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1491201

registered interest
date	20/07/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what advice his Department provides to leaseholders living in blocks where lenders require an EWS1 certificate to progress a sale but freeholders refuse to apply for such a certificate.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	40740
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/09/2022 answer text <p>An EWS1 form is used as a valuation tool to inform lenders of financial risk. The Building Safety Act introduced clarity on liabilities for making buildings safe and financial protections for leaseholders. As a result, on July 15<sup>th</sup> the largest mortgage lenders confirmed that, subject to their normal policy requirements, they will be able to lend on any property that is part of a developer or government remediation scheme or properties that are protected by the new statutory protections, as evidenced by a qualifying lease certificate. This statement can be found <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ukfinance.org.uk%2Fpolicy-and-guidance%2Fguidance%2Fstatement-industry-support-leaseholder-protections-within-building&amp;data=05%7C01%7CBSP_PQ%40levellingup.gov.uk%7C57b1e53e67c54d08933808da6bc4b6eb%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637940789859711382%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=aUNifeefBmssFRWaXFks4P5XGNA6pyWeiJ88NdUI97o%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>Qualifying leaseholders will no longer face bills to remediate unsafe cladding systems on their building, removing financial risk. We are working with the industry to quickly operationalise these changes and expect the challenges faced by those struggling to buy and sell, including the need to access EWS1 forms, will be eased.</p><p>Leaseholders should complete the deed of certificate in the Leaseholder Information Regulations to demonstrate they own a qualifying lease and benefit from the protections. Further guidance for leaseholders on the leaseholder protections and completing the certificates has been published by the Department <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fguidance%2Fbuilding-safety-leaseholder-protections-guidance-for-leaseholders&amp;data=05%7C01%7CBSP_PQ%40levellingup.gov.uk%7C57b1e53e67c54d08933808da6bc4b6eb%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637940789859711382%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ScmGcZ1JyLES%2BQsVSIKYUiKI1OQljaMBhzXv062D1jY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> answering member constituency Walsall North answering member printed Eddie Hughes question first answered 05/09/2022 14:29:45 answering member 4635 label Biography information for Eddie Hughes
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1490533

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Scotfield Group: Leeds
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has had discussions with Scotfield Ltd about unsafe cladding at the Gateway Building in Leeds.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	39764
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2022 answer text <p>The department has not held discussions with Scotfield Ltd about unsafe cladding at The Gateway Building in Leeds. The Government is providing £5.1 billion, including £4.5 billion from the Building Safety Fund, to address the fire safety risks caused by unsafe cladding on high-rise residential buildings.</p><p>The Gateway Building has applied to the Building Safety Fund and has been allocated £1.9 million upfront funding for pre-tender support to help get the remediation project out-to-tender. The overall expected cost of the remediation project at the Gateway Building to be funded by the Building Safety Fund is estimated at £16 million.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 27/07/2022 12:37:47 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1490537

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Housing Associations: Service Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the reasonableness and value for money of service charges levied by housing associations on their tenants.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	39765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2022 answer text <p>The Government believes very strongly that service charges should be transparent and communicated effectively. The way a service charge is organised (for example, what it covers and how it is worked out) is set out in the lease or tenancy agreement. The law is clear that variable service charges must be reasonable and, where costs relate to work or services, the work or services must be of a reasonable standard. The Government believes that there should be a clear route to challenge or redress if things go wrong.</p><p>The Government’s policy statement on rents for social housing (published in February 2019) encourages registered providers of social housing to keep increases for services charges in line with inflation, within CPI+1% per annum, to help keep charges affordable. It also states that tenants should be supplied with clear information on how service charges are set, and in the case of social rent properties, providers are expected to identify service charges separately from the rent charge.</p><p>The Regulator of Social Housing’s Rent Standard says that registered providers must comply with all the requirements and expectations of the Government’s Rent Policy Statement on the setting, increase and decrease of rents and service charges.</p> answering member constituency Nuneaton answering member printed Mr Marcus Jones question first answered 26/07/2022 12:25:01 answering member 4024 label Biography information for Mr Marcus Jones
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1490540

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fossil Fuels: Exploration
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Shell's proposal to commence seismic blasting on the Wild Coast of South Africa on (a) whales and (b) other marine life in that area.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	39766
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2022 answer text <p>The issue of seismic exploration off the east coast of South Africa is before the judiciary in South Africa. The UK will continue to track developments.</p> answering member constituency St Austell and Newquay answering member printed Steve Double question first answered 27/07/2022 17:12:27 answering member 4452 label Biography information for Steve Double
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1490542

