To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Transport: North East
Thursday 20th January 2022

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department for Transport on plans for a future city region settlement in north east England to allow access to funding through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements programme.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

CRSTS funding is available for the North East subject to the appropriate governance structures being in place as set out in Baroness Vere’s letter to regional leaders on 22 October 2021. It is for the relevant local authorities to propose new governance structures in order to access the funds available. The department is continuing its engagement with local authorities, and the North of Tyne Mayoral Combined Authority, on these plans and continue to update colleagues in DfT as the engagement progresses.


Written Question
Transport: North East
Monday 17th January 2022

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2022 to Question 96862, when his Department plans to put in place the appropriate governance to allow the North East to access funding through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements programme.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

It is for the relevant local authorities to propose new governance structures in order to access the funds available in the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements. The Department is continuing its engagement with local authorities, and the North of Tyne Mayoral Combined Authority, on these plans.


Written Question
Freeports
Wednesday 1st December 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on which date each of the freeports announced in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 (a) came into or (b) is planned to come into operation.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

At Budget, on 27 October 2021, it was announced that the first Freeport tax sites would be in Humber, Teesside and Thames. Eligible businesses that base themselves in tax sites at these Freeports can benefit from several tax incentives. On 19 November, these tax sites and a customs site in Teesside were designated meaning that businesses are able to benefit from the tax benefits and customs facilitations from that date.

The Government is working hard to support all Freeports. Subject to agreeing their business cases, we expect the next set of Freeports to begin operations in 2022.


Written Question
Local Government: Buildings
Tuesday 27th July 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2021 to Question 29805 on Local Government: Coronavirus, what budget has been made available for enforcement activities in respect of ventilation of council-managed buildings in each of the last ten years; what enforcement action has been taken in respect of ventilation of council-managed buildings in each of the last ten years; and when he most recently discussed the ventilation of council-managed buildings with (a) the Local Government Association, (b) other local government representative bodies and (c) trade unions recognised in English local government.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcing health and safety law in council operated buildings.

HSE allocates resources based on planned levels of activity to deliver it's published strategy and plans. It does not allocate budgets by specific risk areas such as business premises ventilation, but inspectors will take action to respond to poor ventilation if identified during regulatory activity.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the risks associated with poor general ventilation in a workplace increased due to the risk of transmitting coronavirus. HSE has carried out more than 300,000 interventions since the start of the pandemic, to check how employers are implementing measures to reduce transmission of coronavirus at their sites, including whether employees are working in poorly ventilated spaces. Where contraventions are identified, HSE inspectors will take action to secure compliance by providing verbal advice, written correspondence or serving enforcement notices.

HSE has also updated their guidance to support employers in addressing the issue of ventilation- www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation/index.htm.

HSE does not collate information about enforcement action taken specifically in respect of ventilation in council managed buildings.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) continues to lead the Government's significant and regular engagement with councils and local government sector bodies including the Local Government Association to ensure information is getting to councils and that we are made aware of any areas of concern:

  • Ministers host regular teleconferences for local government leaders, chief executives and local resilience forums, with other Ministers from across government also present to give updates and answer questions.
  • MHCLG continues to discuss priorities and support measures with councils in each of the nine English regions.
  • MHCLG hosts regular engagement with local government sector bodies.
  • MHCLG's Local Government Bulletin - a daily email sent to over 5,500 local government stakeholders.
  • Ministers from MHCLG regularly speak to and meet with Mayors, both bilaterally and as part of the M9 Group of Mayors.

Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.


Written Question
Local Government: Capital Investment
Monday 19th April 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Governement, what plans he has to make a submission to the consultation by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on proposed changes to the Prudential code for capital finance in local authorities which closes on 12 April 2021.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Government is committed to promoting prudent financial management within local authorities and appreciates the important role that CIPFA has in helping ensure this. The Prudential Code forms an important part of the capital framework and officials have worked closely with CIPFA and other stakeholders as the revised Code has been developed and will continue to do so. Alongside this, the department is taking forward measures to strengthen the capital framework including by reducing excessive risk, while allowing authorities to invest sensibly for service delivery, local regeneration and housing, and is working closely with CIPFA and the sector to implement these.


Written Question
Free Zones: Employment
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to English Freeports selection decision-making note, updated 17 March 2021, what assessment he has made of the effect on skills and jobs, (a) within each of the eight regions in which a freeport was designated and (b) on (i) towns, (ii) cities, and (iii) other employment centres within that region which were not included within the successful Freeport bid.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Freeports will be national hubs for international trade, innovation and commerce, regenerating communities across the UK by attracting new businesses, spreading jobs, investment and opportunity to towns and cities up and down the country.

They will bring together ports, local authorities, businesses and other key local stakeholders to achieve a common goal of shared prosperity and opportunity for their regions. Our focus is on encouraging new investment to create new businesses and new economic activity. This will create jobs in deprived communities across the country.


Written Question
Free Zones
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many of the organisations that submitted a bid for proposed freeports were asked for clarifications in respect of any element of their bid between the deadline for bids on 5 February 2021 and 3 March 2021; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Site operator contact details were sought from all bidders to assist HMG in checking customs site authorisations. No other information was requested or encouraged from bidders as part of the bid assessment. All information that was assessed as part of the Freeport selection process was received by 12 noon on February 5 2021 or within a grace period of a few minutes after this deadline to allow for technical issues.


Written Question
Free Zones
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many of the organisations that submitted a bid for proposed freeports were (a) asked for, permitted to submit and (c) encouraged to submit additional submissions in relation to their bid between the deadline for bids on 5 February 2021 and 3 March 2021.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Site operator contact details were sought from all bidders to assist HMG in checking customs site authorisations. No other information was requested or encouraged from bidders as part of the bid assessment. All information that was assessed as part of the Freeport selection process was received by 12 noon on February 5 2021 or within a grace period of a few minutes after this deadline to allow for technical issues.


Written Question
Free Zones
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether each of the eight successful freeport bids had been submitted in full by the 12.00 noon on 5 February 2021 deadline published in the Freeports Bidding Prospectus.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Site operator contact details were sought from all bidders to assist HMG in checking customs site authorisations. No other information was requested or encouraged from bidders as part of the bid assessment. All information that was assessed as part of the Freeport selection process was received by 12 noon on February 5 2021 or within a grace period of a few minutes after this deadline to allow for technical issues.


Written Question
Free Zones
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the maximum distance between two sites within the freeports announced in Budget 2021 is greater than 45 km; what assessment his Department made of the extent to which each of those Freeports meets the requirement for a clear economic rationale under section 3.1.6 of the Freeports bidding prospectus; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The Government has led a fair, open and transparent selection process to determine successful Freeport locations in England.

We were clear in the Freeports Bidding Prospectus that the Government would consider bids for exceptional additional customs subzones and tax sites outside the Outer Boundary where this could be supported by a clear economic rationale.