Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that women's refuge services (a) take steps to improve the level of reporting and (b) contribute to data gathering on cases of domestic violence and forced marriage.
Answered by Marcus Jones
Protecting women and girls from violence and supporting victims is a key priority of this Government. As announced at Summer budget we have carried out, along with Home Office, a review of domestic abuse services, working closely with the Women’s sector using much of their data and we recognise how important data reporting is. Since 2003, the Government has supported UKRefugesOnline to maintain a database of domestic abuse services. In the Summer Budget we allocated an additional £131,000 of funding to support additional caseworkers at the helpline. It is for local commissioners to draw up agreements on data collection with domestic abuse service providers to support their local area Domestic Abuse Strategies.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what work his Department is undertaking with local authorities to ensure that (a) provision of women's refuges is increased to meet greater demand and (b) such refuges provide residents with the support they need.
Answered by Marcus Jones
We are committed to ensuring that no victim of domestic abuse is turned away from the support they need. That is why in the Summer Budget we launched a £3 million fund to increase provision of safe accommodation with specialist support, including refuges, and to provide services to help victims access this support. The recent Spending Review announced a new dedicated, long term fund of £40 million over the next four years offering support to victims of domestic abuse. This increased funding complements the Government's wider approach and support for Violence Against Women and Girls services, which will be set out in the forthcoming refresh of this strategy.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when legislative provision will be made for the (a) establishment of the role of metro mayor for the West Midlands Combined Authority, (b) cancellation of the Police and Crime Commissioner election in the West Midlands and (c) establishment of the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
As stated in the devolution deal agreement which my rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 17 November 2015, we intend the first election for a West Midlands metro mayor to be held in May 2017, subject to the passage of the necessary legislation through Parliament.
As that agreement also explains, there will be local consideration of the appropriate relationship between the functions of a mayor and the police and crime commissioner role; at this stage there has been no decision to transfer police and crime commissioner functions to an elected Mayor for the West Midlands and there are no plans to cancel the 2016 police and crime commissioner election in the West Midlands.
As to the establishment of the West Midlands Combined Authority, we are currently considering the governance review and scheme for a combined authority which the West Midlands councils published in October 2015, before undertaking any statutory consultation on establishing that Authority, as required by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish the findings of his Department's consultation, Parking reform: tackling unfair practices, published on 28 March 2015.
Answered by Marcus Jones
The Department received in excess of 400 responses to the consultation, Parking reform: tackling unfair practices, launched on the 28 March 2015. We are currently analysing these and intend to publish a summary of responses as soon as possible.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 potential effect of the proposal to withdraw funding for the Local Welfare Assistance scheme on (a) families and (b) households on low incomes.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 February 2015, Official Report, Columns 5-7WS.
A summary of the responses to the consultation on local welfare provision in 2015-16, the local government finance settlement, and equality statements on both can be found here:
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received about the decision to withdraw funding for the Local Welfare Assistance scheme.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 February 2015, Official Report, Columns 5-7WS.
A summary of the responses to the consultation on local welfare provision in 2015-16, the local government finance settlement, and equality statements on both can be found here:
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
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 employee car travel policy.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
Employment matters are ultimately a matter for councils as individual employers to determine.
Notwithstanding, in my Department’s best practice document, 50 ways to save, we observed how councils could save money by cutting mileage allowances back to the HMRC Approved Mileage rates, and revising terms and conditions where some employees could claim up to 25p per mile more than the HMRC rate.
This is best practice followed by my own Department.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which organisations working with and representing vulnerable groups his Department have consulted on the future of funding for local welfare assistance schemes in 2015-16.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
On 10 October the Government published a consultation on how local welfare provision should be funded in 2015/2016. We welcome views and responses from any interested person or group, including those working and representing vulnerable groups. The consultation closes on 21 November.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the effects of the Special Events Order administrative process on community-based events.
Answered by Stephen Williams
My officials have worked with colleagues across Government, including in the Department for Transport, to make it easier for people to plan and organise local events and street parties. In January we produced simple guidance with clear explanations about the procedures for road closures - attacking the myths that such procedures need to be lengthy, costly or confusing.
Street parties guidance - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/your-guide-to-organising-a-street-party
Can do guidance - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/can-do-guide-for-organisers-of-voluntary-events