Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the specific responsibilities and accountabilities of the architectural adviser appointed, in March 2017, to assist the Government Chief Planner; and what key objectives are contained in the current work plan of the adviser.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The architectural adviser you refer to is a former chairman of an architectural practice, with over 30 years of experience of the housing sector.
The adviser is seconded to the Department to advise on design and delivery within the planning and housing supply teams and reports to the Chief Planner. The adviser assists with the drafting and implementation of the action plan for new initiatives to raise design quality. This includes embedding quality in new government programmes, showcasing good practice in design and community engagement and supporting awards programmes. This also includes research that supports design quality and promotion and advocacy in the industry generally.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the proposed scheme by Islington Council under which businesses will be able to sponsor local parks, whether they intend to encourage other local authorities to seek business sponsorship to protect the future of their parks.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Councils across the country are demonstrating that there are many ways to ensure great parks, and that there is no one size fits all solution. Local authorities are best placed to understand the needs and complexities of their communities use of their green spaces.
The Government remains committed to working with local government and the parks sector to encourage the sharing of best practice so that councils and communities can continue to innovate and find local solutions which ensure the future of public parks.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 12 December (HL3686), when the consultation on the design competition for the Holocaust memorial will begin, and which Roma organisations will be consulted on the competition.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The new Holocaust Memorial will stand as a statement of our commitment to remember the Holocaust and, crucially as a statement of determination to stand up to prejudice and hatred of all kinds. While the focus of the Memorial will be on the persecution and murder of 6 millions European Jews, it will also appropriately represent the experiences of the Roma/Sinti and of all groups persecuted by the Nazis. It is therefore vital that representatives of all victims of Nazi persecution are able to have their say on what the Memorial looks like.
Once the shortlisted designs are received for the Memorial, the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation will hold exhibitions and consultations all around the United Kingdom, providing all people with an opportunity to connect.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will undertake to replace the funding currently available through Local Economic Partnerships from the European Structural Funds and European Development Fund for supporting the economic integration of UK Roma and Gypsy populations, after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Leaving the EU means we will be able to take our own decisions about whether and how to deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding. Over the coming months, we will consult closely with stakeholders to review all EU funding schemes in the round, to ensure that any ongoing funding commitments best serve the UK’s national interest.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 14 September (HL Deb, col 1457), whether they will provide more details regarding how the genocide of the Roma people will be commemorated in the Holocaust memorial.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Holocaust Memorial designs will remain true to the vision of the Prime Minister's Holocaust Commission by appropriately representing the Holocaust and all victim groups persecuted by the Nazis. In addition, there will be a full consultation around the design competition and we would encourage the Roma community to be part of this.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the account in the Equalities and Human Rights Commission's report <i>Is England Fairer?</i> of the discrimination faced by Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, and how they propose to address this.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is committed to creating a fair society in which all people, of whatever ethnic origin or background, are able to participate fully in society and realise their full potential. The Government deplores racism in all its forms and is determined to ensure everyone has the opportunity to get on in life, free from harassment and fear.
The UK has a strong and well-established legal framework to combat discrimination and hate crime, which protects all individuals, including Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, from racial and other forms of discrimination, and racially motivated crime.
The Government is taking action to improve the situation of disadvantaged people, including Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, in a number of the areas of concern identified in the Equality and Human Rights Commission report. These include improving educational attainment and attendance; tackling bullying; improving access to healthcare; supporting people into work and keeping them there; tackling hate crime; and addressing the over-representation of ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the 2014 Report of the European Commission on the implementation of the European Union framework for National Roma Integration Strategies which was critical of the implementation of some of the 28 recommendations of the 2012 Ministerial Working Group on Gypsies, Travellers and Roma.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the noble Lady to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Housing and Planning (Brandon Lewis) on 5 January 2015, UIN reference 218133, and my answer to the noble Lord Avebury on 11 November 2014, Column WA36.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the conclusions of the report by the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups <i>Civil Society Monitoring on the Implementation of the National Roma Integration Strategy in the United Kingdom in 2012 and 2013</i>, launched on 2 December 2014; and what steps they plan to take in response to that report’s recommendations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the noble Lady to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Housing and Planning (Brandon Lewis) on 5 January 2015, UIN reference 218133, and my answer to the noble Lord Avebury on 11 November 2014, Column WA36.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have called in the approval of planning permission for a site for Travellers in Brighton, granted by the South Downs National Park; and if so, when they will make a decision.
Answered by Baroness Stowell of Beeston
This application remains under consideration by the Secretary of State in response to a request by the hon. Member for Hove (Mike Weatherley) for the application to be called in. The consideration is being made against the Secretary of State's policy, as set out in a Written Ministerial Statement on 26 October 2012, Official Report, Column 72W. The Secretary of State is very selective about calling in applications and will generally only do so if they raise issues of more than local importance. I will arrange for departmental officials to let the noble Lady know the outcome in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they have spent the 69 million euros, as reported in Appendix 5 of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe Status Report of 2013, earmarked for the implementation of the Roma Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Stowell of Beeston
The United Kingdom is advancing Roma integration within broader social inclusion and integration policies. This is fully in line with commitments we have made at European Union level, and is the best approach in a diverse and decentralised country like the UK.
On Page 32, the Status Report highlights that the Government is providing “approximately 72 million euros” for new and refurbished authorised traveller pitches in England, through the £60 million Traveller Pitch Funding programme.