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
Local Plans
Wednesday 20th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what policy guidance his Department uses to determine a request for variation by a local authority to deviate from its adopted local plan; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

Planning law and national planning policy is clear that the starting point for decisions is the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Through our reforms in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, we plan to strengthen the role of the development plan.

The local planning authority may depart from development plan policy where material considerations indicate that the plan should not be followed, subject to any conditions prescribed by direction by the Secretary of State. This power to depart from development plan policy is confirmed in article 32 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015.

In cases where the local planning authority intends to depart from development plan policy, article 15(3) of the Development Management Procedure Order sets out the publicity requirements which must be followed before the decision is taken.


Written Question
Devolution
Monday 27th March 2023

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

What progress he has made on devolving power to local communities.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

Through the announcement of six new devolution deals last year and most recently ground-breaking trailblazer devolution deals with Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities, as well as the publication of the English Devolution Accountability Framework, Government is empowering local leaders by ensuring they have more control and influence over the decisions that affect their communities.


Written Question
Refugees: English Language
Wednesday 25th May 2022

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department will publish further guidance for public and private providers of English language learning on how they can supply their services to local authorities to support Ukrainian refugees; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) and the Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). Authorities, colleges and training providers have the flexibility to use their AEB/ESFA to meet the needs of their communities.


Written Question
English Language: Education
Monday 13th July 2020

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have paid English Language Schools Business Rate Relief; what discussions he has had with representatives from local authorities that have not paid that relief, and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Simon Clarke

The Department does not hold information on the number of local authorities that have granted business rates relief in respect of particular types of properties.

The Department published guidance on the expanded retail discount on 25 March 2020. The guidance states that eligible properties are those used as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues; those used by visiting members of the public for assembly and leisure; or hotels, guest & boarding premises and self-catering accommodation. It is for local authorities to decide whether properties, including English language schools, fall within these categories.


Written Question
Solar Power: Non-domestic Rates
Wednesday 11th January 2017

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to prevent proposed business rate changes from causing potential detriment to the solar industry.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have put in place a £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme for England to support ratepayers at the 2017 revaluation.


Written Question
Solar Power: Non-domestic Rates
Wednesday 11th January 2017

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of business rate increases on the UK solar industry.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

Business rates are based on valuations from the Valuation Office Agency and we do not intervene in their independent assessments. We have put in place a £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme for England to support ratepayers at the 2017 revaluation.


Written Question
Coastal Areas: Economic Growth
Friday 16th December 2016

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on coastal communities of the recommendations contained in the New Economics Foundation's Blue New Deal Action Plan, published in November 2016.

Answered by Andrew Percy

I refer my hon Friend to the answer given to question 56130 by my hon Friend the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Corporate Responsibility on the 8th December 2016.


Written Question
Coastal Areas: Regeneration
Friday 16th December 2016

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support sustainable economic regeneration in coastal communities; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Andrew Percy

The Government has provided £1.18 million to help establish 118 Coastal Community Teams along the English coast to empower local communities to drive forward sustainable economic development and regeneration in coastal towns. Every team has prepared an Economic Plan setting out both short term and longer term priorities to promote jobs and growth. I will shortly be announcing more than 20 new Coastal Community Teams.

We are also supporting coastal communities across the UK to deliver sustainable growth and jobs through the Coastal Communities Fund. By 2017 the Fund will have invested £125 million in over 200 projects UK-wide, including £92 million invested in England. This is helping to create or safeguard over 18,000 jobs and attract over £200 million in public/ private sector co-funding.

We have identified at least a further £90 million to support more Coastal Community Fund projects between 2017 and 2021. We expect to announce the successful projects from the latest competitive bidding round (Round 4) by Spring 2017.

The Local Growth Fund is also providing support to coastal communities in England through Growth Deal funding for coastal Local Enterprise Partnerships. Growth Deals for the third round of funding are still being finalised and will be announced in the new year.


Written Question
Non-domestic Rates: East Sussex
Tuesday 3rd May 2016

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an estimate of the cost to East Sussex County Council of changes to business rate retention consequent to changes announced in Budget 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

I refer the hon. Member for Eastbourne to the answer given to the hon. Member for Croydon North on 31 March to Question 31745.


Written Question
Department for Communities and Local Government: Families
Friday 20th November 2015

Asked by: Caroline Ansell (Conservative - Eastbourne)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure the routine use by his Department of the family test; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Brandon Lewis

Officials in my Department have liaised with the Department for Work and Pensions as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it and encourage routine use of the Test. This has included training officials on applying the Test, disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.