Asked by: Andrew Smith (Labour - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which (a) communities and (b) projects will receive funding from the English Language scheme.
Answered by Marcus Jones
We are working to develop the new English language programme, including ensuring it is focused on those areas where we know women are at greatest risk of isolation and are more likely to have no or little proficiency in the English language. We will make an announcement as soon as possible.
Asked by: Andrew Smith (Labour - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what consultation he plans to undertake on changes to the planning process for applications for fracking.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The Government has in place a local government led process for the consideration of planning applications for shale gas exploration. As part of this, mineral planning authorities have a responsibility to consider such applicationsunder the Town and Country Planning regime. The Government has taken steps to ensure this locally led regime is effective, as set out in Written Ministerial Statements made on 16 September, HCWS201 and HCWS202. This includes making available £1.2 million to ensure mineral planning authorities have adequate resource to reach timely decisions.
Community involvement in planning applications and people’s safety and the environment will remain paramount. No decision has been made to take shale gas exploration out of this local government led process and there are no plans currently to consult on such a change.
Asked by: Andrew Smith (Labour - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will ensure that decisions on planning applications for fracking are taken within the local government planning process.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The Government has in place a local government led process for the consideration of planning applications for shale gas exploration. As part of this, mineral planning authorities have a responsibility to consider such applicationsunder the Town and Country Planning regime. The Government has taken steps to ensure this locally led regime is effective, as set out in Written Ministerial Statements made on 16 September, HCWS201 and HCWS202. This includes making available £1.2 million to ensure mineral planning authorities have adequate resource to reach timely decisions.
Community involvement in planning applications and people’s safety and the environment will remain paramount. No decision has been made to take shale gas exploration out of this local government led process and there are no plans currently to consult on such a change.
Asked by: Andrew Smith (Labour - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what (a) advice and (b) guidance his Department gives on the risks of (i) investment in and (ii) business with Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian territory.
Answered by Marcus Jones
The Department for Communties and Local Government does not provide advice or guidance on the risks of investment and business with Israeli settlements in Occupied Palestinian territory.
Advice and guidance on business risk is provided via the online Overseas Business Risks guides. These are a joint UK Trade & Investment and Foreign and Commonwealth Office resource and provide information for businesses on the potential risks of trading in specific countries. Guides cover political and economic risks, human rights issues, bribery, terrorism, criminal activity, and intellectual property. The information for the Occupied Palestinian Territories can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-palestinian-territories
Asked by: Andrew Smith (Labour - Oxford East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed minimum space standards for adoption can be applied by local authorities to prior approval requests for conversions of offices to residential accommodation.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The prior approval procedure for change of use from office to residential allows a local authority only to consider the transport and highways impacts of the development; contamination risks on the site; and flooding risks on the site. Permitted development rights are helping us to make more efficient use of our existing building stock and are bringing forward much needed new homes, including more studio and one bedroom flats for young people.
The new dwellings would be subject to Housing Health and Safety Rating System regulations on space and crowding and many aspects of the building regulations including fire safety, sound insulation and energy efficiency.