Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans she has to bring forward legislative proposals to protect veterans accused of historic allegations relating to service in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether her Department plans to introduce new protections to safeguard veterans from prosecution in relation to historic killings.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if her Department will introduce a statute of limitations covering potential offences committed by veterans.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to undertake a public consultation on legal protections measures for personnel deployed on operations overseas, including a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former personnel for alleged offences committed in the course of duty abroad more than 10 years previously. Prosecutions in such circumstances would not be considered to be in the public interest, except in “exceptional circumstances”. The presumption measure would not apply to historical alleged offences in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Defence will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Secretary on the proposals for addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues. The MOD provides veterans, including those who served in Northern Ireland, who are subject to investigation and potential prosecution with legal, welfare and pastoral support.
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the pastoral support provided to veterans subject to historic investigations.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
Within the Army's Personnel Services Group (APSG), the Operational Legacy team coordinates welfare and pastoral support to Army veterans and serving personnel who are subject to historical investigations. APSG has drawn together all stakeholders (Including those in the Ministry of Defence, the appropriate Regimental Headquarters and Associations, the Confederation of Service Charities and 'ABF - The Soldiers' Charity') to ensure coherent pastoral support to veterans, under the primacy of the MOD's Veterans UK. This is incorporated into the recently announced UK-Wide Veterans' Strategy and is supported by £10 million of funding overall. I am confident that this demonstrates that the Department has a clear strategy and is meeting its obligations to veterans subject to historical investigations, whilst also protecting the Army's reputation for future generations of soldiers.
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if her Department will ensure that all veterans who are under investigation in relation to historic cases in Northern Ireland are made aware of her Department's welfare and pastoral support.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
It is a very high priority for Defence to ensure that all personnel involved in Northern Ireland Legacy matters are offered, free, appropriate legal and pastoral support, taking account of individual circumstances, including health and wellbeing. For both inquests and criminal investigations, we contact every veteran as soon as we have been made aware of their potential involvement. This contact will signpost points of contact within the Ministry itself, (including the MOD's 'Veterans UK'); the Army, including the Army Personnel Services Group and Regimental Associations or equivalent organisations and relevant charities and third sector bodies. In addition, MOD officials are in frequent contact with veterans' organisations and other interested bodies and make every effort to publicise this support through appropriate channels, to ensure that the wider veterans' community has a channel through which they can contact the Department if appropriate. We also have appropriate points of contact so that those of whom we are not initially aware, can initiate contact with the right people.
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of council homes meet the decent homes standard in each local authority in England.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Leader of HM Official Opposition
Everyone deserves a decent and safe place to live. We have seen clear improvements in decency in recent years. As at 1 April 2018, 4 per cent of local authority owned dwellings were non-decent across England. Over 516,000 local authority homes have been bought up to the Decent Homes Standard since 2010.
The Department publishes data on the proportion of local authority owned non-decent homes in each local authority area at the Local Authority Housing Statistics (LAHS) section F question 17, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/local-authority-housing-statistics-data-returns-for-2017-to-2018.
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which local authorities in England collect recycling (a) weekly and (b) more than once a week.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The attached spreadsheet sets out which local authorities in England collect recycling (a) weekly and (b) more than once a week.
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
What fiscal steps he is taking to support the high street.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
Budget 2018 announced Our Plan for the High Street, which will provide £1.5bn to support high streets as they adapt to meet the changing needs of shoppers.
The Plan includes a £675m Future High Streets Fund, planning reform, a High Streets Taskforce and support for community assets.
It also includes one third off small retailers’ business rates bills for two years from April. [This is worth almost £900m to businesses.]
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether new homes bonus payments secured by Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council in 2018-19 will be guaranteed for four years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The table below sets out the New Homes Bonus allocations to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in each year since 2011. In December 2018, Government announced the provisional New Homes Bonus allocations for 2019/20 due to be paid over the next four years. Consideration about the overall quantum of funding available to the local government sector will be a matter for the next spending review but Government remains fully committed to incentivising housing growth and will consult widely with local authorities on how best to reward delivery most effectively.
Table: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council New Homes Bonus allocations
Year | Amount |
Year 1 (2011-12) | 167,589 |
Year 2 (2012-13) | 591,015 |
Year 3 (2013-14) | 891,705 |
Year 4 (2014-15) | 1,280,232 |
Year 5 (2015-16) | 1,470,955 |
Year 6 (2016-17) | 2,033,352 |
Year 7 (2017-18) | 1,857,926 |
Year 8 (2018-19) | 1,304,546 |
Asked by: Marcus Jones (Conservative - Nuneaton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much has been allocated in new homes bonus payments to Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council in each year since 2011.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The table below sets out the New Homes Bonus allocations to Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in each year since 2011. In December 2018, Government announced the provisional New Homes Bonus allocations for 2019/20 due to be paid over the next four years. Consideration about the overall quantum of funding available to the local government sector will be a matter for the next spending review but Government remains fully committed to incentivising housing growth and will consult widely with local authorities on how best to reward delivery most effectively.
Table: Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council New Homes Bonus allocations
Year | Amount |
Year 1 (2011-12) | 167,589 |
Year 2 (2012-13) | 591,015 |
Year 3 (2013-14) | 891,705 |
Year 4 (2014-15) | 1,280,232 |
Year 5 (2015-16) | 1,470,955 |
Year 6 (2016-17) | 2,033,352 |
Year 7 (2017-18) | 1,857,926 |
Year 8 (2018-19) | 1,304,546 |