Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the amount of business rates paid by state schools in England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of business rate relief for fee-paying schools in England for each of the last five years.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2017 to Question 68027, when his Department plans to respond to the discussion paper, Parking reform: tackling unfair practices.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
We have already taken steps to tackle rogue and unfair practices by private parking operators, including the banning of wheel clamping and towing.
Private parking companies receive DVLA data on the condition that it will only be used to help follow up alleged parking contraventions. It cannot be further processed for any other purpose. The audit by the Information Commissioner’s Office in March 2016, judged the DVLA’s procedures to offer high assurance that processes to mitigate the risks of non-compliance with the Data Protection Act are in place.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the effect of the business rates revaluation on state schools in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Middlesbrough and (d) Redcar and Cleveland.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The effect of the revaluation of business rates on schools in England, the North East, Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland will depend on the specific circumstances and location of the relevant property. A £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme will provide support for the minority of properties which face an increase in rates as a result of the 2017 revaluation, and applies equally to schools.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to ensure that private parking ticket costs are not excessive.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
We have set out a clear manifesto commitment to tackle aggressive parking enforcement and excessive private parking charges. This Government is taking steps to tackle rogue and unfair practices by private parking operators. We have put in place a range of measures to reform the behaviour of private parking companies, including the banning of wheel clamping and towing.
The discussion paper entitled ‘Parking reform: tackling unfair practices’, sought thoughts and comments on the private parking sector. My Department published a summary of the responses on 11 May 2016. I am actively considering responses to the discussion paper, and options for reform.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an estimate of the costs to the Exchequer of the discount on non-domestic rates given to independent schools in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) the South East, (d) Middlesbrough and (e) Redcar and Cleveland in each of the last five years.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The Department does not hold information on the cost of relief given to independent schools.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the total amount of non-domestic rates paid was by state schools in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Middlesbrough and (d) Redcar and Cleveland in each of the last five years.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The Department does not hold this information.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the proportion of households without working smoke alarms in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) Redcar and Cleveland and (d) Middlesbrough in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The Department for Communities and Local Government holds data on the proportion of households without smoke alarms in England from the English Housing Survey which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2014-to-2015-smoke-alarms-in-english-homes-report
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a response to the recommendations in the report by Lord Heseltine, entitled Tees Valley: opportunity unlimited, published in June 2016.
Answered by Andrew Percy
This independent report is for consideration by the Tees Valley Combined Authority and wider stakeholders. Government will not issue a formal response, but is committed to supporting Tees Valley Combined Authority relationship with Government across the wide range of areas identified in the report. Local leaders are planning a formal update event for the report in the Autumn.
Asked by: Tom Blenkinsop (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will provide additional resources to the Tees Valley Combined Authority and Local Enterprise Partnership to assist them in the key role envisioned for them in the independent report, Tees Valley: opportunity unlimited, published on 7 June 2016.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Officials in the Cities and Local Growth Unit will continue to work with the Tees Valley to implement their current devolution deal – including additional resources of £15 million per year, and over £100 million in already agreed growth deals. Tees Valley Combined Authority is already putting in place plans for implementing Lord Heseltine’s report. Government is committed to work coherently with local leaders to support the economic growth opportunities that have been identified.