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23 Jun 2008 : Column 18W—continued
Citizenship: Education
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2007, Official Report, column 115W, on citizenship: education, what further progress her Department has made in (a) disseminating guidance for teaching materials for use in citizenship courses in madrassahs and (b) increasing the take-up of such materials; [212961]
(2) pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2007, Official Report, column 405W, on community relations: religion, what progress her Department has made in establishing an advisory group on citizenship education classes run by mosque schools. [212966]
Mr. Dhanda: In conjunction with the Department for Children, Schools and Families, a contract has been awarded to the Schools Development Support Agency (SDSA) to work with Muslim communities to review existing work and develop citizenship classes for use in mosque schools. SDSA are currently developing good practice materials to trial in a range of madrassahs across six local areas.
An advisory group for this work has been established and has met. Membership of this group includes individuals from across Muslim communities and educational professionals.
Community Relations
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to pilot the specialist cohesion teams to support local authorities facing cohesion challenges referred to on page 25 of the report, Guidance for local authorities on community cohesion contingency planning and tension monitoring, published in May 2008. [212931]
Mr. Dhanda: The first pilot of Specialist Cohesion Teams will be in the Norfolk district of Breckland. We are in the process of choosing a second pilot. We aim to start both pilots late July 2008.
Community Relations: Housing
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2008, Official Report, column 1989W, on community relations: housing, when her Department plans to publish revised guidance to local authorities on the importance of the strategic housing role and the preparation of housing strategies. [212959]
Mr. Iain Wright: We aim to publish advice to local authorities about housing strategies as part of guidance on ‘Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities’ shortly. Guidance about the importance of the strategic housing role will be published later in the year.
Community Relations: Islam
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the report produced for her Department by Four X Ninety Ltd. on understanding Muslim ethnic communities. [212627]
Mr. Dhanda: Communities and Local Government has commissioned the Change Institute to conduct research on Understanding Muslim Ethnic Communities. This work has not yet been completed.
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department has developed the framework of minimum standards for all imams and Muslim chaplains engaged by the state referred to in the Preventing Violent Extremism report published in April 2007. [212930]
Mr. Dhanda: Communities and Local Government commissioned The Experience Corps (TEC) to develop a framework of standards and a recruitment process for institutions engaging Muslim chaplains in public service. This was developed in consultation with a range of Government Departments, relevant sectors and institutions, faith organisations and chaplaincy groups. The draft framework and recruitment process, which we plan to pilot during 2008-09, will shortly be published on the Department's website.
Community Relations: Migration
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps the Government have taken to help local communities manage the effects of migration. [212276]
Mr. Dhanda: On 11 June 2008, we published a cross-government plan on ‘Managing the Impacts of Migration: A Cross-Government Approach’. This sets out a range of current and future government actions which support local areas in maximising the benefits of migration while minimising any negative impacts at local level. The document can be viewed on the website of Communities and Local Government at:
Copies are also available in the Library of the House.
Community Relations: Religion
Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the Government plans to publish its interfaith strategy. [212936]
Mr. Dhanda: We plan to publish the inter faith strategy this summer.
Corporate Hospitality: Thames Gateway
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many receptions the Thames Gateway project has held in each of the last five years. [212192]
Caroline Flint: Our records show that the Thames Gateway Executive has held the following receptions:
No receptions held
Reception at the Thames Gateway Forum, the UK’s foremost exhibition focusing on the Thames Gateway
Reception at the Thames Gateway Forum, the UK’s foremost exhibition focussing on the Thames Gateway
Reception at MIPIM, an international exhibition for real estate professionals and investors
Reception at the Thames Gateway Forum, the UK’s foremost exhibition focusing on the Thames Gateway
Christmas Stakeholder Reception
Departmental Aviation
Mr. Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many individual domestic air flights were undertaken within mainland Britain by representatives of (a) her Department and (b) its agencies in the most recent year for which figures are available; and at what cost. [210947]
Mr. Dhanda: Figures supplied by the Department’s travel booking service show representatives from the Department undertook 605 individual domestic air flights in 2007-08 financial year, at a cost of £66,813. This total includes figures for officials within Government offices.
The Department’s agencies report domestic flight details as follows for the last financial year;
| Agency | Number of flights | Cost (£) |
Travel by Ministers and civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the “Ministerial Code” and the “Civil Service Management Code” respectively.
Departmental Expert Panels
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government who the members are of each of her Department's expert panels. [212746]
Mr. Dhanda: In response to the Department's capability review, the Department set up three expert panels to provide analytical advice in the following policy areas: (i) housing markets and planning; (ii) neighbourhoods cities and regions; and (iii) housing and communities (social and affordable housing). Membership of the respective panels is shown in annex tables Al, A2 and A3 respectively.
| Annex A1: Membership of the housing markets and planning analysis (HMPA) expert panel | ||
| Panel member | ||
| Annex A2: Membership of the Neighbourhoods, cities and regions (NCRA) expert panel | ||
| Panel members | ||
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