Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research he plans to commission into the safety implications of tyres on buses and coaches being more than 10 years old.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department for Transport is in the process of commissioning research to investigate how the properties of materials used in tyre construction change during a tyre’s life. The purpose of the research is to seek to understand what kind of relationship exists between the chronological age of a tyre and its structural integrity. The research will also consider other ageing effects such as those that occur due to tyre use and maintenance.
We expect the preliminary findings of the research to be available in the autumn of 2018, and would hope to publish a report by the end of the year. The research will address the current interest in bus and coach tyres but, should it produce strong evidence of risk, the findings may well be relevant to other heavy vehicles and possibly to vans and passenger cars.
The Department has made an appropriate budget available with which to undertake this research. The contract should be in place by the end of the year, and once it is finalised details will be listed on the Department for Transport’s website.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March to Question 66809, what steps the Government has taken to ensure that the six per cent of service accommodation properties below the decent homes standard improve to meet that standard.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
All Service personnel are entitled to Service Family Accommodation at Decent Homes Standard or above. No Service family are obligated to accept a home below this standard.
Of the properties assessed 96% are now at or exceed the Decent Homes Standard.
The vast majority of properties below decent homes standard are vacant and will not to be allocated to Service families. A very small minority are large listed buildings which nevertheless fall under the category of Service Family Accommodation.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2017 to Question 66957, on NHS: buildings, which of the buildings listed are in each county.
Answered by Philip Dunne
NHS Property Services has provided information relating to the previous known usage of properties (by county) currently classified as vacant in the attached table.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government plans to take (a) through guidance to property developers and local authorities and (b) otherwise to protect the capacity for nightclubs and live music venues to continue to trade when planning permission is being considered for converting existing offices nearby to residential properties.
Answered by Lord Barwell
Where permitted development rights apply, in considering the prior approval on noise for a change of use from office to residential (under Class O of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, local planning authorities will have regard to those relevant parts of the National Planning Policy Framework and supporting planning guidance on noise, as would be the case under a planning application. Prior approval may be refused where any impacts of noise from commercial premises identified are not sufficiently mitigated by the proposed measures, as consistent with national policy. Links to the National Planning Policy Framework and Guidance can be found here - http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/. A local planning authority cannot consider matters other than those for which their prior approval may be given, as listed in Class O.
When determining a planning application for a change of use from office to residential where permitted development rights do not apply, local planning authorities must take into account the policies and guidance listed above, and must determine the application in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Separate regimes apply to licencing and statutory nuisance, which are the responsibility of the Home Office and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs respectively.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
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 7 November 2016 to Question 51986, what guidance the Government plans to issue to (a) local authorities, (b) nightclubs, (c) residents of existing properties and (d) property developers applying for planning permission to convert offices to residential properties on their respective rights and responsibilities in relation to noise.
Answered by Lord Barwell
Where permitted development rights apply, in considering the prior approval on noise for a change of use from office to residential (under Class O of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, local planning authorities will have regard to those relevant parts of the National Planning Policy Framework and supporting planning guidance on noise, as would be the case under a planning application. Prior approval may be refused where any impacts of noise from commercial premises identified are not sufficiently mitigated by the proposed measures, as consistent with national policy. Links to the National Planning Policy Framework and Guidance can be found here - http://planningguidance.communities.gov.uk/. A local planning authority cannot consider matters other than those for which their prior approval may be given, as listed in Class O.
When determining a planning application for a change of use from office to residential where permitted development rights do not apply, local planning authorities must take into account the policies and guidance listed above, and must determine the application in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Separate regimes apply to licencing and statutory nuisance, which are the responsibility of the Home Office and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs respectively.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many owners of listed properties used for residential purposes sought approval for alterations to those properties in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The department does not record the number of listed buildings in residential use for which alterations have been requested.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average length of a non domestic rates appeal was in each of the last five years.
Answered by David Gauke
The time taken to resolve an appeal can be affected by a number of factors, such as the complexity of the case or whether the case proceeds to be listed for hearing by the independent Valuation Tribunal. Some cases can be held up in litigation or placed on hold at the ratepayer's request. The average (median) time taken to resolve challenges for non-domestic properties in each of the last five years is shown in the attached table. This table covers the 2010 Local Rating Lists.
Year | Median (days) |
2010-11 | 135* |
2011-12 | 335 |
2012-13 | 413 |
2013-14 | 390 |
2014-15 | 395 |
*The 2010 list began on 1 April 2010 so only those challenges received in 2010-11 were resolved in 2010-11. In subsequent years, however, challenges received in previous years can also be resolved so the median clearance time may include more complex challenges which took longer to resolve.
Asked by: Kevin Brennan (Labour - Cardiff West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what average time was taken to hear non-domestic rates appeals in each local authority area in the latest year for which data is available.
Answered by David Gauke
The latest statistics on the average (median) time taken to resolve challenges, for non-domestic properties by local authority as at 30 September 2015 can be found on the VOA disclosure log in table Average time to resolve challenges, 30 September 2015:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-domestic-rating-average-time-to-clear
The time taken to resolve an appeal can be affected by a number of factors, such as the complexity of the case or whether the case proceeds to be listed for hearing by the independent Valuation Tribunal. Some cases can be held up in litigation or placed on hold at the ratepayer's request.
Asked by: Nic Dakin (Labour - Scunthorpe)
Question
To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the proposed changes to the Landfill Communities Fund on the restoration and repair of listed church properties and church buildings.
Answered by Caroline Spelman
The Church of England has engaged with the recent consultation from the Treasury over the future of the Landfill Communities Fund. Local churches are able to apply to the fund to support restoration, extension and repair projects.
Local parishes have benefitted from this generosity since its creation in 1996. Over its lifetime the scheme has enabled churches across the country to benefit from an approximate £75 million worth of repairs. As part of its submission the Church of England asked the Treasury to consider reducing the administrative burdens on applicants to the fund.
The Church has since received assurances that the scheme will continue and we await with interest further detailed announcements from the Treasury regarding the operation of the fund.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the estimated value is of each prison in England and Wales.
Answered by Andrew Selous - Second Church Estates Commissioner
The audited book value for each prison in England and Wales as at 31 March 2015 as listed in the Department’s asset register, can be found in the following table.
The audited book value for each prison in England and Wales as at 31 March 2015 as listed in the Department’s asset register
Establishment | Asset Valuation as at 31.03.2015 (£m)[1] |
Public Prisons |
|
HMP Albany | 31.05 |
HMP Bedford | 19.45 |
HMP Belmarsh | 127.08 |
HMP Belmarsh East/ ISIS | 122.53 |
HMP Birmingham | 55.58 |
HMP Blakenhurst | 69.67 |
HMP Blantyre House | 5.50 |
HMP Bristol | 24.93 |
HMP Brixton | 27.82 |
HMP Buckley Hall | 43.95 |
HMP Bullingdon | 76.10 |
HMP Bure | 38.88 |
HMP Channings Wood | 40.28 |
HMP Coldingley | 38.81 |
HMP Cookham Wood | 32.50 |
HMP Downview | 33.48 |
HMP Durham | 36.05 |
HMP Elmley | 84.43 |
HMP Erlestoke | 41.75 |
HMP Everthorpe | 24.12 |
HMP Featherstone | 39.67 |
HMP Ford | 29.28 |
HMP Foston Hall | 15.09 |
HMP Frankland | 93.91 |
HMP Full Sutton | 71.85 |
HMP Garth | 74.07 |
HMP Gartree | 43.52 |
HMP Grendon (Bucks.) | 18.58 |
HMP Haslar IRC | 10.83 |
HMP Haverigg | 17.54 |
HMP Hewell Grange | 8.01 |
HMP High Down | 113.83 |
HMP High Point North (was Edmunds Hill) | 16.54 |
HMP Highpoint South YOI | 47.73 |
HMP Hollesley Bay | 17.82 |
HMP Holme House | 104.75 |
HMP Hull | 56.28 |
HMP Kirkham | 31.76 |
HMP Kirklevington Grange | 10.48 |
HMP Leeds | 39.15 |
HMP Leicester | 8.25 |
HMP Leyhill Central | 28.09 |
HMP Lincoln | 35.62 |
HMP Lindholme | 79.93 |
HMP Littlehey | 76.34 |
HMP Liverpool | 55.12 |
HMP Long Lartin | 50.96 |
HMP Maidstone | 32.35 |
HMP Manchester | 61.37 |
HMP Moorland Open (Hatfield) | 13.68 |
HMP Morton Hall IRC | 19.85 |
HMP North Sea Camp | 11.25 |
HMP Northumberland | 80.47 |
HMP Nottingham | 76.13 |
HMP Oakwood | 253.63 |
HMP Parkhurst | 31.18 |
HMP Pentonville | 54.73 |
HMP Preston | 20.94 |
HMP Ranby | 54.56 |
HMP Risley | 56.74 |
HMP Rochester | 42.81 |
HMP Send | 26.89 |
HMP Spring Hill | 7.96 |
HMP Stafford | 23.77 |
HMP Standford Hill | 31.44 |
HMP Stocken | 99.73 |
HMP Sudbury | 19.32 |
HMP Swaleside | 97.40 |
HMP Swansea | 15.72 |
HMP The Mount | 100.83 |
HMP The Verne IRC | 18.39 |
HMP Usk | 9.01 |
HMP Wakefield | 53.19 |
HMP Wandsworth | 49.99 |
HMP Wayland | 60.42 |
HMP Wealstun | 76.35 |
HMP Whatton | 40.94 |
HMP Whitemoor | 75.90 |
HMP Winchester | 27.18 |
HMP Woodhill | 119.09 |
HMP Wormword Scrubs | 89.58 |
HMP Wymott | 66.04 |
HMP/RC Cardiff | 36.92 |
HMP/YOI Aylesbury | 46.79 |
HMP/YOI Chelmsford | 38.75 |
HMP/YOI Drake Hall | 15.50 |
HMP/YOI Eastwood Park | 25.38 |
HMP/YOI Exeter | 19.74 |
HMP/YOI Feltham | 84.86 |
HMP/YOI Glen Parva | 44.13 |
HMP/YOI Guys Marsh | 38.11 |
HMP/YOI Holloway | 41.26 |
HMP/YOI Lancaster Farms | 58.88 |
HMP/YOI Lewes | 38.06 |
HMP/YOI Moorland Closed | 101.25 |
HMP/YOI New Hall | 30.75 |
HMP/YOI Norwich | 50.45 |
HMP/YOI Prescoed | 10.26 |
HMP/YOI Styal | 22.37 |
HMYOI Brinsford | 43.70 |
HMYOI Deerbolt | 24.92 |
HMYOI Dover | 18.61 |
HMYOI Hindley | 41.46 |
HMYOI Huntercombe | 29.76 |
HMYOI Low Newton | 14.34 |
HMYOI Onley | 24.86 |
HMYOI Portland | 34.79 |
HMYOI Stoke Heath | 27.96 |
HMYOI Swinfen Hall (Lichfield) | 40.49 |
HMYOI Thorn Cross | 23.28 |
HMYOI Warren Hill | 19.68 |
HMYOI Werrington | 9.04 |
HMYOI Wetherby | 34.92 |
HMP Wolds | 39.79 |
HMP Doncaster | 110.78 |
HMP Camp Hill | 3.77 |
HMP East Sutton Park | 7.70 |
HMP/YOI Askham Grange | 6.30 |
|
|
PFI |
|
HMP Altcourse | 67.99 |
HMP Ashfield | 26.32 |
HMP Bronzefield | 70.11 |
HMP Dovegate | 83.72 |
HMP Forest Bank | 62.17 |
HMP Lowdham Grange | 67.04 |
HMP Parc | 124.43 |
HMP Peterborough | 86.33 |
HMP Rye Hill | 36.69 |
HMP Thameside | 81.47 |
Footnote: HMP Dartmoor and HMP Kennet are leasehold properties
The asset valuation includes valuations for the prison, land and dwellings associated with it. The method of valuation for these properties is described in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15, Page 84 and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/434548/NOMS_AR14_15_report_accounts_Final_WEB.pdf
Freehold prison buildings are specialised buildings and therefore valued at Depreciated Replacement Cost (i.e. the cost of replacing the existing asset with a modern equivalent and taking into account its age and condition). The audited book value is not the same as a commercial market valuation, which would be commissioned for the purposes of the disposal of a surplus property asset.
[1] The asset valuation includes valuations for the prison, land and dwellings associated with it. The method of valuation for these properties is described in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts 2014-15, Page 84 and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/434548/NOMS_AR14_15_report_accounts_Final_WEB.pdf