Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on planning for the location of new decentralised power generation plants.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local planning authorities should set out the strategic priorities for the area in the Local Plan. This should include strategic policies to deliver the provision of infrastructure for energy. The Framework asks local planning authorities to identify opportunities where development can draw its energy supply from decentralised, renewable or low carbon energy supply systems and for co-locating potential heat customers and suppliers. The Framework is supported by planning guidance on renewable and low carbon energy, which sets out how decentralised energy opportunities can be identified. The National Planning Policy Framework and guidance can be found here - http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what statutory obligations are placed on local authorities to have an accurate assessment of the (a) capacity, (b) location and (c) other aspects of local utility infrastructure.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local planning authorities should work with other authorities and providers to assess the quality and capacity of infrastructure, and its ability to meet forecast demands.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether independent oversight is in place to assure the day-to-day standard of work undertaken by approved inspectors of the compliance of new homes with building regulations.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
CICAIR Limited, the body designated to carry out the Secretary of State's executive and administrative functions in respect of approved inspectors, assesses the qualifications and experience of bodies applying to be approved inspectors and when re-approvals are made. It also carries out periodic audits of the general performance of approved inspectors. CICAIR also has processes in place to deal with complaints made against approved inspectors relating to performance on a particular job.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many cases have been brought under section 35 of the Building Act 1984 in cases where new build homes contravene building regulations in the last 10 years; and how many such cases have resulted in the imposition of fines.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
This information is not held centrally.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities delegate in full the function of ensuring building regulation compliance to approved inspectors who are approved and monitored by the Construction Industry Council.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Local authorities are required under section 91 of the Building Act 1984 to provide a building control service in their own name. It is permissible for a local authority to sub-contract some aspects of provision of the service to outside bodies but not to delegate responsibility to provide a full service.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policy of the Consumer Industry Council's response to the recommendations made by the Ankers Report published in 2013.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
The Department is not aware of a response to the Ankers Report by the Consumer Industry Council.
The Department welcomed the Ankers report and is pleased to note that CICAIR has carried out some of the recommendations already and is making good progress with others.