ThursdayVol. 786 16 November 2017No. 22

Page 216 November 2017UK at the Youth, Culture and Sport sessions of thisCouncil.Youth The Council will seek to gain a GeneralApproach among EU Member States on the proposalslaying down the framework for the European SolidarityCorps. The UK is proposing to vote in favour, subject toscrutiny. Also tabled is the adoption of draft Councilconclusions on Smart Youth Work, which the UKsupports. This will be followed by a policy debate asproposed by the Presidency. The Commission will alsoprovide information on a new narrative for Europe.Culture/Audiovisual The Council will begin bypresenting, for adoption, draft Council conclusions onpromoting access to culture via digital means, which willhave a focus on audience development. The UK intends tosupport the adoption of these conclusions. This will befollowed by a policy debate on the role of culture inbuilding cohesive societies in Europe, as proposed by thePresidency.On Audiovisual, the Presidency is expected to providean update on the Audiovisual Media Services Directive(AVMSD). This update will act as the first reading sincethe General Approach was achieved at the last EYCSCouncil in May 2017. The discussion is expected to focuson the progress, thus far, of Trilogue discussions betweenthe Council and the European Parliament.In addition to these files, the German delegation willprovide information pertaining to the file on theRegulation of the Import Cultural Goods. This file is at anearly discussion stage, however it is anticipated that it willbe implemented by January 2019, DCMS and HMRC areengaging with the Member States in developing thispolicy.Additional agenda items include for information itemson international cultural relations, offences relating tocultural property, defense of cultural heritage, reestablishing Europe through culture and the mobility ofartists.Sport There will be two non-legislative activities tabledregarding sport. Firstly, the adoption of the draft Councilconclusions on the role of coaches in society. Secondly,adoption of the Council resolution on the EU structureddialogue on sport. The UK intends to support the adoptionof both sets of conclusions. These will be followed by apolicy debate on the main challenges facing sport in the21st century and cooperation between the EU,governments and sport movement, as proposed by thePresidency in accordance with the Council Rules ofProcedureInformation will be provided from the EU MemberStates representatives in the World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA Foundation Board). This will act as a follow upto WADA meetings in Seoul on 15-16 November 2017.The Greek delegation will also provide information to theCouncil on supporting the Olympic Truce during the 2018Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.Other The Council will be receiving information fromthe Bulgarian delegation, as the incoming presidency inWritten Statementsthe first half of 2018, to set out their work programme forthe next six months.General Affairs Council[HLWS255]Lord Callanan: I will be attending the General AffairsCouncil in Brussels on 20 November 2017 to representthe UK’s interests. Until we leave the European Union,we remain committed to fulfilling our rights andobligations as a full member.The provisional agenda includes:Preparation of the European Council, 14-15 December2017There will be a discussion on the agenda for theDecember European Council. This includes: defence,focusing on the launch of PESCO (Permanent StructuredCooperation) and a review of EU-NATO cooperation;social, education and culture, which includes a follow upto the November Gothenburg Social Summit; migration,involving a leaders’ debate on both the internal andexternal dimensions of migration as part of Donald Tusk’sLeader’s Agenda; and external relations.European Council follow-upThe Presidency will give an update on theimplementation of the October European CouncilConclusions on migration, digital Europe, security anddefence, and external relations.Legislative Programming - Commission's WorkProgramme for 2018 (CWP 2018)Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermanswill present the CWP 2018, which sets out the legislationand other initiatives that the Commission intends topresent to the Council of Ministers and EuropeanParliament over the coming year.Interinstitutional Agreements (IIA) ImplementationThe Presidency will lay out what progress has beenmade on the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better LawMaking (IIA), signed by the Presidents of the EuropeanCouncil, Commission and Parliament in April 2016. TheIIA set out the commitments of these institutionsregarding better regulation, interinstitutional relations andthe legislative process.European Semester 2018The Presidency will introduce the timetable for theEuropean Semester 2018, which will provide a frameworkfor the coordination of economic policies across the EU.Local Plans[HLWS253]Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: My Rt Hon. Friend, theSecretary of State for Communities and LocalGovernment (Sajid Javid), has today made the followingWritten Ministerial Statement.On 7 February we published our Housing White Paperin which we made clear that the housing market in this

Written Statements16 November 2017country is broken, and the cause is very simple: for toolong, we haven’t built enough homes. We have identifiedthree systemic problems: not enough local authoritiesplanning for the homes they need; house building that issimply too slow; and a construction industry that is tooreliant on a small number of big players.Up-to-date plans, including local plans, are essentialbecause they provide clarity to communities anddevelopers about where homes should be built and wherenot, so that development is planned rather than the resultof speculative applications. At present too few placeshave an up-to-date plan.On 21 July 2015 we made a Written MinisterialStatement to the House on this same subject. At that point82 per cent of authorities had published a Local Planunder the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004regime. Today that figure stands at 92 per cent.In the 13 years that have passed since the 2004 Actreceived Royal Assent, over 70 local planning authoritieshave yet to adopt a plan and of those 27 authorities stillhave failed to reach the publication stage. I amparticularly concerned about the 15 local planningauthorities that have recently either failed the duty tocooperate or failed to meet the deadlines set out in theirLocal Development Schemes, the public timetable that alllocal planning authorities are required to put in place.I am therefore writing today to the local planningauthorities of:Basildon, Brentwood, Bolsover, Calderdale, CastlePoint, Eastleigh, Liverpool, Mansfield, North EastDerbyshire, Northumberland, Runnymede, St Albans,Thanet, Wirral and York.These letters will start the formal process ofintervention we set out in the Housing White Paper. Weset out that we will prioritise intervention where: the least progress in plan-making has been made policies in plans had not been kept up to date there was higher housing pressure; and intervention would have the greatest impact inaccelerating Local Plan productionWe also made clear that decisions on intervention willalso be informed by the wider planning context in eacharea (specifically, the extent to which authorities areworking cooperatively to put strategic plans in place, andthe potential impact that not having a plan has onneighbourhood planning activity).I am writing today to give the local authorities theopportunity to put forward any exceptional circumstances,by 31 January 2018, which, in their view, justify theirfailure to produce a Local Plan under the 2004 Actregime. I will take responses received into account beforeany final decisions on intervention are taken.The remaining authorities who are not making progresson their plan-making and fail to publish a plan forconsultation, submit a plan to examination or to keeppolicies in plans up to date are on notice that consistentfailure to make sufficient progress will no longer bePage 3tolerated. My Department will begin formally consideringthe case for intervention as deadlines are missed.We will also bring forward the important provisions welegislated for earlier in the year through theNeighbourhood Planning Act 2017. I will shortly lay theRegulations under section 12 to prescribe that localplanning authorities must review their plans every fiveyears.We will also shortly be commencing Section 8 of theNeighbourhood Planning Act 2017 which will place arequirement on all local planning authorities to have plansin place for their area which set out their strategicpolicies. Those strategic priorities are set out at paragraph156 of the National Planning Policy Framework.As we set out in July 2015 we recognise that productionof Local Plans is resource intensive. On 19 October 2017we laid the regulations which, subject to approval of bothHouses, will bring forward our White Paper commitmentto increase planning fees by 20%. This delivers on ourcommitment to increase resources for local planningauthorities where they commit to invest the additional feeincome in their planning department. All local planningauthorities in England have given this commitment. Wewill shortly announce details of the 25m of funding tohelp local authorities plan for new homes andinfrastructure in their area that we announced in the WhitePaper.We have, and we will continue to, support localplanning authorities in plan-making, through the PlanningAdvisory Service, with support from officials of myDepartment and the Planning Inspectorate.Where local planning authorities continue to fail toproduce a plan to provide certainty to their community onwhere future development will be brought forward, wewill use our intervention powers to ensure plans are put inplace.Machinery of Government Change: GenderRecognition Act[HLWS252]Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: My Rt Hon. Friendthe Prime Minister has made the following statement tothe House of Commons:This written statement confirms that responsibility forthe Gender Recognition Act 2004 will transfer from theMinistry of Justice to the Government Equalities Office.This change will be effective immediately.Pensions[HLWS248]Baroness Buscombe: My honourable Friend theParliamentary Under Secretary of State for Pensions &Financial Inclusion (Guy Opperman MP) has made thefollowing Written Statement.The Government has now completed the examination ofthe cap that applies to member-borne charges in default

Page 416 November 2017Written Statementsinvestment funds within defined contribution (DC)pension schemes used for automatic enrolment (AE).1. The Covert Surveillance and Property InterferenceCode of Practice.After seeking a range of industry and consumer viewsand considering the findings of the recent PensionCharges Survey, which captures data from providerscovering 14.4 million scheme members, we do not feelthat now is the right time to change the level or scope ofthe cap.2. The Covert Human Intelligence Sources Code ofPracticeThe cap is working broadly as intended, helping todrive down member-borne costs, whilst allowingflexibility to allow asset diversity or tailored services formembers and employers. It appears some small schemesare less able to take advantage of the most competitivemarket rates, and we have launched proposals to simplifythe scheme consolidation process. This will allow smallerschemes who cannot secure value for money in the longterm to exit the market and secure a better deal for theirmembers elsewhere.There continues to be a lack of transparency ontransaction costs, which is hindering trustees andIndependent Governance Committees’ (IGC) attempts tomonitor and evaluate whether these represent value. Webelieve that it is vital to get disclosure right beforedeciding on whether a cap on transaction costs isappropriate. Recently announced DWP legislativeproposals will ensure trustees have sight of these costsand can give that information to members. The FCA isdeveloping similar rules for providers.The Gove

Nov 16, 2017 · operational oceanography. It is broadening its ownership structure to be more in line with other delegated authorities. The Secretary of State, acting through the Met Office, intends on 29 November 2017 to buy a 5% ( 100k) share of Mercator Océan, alongside equivalent organ