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Written Question
Strategic Trade Advisory Group
Friday 1st February 2019

Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Call for expressions of interest in membership of the Strategic Trade Advisory Group, published on 16 July 2018, who will determine that members are no longer able to contribute effectively to the groups' deliberations prior to a member of the Strategic Trade Advisory Group having their membership revoked; and whether information on that decision will be made publicly available.

Answered by George Hollingbery

The process for appointing members to the STAG is almost complete and we expect to issue letters to successful candidates shortly.

The Group will advise the Secretary of State for International Trade but will not set Government policy. This will not be a decision-making body and therefore we do not expect votes to take place.

Members will be appointed to the Group for a defined period and will be expected to comply with the standards of behaviour set out in the Terms of Reference to be agreed by the Group at the first meeting. In conjunction with the Chairs of the Group, officials will provide recommendations to the Secretary of State on any changes to the Group’s membership. This will include looking at whether the Group is sufficiently representative. Any changes proposed will be made with reference to the criteria set out in the guidance published as part of the call for expressions of interest. Changes to membership will be published online.

To facilitate an open and constructive discussion, members will be expected to conform to the highest standards of confidentiality and will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Members will also be asked to act in the interests of the UK and not as a representative of their organisation.


Written Question
Voting Rights: Young People
Thursday 16th November 2017

Asked by: Chris Ruane (Labour - Vale of Clwyd)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent representations his Department has received on the votes at 16 campaign.

Answered by Chris Skidmore

The Government has received a wide range of representations on the issue of voting age from individuals across age groups, including school children doing research projects as well as from MPs and Local Government institutions on behalf of their constituents. There has been a noticeable increase in such communication in the last month, in the run up to and following the debate on the Representation of the People (Young People’s Enfranchisement and Education) Private Member’s Bill, which took place on 3 November 2017. There is no consensus across received representations - some letters support lowering the voting age and others do not.


Written Question
Voting Rights: Young People
Monday 30th January 2017

Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of National Youth Parliament's Votes at 16 campaign.

Answered by Chris Skidmore

The Government is committed to a democracy that works for everyone in which every voice matters. It is important that young people are engaged in the democratic process and participate in our wider political dialogue.

The Government remains in favour of maintaining the current voting age and has no plans to lower it.


Written Question
Local Government: Elections
Friday 29th April 2016

Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Hemsworth)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in local government spending on future votes turnout for elections in respect of staff capacity (a) for registration and (b) at polling stations; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such changes on (i) the provision of vote registration campaign materials and (ii) the number of people likely to vote by post.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

It is for individual councils to decide how best to meet their statutory duties, including the organisation of elections, having regard to the resources available to them, which for elections includes £148 million that the Government has specifically set aside for Individual Electoral Registration (IER), the General Election and the Boundary Review in 2015/16, and additionally, over £29 million to fund IER related activities in 2016/17.


Written Question
UK Membership of EU: Referendums
Monday 18th April 2016

Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to encourage people who may not be able to vote in person in the EU referendum to apply for a postal vote before the relevant deadline.

Answered by John Penrose

The Government has amended the gov.uk/register-to-vote site to ensure electors are informed how to register for a postal or proxy vote and of the deadline to register before the upcoming May elections and EU referendum.

Ahead of the referendum registered electors will also receive poll cards informing them how they can apply to vote by post or appoint a proxy.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's overseas network is supporting the Electoral Commission in encouraging British nationals overseas who are eligible to vote to register. This is consistent with previous polls. Expats are encouraged to register as soon as possible and by 16 May at the latest, so that they have time to receive and return their postal ballots ahead of polling day.

We have also extended the electoral timetable which means that postal voting packs can be sent out to voters earlier before polling day, to make it easier for postal votes to be cast successfully.


Written Question
Retail Trade: Urban Areas
Friday 22nd January 2016

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to promote local high street retail businesses.

Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)

The Government recognises that retail businesses are a vital part of high streets and is committed to supporting and promoting them. We introduced £1.4 billion of support for business rate bills in 2015 – 16 in England. The Autumn Statement 2015 also announced continuation of the doubling of Small Business Rate Relief in 2016 - 17, providing help for 600,000 rate payers, with 400,000 paying nothing at all. We are also committed to reviewing the future structure of Business Rates, to report before Budget 2016.

We are also bringing forward sensible planning changes to allow business to respond flexibly to changing market conditions and are taking action to tackle over-zealous parking practices. We have reviewed the role and power of Business Improvement Districts, and are taking forward changes that will mean that they can become more involved in local decisions that affect their area.

We have also run the Great British High Street Awards since 2014, which has championed the hard work of local businesses and communities around the country. With nearly 200,000 votes cast in the public voting element in the 2015 Awards, the competition proves how much local people cherish our high streets. We will continue to showcase best practice from the Awards.

The Future High Street Forum is a joint partnership between government and the retail, leisure and property industries. It is leading an ambitious programme of work, including looking at town centre restructuring and the digital high street, to support town centres to meet the changing needs of today’s consumer.


Written Question
UK Membership of EU: Referendums
Wednesday 10th June 2015

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received from the Welsh Government about votes at 16 and 17 in the proposed EU referendum.

Answered by David Lidington

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has received no recent representations from the Welsh Government about votes at 16 and 17 in the proposed EU referendum.


Written Question
Neighbourhood Development Plans
Tuesday 24th February 2015

Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many community groups have exercised the Community Right to Build.

Answered by Stephen Williams

A key priority for the Coalition Government has been to give communities greater control over shaping the development of their area. The Localism Act 2011 created new powers for communities to write their own neighbourhood plans and to gain planning permission for community-led development through Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders.

Nearly 1,400 communities, covering six million people, are now engaged at different stages of the neighbourhood planning process, giving millions of people the chance to participate in identifying, and voting on, where development takes place and what it looks like. All 52 referendums held to date have resulted in big ‘yes’ votes and 34 plans have been ‘made’ (brought into force) and therefore are part of the development plan, the starting point for determining planning applications.

The popularity of neighbourhood planning has shown that when given the opportunity, communities are keen to shape future development in their areas, and we expect the number of community-led developments to increase as more neighbourhood plans are finalised. Over the last two years there have been over 3,100 enquiries and 14,000 web hits relating to the Community Right to Build. The Community Right to Build gives communities the freedom to build new homes, shops, businesses or facilities where they want them, without going through the normal planning application process. Experience has shown that following discussions with the local planning authority for community-led development proposals, community groups have chosen to submit a planning application for their project, rather than a Community Right to Build Order.

To ensure groups undertaking community-led development have the right support and advice to gain planning approval, we broadened the remit of available support funding to assist community groups to bring forward development either through Community Right to Build Orders or community-led planning applications.

This has led to significant take up of funding for community-led projects coming forward, with over 100 applications for funding already approved by the Homes and Communities Agency and the Greater London Authority. Locality and their partners have also been working with 60 groups to provide assistance and advice.

The first three referendums for Community Right to Build Orders took place in December, all of which were passed and are now in force.

We have allocated a further £3.5 million to support the Community Right to Build and community-led planning applications for housing in 2015-18. On 17 February, my department announced a further £6 million funding boost to the community rights programme. This new funding will mean:

  • like-minded communities will be able to network and learn from each other through the new My Community Network;
  • communities will have access to tailored advice through a phone and online advice service to help them use the range of community rights and other neighbourhood approaches;
  • 100 more neighbourhoods will be supported to use the Our Place approach, enabling councils and other public sector providers, voluntary and community groups, local businesses and the community to work together to tackle important local issues from job creation to health priorities;
  • 100 communities will receive support to take the first steps in identifying important local issues and develop Community Action Plans;
  • 50 communities will receive support to develop economic plans to address local economic priorities like job creation and enterprise;
  • 50 local authority/community partnerships will receive advice, support and grants to support the transfer of multiple or complex publicly owned assets into community ownership; and
  • 6 new contracts have been awarded to external partners to support communities in using the community rights in 2015-16.


Written Question
Neighbourhood Development Plans
Tuesday 24th February 2015

Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many community-led developments have completed as a result of the Community Right to Build.

Answered by Stephen Williams

A key priority for the Coalition Government has been to give communities greater control over shaping the development of their area. The Localism Act 2011 created new powers for communities to write their own neighbourhood plans and to gain planning permission for community-led development through Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders.

Nearly 1,400 communities, covering six million people, are now engaged at different stages of the neighbourhood planning process, giving millions of people the chance to participate in identifying, and voting on, where development takes place and what it looks like. All 52 referendums held to date have resulted in big ‘yes’ votes and 34 plans have been ‘made’ (brought into force) and therefore are part of the development plan, the starting point for determining planning applications.

The popularity of neighbourhood planning has shown that when given the opportunity, communities are keen to shape future development in their areas, and we expect the number of community-led developments to increase as more neighbourhood plans are finalised. Over the last two years there have been over 3,100 enquiries and 14,000 web hits relating to the Community Right to Build. The Community Right to Build gives communities the freedom to build new homes, shops, businesses or facilities where they want them, without going through the normal planning application process. Experience has shown that following discussions with the local planning authority for community-led development proposals, community groups have chosen to submit a planning application for their project, rather than a Community Right to Build Order.

