Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which parliamentary constituencies he has visited in an official capacity in 2014.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East (Sheila Gilmore) on 24 February, Question 208006.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities he has written to about the frequency of their publications since entry into force of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Coalition Agreement outlined this Government's clear intention to protect the independent free press by tackling unfair competition from local authority newspapers, reflecting the manifesto commitments of both Coalition parties.
Localism needs robust and independent scrutiny by the press and public.
The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 gives the Secretary of State the power to direct compliance with the provisions in the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity ('the Publicity Code'). Ministers have clearly stated that they are prepared to use those powers, if necessary, where local authorities are failing to comply with the provisions in the Code.
In March 2014, Ministers wrote to Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Nottingham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest councils requesting that they take steps to ensure their councils comply with the Publicity Code.
In April 2014, formal notice that the Secretary of State was minded to direct compliance with the provisions in Code were served on Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest councils. In August 2014, Ministers wrote to Enfield, Hillingdon, Lambeth, Luton, Medway, Mid Devon and North Somerset Councils, requesting they comply with the Publicity Code.
In September 2014, further formal notice that the Secretary of State was minded to direct compliance with the provisions in the Publicity Code was served on Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hillingdon, Lambeth, Luton, Newham, North Somerset, Medway, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest councils.
In October 2014, North Somerset Council wrote to confirm that they would be complying with the Code, terminating contracts for printing and distribution.
This illustrates that we have taken extensive steps to encourage councils to review their practices, given that central intervention is the last resort. Subsequently, I can tell the House:
As stated in the Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December 2014 (Official Report, Column 91WS), in December 2014, the Secretary of State has issued a direction against the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and appointed Commissioners. The intervention package includes steps to ensure the Council's publicity functions are properly exercised and ensure compliance with the Code.
As stated in my Written Ministerial Statement of 3 March 2015 (Official Report, Column 49WS), the Secretary of State issued a direction to the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
As stated in my Written Ministerial Statement of 10 March 2015 (Official Report, Column 6WS), the Secretary of State has published notices of directions that he proposes to issue to the London Boroughs of Hackney, Newham and Waltham Forest.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure of the National Police Air Service base at Husbands Bosworth on flight times to (a) Corby, (b) Oundle, (c) Thrapston, (d) Raunds, (e) Irthlingborough, (f) Warmington and (g) Easton-on-the-Hill in Northamptonshire.
Answered by Mike Penning
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings Ministers in her Department have had with representatives of the National Police Air Service in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mike Penning
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how recent reductions in the National Police Air Service budget will be distributed between police forces in (a) the East Midlands and (b) the Eastern region.
Answered by Mike Penning
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing fixed wing aircraft to the National Police Air Service fleet.
Answered by Mike Penning
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative,
with all strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating
model, taken by the Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime
Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small
working group of PCCs to define a more equitable future funding model for all
force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that
will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean
that every air base supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling
indicates that Northamptonshire will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1
Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new operating model will include an
enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a
non-voting capacity.
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the formula grant allocation was in each local authority in each year since 2010-11; and what the planned such allocations are for 2015-16.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
Formula grant has not existed since 2012-13, as a consequence of the introduction of the local retention of business rates.
Historic figures can be found in the local government finance settlements, presented to the House each year, which are also available on the National Archives website.
The hon. Member may wish to refresh himself with our introductory guides to local government finance, which can be found online at:
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish data on the Government's calculation of spending power for each local authority area in each financial year between 2010-11 and 2015-16.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Government has published Spending Power figures since they were introduced in 2011-12 as shown below.
2011-12: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140110170414/http:/www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spannexas.xls
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much UK Export Finance has spent on advertising in each year since 2010.
Answered by Matt Hancock
UK Export Finance records spending on all activities associated with the promotion of UK Export Finance, including advertising, marketing, attendance at exhibitions etc, as Business Promotion or Marketing.
The table below shows the amount spent by UK Export Finance on these activities in each financial year since 2010/11. Spend has increased in recent years as UK Export Finance seeks to raise awareness of its services particularly amongst smaller businesses following the introduction of products targeted at the smaller exporter in 2011.
| 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 to date |
Spend (£) | 19,395 | 41,915 | 27,958 | 377,434 | 801,341 |
Asked by: Andy Sawford (Labour (Co-op) - Corby)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made on the level of funding available for the Northamptonshire Action with Communities in Rural England.
Answered by Dan Rogerson
No estimate has been made on the level of funding available for Northamptonshire Action with Communities in Rural England. That is a matter for discussion between ACRE, as the coordinating body for the Network, and Northamptonshire.
We support the valuable work the ACRE Network does to benefit rural communities. That is why we have confirmed that it will again receive over £2 million worth of funding in the coming year.