Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what Department plans he has to replicate the infrastructure investment priorities of the European Regional Development Fund once the UK leaves the EU structural funds.
Answered by Jake Berry
The Government will create the UK Shared Prosperity Fund once we have left the European Union. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will strengthen the foundations of productivity as set out in our modern Industrial Strategy to support people to benefit from economic prosperity. This new Fund will ensure that investments are targeted effectively to align with the challenges faced by places, creating a fresh opportunity to focus investment according to our own priorities. We are continuing to work on the design and priorities and we will consult widely on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This will give all interested parties the chance to contribute their views to Government. Final decisions are due to be made during the Spending Review.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the annual budget is for food produced for his Department's offices; and what proportion of food produced for his Department was sourced from British producers in the last period for which figures are available.
Answered by Mark Francois - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not have an annual food budget. Catering services are provided via a contract with Interserve Plc, and is operated on a nil subsidy basis.
Annual spend is determined by the contractor and is informed by private sales to members of staff.
Approximately 34% of products across all food and drink categories were sourced from British producers as at March 2016.This proportion reflects that a large volume of food and drink sold includes non-indigenous products such as rice, pasta, tea, coffee and bananas, and that as this period falls in the Winter season there are out of UK seasonal products procured from the wider EU.
The proportion also reflects consumer trends, and the commercial contractor’s pursuit of value for money given the nil subsidy arrangement.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of dairy products procured for his Department was sourced from British producers in the latest period for which figures are available.
Answered by Mark Francois - Shadow Minister (Defence)
The Department for Communities and Local Government sources 75% of its dairy products from British producers as at March 2016.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost to the fire services was of dealing with fires at privately-owned waste management sites in the last two years.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
This information is not held centrally. The cost to fire and rescue authorities in England of dealing with specific fires is a matter for each fire and rescue authorityThe cost to fire and rescue authorities in Wales of dealing with specific fires is a devolved matter.
Fire and rescue authorities must produce regularly, and consult on, an integrated risk management plan. The plan must identify the risks facing local communities and detail how the fire and rescue authority will allocate its resources to mitigate them effectively. People have opportunities to make their voices heard on such issues.
There is still scope for fire and rescue authorities to make sensible savings, such as through reforms to flexible staffing and crewing arrangements, better procurement; shared services, collaboration with emergency services and other organisations on service delivery and estates, sickness management; sharing of senior staff, locally led mergers and operational collaborations, new fire-fighting technology, preventative approaches and working with local businesses.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the cost to the fire services was of dealing with fires at local authority-owned waste management sites in the last two years.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
This information is not held centrally. The cost to fire and rescue authorities in England of dealing with specific fires is a matter for each fire and rescue authorityThe cost to fire and rescue authorities in Wales of dealing with specific fires is a devolved matter.
Fire and rescue authorities must produce regularly, and consult on, an integrated risk management plan. The plan must identify the risks facing local communities and detail how the fire and rescue authority will allocate its resources to mitigate them effectively. People have opportunities to make their voices heard on such issues.
There is still scope for fire and rescue authorities to make sensible savings, such as through reforms to flexible staffing and crewing arrangements, better procurement; shared services, collaboration with emergency services and other organisations on service delivery and estates, sickness management; sharing of senior staff, locally led mergers and operational collaborations, new fire-fighting technology, preventative approaches and working with local businesses.