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Applications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of applications for British passports that have been (a) replacements for existing passports and (b) applications for first time passports over the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	39767
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2022 answer text <p>Applications for a first passport typically represent 10-15% of the passport applications processed by Her Majesty’s Passport Office.</p><p>Since April 2021, people have been advised to allow up to ten weeks when applying for their British passport from the UK. This includes all application types, including first time applications. Across the first 6 months of 2022 HMPO processed 97.7% of UK standard applications within 10 weeks.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 27/07/2022 14:41:00 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1490543

registered interest
date	19/07/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Numed Healthcare: Medical Equipment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2022 to Question 11557 on Numed Healthcare: Medical Equipment, whether NHS Supply Chain has received communication from Numed Inc Products’ United Kingdom distributor as of 19 July 2022.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	39768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/07/2022 answer text <p>NHS Supply Chain has received routine communication from NuMED Inc Products’ United Kingdom distributor.</p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Maria Caulfield question first answered 28/07/2022 15:35:08 answering member 4492 label Biography information for Maria Caulfield
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1490305

registered interest
date	18/07/2022
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Uzbekistan: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of recent events in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	38507
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2022 answer text <p>The UK is saddened by the loss of life that occurred during recent events in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. We understand that initially peaceful protests against plans to change Karakalpakstan's autonomous status within Uzbekistan developed into violent unrest with casualties among civilians and law enforcement personnel. The situation now seems calm. The Uzbek authorities have announced an official investigation, involving Parliament and civil society.</p><p>On 7 July, Lord Ahmad raised the unrest in Karakalpakstan with the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister and the British Ambassador and his team in Tashkent are also in contact with the Uzbek authorities. We have been clear in our communications that the right to peaceful protest and respect for media freedom should be protected. In discussion of these events in multilateral fora, we urged the Uzbek authorities to adhere to their international commitments and due process, as they seek to understand what happened. We will continue to monitor developments closely.</p> answering member constituency Cannock Chase answering member printed Amanda Milling question first answered 26/07/2022 12:38:15 answering member 4454 label Biography information for Dame Amanda Milling
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1489539

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Darfur: Violence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made a recent assessment of the impact of violence in Darfur on the Massaleit community.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	37444
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>The ongoing violence and destruction in West Darfur is very troubling. We issued a statement on 25 April, setting out our concerns and the need for the Sudanese authorities to deliver their responsibilities to protect civilians. We underscored the importance of an independent investigation into the violence at the UN Security Council (UNSC) on 27 April and helped to secure a UNSC statement condemning the violence on 29 April. We are in working with the UN to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected and have urged the military to allow humanitarian aid to flow without hindrance. We have raised our concerns over violence in Darfur with the Sudanese authorities, most recently during a visit to Khartoum by the UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan on 25-28 June. We will continue to raise these concerns, to press the Sudanese authorities to deliver their obligation to protect civilians, and push for accountability for any crimes committed.</p><p>The fragile security situation across Sudan has been exacerbated by the political crisis since the military coup on 25 October. We are therefore pushing all political actors to engage in dialogue and return to a civilian-led government. We are also calling for the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) and progress in wider peace talks.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 21/07/2022 15:18:40 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1489562

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Repatriation: Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of (a) British citizens and (b) accompanying family members who have travelled to the UK directly from Kabul since 1 September 2021.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	37445
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2022 answer text <p>Given the situation in Afghanistan at this time there is no directly travel link between Kabul and the UK.</p><p>Any travel to the UK from Afghanistan will involve making a journey to a neighbouring country from which direct travel links to the UK operate.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 11/08/2022 15:31:55 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1487993

registered interest
date	11/07/2022
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Electric Vehicles: Charging Points
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the location of electric meters in block of flats on the ability of residents to connect to smart meters and charge electric vehicles.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	33712
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2022 answer text <p>Energy suppliers are working together on solutions to extend the range of the smart meter Home Area Network. Energy suppliers are now rolling out a new type of communications hub which can operate on different frequencies and therefore serve many previously hard to reach flats and tower blocks.</p><p><br> Legislation came into force on the 15<sup>th</sup> June 2022 which requires all new homes and buildings in England, including blocks of flats, and those undergoing major renovation, with associated parking to install a charge point. These requirements provide best value for money by avoiding more costly retrofitting in the future.</p> answering member constituency Chelsea and Fulham answering member printed Greg Hands question first answered 14/07/2022 15:23:43 answering member 1526 label Biography information for Greg Hands
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn