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 Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department is giving to people on low incomes who are unable to cover the costs of a funeral deposit.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
I believe it is important that help is available to people on low incomes when they face moments of unforeseeable and exceptional need. For this reason, the Social Fund Funeral Expenses Payments scheme provides help to people on qualifying benefits with funeral costs.
Social Fund Budgeting Loans, which can be made to people who have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit for at least 26 weeks, are also available to support people with funeral costs. Budgeting Loans can be made irrespective of whether the applicant has claimed or is entitled to a Funeral Expenses Payment, and can therefore help where a deposit is required up front.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the statement of 21 July 2015 on Police Funding: England and Wales, HCWS 164, what the effect on Greater Manchester Police will be of following the replacement of the Police Allocation Formula.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Government is currently consulting on reform of police funding arrangements in England and Wales. The consultation seeks views on the principles of the Government’s proposed model.
Final allocations for police force areas have not been set and will not be determined until we have consulted on the principles.
We will publish a Government response setting out force level impacts in due course.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of which Police Force in England and Wales will experience the highest percentage change in its funding as a result of the proposed replacement of the Police Allocation Formula.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Government is currently consulting on reform of police funding arrangements in England and Wales. The consultation seeks views on the principles of the Government’s proposed model.
Final allocations for police force areas have not been set and will not be determined until we have consulted on the principles.
We will publish a Government response setting out force level impacts in due course.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on funding for Greater Manchester Police of the replacement of the Police Allocation Formula.
Answered by Mike Penning
The Government is currently consulting on reform of police funding arrangements in England and Wales. The consultation seeks views on the principles of the Government’s proposed model.
Final allocations for police force areas have not been set and will not be determined until we have consulted on the principles.
We will publish a Government response setting out force level impacts in due course.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will estimate the proportion of two year old children receiving their full entitlement of free childcare (a) nationally, (b) in each region, (c) in each socio economic group and (d) in each ethnic group.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The early learning for two-year-olds programme was introduced in September 2013 for the benefit of 20% of the most disadvantaged children in England. In September 2014 the programme was expanded to 40% of the most disadvantaged two-year-olds in England. The taking up of a place is voluntary and parents can choose to use it as much or as little as they wish.
Local authorities reported that, at June 2015, the percentages of eligible 2-year-old children benefitting from funded early education places by region were as set out below:
Government Area | Regional take up figure | Regional take up percentage |
East | 15848 | 64.7% |
East Midlands | 13032 | 58.4% |
London | 24320 | 50.8% |
North East | 10536 | 74.4% |
North West | 28215 | 69.2% |
South East | 20405 | 63.9% |
South West | 14482 | 69.7% |
West Midlands | 19642 | 58.5% |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 20379 | 66.3% |
Total and national take up | 166,859 | 62.6% |
The Department does not record information about the number of children taking up their entitlement by socio-economic group or ethnic group.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of staff of all Government departments were based in each region of the UK in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Rob Wilson
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the budget of the Office of the Children's Commissioner was spent on administration in each of the last five years.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The matter of the Office for the Children’s Commissioner’s budget, and the proportion of it spent on administration in each of the last five years, is for the Office for the Children’s Commissioner, which is independent.
I have asked the Office for the Children’s Commissioner to write to you in response to this question and to place a copy of the letter in the House of Commons Library.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what proportion of his Department's staff are working on the European renegotiation strategy.
Answered by David Lidington
The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), is leading the renegotiation, but the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) and I play an important role. Departments including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are staffing this appropriately.
Since he took office in 2014, the Foreign Secretary has visited nearly all EU capitals and held meetings with MEPs, Commissioners, Foreign Ministers and a wide range of opinion formers across the EU.