Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release of 8 April 2021, National welcome for Hong Kong arrivals, when the welcome hubs in England will (a) launch and (b) be ready to support Hongkongers as they integrate into their local communities.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
MHCLG will provide funds to Hong Kong-UK Welcome Hubs in the coming weeks.
Strategic Migration Partnerships across the UK – who will host Welcome Hubs – have begun to put plans in place to support Hong Kong BN(O) status holders and their dependents.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how he plans to signpost Hong Kongers to the Government’s support package for people coming to the UK on the Hong Kong BN(O) route announced in April 2021.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The new Hong Kong-UK Welcome Hubs will play a core role in signposting Hong Kong BN(O) status holders and their dependents to support that is available.
Each area will develop unique plans, but we expect Welcome Hubs to work with MHCLG to fund local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise groups who will be able to offer face-to-face orientation and partner with local authorities to refer people to support.
We will continue to update the recently published Welcome Pack on Gov.UK as a comprehensive resource to help Hong Kongers navigate life in the UK and settle into their communities.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many (a) gasworks and (b) former gasworks sites (i) there are in total, (ii) are being redeveloped and (iii) have been redeveloped in (A) London and (B) England.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Statistics published by BEIS show that the last gas works in England closed in 1988. Information is not held centrally on the number of former gasworks sites that there are in London or in England as a whole.
Robust figures are not held centrally by MHCLG on the numbers of former gasworks sites that have been redeveloped, or are being redeveloped, in London or in England as a whole.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the ability of the English planning system to enforce environmental standards.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment. Local authorities can refuse planning permission for developments that would cause unacceptable harm to the environment. They can also take a range of enforcement actions against any breach of planning conditions imposed to mitigate potential environmental harm.
In the reforms put forward for consultation in the White Paper, Planning for the Future, we committed to seeking to strengthen enforcement powers and sanctions so that, as we move towards a rules-based system, communities can have confidence those rules will be upheld. Consultation on Planning for the future closed on 29 October 2020, and we are currently considering the responses.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations his Department has received on the suitability of powers granted to local authorities in order to enforce covid-19 regulations.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
My department has been working closely with local authorities throughout the coronavirus response and will continue to do so for the winter period. Ministers and officials have been in regular dialogue with local authorities including to discuss enforcement, for example, holding Ministerial Webinars and through an official-level Compliance Working Group.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what financial support the Government plans to provide in addition to statutory sick pay to ensure that (a) people with cystic fibrosis and (b) other clinically extremely vulnerable people can access essential (i) items and (ii) services for themselves and their families during the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
MHCLG is providing councils with over £32 million to support Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) people for the 28-day period that the additional guidance is in place. It is designed to give councils flexibility in providing appropriate support to CEV individuals, such as access to food and to local support services, enabling them to stay as safe as possible over this period. The Government has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) until March, which CEV individuals may be eligible for. CEV employees may also be able to get help through the Access to Work scheme. Those who cannot work from home may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA), as well as Universal Credit (UC).
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on community parks and sporting facilities of increased pressure on local authority budgets as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Simon Clarke
As we set out in the government sport strategy, Sporting Future, sport and physical activity should be accessible to all. It is so important to the health of the nation - in terms of both physical and mental wellbeing.
The Government announced that from 4 July outdoor gyms could reopen. Sport England announced a £195 million package of support to help community clubs through this crisis. It recently boosted its Community Emergency Fund by a further £15 million to meet the demand, taking the total up to £210 million. The Government is continuing to work closely with the sector to understand the issues they face and how we can support them further.
In addition to this, we have now made £3.7 billion available to local authorities through an un-ringfenced grant so they can address pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The package recognises the additional costs and pressures on finances councils are facing as a result of the current crisis. It demonstrates the Government’s commitment to making sure councils have the resources they need to support their communities through this challenging time.
In total, the Government has committed almost £28 billion to local areas to support councils and their communities. This also includes: £300 million to support the new test and trace service, £600 million to support providers through a new Infection Control Fund and £12.3 billion of support through the Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grants.