Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle antisemitism.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The appalling rise in antisemitism we have seen over the last year is a stain on our society, and the Government is absolutely committed to rooting out this abhorrent form of hatred. We have been working closely with the Independent Adviser on Antisemitism Lord Mann along with Jewish community voices such as the Community Security Trust on the most effective methods to tackle antisemitism.
Government has committed further funding of £54 million for the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant to provide protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems) at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites until 2028. We are in the process of finalising a more integrated and cohesive approach to tackling antisemitism and will announce more on this soon.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support cross-community inter-faith work in Surrey.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ministers have been meeting a wide range of faith and belief leaders, along with interfaith practitioners, to hear more about the vital work undertaken in communities to help foster good relations.
This department was pleased to support Inter Faith Week in November, and we continue to fund a number of partners to deliver cohesion programmes in local communities which help to contribute to positive interfaith relations.
Asked by: Geoffrey Cox (Conservative - Torridge and Tavistock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the funding for the Levelling Up Partnership in Torridge will be released.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The funding will be released subject to completion of the necessary business case that officials from MHCLG and officers from Torridge District Council are working hard to finalise.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 17299 on Muslim Council of Britain, whether her Department engages with (a) MEND, (b) CAGE and (c) the Muslim Association of Britain.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department does not engage with MEND, CAGE or the Muslim Association of Britain.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 9072 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in her Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 4th July 2022 and 4th July 2024, £12,128.11 was spent on new furniture and fittings in Ministerial Offices and a breakdown of costs is below:
Item/ Place | Cost (£) |
Bookcase | £7,581.41 |
TV Installation | £607.23 |
Supply and install 2 x 2 seater sofa | £3,818.19 |
Supply and install gromet and cable tray | £121.28 |
Total | £12,128.11 |
There were no costs on the refurbishment of these Ministerial office during this period.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 16572 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission and with reference to paragraphs 18 and 19 of her Department's Guidance on planning propriety: planning casework decisions, whether the call-in representations are being made available to the interested parties in the called-in planning application.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We do not routinely make requests to call in planning applications available to interested parties.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Prime Minister requested she call-in the application for a new Chinese Embassy in Tower Hamlets after his phone call with the President of China on 23 August 2024.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 17009 on 6 December 2024.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 1315 on environmental assessments, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of repealing the environmental assessment regimes originating from the (a) EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive and (b) Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Directive.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 16 December 2024 (HCWS317), the government will, in due course, replace the current systems of environmental assessment with Environmental Outcomes Reports.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure that new housing developments include (a) GP surgeries and (b) other primary healthcare infrastructure.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner.
Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period.
The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
The changes to the National Planning Policy Framework announced on 12 December will support the increased provision and modernisation of various types of public infrastructure, including health infrastructure.
The Government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: John Cooper (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department has not incurred any expenses on media or voice training for ministers since 5 July 2024.