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 question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1226135

registered interest
date	20/07/2020
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	Religious Buildings: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	Whether his Department plans to provide financial support to (a) places of worship and (b) faith organisations to help them to reopen safely as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	904965
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>I am very grateful to faith leaders across the country for the leadership they have shown on behalf of their communities during this crisis.</p><p>I am also grateful to the Places of Worship Taskforce, which met again last week, and which has been extremely productive. There are still issues we are working through together, including music for services and singing.</p><p>As of the 4<sup>th</sup> of July, places of worship were allowed to re-open with social distancing in place. Today they are able to hold services, or lead communal worship, and important events in the lives of their communities, such as weddings and funerals. Faith organisations have been able to apply for a range of Government-backed financial packages which support charities and businesses.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 20/07/2020 16:24:46 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1225988

registered interest
date	17/07/2020
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	Multiple Occupation: Regulation
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 recent assessment he has made of the ability of local government to regulate houses in multiple occupation (HMO); and if his Department will undertake a review of HMO planning regulations.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	76037
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>Local authorities have strong powers to regulate houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). These include mandatory, additional and selective licensing as well as civil penalties of up to £30,000, rent repayment orders and banning orders for those landlords who refuse to comply with the law.</p><p>Change of use from a dwellinghouse to a larger HMO housing more than six people always requires an application for planning permission. Nationally set permitted development rights allow a dwellinghouse to change use to a HMO for up to six people who share facilities, without the need for a planning application. This enables the change of use without placing unnecessary burdens on landlords and local planning authorities and we have no current plans to change this.</p><p>Where there is sufficient evidence that it is necessary to protect local amenity or the well-being of the area, a local planning authority may withdraw a permitted development right in a specific area using an Article 4 direction under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, after consultation with the local community.</p><p>The Department currently has no plans to review HMO planning regulations.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 22/07/2020 16:33:27 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1226009

registered interest
date	17/07/2020
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	Business Premises: Rents
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 his Department has to support commercial tenants with rent arrears, who are otherwise running a viable business, when the moratorium on evictions is lifted as covid-19 restrictions are eased.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Sarah Olney
uin	76084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>As you know the Government extended the commercial tenant protections until the 30 September, and we are currently reviewing what actions need to be taken after this date to ensure that landlords and tenants work together to protect viable businesses in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. We will announce our plans in due course.</p><p>On 19 June, we published a code of practice to encourage commercial tenants and landlords to help commercial landlords and tenants map out plans for economic recovery during the Coronavirus pandemic.</p><p>Developed in close collaboration between government and leaders from the sector, the code is designed to provide clarity for businesses when discussing rental payments and to encourage best practice so that every part of the chain is supported.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 24/07/2020 13:46:12 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4591 label Biography information for Sarah Olney

1225274

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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	Energy Performance Certificates
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 many and what proportion of dwellings have a valid Energy Performance Certificate.
tabling member constituency	North East Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	74785
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>On 31 March 2020, the published quarterly statistics recorded a total of 20,485,644 Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) for dwellings in England and Wales. This information is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings-certificates" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings-certificates</a></p><p>The published data may contain more than one EPC for a property where multiple assessments have been undertaken and no estimate has been made of the proportion of dwellings in England and Wales with a valid EPC.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 24/07/2020 13:42:14 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

1225275

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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	Energy Performance Certificates
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 many dwellings have a valid Energy Performance Certificate at each rating level in each local authority area as at 15 July 2020.
tabling member constituency	North East Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	74786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>On 30 April 2020, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published quarterly statistics which recorded a total of 20,485,644 Energy Performance Certificates for dwellings in England and Wales. Table LA1 gives a further breakdown of domestic Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for all dwellings in each local authority, by energy efficiency rating. This information is available at:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings-certificates" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings-certificates</a></p><p> </p><p>The current publication provides statistics up to the end of the first quarter of 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Subsequent statistical releases covering the second and third quarters of 2020 will be published at the end of July and October, respectively. These releases will be available via the same link as above.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 24/07/2020 13:49:11 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

1225276

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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	Energy Performance Certificates
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 estimate he has made of the average cost of upgrading a dwelling from Energy Performance Certificate (a) Band F to Band D, (b) Band E to Band D and (c) Band D to Band C.
tabling member constituency	North East Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	74787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>The department has not modelled estimates for the average cost of upgrading dwellings from Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band F to Band D, Band E to Band D and Band D to Band C.</p><p>The average notional cost for implementing all recommended energy efficiency measures in F or G band dwellings was £26,891.</p><p>The average notional cost for implementing all recommended energy efficiency measures in A to E band dwellings was £13,347.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 24/07/2020 13:49:23 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

1225570

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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
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 is putting in place to ensure that there is no increase in homelessness as a result of the reintroduction of late rent evictions.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	75317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government has taken unprecedented action to support renters during the pandemic. On 5 June we announced that the suspension of evictions from social or private rented accommodation had been extended by a further two months. This means that no action to evict a tenant will proceed before 24 August 2020.</p><p>We are supporting those at risk of homelessness, with an injection of over £6.5 billion into the welfare system. This includes increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents.</p><p>The Homelessness Reduction Act came into force in April 2018 and means more people are entitled to support than ever before. Local authorities and other public bodies must now work together to actively relieve people of their homelessness or prevent homelessness for people at risk, irrespective of whether they are a family or single person, the reason they are at risk, or if they have a local connection to the area. Acting earlier and for a broader range of people means more people will get the help they need before they face a homelessness crisis.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 24/07/2020 09:37:20 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery

1225572

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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, if he will prioritise the building of additional homes and additional homes that people on low incomes can afford to rent.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	75318
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>The Government is committed to increasing the supply of social housing and has made £9 billion available through the Affordable Homes Programme to March 2022 to deliver approximately 250,000 new affordable homes in a wide range of tenures, including Social Rent.</p><p>Building on this, we announced at Budget 2020 that we are investing £12 billion to build affordable homes between 2021/22 and 2025/26 and that this will deliver up to 180,000 affordable homes. This will be the biggest cash investment in affordable housing for a decade.</p><p>A mix of different tenures is vital to meet the needs of a wide range of people, and allow the sector to build the right homes in the right places. Alongside affordable home ownership to help those struggling to purchase their first home, our programme also offers affordable rent and social rent homes.</p><p>We will announce full details of the homes the programme will deliver in due course.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 24/07/2020 13:49:40 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery

1225573

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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
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 introduce longer minimum rental contracts to provide renters with more financial stability.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	75319
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>As announced in the Queen's Speech, the Government has committed to introduce a package of reforms to deliver a better deal for renters, and a fairer and more effective rental market. A Renters’ Reform Bill will enhance renters’ security and improve protections for tenants by abolishing ‘no-fault’ evictions.</p><p>The Government is committed to bringing forward legislation to abolish section 21 but such legislation must be balanced and considered to achieve the right outcomes for the sector. It is only right that providing tenants with greater security of tenure is balanced with an assurance that landlords are able to recover their properties where they have valid reasons to do so. This is vital to ensuring the future supply of good quality housing in the rented sector.</p><p>We will bring forward the Renters Reform Bill as a priority once the urgencies of responding to the pandemic have passed.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 24/07/2020 13:49:56 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery

1225574

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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: Repairs and Maintenance
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 his Department takes to ensure that landlords are obligated to carry out essential maintenance on private rented property in a timely manner.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	75320
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2020 answer text <p>Local authorities enforce standards in privately rented homes. If they identify health and safety hazards or poor conditions, they have strong powers to oblige landlords to remedy these. Local authorities can also carry out remedial works themselves in cases where hazards are very serious or where landlords do not comply with enforcement action. We strengthened these powers in 2016 when we introduced banning orders and the rogue landlord database and gave local authorities the power to impose financial penalties of up to £30,000.</p><p>We also supported the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which empowers tenants to take their landlords to court, and extended Rent Repayment Orders. And this month our Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations came into force, providing even more protection against poor conditions.</p><p>Of course, the Covid-19 outbreak has meant people are spending more time in their homes, so standards are more important than ever. That’s why we’ve written comprehensive, common-sense guidance for tenants, landlords and local authorities to help everyone ensure rented homes are safe as possible during this difficult time. We have also issued guidance on working safely in people's homes which landlords should take account of when carrying out maintenance work. We recommend that no repair or maintenance work should be carried out in any household which is self-isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless that work is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household. We expect local authorities to take a pragmatic approach to enforcement that ensures tenants are kept safe and landlords are supported.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 24/07/2020 13:50:19 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery