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747405

registered interest
date	03/07/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review section 10 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, to include fire safety in the list of factors which determine whether a house is unfit for human habitation.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL369
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2017 answer text <p>All homes should be of a reasonable standard and all tenants should have a safe place to live. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords have an obligation to ensure that they keep in repair the structure and exterior of any property they rent out.</p><p>Local authorities have strong powers to deal with poor quality, unsafe accommodation and we expect them to use those powers. Under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, local authorities can issue an Improvement Notice or a Hazard Awareness Notice if they find a defect in the property. Failure to comply with an Improvement Notice is a criminal offence for which local authorities can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 or prosecute in the courts which have the power to impose an unlimited fine. In extreme circumstances, the local authority may decide to make repairs themselves, or to prohibit that property from being rented out.</p><p>The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a duty on housing providers to undertake a fire risk assessment of the common parts of their properties and to put in place and maintain adequate fire precautions to manage the risk that lives could be lost in a fire. The Order is enforced by fire and rescue authorities. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Fire Safety Order may to lead to prosecution and potentially a significant fine or custodial sentence.</p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 18/07/2017 11:25:34 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

747407

registered interest
date	03/07/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the Housing Act 2004 housing health and safety rating system, in particular the hazards classified under category 1 (damp and mould growth) and category 2 (excess cold).
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL371
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2017 answer text <p>The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is kept under regular review. We have been clear that lessons will be learned from the Grenfell fire, and any issues for the HHSRS will be taken into account.</p><p>The HHSRS is a risk assessment process which involves a local authority assessing 29 categories of potential housing hazards in a dwelling, such as damp, excess cold and electrical faults. Where a property contains potentially serious risks to the health and safety of the occupants, the local authority must take appropriate action requiring the building owner to reduce or remove the risk. This will frequently involve service of an Improvement Notice. Failure to comply with an Improvement Notice is a criminal offence for which local authorities can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 or prosecute in the courts which have the power to impose an unlimited fine. In extreme circumstances, the local authority may decide to make repairs themselves, or to prohibit the property from being rented out.</p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 18/07/2017 11:29:35 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

747408

registered interest
date	03/07/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government, in the light of (1) enforcement powers relating to compliance with building regulations expiring 12 months, and (2) powers to prosecute breaches of building regulations expiring 24 months, after completing a building, what is their assessment of the effectiveness of (a) Local Authority Building Control, and (b) private Approved Inspectors.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL372
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2017 answer text <p>Enforcement powers are only available to local authorities and it is for local authorities to determine when and how to use those powers.</p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 17/07/2017 15:57:30 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

747410

registered interest
date	03/07/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the extent to which the Department for Communities and Local Government Approved Document B, which sets down the functional requirements of fire safety, meets present day British Standards; and if not, why not.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL374
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2017 answer text <p>Neither Approved Document B nor any other Approved Documents are designed to meet British Standards. Rather, Approved Document B points to British Standards as a means by which its requirements might be met.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 19/07/2017 15:27:48 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

746631

registered interest
date	29/06/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Urban Areas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the role of business in reviving high streets.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL262
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2017 answer text <p>The Government recognises the crucial role that business plays in reviving high streets. We established the Future High Street Forum in March 2013, consisting of retailers, investors and developers. The Forum provides joint business and Government leadership to enable our high streets to adapt and compete in the face of changing consumer and social trends. The Forum will advise the government in the formation and delivery of policies to support high streets and town centres, in the short and longer term.</p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 13/07/2017 15:48:40 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

731075

registered interest
date	21/06/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the rights of social housing tenants.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL83
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/07/2017 answer text <p>While the Government does not have immediate plans to review the rights of social housing tenants, in light of the terrible tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire, we have been clear in that more attention must be focused on social housing and listening to its tenants. We are determined to do all that we can to make sure that something like this never happens again.</p><p>Our immediate priority is to support the victims, to find homes for those made homeless by the fire, and to make sure the country's housing stock is safe. The Secretary of State also announced on 5 July that an independent Recovery Taskforce will be appointed to advise the Council on the longer term recovery needs, and will answer directly to the Secretary of State. The Taskforce will remain in place for as long as is required.</p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 11/07/2017 15:09:37 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

731076

registered interest
date	21/06/2017
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in the drafting of the regulations under Part 5 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 for electrical safety checks in private rented sector accommodation; and when they expect those regulations to be laid before Parliament.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL84
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2017 answer text <p>Following Royal Assent of the Housing and Planning Act 2016, a Working Group of relevant experts was established to provide recommendations to ministers on what, if any, legislative requirements for electrical safety in the private rented sector should be introduced. The Working Group’s report and recommendations will now be considered by the new Housing Minister.</p> answering member printed Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth question first answered 03/07/2017 16:42:18 answering member 4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark