Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1188668

	registered interest
	date	20/04/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Private Rented Housing: Students
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to work with private student accommodation providers to offer students affected by the covid-19 lockdown measures an early release from their accommodation contract.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	37962
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2020 answer text <p>The Department is actively engaging with stakeholders across the student accommodation sector, including private student accommodation providers, to understand the challenges posed by the current crisis and to establish the most effective means of supporting the whole of the sector.</p><p>The negotiation of early releases from contracts is a matter between the parties concerned. The Government encourages student accommodation providers, landlords, letting agencies and tenants to act flexibly and adopt a common-sense approach to issues that may arise in the current circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 28/04/2020 15:13:41 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1252350

	registered interest
	date	16/11/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Council Housing: Evictions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities on banning the eviction of people living in local authority housing during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	115840
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2020 answer text <p>On 16 November we changed the law in England to ensure bailiffs do not enforce evictions over this period of national restrictions or the Christmas period. This means that no eviction notices may be served until 11 January and, given the 14 day notice period required, no evictions are expected until 25 January at the earliest. The only exceptions to this are for the most serious cases, such as anti-social behaviour and perpetrators of domestic abuse in social housing.</p><p>Guidance for landlords, including local authority landlords, is published at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fcovid-19-and-renting-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities&amp;data=04%7C01%7CHannah.Settle%40communities.gov.uk%7Ca261241dcc80462e5bc308d88ba2695c%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637412876945478908%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=QQ4VBKSPRfGUJhGfaY%2F3yz8JNStgRvM5%2Fji0MrUEg%2B0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-and-renting-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities</a>.</p><p>Guidance for social landlords on understanding the possession action process is published at: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Funderstanding-the-possession-action-process-guidance-for-landlords-and-tenants&amp;data=04%7C01%7CHannah.Settle%40communities.gov.uk%7Ca261241dcc80462e5bc308d88ba2695c%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637412876945478908%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=FDAojcqbCi4awJKdTxDmGbtLwNFiNv%2FTObgyhT%2Bz%2FkI%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-the-possession-action-process-guidance-for-landlords-and-tenants</a>.</p><p>We will aim to provide further guidance regarding the operation of the exemptions shortly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 19/11/2020 17:01:18 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1257672

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Sleeping Rough: Bexley and Greenwich
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support has been given to (a) Bexley Borough Council and (b) Greenwich Borough Council to help rough sleepers (i) during and (ii) after the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	124342
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2020 answer text <p>In 2020/21, we are providing over £700 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping across England.</p><p>Greenwich have been allocated £951,740 through rough sleeping programmes in 2020/21. This includes Rough Sleeping Initiative funding to support the establishment or enhancement of coordinated local services for rough sleepers or those at risk of sleeping rough, £413,207 Next Steps Accommodation Programme funding to prevent as many as possible of those brought in during the Covid-19 pandemic returning to the streets and Cold Weather Funding: giving local areas the tools they need to protect people from cold weather and the risks posed by Covid-19.</p><p>Bexley have been allocated £240,000 through rough sleeping programmes in 2020/21. Bexley have been allocated £190,000 in funding through the Next Steps Accommodation Programme and Cold Weather Funding.</p><p>Both authorities are also being closely supported by our MHCLG Rough Sleeping Initiative advisers and Homelessness Advice and Support Team. These expert advisers are pro-actively working with local areas and will continue to support these authorities with the implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act and the Rough Sleeping Initiative.</p><p>Both authorities produced delivery plans setting out how they will be supporting rough sleepers. Delivery plans were used in the allocation of Next Steps Accommodation Programme funding.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 08/12/2020 17:30:51 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 67318 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1308955

	registered interest
	date	14/04/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Leasehold: Ground Rent
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any exclusions will apply to the proposed changes to enable leaseholders to have the right to extend their lease by a maximum of 990 years at zero ground rent.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	181151
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. We are taking forward a comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market, in January we announced reforms to the valuation process and length of lease extensions, in response to Law Commission recommendations.</p><p>The Law Commission’s report on enfranchisement includes recommendations relating to the qualifying criteria for enfranchisement and lease extensions, including any potential exemptions. We will bring forward a response to these and the other remaining Law Commission recommendations in due course.</p> answering member constituency Walsall North answering member printed Eddie Hughes question first answered 19/04/2021 16:53:51 answering member 4635 label Biography information for Eddie Hughes
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1308957

