Strategies which imposed housing numbers on local councils and fuelled resentment against new development.<br><br>Our planning reforms have ensured that councils should determine where new homes should and should not go through their Local Plans. It is for elected local councils working with their local communities to decide how best to meet their objectively assessed housing needs.</p><p><br>Our Planning Guidance, which we published on 6 March, sets out a clear and simplified methodology for assessing development needs for housing. Planning ahead for housing is the best way to make sure communities and business can have confidence and ensure enough housing is delivered to meet local needs.</p><p> </p><p>Housing projections provide the starting point estimate of overall housing need, but can then be adjusted to reflect other factors including any constraints on land. This creates a housing requirement figure, which is used as the starting point for calculating a five-year land supply.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 28/10/2014 14:24:51 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
tabling member	253 label Biography information for Mr Laurence Robertson

100676

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children in Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average annual cost for a looked after child was in each local authority in the most recent year for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne East
tabling member printed	Mr Nicholas Brown
uin	211674
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>Information on the weekly unit costs of looked after children for each local authority is published on the Department for Education’s local authority interactive tool (LAIT).[1]</p><p>The figures can be found in the children’s services unit costs section of the tool.</p><p> </p><p>[1] <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait</a></p> answering member constituency Crewe and Nantwich answering member printed Mr Edward Timpson question first answered 30/10/2014 15:35:17 answering member 1605 label Biography information for Edward Timpson
tabling member	523 label Biography information for Mr Nicholas Brown

100677

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Broadband: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the speed of the delivery of superfast broadband to rural areas.
tabling member constituency	Thirsk and Malton
tabling member printed	Miss Anne McIntosh
uin	211748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The pace of delivery of the Superfast Broadband Programme has accelerated substantially across the UK over recent months, resulting with on average 40,000 premises per week now able to access superfast broadband . All 44 Phase 1 local projects are delivering superfast broadband to homes and businesses. In August the programme had reached 1 million premises, and by February 2015 we will have reached 2 million homes and businesses. The second phase to extend coverage to 95% of UK premises by 2017 is in procurement and aims to have all contracts signed by early 2015.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed Mr Edward Vaizey question first answered 29/10/2014 10:01:40 answering member 1580 label Biography information for Lord Vaizey of Didcot
tabling member	384 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Pickering

100678

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Sexual Offences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 commanding officers have requested legal advice following allegations of (i) sexual assault, (ii) exposure, (iii) voyeurism, (iv) sexual activity in a public lavatory and (v) other forms of sexual misconduct; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	211672
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested is given below. No allegations of sexual activity in a public lavatory resulted in a request for legal advice from a Commanding Officer.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Offence</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2014</strong></p><p><strong>until 24 October</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sexual Assault</p></td><td><p>65</p></td><td><p>48</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Exposure</p></td><td><p>5</p></td><td><p>3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Voyeurism</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other Sexual Misconduct</p></td><td><p>61</p></td><td><p>29</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>135</p></td><td><p>81</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 02/12/2014 16:14:27 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry previous answer version 25428 answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

100679

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Sexual Offences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many allegations of (a) sexual assault, (b) exposure, (c) voyeurism, (d) sexual activity in a public lavatory, (e) rape and (f) other forms of sexual misconduct have been recorded by the Crime Statistics and Analysis Cell in each month since April 2014 relating to the (i) Army, (ii) Navy, (iii) RAF and (iv) reservists; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	211673
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>The table shows the number of allegations of rape, sexual assault, exposure, voyeurism, and other forms of sexual misconduct, recorded by the Service police in each month since April 2014 up to 24 October 2014, broken down by Service.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April 2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August 2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Rape Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Army</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal Navy</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal Air Force</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Sexual Assault (By Penetration) Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April 2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August 2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Army</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Sexual Assault (No Penetration) Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April 2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August 2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Army</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>3</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>2</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal Navy</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal Air Force</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Number of Exposure Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Army</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Voyeurism Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April 2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August 2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Army</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Royal Air Force</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="8"><p><strong>Number Of Other Sexual Offences Under The Sexual Offences Act 2003 Allegations</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Month/Service</p></td><td><p>April 2014</p></td><td><p>May 2014</p></td><td><p>June 2014</p></td><td><p>July 2014</p></td><td><p>August 2014</p></td><td><p>September 2014</p></td><td><p>October 2014</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>British Army</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>0</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>1</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Notes: The table only details investigations where the appropriate Service police have jurisdiction and investigative lead.</p><p>The allegation recorded against each Service is that of the victim.</p><p> </p><p>No such allegations have been reported to the Service police in respect of sexual activity in public lavatory or from any of the Reserve Forces for the period detailed in the above tables.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 30/10/2014 16:40:34 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

100680

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service leavers resident in Northern Ireland have received further and higher educational support under the Service Leavers Scheme funded by his Department.
tabling member constituency	Lagan Valley
tabling member printed	Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson
uin	211681
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>No service leavers who reside in Northern Ireland have benefitted from the Scheme as Northern Ireland was classified as an overseas location.</p><p> </p><p>However, I am pleased to say that action is in hand to amend the legislation governing the Scheme to extend provision to Northern Ireland service leavers. We anticipate this coming into effect from September 2015.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry grouped question UIN 211683 question first answered 28/10/2014 17:54:21 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	650 label Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

100681

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Military Bases: Omagh
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to address the issues raised with him by the First Minsiter of Northern Ireland concerning the transfer of the former St Lucia barracks in Omagh to the Northern Ireland Executive.
tabling member constituency	Lagan Valley
tabling member printed	Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson
uin	211682
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>The majority of St Lucia Barracks has been transferred to the Office of First Minister/Deputy First Minister as part of the Hillsborough agreement. The remainder is in the process of being transferred.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 28/10/2014 17:54:59 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	650 label Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

100682

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans: Northern Ireland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reason Northern Ireland is defined as an overseas location for the purposes of offering further and higher educational support under the Service Leavers Scheme.
tabling member constituency	Lagan Valley
tabling member printed	Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson
uin	211683
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text <p>No service leavers who reside in Northern Ireland have benefitted from the Scheme as Northern Ireland was classified as an overseas location.</p><p> </p><p>However, I am pleased to say that action is in hand to amend the legislation governing the Scheme to extend provision to Northern Ireland service leavers. We anticipate this coming into effect from September 2015.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry grouped question UIN 211681 question first answered 28/10/2014 17:54:21 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	650 label Biography information for Sir Jeffrey M Donaldson

100683

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Complaints
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made in assessing the systems used by (a) his Department, (b) the Army, (c) the Navy and (d) the RAF for recording service complaints; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	211692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>Accurate data is clearly important for assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of the complaints process. Service complaints data is captured by all three Services on the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system. The system and the supporting guidance for users have been refined following internal audits of JPA's effectiveness and extent of its use in 2008 and 2012.</p><p>A third audit is being carried out to review the adequacy and effectiveness of actions taken in response to the audit in 2012. The Service Complaints Commissioner is fully involved in the audit.</p> answering member constituency Broxtowe answering member printed Anna Soubry question first answered 30/10/2014 17:34:14 answering member 3938 label Biography information for Anna Soubry
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon