Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the progress of building remediation work at The Decks in Runcorn.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We expect developers that signed the developer remediation contract with government to meet their obligation to remediate buildings for which they are responsible as quickly as reasonably practicable.
Taylor Wimpey, the developer of The Decks, has advised us that remedial works are expected to commence shortly, following recent execution of a legal agreement between relevant parties.
The Ministry monitors progress closely. Any developer that fails to comply with its obligations faces significant consequences.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring local government funding formulas reflect local (a) need and (b) funding levels.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are making good on the previous government's commitment to improve and update the way in which local authorities are funded through “Fair Funding Review”. We will implement long-awaited reforms through a multi-year settlement in 2026-27, which will reflect an up-to-date assessment of need and local resources. We are inviting views on our principles and objectives for this reform through a consultation which closes on 12 February.
These changes are part of a comprehensive set of reforms for public services to fix the foundations of local government. This will be done in partnership with the sector and on the principle of giving forward notice and certainty to allow time for councils to plan for the future.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the new recovery grant on Halton Council.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Halton Borough Council will receive £4.5 million from the Recovery Grant in 2025-26. The Recovery Grant is targeted towards areas with greater need and demand for services and less ability to raise income locally. This grant is the first meaningful step towards long overdue funding reform but the government is clear that this is not comprehensive reform. The metrics in this grant will not be as sophisticated as the fully updated assessment of need we are consulting on, and deprivation is the best available proxy.
This Government recognises that council funding has been under pressure since 2010. Detailed information on core spending power and settlement funding for Halton Borough Council from 2015/16 to 2020/21 can be viewed here.
Due to changes in the function and financing of local government, comparable data on Core Spending Power is not available prior to 2015/16.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the level of funding provided to Halton council between 2010 and 2025 on public services in that area.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Halton Borough Council will receive £4.5 million from the Recovery Grant in 2025-26. The Recovery Grant is targeted towards areas with greater need and demand for services and less ability to raise income locally. This grant is the first meaningful step towards long overdue funding reform but the government is clear that this is not comprehensive reform. The metrics in this grant will not be as sophisticated as the fully updated assessment of need we are consulting on, and deprivation is the best available proxy.
This Government recognises that council funding has been under pressure since 2010. Detailed information on core spending power and settlement funding for Halton Borough Council from 2015/16 to 2020/21 can be viewed here.
Due to changes in the function and financing of local government, comparable data on Core Spending Power is not available prior to 2015/16.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking with the maritime trade unions to improve the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of merchant seafarers employed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Through their crucial work with the Royal Navy and our allies, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are vital to our national security, keeping us all safe. We thank the Maritime Trade Unions for their support in reaching a resolution to the recent pay dispute with RFA members which recognises their unique contribution to Defence.
The Ministry of Defence continues to work collaboratively with the Maritime Trade Unions to deliver a wider recovery programme for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, including by addressing recruitment and retention challenges. These reforms will improve the wider employee offer for those serving to ensure that the Royal Fleet Auxiliary can continue to perform its vital role.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of instructing the emergency services to contact responders to traumatic emergency incidents within 24 hours to see if they require mental health support.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The mental health of all National Health Service staff is taken seriously, including ambulance staff as responders to emergency incidents. At a national level, Ambulance Trust employees have access to the SHOUT helpline for crisis support alongside the Practitioner Health offer for more complex mental health wellbeing support, including for trauma and addiction.
NHS England is working closely with the Ambulance Staff Charity to fund the development of the Ambulance Staff crisis phoneline, to provide immediate, independent, and confidential support to ambulance staff in a mental health crisis.
NHS England is also continuing regular communication with key partners from the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, to explore wider support opportunities. This includes working with all Ambulance Trusts to support them to utilise the NHS Health and Wellbeing Framework, to improve the health of their workforce based on local bespoke needs.