Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers in the initial stage of assessment were housed in hotel accommodation in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area on (a) 1 July 2020, (b) 1 August 2020, (c) 1 September 2020 and (d) 1 October 2020.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
The number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support
This includes the numbers of those accommodated under Section 98, Section 95 and Section 4.
Data is published on a quarterly basis from 31st March 2014 with the latest information covering until 30th June 2020. The next quarterly figures are due to be released in November 2020
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Governance Code for Public Appointments, whether he has had any discussions with Cabinet colleagues and officials on Lord Deben's suitability as Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change.
Answered by Claire Perry
Lord Deben’s appointment as Chair of the Committee on Climate Change was made in line with Cabinet Office propriety and ethics standards.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish all correspondence between Lord Deben and his Department on the use of renewable energy and electric vehicles.
Answered by Claire Perry
It is normal practice that the Committee on Climate Change publish their advice to Government, including on the use of renewable energy and electric vehicles, on their website.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has received any assurances from the Chair of the Climate Change Committee on potential conflicts of interests arising from his involvement with Sancroft International.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Chair of the Committee on Climate Change declared his interests with Sancroft International as part of his appointment process in 2012.
We have received assurances from the Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change on their processes for managing potential conflicts of interests. These include a clear policy on conflicts of interests, publication of members’ interests, and actively inviting information on actual or perceived conflicts as the first agenda item at each Committee meeting.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the economic benefits that major snooker tournaments deliver to host cities and towns.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Neither DCMS or UK Sport are involved in the bidding for or hosting a snooker events, and as such we do not track or assess the economic or other benefits which such events may bring to the towns and cities hosting them.
According to latest Sport England participation statistics, 23,600 adults took part in snooker at least twice in the last 28 days (May 17-18), which is 0.1% of the population.
Between 1 April 2009 and 31 December 2018, Sport England invested into 37 multi-sport projects, benefitting billiards and snooker to a total award value of £7,411,759 (£224,000 Exchequer and £7,187,759 Lottery). There are also 9 multi-sport projects involving snooker currently at various stages of assessment. These include 8 Community Asset Fund and 1 Small Grants applications.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what representations he has received from (a) Members of Parliament, (b) Dorset County Council, (c) Poole Borough Council, (d) Bournemouth Borough Council and (e) district councils in Dorset on the proposal by Corallian Engery Ltd to drill an appraisal well in the Colter Prospect in Bournemouth Bay.
Answered by Claire Perry
Representations were received from my rt. Hon. Friends the Members for New Forest East, South Holland and The Deepings, and Bournemouth East; and my hon. Friends the Members for Bournemouth West, and Meon Valley. The concerns related, in particular, to the perceived sensitivity of the proposed well location, potential effects on tourism and leisure activities and also potential effects on local seahorse populations. Additional concerns cited related to the potential impact of a major oil spill and the policy of continued exploitation of fossil fuels.
A representation was received from Dorset County Council confirming that there was no objection in relation to landscape and seascape impacts, due to the short-term nature of the operations. Representations was also received from the Borough of Poole Council and Bournemouth Borough Council on concerns regarding the effects on tourism, the risk of a vessel collision with the drilling rig in poor weather or storm conditions, and potential impacts on water quality from operational marine discharges that could affect the area’s ‘Blue Flag’ beaches.
No representations were received from district councils in Dorset.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what discussion he had with First Treasury Counsel in advance of agreeing to act for the Electoral Commission in Vote Leave Ltd's appeal against their recent findings against that organisation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Geoffrey Cox
The Attorney General does not advise the Electoral Commission who are an independent body and will take their own legal advice. The Attorney General is therefore not representing the Electoral Commission in any proceedings and has not held a discussion with First Treasury Counsel on this basis.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has plans to undertake a review of the enforcement powers available to (a) police forces and (b) local authorities in relation to illegal Traveller encampments.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
My Department published a consultation on 5 April alongside the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice, in order to seek views on the effectiveness of powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments. Views were sought on a range of related issues, including the powers available to local authorities and the police. The consultation closed on 15 June and we are currently considering the responses before deciding on next steps. We received over 2,000 representations and we will publish a Government response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent representations he has received on illegal encampments by the Traveller community.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
My Department published a consultation on 5 April alongside the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice, in order to seek views on the effectiveness of powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments. Views were sought on a range of related issues, including the powers available to local authorities and the police. The consultation closed on 15 June and we are currently considering the responses before deciding on next steps. We received over 2,000 representations and we will publish a Government response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when his Department last undertook a review of enforcement powers in relation to illegal Traveller encampments.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
My Department published a consultation on 5 April alongside the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice, in order to seek views on the effectiveness of powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments. Views were sought on a range of related issues, including the powers available to local authorities and the police. The consultation closed on 15 June and we are currently considering the responses before deciding on next steps. We received over 2,000 representations and we will publish a Government response to the consultation in due course.