Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 20 March (HL5602), what representations the government of China or its representatives have made to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this decision independent from the rest of Government corresponding to her quasi-judicial role. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese Government about a range of issues.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what individual programmes or initiatives have been launched since 5 July 2024 that require local authorities to bid to the government to receive funding.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has committed to providing multi-year funding settlements and moving away from wasteful competitive bidding in order to give councils the stability and certainty they need to plan for the long-term. No department currently holds information on all individual programmes or initiatives that require local authorities to bid to the government for funding.
MHCLG is leading a programme of funding simplification to move Whitehall away from a system reliant on hundreds of separate funding pots and tight spending controls, to one based on partnership and respect. We estimate there are currently circa 300 grants provided to the sector each year with around a third allocated via a bidding process. We are working with all government departments to confirm (1) data on existing grants, including those allocated by bidding process, and (2) arrangements for the 2026/27 Local Government Finance Settlement, where the Government has committed to further consolidation.
In line with the usual approach, we will set out more detail at the local government finance settlement, towards the end of the calendar year.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 20 March (HL5602), what representations the government of China or its representatives have made to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not received any representations on this matter from the Government of China or its representatives. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the lead department on planning matters, and the final decision rests with its Secretary of State.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the English Devolution White Paper published December 2024, what is their policy on restructuring borough councils in Greater London.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5th February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two-tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. No London Boroughs were included in this invitation.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations the government of China or its representatives have made relating to the latest planning application for the Chinese Embassy, prior to and after the Secretary of State's call-in decision, and on what dates.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
MHCLG has not received any representations on this matter from the government of China or its representatives.
Representations made to the public inquiry are routinely listed at the end of the Inspector's Report.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the consultation Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England which opened on 18 December 2024, what is their estimated budget for a new standards appeal body.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The consultation to which the Noble Lord refers, which closed on 26 February, sought views from across the local government sector on the appropriateness of creating a national body to consider appeals, alongside a range of other proposed measures to strengthen the local government standards framework.
We are now in the process of analysing those responses to ensure we are taking full account of sector views on all of the measures proposed. The government Response will be issued in due course. After its release, we will continue to work actively with local government on developing detailed implementation plans and, as appropriate, determine the budget implications of the proposals Government commits to pursuing.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for State Housing, Communities and Local Government on 27 November 2024 (HC14997), which criteria from the October 2012 call-in policy were engaged when the Deputy Prime Minister called-in the application for the Chinese Embassy in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Question UIN 14997 on 27 November 2024.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Home Office and its agencies have had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, regarding the called-in planning application for the Chinese Embassy in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We do not normally disclose details of internal discussions. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the government of China or its representatives relating to the planning application for the Chinese Embassy in the UK, and on what dates they received representations.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
MHCLG has not received any representations on this matter from the government of China or its representatives. Representations ahead of the public inquiry are dealt with by the Planning Inspectorate.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there will be any consequences for London boroughs and the London Assembly if they fail to meet the targets set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the noble Lord to my answer to Question HL1467 on 23 October 2024.