Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the removal of permitted development rights for the conversion or demolition of pubs on trends in pub closures.
Answered by Lord Barwell
Briefing provided by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) suggests that only 10 per cent of the pubs that change use do so under permitted development rights. Planning permission is required where permitted development rights for the change of use or demolition are removed. Planning applications are determined in accordance with the Local Plan, any neighbourhood plan, and other material considerations.
It is not possible to estimate what proportion of these pubs that have changed use via permitted development rights would in any case have received planning permission to do so or, if refused planning permission, would have closed.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department has allocated as part of the settlement for contaminated land activities to each local authority in England in 2016-17.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
Funding for local authorities to meet their statutory duty around contaminated land under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is provided through the Local Government Finance Settlement. The relevant funding streams are unringfenced and this is to allow councils to manage their budgets independently and in line with local priorities.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential effect of the removal of Part 2A contaminated land funding on the budgets of local councils.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
As Minister for Local Government I engage with colleagues in government on a range of issues which affect councils across England.
Although DEFRA’s Contaminated Land Capital Grant has ended, funding for local authorities to meet their duty under Part 2a of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 continues to be provided through the local government finance settlement.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government's press release of 10 January 2016, entitled Prime Minister pledges to transform sink estates, what steps his Department plans to take to support people on such estates whose homes will be removed.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The aim of estate regeneration is to build more and better homes, available for both rent and ownership, with a clear package of protections for residents. Existing tenants have a right to return and will be re-housed on redeveloped estates, if they want to return there, in safer, high-quality accommodation that meets their needs and is provided on the same terms. Existing homeowners are already compensated, but many current schemes go further and offer new homes on site, with deals such as shared ownership to spread the cost. My noble Friend, the rt. hon. Lord Heseltine’s estate regeneration Advisory Panel will be exploring these options and advising on the best way forward for the new programme.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release of 10 January 2016 entitled, Prime Minister pledges to transform sink estates, if he will make an assessment of the value of house prices on those estates planned for removal or regeneration.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The new Estate Regeneration Advisory Panel will be starting its work shortly, and will be seeking representations from as many estates as possible. The Panel will evaluate the potential for the regeneration of particular estates over the coming months, and will report by this year’s Autumn Statement. Any estates proposed for regeneration will need to take into account the value of properties and development viability considerations.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of how much of the government receipt from business rates forecast for 2014-15 will be contributed by businesses with a rateable value lower than £18,000.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
We have introduced a £1 billion business rate support package for 2014-15 including:
This package will benefit all businesses but particularly those with a lower rateable
value. Local authority forecasts of business rates are not available split by rateable
value threshold or business sector.
As at 31 March 2013, 89% of hereditaments had a rateable value of £50,000 or
lower. As at 31 March 2013, large properties (those with a rateable value equal to
or greater than £50,000) account for 72% of rateable value. These data are taken
from the Valuation Office Agency’s disclosure log, available at the following link:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/About/Policy/disclosureLogResponses2013.html
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of how much of the government receipt from business rates forecast for 2014-15 will be contributed by food and drink business with a rateable value lower than £50,000.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
We have introduced a £1 billion business rate support package for 2014-15 including:
This package will benefit all businesses but particularly those with a lower rateable
value. Local authority forecasts of business rates are not available split by rateable
value threshold or business sector.
As at 31 March 2013, 89% of hereditaments had a rateable value of £50,000 or
lower. As at 31 March 2013, large properties (those with a rateable value equal to
or greater than £50,000) account for 72% of rateable value. These data are taken
from the Valuation Office Agency’s disclosure log, available at the following link:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/About/Policy/disclosureLogResponses2013.html
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of how much of the government receipt from business rates forecast for 2014-15 will be contributed by businesses with a rateable value lower than £50,000.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
We have introduced a £1 billion business rate support package for 2014-15 including:
This package will benefit all businesses but particularly those with a lower rateable
value. Local authority forecasts of business rates are not available split by rateable
value threshold or business sector.
As at 31 March 2013, 89% of hereditaments had a rateable value of £50,000 or
lower. As at 31 March 2013, large properties (those with a rateable value equal to
or greater than £50,000) account for 72% of rateable value. These data are taken
from the Valuation Office Agency’s disclosure log, available at the following link:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/About/Policy/disclosureLogResponses2013.html
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of premises on the rating list have a rateable value of less than £50,000.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
We have introduced a £1 billion business rate support package for 2014-15 including:
This package will benefit all businesses but particularly those with a lower rateable
value. Local authority forecasts of business rates are not available split by rateable
value threshold or business sector.
As at 31 March 2013, 89% of hereditaments had a rateable value of £50,000 or
lower. As at 31 March 2013, large properties (those with a rateable value equal to
or greater than £50,000) account for 72% of rateable value. These data are taken
from the Valuation Office Agency’s disclosure log, available at the following link:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/About/Policy/disclosureLogResponses2013.html
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding will be put in place to support local discretionary welfare provision after 2015.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
[Holding Reply: Thursday 16 January 2014]
The nationally run Community Care Grants and Crisis Loans were poorly targeted and failed to help those most in need. So, in 2012 as part of wider welfare reform, the Department for Work and Pensions abolished these national discretionary schemes and transferred responsibility to local authorities so they could deliver and tailor new local support as part of their existing services to their communities.
Councils can continue to provide support to those in their community who face financial difficulties or who find themselves in unavoidable circumstances, but there is no requirement to replicate the previous approach adopted by central government.
In contrast to a centralised grant system that was poorly targeted, under the Department for Work and Pensions' reforms, councils can now choose how best to support local welfare needs within their areas – what is right for, say, Rochdale may not be for other authorities. Some councils have already chosen to wind down their dedicated schemes following underspends.
In the next Spending Round period, from April 2015, central government continues to provide support to local authorities through general funds as part of the Coalition Government's commitment to reducing ring-fencing and ending top-down Whitehall control.
The Department for Work and Pensions provided a separate fund for 2013-2015 and are carrying out a review of the provision to date.