Politics

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Misuse of sanctions is further evidence of the Tory Government letting vulnerable groups down – Debbie Abrahams

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the findings of the Public Accounts Committee report on sanctions, said:

“Two years after the Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry the Government has failed to implement even their limited actions to address sanctions failings.

“This report makes it clear that sanctions have been used inconsistently to punish those struggling to get by with seven wasted years of austerity.

“This deplorable misuse of sanctions is further evidence of the Tory Government letting vulnerable groups down.

“Labour has committed to scrapping the Tories’ punitive sanctions regime, under our plans to transform the social security system to ensure that, like the NHS, it is there for us all in our time of need.”

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Labour • • •

SNP must “mind the gap” on tax

21 Feb 2017

dean-choice

The Scottish Conservatives are warning the SNP that they must “mind the gap” with the rest of the UK ahead of today’s key vote on tax rates.

The warning comes as the Scottish Parliament prepares to vote for the first time to set new rates of income tax, following the successful implementation of the new Scotland Act.

The SNP Government – under pressure from the Greens – has decided to reject a plan to lift middle earners out of the higher rate of tax, as proposed elsewhere in the UK.

It will instead freeze the rate – dragging police officers, senior teachers and nurses into paying it.

The Scottish Conservatives will today step up their call for the SNP Government to prioritise economic growth by setting competitive tax rates no higher than the rest of the UK.

Scottish Conservative shadow economy secretary Dean Lockhart said: 

“Over the last 18 months, Scotland’s growth rate has been around a third of that for the UK – with the result that employment is now falling in Scotland.

​”The SNP’s plans to set tax rates higher than the rest of the UK will only worsen this growing divide we are seeing, deterring investment and reducing new jobs.

“Our message to the SNP today is clear: it needs to mind the gap. Higher taxes in Scotland means lower growth, which will deliver less cash for government to spend on our vital public services.”

“Derek Mackay’s handling of the business rates crisis has shown that this Scottish Government simply does not understand business and the economy.

“It is must start to listen to job creators who need a Government which goes for growth, not one which punishes aspiration.”

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Scottish Conservatives • •

News story: £4 million awarded for tech which gives motorists advance notice of congestion and free parking spaces

Government awards £4 million for tech projects that will cut congestion, speed up journeys and clean up the environment.

Apps that notify motorists of congestion and free parking spaces, and real time journey information for visually impaired passengers, are just some of the projects that will receive a share of £4 million government technology funding today (21 February 2017).

Nineteen councils across England will receive between £50,000 and £300,000 each for their ideas to improve journeys through digital innovation.

The government money will be spent on developing cutting edge technology such as apps and sensors which can be used to cut congestion, improve parking in city centres and alert drivers when electric car charging points become available.

Successful bidders include:

  • £234,000 for Blackpool to use Bluetooth technologies to cut traffic congestion
  • £182,000 for Dorset to provide advance congestion warnings for drivers on the A31 using an app
  • £300,000 for Warrington to provide real-time information to businesses and public through on-street information displays, social media and phone apps
  • £150,000 for Coventry for a real-time bay availability system across 450 pay and display parking spots
  • £204,000 for Westminster, Hounslow, Hammersmith and Fulham to roll out a new generation of electric vehicle charge points which will provide real-time data to motorists when they are available
  • £50,000 for Peterborough to use digital technology to provide real time journey information directly to visually impaired people

Roads Minister Andrew Jones, said:

I congratulate today’s winners for coming up with cutting-edge, innovative ideas that will transform journeys for passengers and motorists across the country. Technology is rapidly evolving and this important work shows that if we get it right, it can cut congestion, speed up journeys, clean up the environment, and improve accessibility.

Andrew Jones is visiting one of the competition winners, Westminster Council, today where he will see smart technology in practice including a hands-free parking app which reduces the time motorists circulate by showing available space.

Local authority Project Funding awarded
Blackpool Traffic congestion and parking Bluetooth management technology £234,000
City of York Connected vehicle data for traffic signalling to improve congestion £295,200
Derbyshire Early warning system for congestion enabling drivers to communicate with one another and avoid traffic £237,500
Dorset Advanced congestion warnings app £182,100
Southampton Enabling council to deliver real time travel information to better manage road network £90,000
Swindon Alert system for local authority traffic managers to better disseminate congestion information £235,000
Warrington Using Bluetooth and Smart technology to manage traffic flow and provide real-time information to businesses and the general public £300,000
Worcestershire Information sharing system so traffic incidents can be dealt with quickly by highway staff and vehicles £300,000
Newcastle Connected bus scheme for Arriva Fleet to equip more buses with vehicle infrastructure technology. £98,200
Portsmouth Developing platform for Portsmouth’s Traffic Management Centre, enabling communication exchange between vehicles infrastructure and other vehicles £285,000
Reading Improve roadworks warning, parking and traffic information £250,000
Coventry Real time information on parking bay availability to improve parking services £150,000
Somerset Provide advanced traffic signal phase and timing information for traffic on the M5 – Junction 24, through Bridgewater, to Hinkley Point £290,000
West Midlands Real time information for HVG drivers to avoid unnecessary stops at traffic signals via hands free smartphone app £285,000
Hounslow, Hammersmith, Fulham and Westminster Sharing information about electric charge points by deploying parking sensors in electric vehicle bays £204,000
Luton To collect live car park availability data and give straight to drivers to reduce congestion by reducing time looking for spaces £73,500
Milton Keynes Provision of real time information with cameras/sensors and 7 laser sensors at key junctions in Central Milton Keynes enabling monitoring of all available parking £175,000
Oxfordshire Real-time parking information for Blue Badge, Pay and Display and electric vehicle charge points with a particular focus on vulnerable road users £239,000
Peterborough Real time journey information for the visually impaired with a focus on visitors being able to access the new Royal National Institute for the Blind head offices in Peterborough £50,000
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HM Government • • •

