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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

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

48155

	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, what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables.
	tabling member constituency	Wokingham
	tabling member printed	Mr John Redwood
	uin	196199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My Department does not routinely record this information in the format requested. However, this Administration has cut spending significantly on office supplies, cutting expenditure from £480,180 (inc VAT) in 2009-10 to £73,738 in 2013-14.</p><p>In 2010, we conducted an internal review of the Department's spend on office supplies which highlighted several opportunities to achieve savings. A rationalised list of stationery items was created which:</p><p>· reduced the available catalogue of items from around 3,500 to approximately 220;</p><p>· replaced higher value branded items, with non-branded equivalents; and</p><p>· adopted recycled printer toners and copier paper.</p><p>Significant savings were also achieved by aggregating the spend of all Departments and awarding a single Cabinet Office contract for stationery items and one for electronic office supplies (printer toners and other consumables). These contracts were awarded in September 2011 and DCLG were among the first departments to adopt them in November 2011.</p><p>As part of our planned move of office accommodation this summer (to share with the Home Office to save taxpayers' money), stationery across the department will be surrendered and pooled, with the potential to save money by not ordering items locally and preventing a build-up of surplus stationery stock.</p><p>I hope this illustrates how every bit of the public sector has the potential to deliver sensible savings on back office costs.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 30/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	14 label Biography information for Sir John Redwood

48941

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, how many (a) improvement notices in accordance with section 11, (b) prohibition orders in accordance with section 20, (c) hazard awareness notices in accordance with section 28 and (d) emergency remedial actions under section 40 or emergency prohibition orders under section 43 of the Housing Act 2004 have been issued by local authorities in England following the discovery of a category 1 hazard during a housing health and safety rating system inspection in the private rented sector in the last year.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	197159
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>This information is not held centrally.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

48942

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, how many households in the private rented sector were evicted under section 8 of the Housing Act 2004 in the last year for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	197160
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Department does not hold the requested data.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

48943

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, how many complaints have been received by the Housing Ombudsman service in the latest year for which figures are available.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	197131
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>In 2012-13, the Independent Housing Ombudsman received 3,657 enquiries and 6,391 formal complaints. In that year, 543 complaints resulted in a determination decision following a formal intervention.</p><p>I would note that, as of March 2013, the Ombudsman's remit covered 2,123 landlords, representing 2.9 millions housing units<em>.</em></p><p><em>Source:</em><em>Independent Housing Ombudsman Limited Annual report and Financial Statements 2012-13'</em></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

48944

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, how many households are housed by local authorities in the private rented sector on (a) two year long contracts, (b) three year long contracts and (c) contracts longer than three years.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	197126
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>This information is not held centrally.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

49132

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, how many tenancy relations officers are currently employed by each local authority.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	197199
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>This information in not centrally held.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Kris Hopkins question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4043 label Biography information for Kris Hopkins
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

49133

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2014
	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, how many environmental health officers are currently employed by each local authority.
	tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
	tabling member printed	Tim Farron
	uin	197200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Department does not collect detailed information on the staff roles employed by local authorities.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Great Yarmouth answering member printed Brandon Lewis question first answered 07/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4009 label Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis
	tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron