Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of working alongside local decision makers when allocating levelling up funding.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The department has used a range of criteria and approaches to ensure all levelling up funds are distributed fairly and equitably around the UK. We have been transparent throughout, publishing our criteria, assessment methodology and decisions on GOV.UK.
The department works closely with local government in all parts of the UK.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the causes of regional imbalance in the allocation of levelling up funding.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The department has used a range of criteria and approaches to ensure all levelling up funds are distributed fairly and equitably around the UK. We have been transparent throughout, publishing our criteria, assessment methodology and decisions on GOV.UK.
The department works closely with local government in all parts of the UK.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has appointed a reviewer to conduct a review of voter ID changes at the May 2023 local elections.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As the Government set out in the House of Lords debate titled Voter Identification Regulations 2022 on 13 December 2022 (Official Report HL, Volume 826, Column 566), the report on voter identification and the polls held in May 2023 will be compiled by an independent research agency. Further details will be set out in due course. We will publish the evaluation report on the policy in November 2023.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish the terms of reference for the review of voter ID changes.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As the Government set out in the House of Lords debate titled Voter Identification Regulations 2022 on 13 December 2022 (Official Report HL, Volume 826, Column 566), the report on voter identification and the polls held in May 2023 will be compiled by an independent research agency. Further details will be set out in due course. We will publish the evaluation report on the policy in November 2023.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2023 to Question 151412 on Energy Bills Rebate, what progress his Department has made on providing energy cost support to travellers and itinerant liveaboard boaters.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Officials are still working to determine if there is a robust method for travellers and itinerant liveaboard boaters to provide proof that their caravan or boat is their main or sole residence, whilst protecting public funds. The Government is working to resolve this issue and will communicate this decision with key stakeholder associations who represent these households when it has been made.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of recent rises in the price of potatoes on the viability of fish and chip shops.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is aware that the prolonged period of hot dry weather last summer had an impact on yield, growth and quality of horticultural crops, including potatoes, in many parts of the country. We continue to keep the weather situation and any impact on our agri-food sectors under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was set up by Defra and the Devolved Administrations to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities.
Increased food prices are the result of many different factors, including agri-food import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and manufacturing costs, as well as Sterling exchange rates.
The Government has taken action to support businesses with rising input costs such as energy.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many applications in total were received for the post of Levelling Up Director.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 185419 on 22nd May 2023. As set out at the time, candidates were able to select multiple areas as part of the application process.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many applications each region received for the post of Levelling Up Director.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 185419 on 22nd May 2023. As set out at the time, candidates were able to select multiple areas as part of the application process.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he made an assessment of the potential impact of not proceeding with the recruitment of levelling up directors before that decision was made.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 180045 on 24 April 2023, the former Second Permanent Secretary led an external recruitment process which was advertised publicly on the Civil Service Jobs website.
I refer the Hon Member to Question UIN 93486 on 20 December 2022 and to the answer to Question UIN 182356 on 2 May 2023.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on what date his Department decided not to proceed with the appointment of levelling up directors.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 180045 on 24 April 2023, the former Second Permanent Secretary led an external recruitment process which was advertised publicly on the Civil Service Jobs website.
I refer the Hon Member to Question UIN 93486 on 20 December 2022 and to the answer to Question UIN 182356 on 2 May 2023.