To ensure groups undertaking community-led development have the right support and advice to gain planning approval, we broadened the remit of available support funding to assist community groups to bring forward development either through Community Right to Build Orders or community-led planning applications.

This has led to significant take up of funding for community-led projects coming forward, with over 100 applications for funding already approved by the Homes and Communities Agency and the Greater London Authority. Locality and their partners have also been working with 60 groups to provide assistance and advice.

The first three referendums for Community Right to Build Orders took place in December, all of which were passed and are now in force.

We have allocated a further £3.5 million to support the Community Right to Build and community-led planning applications for housing in 2015-18. On 17 February, my department announced a further £6 million funding boost to the community rights programme. This new funding will mean:

  • like-minded communities will be able to network and learn from each other through the new My Community Network;
  • communities will have access to tailored advice through a phone and online advice service to help them use the range of community rights and other neighbourhood approaches;
  • 100 more neighbourhoods will be supported to use the Our Place approach, enabling councils and other public sector providers, voluntary and community groups, local businesses and the community to work together to tackle important local issues from job creation to health priorities;
  • 100 communities will receive support to take the first steps in identifying important local issues and develop Community Action Plans;
  • 50 communities will receive support to develop economic plans to address local economic priorities like job creation and enterprise;
  • 50 local authority/community partnerships will receive advice, support and grants to support the transfer of multiple or complex publicly owned assets into community ownership; and
  • 6 new contracts have been awarded to external partners to support communities in using the community rights in 2015-16.


Written Question
Neighbourhood Development Plans
Tuesday 24th February 2015

Asked by: Emma Reynolds (Labour - Wolverhampton North East)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many community referendums there have been as a result of the Community Right to Build.

Answered by Stephen Williams

A key priority for the Coalition Government has been to give communities greater control over shaping the development of their area. The Localism Act 2011 created new powers for communities to write their own neighbourhood plans and to gain planning permission for community-led development through Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders.

Nearly 1,400 communities, covering six million people, are now engaged at different stages of the neighbourhood planning process, giving millions of people the chance to participate in identifying, and voting on, where development takes place and what it looks like. All 52 referendums held to date have resulted in big ‘yes’ votes and 34 plans have been ‘made’ (brought into force) and therefore are part of the development plan, the starting point for determining planning applications.

The popularity of neighbourhood planning has shown that when given the opportunity, communities are keen to shape future development in their areas, and we expect the number of community-led developments to increase as more neighbourhood plans are finalised. Over the last two years there have been over 3,100 enquiries and 14,000 web hits relating to the Community Right to Build. The Community Right to Build gives communities the freedom to build new homes, shops, businesses or facilities where they want them, without going through the normal planning application process. Experience has shown that following discussions with the local planning authority for community-led development proposals, community groups have chosen to submit a planning application for their project, rather than a Community Right to Build Order.

To ensure groups undertaking community-led development have the right support and advice to gain planning approval, we broadened the remit of available support funding to assist community groups to bring forward development either through Community Right to Build Orders or community-led planning applications.

This has led to significant take up of funding for community-led projects coming forward, with over 100 applications for funding already approved by the Homes and Communities Agency and the Greater London Authority. Locality and their partners have also been working with 60 groups to provide assistance and advice.

The first three referendums for Community Right to Build Orders took place in December, all of which were passed and are now in force.

We have allocated a further £3.5 million to support the Community Right to Build and community-led planning applications for housing in 2015-18. On 17 February, my department announced a further £6 million funding boost to the community rights programme. This new funding will mean:

  • like-minded communities will be able to network and learn from each other through the new My Community Network;
  • communities will have access to tailored advice through a phone and online advice service to help them use the range of community rights and other neighbourhood approaches;
  • 100 more neighbourhoods will be supported to use the Our Place approach, enabling councils and other public sector providers, voluntary and community groups, local businesses and the community to work together to tackle important local issues from job creation to health priorities;
  • 100 communities will receive support to take the first steps in identifying important local issues and develop Community Action Plans;
  • 50 communities will receive support to develop economic plans to address local economic priorities like job creation and enterprise;
  • 50 local authority/community partnerships will receive advice, support and grants to support the transfer of multiple or complex publicly owned assets into community ownership; and
  • 6 new contracts have been awarded to external partners to support communities in using the community rights in 2015-16.