	registered interest
	date	14/04/2021
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Leasehold: Ground Rent
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish an estimate of costs to leaseholders other than legal fees of extending their lease by a maximum term of 990 years at zero ground rent.
	tabling member constituency	Erith and Thamesmead
	tabling member printed	Abena Oppong-Asare
	uin	181152
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. We are taking forward a comprehensive programme of reform to end unfair practices in the leasehold market.</p><p>Whilst the cost of a lease extension will vary depending on a number of factors including the time remaining on the existing lease, under the current system too many leaseholders find the process for extending their lease or buying their freehold (a process known as enfranchisement) too complex, lacking transparency and prohibitively expensive.</p><p>We will reform the process of enfranchisement valuation that leaseholders must follow to calculate the cost of extending their lease or buying their freehold. The Government will abolish marriage value, cap the treatment of ground rents at 0.1% of the freehold value, and prescribe rates for the calculations at market value. The Government will also introduce an online calculator, further simplifying the process for leaseholders and ensuring standardisation and fairness for all those looking to enfranchise. These changes to the enfranchisement valuation process will result in substantial savings for some leaseholders, particularly those with less than 80 years left on their lease. Our reforms to enfranchisement valuation also ensure that sufficient compensation is paid to landlords to reflect their legitimate property interests.</p><p>We will translate these measures into law as soon as possible, starting with legislation to set ground rents on newly created leases to zero in the upcoming session. This will be the first part of major two-part legislation to implement leasehold and Commonhold reforms in this Parliament.</p> answering member constituency Walsall North answering member printed Eddie Hughes question first answered 19/04/2021 16:53:19 answering member 4635 label Biography information for Eddie Hughes
	tabling member	4820 label Biography information for Abena Oppong-Asare

1254457

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Housing: Construction
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how the drop off rate between permissions and completions will be calculated in the new standard method for assessing local housing need as part of the Government's proposed changes to the current planning system.
	tabling member constituency	Gravesham
	tabling member printed	Adam Holloway
	uin	119193
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2020 answer text <p>We committed to reviewing the current formula for local housing need at this year’s budget and the proposals were out for consultation from 6 August until 1 October 2020.</p><p>Not all homes that are planned for are built, and the consultation noted that there is a drop off rate between permissions and completions. As part of the <em>Planning for the Future consultation, </em>we confirmed we will explore further options to support faster build out, as we develop our proposals for the new planning system.</p><p>Following consideration of the consultation responses received, the Government will publish a response. The response will set out any decisions and any associated proposed implementation.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 30/11/2020 17:52:54 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
	tabling member	1522 label Biography information for Adam Holloway

1254458

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Housing: Construction
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason the new standard method for assessing local housing need uses a house price to workplace-based earnings ratio rather than a house price to residence-based earnings ratio.
	tabling member constituency	Gravesham
	tabling member printed	Adam Holloway
	uin	119194
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2020 answer text <p>The consultation on changes to the current planning system set out the elements we want to balance when determining local housing need, including meeting our target of building 300,000 homes, tackling affordability challenges in the places people most want to live, regenerating brownfield sites, and renewing and levelling up our towns and cities. <br> <br> The affordability adjustment used in the proposed standard method is based on the median house price to workplace-based earnings ratio, published annually by the Office for National Statistics. The house price to workplace-based earnings ratio compares the median salary earned in a local authority against the median house price in that same authority area. We have consulted on each element of the indicative formula, including affordability, and are considering carefully how they work together to achieve an appropriate distribution. <br> <br> The proposals were out for consultation until 1 October 2020. Following consideration of the consultation responses received, the Government will publish a response.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher grouped question UIN 119195 question first answered 01/12/2020 17:40:21 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
	tabling member	1522 label Biography information for Adam Holloway

