Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what safety assessment his Department has carried out on the Invicta Park Barracks site to determine whether the land is suitable for house building; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Department's intention to close Invicta Barracks in 2027 forms part of a strategy to optimise the Defence estate to better support our Armed Forces.
The relevant safety assessments will be carried out at Invicta Park Barracks as part of the Department's standard disposals process.
The closure of the site may also contribute to future Government housing targets. Any future uses of the site will be determined by the local authority and the future owner.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with (a) Kent County Council and (b) Maidstone Borough Council on the proposed closure of Invicta Park Barracks.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is due to dispose of Invicta Park Barracks in 2027. The MOD has held initial discussions with both Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council to inform them of our plans, and we will continue to engage with them as our plans to dispose of the site mature.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an Equality Impact Assessment will be published on the proposal to close Invicta Park Barracks.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
"A Better Defence Estate" is a military-led review.
The Department's intent to close Invicta Barracks in 2027 forms part of a strategy to optimise the defence estate to better support our Armed Forces.
Equality impact assessments are carried out to ensure suitable and appropriate reprovisions are made when sites are actually closed. Therefore, the equality impact assessment will not be undertaken until much later in the disposals process.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish his Department's cost-benefit analysis on the sale of the Invicta Park Barracks site prior to that site's selection for closure as part of his Department's Better defence estate strategy.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
"A Better Defence Estate" is a military-led review.
The planned disposal date for Invicta Park Barracks is 2027. Following the sale of the site, the value of any receipt will be published as part of the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) annual accounts.
The MOD cannot publish the cost-benefit analysis on the sale of the Invicta Park Barracks, as to release the information would prejudice the Department's commercial interests. All decisions to dispose of sites were subject to analysis, to ensure they provided the best value for money.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will update the qualifying criteria for television channels to broadcast sport under the listed events regime to ensure that coverage of major sporting events remains available to all television viewers.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The government has been clear that the system is working, but that it will keep this area under review to ensure that the nation's most-loved sporting events remain available on free-to-air television.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on what date the Government plans to ratify the Istanbul Convention.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Coalition Government signed the Istanbul Convention to show its strong commitment to tackling violence against women and girls, and this Government remains committed to ratifying it.
In most respects, the measures already in place in the UK to protect women and girls from violence comply with or go further than the Convention requires.
Further amendments to domestic law, to take extra-territorial jurisdiction over a range of offences, are necessary before the Convention can be ratified. We will seek to legislate when the approach to implementing the extra-territorial jurisdiction requirements in England and Wales is agreed and Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his Oral Statement of 7 November 2016, Official Report, column 1288, on the Defence Estate, what the content was of the military advice that his Department received on its proposal to close Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The "A Better Defence Estate" strategy was developed with Military advice from the Front Line Commands and was agreed by the single Service Chiefs and the Defence Board. Civilian HR representatives were also involved regarding impact for civilian staff. Initial discussions on the announcement were also held with Local Authorities immediately following the announcement and this will be followed up with more detailed discussions particularly concerning local planning issues.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what consultation his Department undertook prior to the decision to close Invicta Park Barracks in Maidstone.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The "A Better Defence Estate" strategy was developed with Military advice from the Front Line Commands and was agreed by the single Service Chiefs and the Defence Board. Civilian HR representatives were also involved regarding impact for civilian staff. Initial discussions on the announcement were also held with Local Authorities immediately following the announcement and this will be followed up with more detailed discussions particularly concerning local planning issues.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has for her Department to acknowledge and celebrate Anti-Slavery Day 2016; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October is an important opportunity to reflect on achievements to date in tackling this appalling crime and to continue to raise awareness of it. We have made good progress, but there is more to do. I will announce my plans in due course.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to initiate a further review of gambling advertising to follow up the review by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling of 2014.
Answered by Tracey Crouch
The Government is committed to ensuring that people, particularly the young and vulnerable, are protected from the risk of gambling-related harm. We are keeping the issue of advertising under review to ensure that sufficient protections are in place, and will not hesitate to take further action if necessary.