Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Henry Smith and Kris Hopkins(8 years, 4 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
13. What consideration has been given to adopting the cross of St Patrick as a unity flag for all communities representing Northern Ireland?
Kris Hopkins
The issue of flags in Northern Ireland is sensitive and complex. Any change in existing arrangements would require cross-community support. The Stormont House agreement included a commitment to a commission on flags, identity, culture and tradition, and that was established in June.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Henry Smith and Kris Hopkins
Kris Hopkins
Both the National Audit Office and the PAC report noted that all councils had managed to balance their budgets, and we should note that the 10% most deprived councils in the country receive 40% more than the most wealthy councils.
Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
Of course local authorities rely a great deal on central Government funding, but they also rely on budgets granted by other organisations. Will my hon. Friend have a word with Crawley borough council, which is in danger of losing £50,000 of England and Wales Cricket Board funding for new nets in Langley Green as a result of minor planning authority bureaucracy?
Kris Hopkins
I hope my hon. Friend raising that issue in the House today will buck up the council to respond in a more appropriate way.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Henry Smith and Kris Hopkins
Kris Hopkins
Every year we have published all our figures. We go out there and consult councils on the figures that we offer. This time we gave indicative figures for not only last year but this year, and there have been plenty of opportunities for people to scrutinise those figures. I should point out that the NAO figures do not include the better care fund or the public health grant.
Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
3. What estimate he has made of the number of local authorities who are planning to raise council tax by more than 1.99% in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Henry Smith and Kris Hopkins
Kris Hopkins
The number of families with children in bed-and-breakfast accommodation has dropped by a third since Labour was in power, the peak being in 2002. We have put in a significant amount of money where there are issues in councils, and we have reduced bed-and-breakfast acceptances by some 96% where we have intervened.
Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)
6. What steps his Department is taking to support community pubs.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Kris Hopkins)
In last year’s autumn statement we announced a £1 billion package of business rate support, which included a £1,000 discount for small businesses with rateable values above £50,000. That is benefiting three out of four pubs.
Henry Smith
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer and for the work the Government have done on reducing the burden of business rates. Will he consider further reform, such as standardised billings and an appeals process, to reduce yet more of the burden on small businesses and community pubs such as the Charcoal Burner in Furnace Green?
Kris Hopkins
I commend my hon. Friend on his work in supporting the pub industry. As well as the £1 billion package to help bills, we are considering ways in which the regime could be improved through a review of our business rates administration. We are also looking at ways to speed up the appeals process, to make it more transparent for businesses.