1254459

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Housing: Construction
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment he has made of the effect of using a (a) house price to workplace-based earnings ratio and (b) house price to residence-based earnings ratio on the assessed local housing need of towns where people commute to work in nearby cities.
	tabling member constituency	Gravesham
	tabling member printed	Adam Holloway
	uin	119195
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2020 answer text <p>The consultation on changes to the current planning system set out the elements we want to balance when determining local housing need, including meeting our target of building 300,000 homes, tackling affordability challenges in the places people most want to live, regenerating brownfield sites, and renewing and levelling up our towns and cities. <br> <br> The affordability adjustment used in the proposed standard method is based on the median house price to workplace-based earnings ratio, published annually by the Office for National Statistics. The house price to workplace-based earnings ratio compares the median salary earned in a local authority against the median house price in that same authority area. We have consulted on each element of the indicative formula, including affordability, and are considering carefully how they work together to achieve an appropriate distribution. <br> <br> The proposals were out for consultation until 1 October 2020. Following consideration of the consultation responses received, the Government will publish a response.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher grouped question UIN 119194 question first answered 01/12/2020 17:40:21 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
	tabling member	1522 label Biography information for Adam Holloway

1195145

	registered interest
	date	12/05/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Weddings: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to support small and medium-sized businesses operating in the wedding industry sector during the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
	tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
	uin	46157
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2020 answer text <p>The Government has announced a package of support for businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. In particular, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been working across Government to provide £12.33 billion of grant funding to help small and rural businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors manage their cash-flow through this period.</p><p>This support has taken the form of two grant funding schemes, the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).</p><p>All businesses with a property that on 11 March 2020 were eligible for Small Business Rate Relief Scheme or those which on 11 March 2020 were eligible for relief under the Rural Rates Relief Scheme will be eligible for a payment of £10,000 under the SBGF.</p><p>Businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for the following cash grants per property:</p><ul><li>Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of up to and including £15,000 will receive a grant of £10,000;</li><li>Eligible businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a grant of £25,000.</li></ul><p>In addition, on 1 May, the Business Secretary announced that up to £617 million is being made available to Local Authorities in England under the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund (LADGF). This is up to an additional 5 per cent uplift to the £12.33 billion funding previously announced for the SBGF and the RHLGF.</p><p>The LADGF is aimed at small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs but not liable for business rates or rates reliefs. Businesses already in receipt of the Small Business grant, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure grant or Self-employed Income Support Scheme payment are not eligible.</p><p>We are asking local authorities to prioritise the following types of businesses for grants from within this funding pot:</p><ul><li>Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible work spaces. Examples could include units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment;</li><li>Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment;</li><li>Bed &amp; Breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and</li><li>Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.</li></ul><p>Local authorities are responsible for defining precise eligibility for this fund and may choose to make payments to other businesses based on local economic need, subject to those businesses meeting the specific eligibility criteria.</p><p>Guidance, intended to support local authorities in administering the Discretionary Grants Fund, was published 13 May.</p><p>Guidance is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-business-support-grant-funding" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-business-support-grant-funding.</a></p><p>This will not replace existing guidance for the SBGF or the RHLGF.</p><p>Guidance here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-grant-funding-guidance-for-businesses" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-grant-funding-guidance-for-businesses</a></p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 21/05/2020 08:29:03 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
	tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1196288

	registered interest
	date	15/05/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept id	7
	answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
	hansard heading	Homelessness: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether funding for the Everyone In initiative will continue for the duration of the covid-19 outbreak.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
	tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
	uin	47445
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2020 answer text <p>We have been clear councils must continue to provide safe accommodation for those that need it.</p><p>The latest figures show over 90 per cent of rough sleepers known to councils at the beginning of this crisis have now been made offers of safe accommodation and we have announced Dame Louise Casey will spearhead the next phase of the government’s support for rough sleepers during the pandemic.</p><p>While councils continue to provide accommodation to those that need it, it is only responsible that we work with partners to ensure rough sleepers can move into long-term, safe accommodation once the immediate crisis is over.</p><p>£3.2 billion of additional Government funding has now been made available to help councils respond to coronavirus, including meeting the costs of accommodating some of the most vulnerable people in our society. This is in addition to £3.2 million specifically targeted to help rough sleepers during the coronavirus emergency and the £489 million committed in 2020 to 2021 to help rough sleepers, a £121 million increase in funding from the previous year.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 47446 question first answered 20/05/2020 11:40:34 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan