Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the letter to him from the Local Government Association of 1 February, what plans he has to (a) adopt a place-based approach and (b) return to multi-year settlements.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The mission we have set out in the White Paper is that by 2030, everywhere in England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution with a simplified long-term funding settlement.
Our policy statement released in December, provided multi-year certainty to local authorities into 2024/25. This statement supports councils’ budget setting processes, allowing local authorities to plan over the rest of the Spending Review.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to make it easier for public notices to be published in non print publications; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Policy responsibility for each specific type of public notice lies with a range of different government departments. The Government is mindful of the potential effect that any changes to the existing publicity requirements for public notices might have on transparency and local democracy, as well as the potential effect on the sustainability of the local news sector as a whole. We recognise the continued importance of print local newspapers to the communities they serve and that there will continue to be a need to reach out to people who cannot digitally access information.
At the same time, to help address the desire for more digitalisation and greater audience reach in the publication of public notices, the local newspaper sector has been working with Google to develop an online Public Notice Portal. The Portal is intended to take advantage of print publishers’ growing digital audiences, providing a centralised resource for all types of public notice. The Government is monitoring the Portal’s development, and the effect that it has on the transparency of public notices.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Rolls Royce small modular reactor; and whether he has plans to use them for energy generation.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has awarded up to £210m to support development of the Rolls Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) design. The Rolls-Royce SMR entered the Generic Design Assessment process in April becoming the first SMR to begin UK nuclear regulation.
As outlined in the British Energy Security Strategy, the Government intends to initiate a selection process in 2023 for the next nuclear projects, including SMRs.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January to Question 114516 on Richmond House, to what use the existing Whitehall entrance and reception hall of Richmond House will be put; and what estimate the Commission has made of the cost of (a) heating and (b) lighting this space in the next 12 months.
Answered by Charles Walker
The Whitehall entrance and reception hall of Richmond House will continue to be used as an access route within the building. The Commission has not made any estimate of the cost of (a) heating and (b) lighting this space in the next 12 months; data is not collected on heating and lighting costs for individual spaces within the building.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of supplying Challenger battle tanks to the Ukrainian army.
Answered by James Heappey
As confirmed by the Secretary of State for Defence on 16 January 2023, the UK will send a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, together with armoured recovery and repair vehicles. The gifting of these tanks is part of a significant new package of combat power to increase Ukraine's capabilities and accelerate Ukrainian success on the battlefield.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to initiate public information announcements across appropriate media warning of the danger of walking or playing on ice over waterways and ponds.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Home Office is not responsible for water safety.
Fire and Rescue Services may make local decisions to publish water safety information according to local circumstances or need.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answers of 20 November 2022 to Question 110565 on Parliamentary Estate: Repairs and Maintenance and Question 110567 on Norman Shaw Buildings, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of constructing new (a) rear and (b) Whitehall entrances to Richmond House.
Answered by Charles Walker
The Commission has no plans to assess the merits of constructing a new Whitehall entrance to Richmond House.
Proposals are being pursued to develop the existing entrance at Derby Gate to improve access for all users of the Northern Estate, including Richmond House.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, when the decision was made by the Commission to decant Members and other personnel from Norman Shaw North to Richmond House; and what estimate was made by the Commission of how long those personnel would have to remain in Richmond House before they could move back to Norman Shaw North.
Answered by Charles Walker
At its meeting on 20 July 2020 the Commission agreed MPs and their staff could be offered office space in the former Department of Health building, Richmond House, initially for a minimum period of three years – to enable urgent refurbishment work to take place on the northern end of the Parliamentary Estate. At that meeting the Commission also agreed to look at a revised plan to use Richmond House as accommodation and to create better welfare facilities for staff.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the level of inflation in (a) the UK and (b) other comparable countries; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The Office for National Statistics release statistics on UK inflation. These show that the annual rate of CPI inflation was 10.7% in November, down from 11.1% in October.
The Office for Budget Responsibility has confirmed global factors are the primary cause of current inflation. Inflation is high here – but higher in Germany (11.3%), the Netherlands (11.2%), and Italy (12.5%).
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, when he expects Richmond House no longer to be used for offices for Members of Parliament.
Answered by Charles Walker
Given the continued pressure on space and desire for more space for Members, it is possible that offices for Members are still provided in Richmond House even after re-opening of Norman Shaw North, particularly if other buildings on the parliamentary estate follow similar refurbishments.