Press release: New appointments to the Homes and Communities Agency Board

Four new appointments to the Homes and Communities Agency’s Board have been confirmed by the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, as the agency takes a leading role in delivering the new homes the country needs.

Stephen Bell, Richard Blakeway, Councillor Simon Dudley and Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE have been appointed following a recruitment process in line with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The HCA is going through a period of change as it helps deliver a significant increase in housing supply and the Board will establish the overall strategic direction of the Agency, ensure it carries out its functions effectively and meets its targets.

The new appointments strengthen the HCA Board following the recent departures of Kevin Parry and Ian Robertson.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said:

This is an important period for the Homes and Communities Agency as it plays a key role in delivering the homes this country needs.

The agency will be vital for boosting housebuilding and speeding up the delivery of new homes so that everyone can benefit from having somewhere safe and secure to live.

These appointments will bring new skills, knowledge and considerable experience that will be of real benefit to the HCA’s Board.

Chairman of the Homes and Communities Agency Board, Sir Edward Lister said:

I am delighted to welcome these 4 new board members, who all bring a wealth of experience and expertise that will help our organisation to increase the scale and pace of delivery, and promote new approaches to housebuilding.

I would like to take this opportunity to offer my best wishes to departing board members and offer my sincere thanks for their hard work and support over the past few years.

Their work at the HCA has made a real difference to places across the country and hundreds of thousands of people have benefited from better homes and job opportunities.

  • Stephen Bell

    He will be chairing the HCA Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. He has substantial experience of the banking sector having worked as Group Chief Risk Officer and Board Director for Ulster Bank and Wellesley Group.

  • Richard Blakeway

    He has 20 years of experience of government. His previous roles include special adviser to the Prime Minister on housing, planning and regeneration and Deputy Mayor for Housing, Land and Property responsible for delivering the Mayor of London’s Housing Strategy.

  • Councillor Simon Dudley

    He is currently Leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead as well as Lead Member for Housing. He also has a strong commercial background having previously worked as Executive Director of Global Capital Markets at Arcapita Ltd and Managing Director at Citigroup Global Markets Limited.

  • Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE

    She is leader of the London Borough of Bexley where she has been a councillor since 1998. In addition, she is Vice Chair and Conservative Group Leader on London Councils and a member of several London advisory boards. She also has a background in the financial services sector having worked for Merrill Lynch International.

The new board members have been appointed for 3 year terms.

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HM Government • • •

News story: Culture Secretary Reappoints two Historic England Commissioners

The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has re-appointed Alex Balfour and Victoria Harley as Commissioners for Historic England until 31st May 2021

Alex Balfour

Alex Balfour is a globally recognised leader in building and digital capability and optimising digital performance for sport, media, consumer and entertainment brands. Alex is currently Chief Executive Officer of Digital Brand Services. Previously Alex was Chief Digital Officer of Haymon Boxing, the creators of Premier Boxing Champions which reintroduced boxing to prime time network television in the USA for the first time in 30 years.

Before that Alex Balfour was Head of New Media for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). At LOCOG he built a team from scratch that has delivered 77 digital channels to a worldwide audience of over 150 million during the Games in 2012. Alex’s career in digital media began in 1994. Since then he has edited GE’97, the UK’s first General Election Website, made the first consumer Internet call to a traditional telephone and developed the first online government consultation. He went on to become part of the team that produced the Guardian Newspaper’s first significant websites.

Victoria Harley

Victoria Harley is a manager of Brampton Bryan Estate, Herefordshire, and concentrates on preservation and reuse of traditional historic buildings, together with landscape conservation.

Through links with the Historic Houses Association, she has wide experience in the management of historic houses. She was previously director of Sotheby’s Carpet Department and latterly a freelance consultant.

She served on the National Trust Midlands Advisory Board for seven years and was a trustee of the Offa’s Dyke Association. Victoria is a member of the Hereford Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee and is a governor of two schools. Victoria was appointed as an English Heritage Commissioner in 2014. She serves additionally on the Historic Estate Conservation Committee, the Designation Review Committee, and the Ditherington Flax Mills Programme Board.

Both Alex and Victoria receive remuneration of £4090 per annum. This reappointment has been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. It is a requirement of the Code that political activity by those appointed is declared. Alex Balfour has declared that he has not carried out any such political activity. Victoria Harley has confirmed that she assisted a local Conservative candidate on the general election day in 2015.

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HM Government • • •