Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to bring into force Section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and adopt all private sewage pumping stations.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
I have recently reviewed the case for implementing section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. In 2021 my Department will start the work necessary to implement it. Part of that work will include a consultation on our implementation approach as well as determining the timing for implementation.
Section 42 implementation would cover new, not existing, sewerage assets, constructed from the date of implementation.
Regarding existing sewerage assets, such as operational private pumping stations, the consultation will seek views on making separate regulations concerning the adoption of those assets by sewerage companies.
We do not hold data on the number of private sewage pumping stations currently operating in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Batley and Spen, however we will investigate this further as part of the work to prepare to implement section 42 and the development of any separate regulations.
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many private sewage pumping stations in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Batley and Spen will be adopted by water companies when section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 is commenced.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
I have recently reviewed the case for implementing section 42 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. In 2021 my Department will start the work necessary to implement it. Part of that work will include a consultation on our implementation approach as well as determining the timing for implementation.
Section 42 implementation would cover new, not existing, sewerage assets, constructed from the date of implementation.
Regarding existing sewerage assets, such as operational private pumping stations, the consultation will seek views on making separate regulations concerning the adoption of those assets by sewerage companies.
We do not hold data on the number of private sewage pumping stations currently operating in (a) England, (b) West Yorkshire and (c) Batley and Spen, however we will investigate this further as part of the work to prepare to implement section 42 and the development of any separate regulations.
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the £551,350.34 provided to Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council via the Local Authority Emergency Assistance Grant due to end at the end of October 2020, what funding will be provided to ensure that Kirklees can continue to provide local crisis support to people in financial need.
Answered by Baroness Prentis of Banbury
The Government has put in place a range of support for families. The Local Authority Emergency Assistance Grant includes £63 million for local authorities to help those who are struggling financially due to the impact of COVID-19. Additionally, the Department for Work and Pensions has increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by over £1,000 a year for this financial year, benefiting over 4 million households, and increased Local Housing Allowance rates – putting an average of £600 into people’s pockets.
We are providing local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, including over £4.8 billion in funding for?spending?pressures, comprising £3.7 billion of un-ringfenced grants and over £1.1 billion for the Infection Control Fund. Kirklees Council has received £28.22 million in additional COVID-19 funding, on top of an increase in core spending power of £19.84 million (6.6%) this year.
The 2020 Spending Review is our opportunity to get the right funding for local government over the coming years, following the 4.4% real terms increase in Core Spending Power delivered in 2019, the largest year-on-year increase for a decade.
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his comments in York on 16 February 2020, when he plans to hold a flood summit for the whole of Yorkshire.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The Government recognises the impact that flooding has had on individuals and local communities. As floods Minister, I have continued to engage with a range of flood affected Members across Yorkshire since the November 2019 flooding.
The hon. Member will be aware that at the adjournment debate of 30 September I confirmed that I will be meeting with flood affected Members on 8 October with a focus on South Yorkshire following the letter from the hon. Member for Barnsley Central.
I will continue to discuss flood matters with colleagues from Yorkshire and across the country more widely, going forward.
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of staff employed by his Department are apprentices.
Answered by George Eustice
There are 38 apprentices employed in core Defra as at 21 February 2019, which is 0.9% of the department’s headcount.
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of the staff employed by his Department are apprentices.
Answered by George Eustice
This Parliamentary Question has been answered factually for Core Defra only. As at 31 January 2018 the number of Apprentices employed in the department was 32 or 1% of the total payroll workforce.
Asked by: Tracy Brabin (Labour (Co-op) - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what childcare facilities his Department makes available for staff; how much his Department spent (a) overall and (b) per child on those childcare facilities in the last year; and how many staff members use those childcare facilities.
Answered by George Eustice
Defra does not provide in house childcare facilities for employees.
However, Defra recognises that employees need flexible pre-school and out-of-school childcare that is convenient to them and therefore provides access to a salary sacrifice scheme for childcare vouchers. The Scheme enables employees to choose their own childcare provider and to have their childcare costs reduced by using Childcare Vouchers. The vouchers can be used to pay any eligible childcare provider that is OFSTED registered and HMRC compliant.