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45206

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of wind turbine developers using the Community Right to Build scheme to circumvent the local planning process.
	tabling member constituency	York Outer
	tabling member printed	Julian Sturdy
	uin	193840
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Community Right to Build allows local communities to undertake small-scale, site-specific, community-led developments. It may only be used by community organisations in which local people in the relevant neighbourhood area have a majority of the voting rights and have the majority on the board of directors or governing body of the organisation, and, include different people from at least 10 different addresses within the area. This means the Community Right to Build cannot be used by property developers, including wind turbine developers, to gain planning permission for their development proposal - unless that development is something that the community wishes to see and which the community initiates.</p><p>Proposals that require an Environmental Impact Assessment or are likely to have significant effects on a site protected under the Habitats Regulations are not eligible to use the Community Right to Build. Where proposals are eligible they will be tested by an independent examiner to see that they are appropriate in the light of national planning policy and generally conform with the strategic policies of the Local Plan for the area and any neighbourhood plans that are in force.</p><p>The National Planning Policy Framework is very clear that local councils should design their policies to ensure the adverse impacts of renewable energy developments are addressed satisfactorily. To help implement the environmental balance expected by the Framework, we issued new planning practice guidance for renewable and low carbon energy last July. The guidance makes clear that the need for renewable energy does not automatically override environmental protections and the planning concerns of local communities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	4079 label Biography information for Julian Sturdy

64465

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2014
	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	Local Government Finance: York
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much funding his Department allocated to City of York Council for (a) local authority supported capital expenditure in housing stock and (b) major repairs allowance in each year since 2009-10.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Hugh Bayley
	uin	202842
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The information requested is as follows:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Major Repairs Allowance</p><p>(£)</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>5,127,440</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>5,242,423</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>5,185,387</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>5,266,485</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The local authority received £1 million in Supported Capital Expenditure (Revenue) in both 2009-10 and 2010-11.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Following our reform and decentralisation of the Housing Revenue Account in April 2012, the system has fundamentally changed and no longer operates in that manner outlined in the Hon Member’s question. Councils now manage their housing stock without annual payments to or from central government. They now keep their rental income and use it to fund their housing stock (called ‘self-financing’).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In 2012, the move to self-financing included a one-off settlement payment to, or from, each council, giving each a level of debt it can support, based on a valuation of its council housing stock. Where the valuation was lower than the amount of housing debt supported through the Housing Revenue Account subsidy system, the government paid off the difference. Where the valuation was higher than the debt supported by the Housing Revenue Account subsidy, the council paid the difference to the government.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These payments were based on a valuation of each council’s stock, using a 30-year discounted cash flow model of income and expenditure. The costs in the model assumed that councils will need to spend on average 15 per cent more on managing, maintaining and repairing their stock than was assumed under the subsidy system. The self-financing settlement took into account an assessment of local authorities’ needs, including major repairs.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>These reforms have given councils the resources, incentives and flexibility they need to manage their own housing stock for the long term and to improve quality and efficiency, and they have also provided a clearer relationship between the rent a landlord collects and the services they provide.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 01/09/2014 14:30:14 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	385 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Bayley

90573

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2014
	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	Social Rented Housing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what change there has been in the level of arrears in the social housing sector since April 2013.
	tabling member constituency	Wythenshawe and Sale East
	tabling member printed	Mike Kane
	uin	207989
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2014 answer text <p>The Global Accounts of Housing Providers, published by the Homes and Communities Agency, has estimated that rent arrears were 5.1% in 2009-10, 5.1% in 2010-11, 4.8% in 2011-12 and 4.8% in 2012-13. These figures are for private registered providers of social housing (primarily housing associations). Data for 2013-14 will be available in Spring 2015.</p><p> </p><p>My Department does not centrally hold arrears information on individual housing associations. Figures on local authority social housing rent arrears can be found on my Department’s website at:<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-housing-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-housing-data</a> (for up to 2012-13).</p><p> </p><p>The Homes and Communities Agency also publishes quarterly reports based on a survey of larger providers. This reported that rent arrears were 4% at the end of 2013-14. Their latest report states: “Most providers (91%) continue to report that the current level of arrears, rent collection and voids are within or outperforming their business plans” (<em>Quarterly Survey of Private Registered Providers 2014-15, Quarter 1</em>); the reports paint a broad picture of stability in income collection.</p><p> </p><p>In this context, the claims previously made by HM Opposition about the effects of the removal of the spare room subsidy were unfounded. The removal of the spare room subsidy is estimated to save £490 million of taxpayers' money in Great Britain in 2013-14, reducing the housing benefit bill and helping pay off the budget deficit left by the last Administration. The measure also encourages the more effective use of social housing, by addressing the under-occupation of family homes.</p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis grouped question UIN 207915 208072 question first answered 18/09/2014 16:22:54 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4316 label Biography information for Mike Kane

62586

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2014
	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	Lancashire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to review the boundaries of the county of Lancashire.
	tabling member constituency	Wyre and Preston North
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Wallace
	uin	201272
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>It is not possible to make changes to county areas other than as a consequence of local government structural or boundary changes recommended by the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England. We have no intention of seeking such change. We are however keen to recognise and acknowledge the continuing role of England's traditional counties in the public and cultural life of the nation and the Government has sought to encourage the marking and continued use of traditional county names and areas irrespective of current tiers of local administration.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 24/06/2014 11:41:55 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	1539 label Biography information for Mr Ben Wallace

63582

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2014
	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	Wind Power: Planning Permission
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will amend paragraph 98 of the National Planning Policy Framework to require applicants for onshore wind energy developments to demonstrate an overall national need for renewable energy.
	tabling member constituency	Wyre and Preston North
	tabling member printed	Mr Ben Wallace
	uin	202034
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Inappropriately sited wind turbines can cause significant harm to the local environment. Hence, last year, we changed planning guidance to strengthen the protection of landscape and heritage in relation to onshore wind.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Looking forward, we are keeping planning policy on renewable energy under review and will consider whether any further steps are appropriate in the light of this monitoring. We are open to representations.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 03/07/2014 15:16:47 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1539 label Biography information for Mr Ben Wallace

48169

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will direct the Leasehold Advisory Service to co-operate with the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and the Campaign Against Retirement Leasehold Exploitation on providing advice to leaseholders.
	tabling member constituency	Worthing West
	tabling member printed	Sir Peter Bottomley
	uin	196396
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My hon. Friend raises a serious matter. In July 2013, Mr Benjamin Mire resigned from his (part-time) judicial post on the Southern Residential Property Tribunal following a conduct investigation by the Ministry of Justice, but prior to the conclusion of the formal disciplinary process.</p><p>Mr Mire is Chief Executive of Trust Property Management, a firm of chartered surveyors and managing agents. The issue raised is whether this company should continue to be advertised on LEASE's (the Leasehold Advisory Service) practitioners' list.</p><p>The practitioner list is not meant to be a fully comprehensive list, nor does inclusion constitute a recommendation by LEASE. Firms pay a fee to be entered on the list and sign a contract accordingly.</p><p>In considering a recent complaint on this issue, LEASE undertook a careful review of their terms and conditions in relation to inclusion in their professional directory. This has resulted in amendments being made, and revised terms and conditions have been published on their website.</p><p>The revised terms and conditions give LEASE the right to temporarily remove an organisation's directory information from the directory if a complaint is received from a third party relating to the organisation or its listing. They also give LEASE the right to terminate the contract with immediate effect by giving written notice if a number of conditions are not met, these include:-</p><p><em>“The inclusion of the organisation's directory information on the directory conflicts with LEASE Conferences Ltd or the Leasehold Advisory Service's purposes, objectives or obligations or brings LEASE into disrepute or there is a risk (in our reasonable opinion) of any such conflict or bringing into disrepute.”</em></p><p>If Trust Property Management does not meet the new terms and conditions when their contract for inclusion in the directory is due for renewal in July, then they will be removed, as will any other organisation which similarly does not meet the revised terms and conditions.</p><p>Whilst I appreciate that this may not be as quick a step as my hon. Friend would wish, moving forward, I hope these actions taken will in due course ensure the continued integrity of the practitioners' list. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend if he wishes to discuss this further.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 196397 question first answered 08/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	117 label Biography information for Sir Peter Bottomley

48170

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will direct the Leasehold Advisory Service to cease carrying advertising for or links to the services of Benjamin Mire or Trust Property Management.
	tabling member constituency	Worthing West
	tabling member printed	Sir Peter Bottomley
	uin	196397
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My hon. Friend raises a serious matter. In July 2013, Mr Benjamin Mire resigned from his (part-time) judicial post on the Southern Residential Property Tribunal following a conduct investigation by the Ministry of Justice, but prior to the conclusion of the formal disciplinary process.</p><p>Mr Mire is Chief Executive of Trust Property Management, a firm of chartered surveyors and managing agents. The issue raised is whether this company should continue to be advertised on LEASE's (the Leasehold Advisory Service) practitioners' list.</p><p>The practitioner list is not meant to be a fully comprehensive list, nor does inclusion constitute a recommendation by LEASE. Firms pay a fee to be entered on the list and sign a contract accordingly.</p><p>In considering a recent complaint on this issue, LEASE undertook a careful review of their terms and conditions in relation to inclusion in their professional directory. This has resulted in amendments being made, and revised terms and conditions have been published on their website.</p><p>The revised terms and conditions give LEASE the right to temporarily remove an organisation's directory information from the directory if a complaint is received from a third party relating to the organisation or its listing. They also give LEASE the right to terminate the contract with immediate effect by giving written notice if a number of conditions are not met, these include:-</p><p><em>“The inclusion of the organisation's directory information on the directory conflicts with LEASE Conferences Ltd or the Leasehold Advisory Service's purposes, objectives or obligations or brings LEASE into disrepute or there is a risk (in our reasonable opinion) of any such conflict or bringing into disrepute.”</em></p><p>If Trust Property Management does not meet the new terms and conditions when their contract for inclusion in the directory is due for renewal in July, then they will be removed, as will any other organisation which similarly does not meet the revised terms and conditions.</p><p>Whilst I appreciate that this may not be as quick a step as my hon. Friend would wish, moving forward, I hope these actions taken will in due course ensure the continued integrity of the practitioners' list. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend if he wishes to discuss this further.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins grouped question UIN 196396 question first answered 08/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	117 label Biography information for Sir Peter Bottomley

48171

	registered interest
	date	10/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he expects to appoint a new chariman to the Leasehold Advisory Service.
	tabling member constituency	Worthing West
	tabling member printed	Sir Peter Bottomley
	uin	196398
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Consideration will be given to the position of Chairman of the Leasehold Advisory Service later this year, when the current term of office is due to end.</p><p>This will be carried out in line with the Code of Practice for Ministerial appointments to Public Bodies published by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 13/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	117 label Biography information for Sir Peter Bottomley

47914

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2014
	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	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on reducing the number of empty homes in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) the West Midlands, (d) Worcestershire and (e) Worcester.
	tabling member constituency	Worcester
	tabling member printed	Mr Robin Walker
	uin	196072
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Under this Government, the number of empty homes in England has fallen to a 10 year low. The number of long-term empty homes has fallen by around a third from October 2009 to October 2013, and the overall number of empty homes has fallen by arounda fifth over the same period.</p><p>There is more to do, yet we have a comprehensive series of policies to get empty buildings back into use and promote brownfield regeneration, as outlined in the answer of 3 April 2014, <em>Official Report</em>, Column 780W.</p><p>Local authority figures are published on my department's website, at live table 615:</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants</a></p><p>Statistics on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are published by the devolved administrations. My Department does not publish regional statistics.</p><p>The number of vacant dwellings and long-term vacant dwellings, for Worcester, Worcestershire and England, are shown in Tables 1 and 2.</p><p>Table 1: All vacant dwellings, Worcester Local Authority District, Worcestershire and England, 5 Oct 2009 to 7 Oct 2013</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>5 Oct 2009</p></td><td><p>4 Oct 2010</p></td><td><p>3 Oct 2011</p></td><td><p>1 Oct 2012</p></td><td><p>7 Oct 2013</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Worcester</p></td><td><p>1,348</p></td><td><p>1,216</p></td><td><p>1,261</p></td><td><p>1,369</p></td><td><p>1,214</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Worcestershire</p></td><td><p>7,298</p></td><td><p>7,103</p></td><td><p>6,983</p></td><td><p>6,960</p></td><td><p>6,406</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>770,496</p></td><td><p>737,147</p></td><td><p>719,352</p></td><td><p>704,357</p></td><td><p>635,127</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Table 2: All long-term vacant dwellings, Worcester Local Authority District, Worcestershire and England, 5 Oct 2009 to 7 Oct 2013</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>5 Oct 2009</p></td><td><p>4 Oct 2010</p></td><td><p>3 Oct 2011</p></td><td><p>1 Oct 2012</p></td><td><p>7 Oct 2013</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Worcester</p></td><td><p>579</p></td><td><p>382</p></td><td><p>428</p></td><td><p>476</p></td><td><p>355</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Worcestershire</p></td><td><p>3,165</p></td><td><p>2,627</p></td><td><p>2,475</p></td><td><p>2,449</p></td><td><p>1,826</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>316,251</p></td><td><p>299,999</p></td><td><p>277,529</p></td><td><p>254,059</p></td><td><p>216,050</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><sup> </sup></p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 30/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
	tabling member	4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker

79306

	registered interest
	date	22/07/2014
	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	First Time Buyers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many first-time buyers have (a) bought properties in Worcester and (b) been helped by the help-to-buy scheme to purchase properties in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Worcester
	tabling member printed	Mr Robin Walker
	uin	206968
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is committed to supporting people’s aspirations to own their own home.</p><p> </p><p>The Department does not collate statistics on the total number of first-time buyers at local authority level.</p><p> </p><p>The Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme has been running for 17 months. The Department’s official statistics on sales for the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme, to 31 August 2014, broken down by local authority for England, are available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/help-to-buy-equity-loan-scheme-monthly-statistics" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/help-to-buy-equity-loan-scheme-monthly-statistics</a>. In Worcester, the number of families buying a home with the support of the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme, as of 31 August 2014, was 79, of which 59 (75 per cent) were bought by first-time buyers.</p><p>The Government does not collect statistics for first-time buyers under Help to Buy: NewBuy. The latest official statistics, to 30 June 2014, are available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338725/20140731_Help_to_Buy_Equity_Loan_and_Help_to_Buy_NewBuy_statistical_release.pdf" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338725/20140731_Help_to_Buy_Equity_Loan_and_Help_to_Buy_NewBuy_statistical_release.pdf</a>. There have been 7 sales in Worcester local authority until that point.</p><p>The Help to Buy: Mortgage Guarantee scheme is managed by HM Treasury and has been running for 12 months. Figures are currently available only for sales during the first nine months of the scheme, to 30 June 2014. There have been 39 sales in Worcester local authority until that point. The latest data is available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/help-to-buy-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-quarterly-statistics-october-2013-to-june-2014" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/statistics/help-to-buy-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-quarterly-statistics-october-2013-to-june-2014</a>. This includes total numbers of sales at individual local authority level (Table 7) and UK-wide figures for the number of first-time buyers (Table 6).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 09/10/2014 14:49:13 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker