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Written Question
Levelling Up Fund: Scotland
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of levelling up funding on communities in Scotland.

Answered by John Lamont - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The UK Government is now investing more than £2.9 billion across Levelling Up initiatives in Scotland. That's the equivalent of £538 per person in Scotland.

I have personally seen how this funding is regenerating towns, creating jobs, and empowering communities to deliver directly on their ambitions.


Written Question
Antisocial Behaviour
Monday 27th November 2023

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

In March, the Government launched the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, backed by £160m of funding overseen by the ASB taskforce. This includes funding Police and Crime Commissioners to increase patrolling in ASB hotspot areas and to run immediate justice schemes.

In July we launched Round 5 of the Safer Streets Fund funding PCCs to deliver ASB and crime prevention measures.


Written Question
Women: Gambling
Wednesday 12th July 2023

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on tackling problem gambling among women.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We carried out a wide-ranging Review of the Gambling Act 2005 and recently published a white paper.

Our proposals will benefit anyone who is experiencing or at risk of harm, very much including women.

We are working hard with the Gambling Commission and others to implement them as soon as possible.


Written Question
Aviation: Universal Service Obligation
Wednesday 8th March 2023

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing public service obligation routes for air travel on regional connectivity.

Answered by Jesse Norman

Existing policy to support domestic connectivity provide public service obligations (PSOs) to protect routes into London that are in danger of being lost. The Government jointly funds three routes from Newquay, Dundee and Derry/Londonderry. In addition, 17 PSOs operate entirely in Scotland connecting the Highlands and Islands, funded by the Scottish Government.

The Department continues to consider how PSOs, alongside other policy measures, could help to meet regional connectivity, union connectivity and levelling-up objectives.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate
Thursday 26th January 2023

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken to help extend the Energy Bills Support Scheme to households without a direct relationship with their energy supplier.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding is being provided to around 900,000 households without a direct relationship with a domestic electricity supplier. This will be a payment of £400 per eligible household. The application will be open on or by Monday 27th February, with a dedicated customer helpline available to assist customers without online access. Further details will be published shortly.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate
Tuesday 24th January 2023

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his planned timetable is for payments to begin under the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding in England.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Applications for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) are expected to open later in January and will remain open until the end of April. Those who are eligible for the EBSS AF will need to submit a short form via the government's GOV.UK pages, and their details will be shared with local authorities across England, Scotland, and Wales who will deliver the one-off, non-repayable support this winter. The exact date that an eligible household will receive support will depend on when the application is made and when the payment can be processed by the relevant local authority.


Written Question
Energy Bills Rebate
Monday 23rd January 2023

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to issue Local Authorities with guidance on making payments through the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) is due to be launched later this month, and local authorities will be provided with guidance ahead of this. The Government will also be hosting webinars ahead of the scheme launch to provide additional information to Local Authorities on the role they will play in delivering the EBSS AF.


Written Question
Planning Permission: Advertising
Tuesday 20th December 2022

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to increase online (a) advertisement of and (b) engagement in planning applications.

Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Local planning authorities are required to publicise certain types of planning applications in local newspapers as set out in Article 15 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015. Proposals in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill for the digitisation of the planning system will help enable the move to a modern and efficient planning system fit for the 21st century. Alongside traditional forms of engagement, digital engagement will remove barriers to engagement and create a more democratic planning system with planning decisions and local plans being informed by a larger and more diverse range of community views.

The Government recognises the importance of print local newspapers to the communities they serve as an important engagement method.


Written Question
Planning Permission: Advertising
Tuesday 20th December 2022

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of local newspapers in advertising planning applications.

Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Local planning authorities are required to publicise certain types of planning applications in local newspapers as set out in Article 15 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015. Proposals in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill for the digitisation of the planning system will help enable the move to a modern and efficient planning system fit for the 21st century. Alongside traditional forms of engagement, digital engagement will remove barriers to engagement and create a more democratic planning system with planning decisions and local plans being informed by a larger and more diverse range of community views.

The Government recognises the importance of print local newspapers to the communities they serve as an important engagement method.


Written Question
Energy: Prices
Monday 28th November 2022

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Conservative - Fylde)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support households who pay their energy bills through an intermediary during this winter fuel crisis.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Energy suppliers are delivering the Energy Bill Support Scheme (EBSS) to households with a domestic electricity contract in monthly instalments over six months from October. The Energy Prices Act 2022 includes provisions to require landlords and other intermediaries to pass this to end users.

Alternative Funding will provide a £400 discount off energy bills for the small percentage of households who are not reached through the main EBSS fund, including those who do not have a direct relationship with an electricity supplier. Further details on eligibility, timescales and method of delivery will be announced shortly.