Local government has the flexibility to agree its own wages for staff and therefore ultimately decisions on wages will be for local authorities to make. Councils and their contractors must, of course, pay the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage. The package announced at Spending Review 2020 \u2013 including an estimated 4.5 per cent cash increase in core spending power \u2013 includes sufficient resources for them to do this.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4450", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Luke Hall"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Thornbury and Yate"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Luke Hall"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-08T15:20:12.01Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government: Pay"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the local authority spending power in the Spending Review 2020, whether (a) payment of the living wage and (b) the £250 minimum pay rise for lower paid staff employed (i) by the council and (ii) on council contracts including social care workers are accounted for in that figure.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/394", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Clive Betts"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield South East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Clive Betts"} ], "uin" : "124666"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258132", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258132/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Building Safety Fund will cover the removal and replacement of unsafe non-ACM cladding systems on private and social sector high-rise residential buildings over 18m where building owners would not otherwise be able to do so at the pace required.<\/p>
On May 26, Government announced the launch of the prospectus for the Building Safety Fund.\u202f\u202fThe prospectus sets out the buildings and non-ACM cladding systems that are eligible for funding. However, we do not expect Government funding to be the only means of remediating high-rise residential buildings with unsafe cladding systems.<\/p>
We expect a significant proportion of the remediation of unsafe non-ACM cladding on these buildings to be funded by those responsible for the original work, through warrantees or by building owners and landlords who are able to pay for the remediation without passing on costs to leaseholders.<\/p>
The department is investigating solutions to protect leaseholders, and will provide an update<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-08T17:53:09.423Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Insulation"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps he has taken to ensure that leaseholders do not bear the costs of remedial works when their managing agent or building owner is unsuccessful in their application for Building Safety Fund, in (a) Poplar and Limehouse constituency and (b) England.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4790", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Apsana Begum"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Apsana Begum"} ], "uin" : "124881"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258133", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258133/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to protect tenants from landlords that do not fulfil their legal obligations. The Housing Act 2004 gives powers to local authorities to regulate and enforce standards in the private rented sector. The Housing and Planning Act 2016 further introduced civil penalties of up to £30,000 and banning orders for use against the worst and most persistent offenders. Legislation also extended rent repayment orders which require a landlord to repay rent when they have not complied with the law.<\/p>
My Department has also created the database of rogue landlords and property agents and, as part of the Renters\u2019 Reform Bill, we have committed to widening access to the database to empower tenants to make more informed choices.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-08T17:43:34.487Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Landlords"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legislation in ensuring that enforcement action can be taken against landlords who do not fulfil their legal obligations to tenants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4790", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Apsana Begum"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Apsana Begum"} ], "uin" : "124882"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258140", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258140/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government keeps its policies on addressing hate crime under review and in doing so draws upon extensive existing research regarding the drivers of anti-Muslim hatred.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-08T17:29:17.723Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Islamophobia"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will commission independent research on the causes of Islamophobia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4790", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Apsana Begum"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Poplar and Limehouse"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Apsana Begum"} ], "uin" : "124888"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258155", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258155/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We understand how important it is to local communities that new housing development is supported by the provision of infrastructure. The\u202fproposal\u202fto create a new Infrastructure Levy,\u202fas set out in the\u202fPlanning for the Future<\/em>\u202fWhite Paper,\u202fwill\u202fsupport\u202fa more streamlined and accessible planning system. The new Levy will raise at least as much value as is currently captured through CIL and section 106 and\u202fwill continue to\u202fbe collected and spent at the local level, on priorities including infrastructure and affordable housing.<\/p> The consultation on the White Paper closed on 29 October. It is important that we analyse and scrutinise the consultation feedback thoroughly, and we will respond formally.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-08T17:54:33.163Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Construction"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking through the Planning White Paper to balance the building of new homes with the provision of sufficient infrastructure to support growing communities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/223", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Liam Fox"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Somerset"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Liam Fox"}
], "uin" : "124650"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258192", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258192/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government is fully committed to supporting the businesses and communities that make our high streets and town centres successful, particularly as the nation responds to the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak. Now more than ever, it is vital that we continue to help our local economies by supporting town centres and high streets, adapt and evolve.<\/p> High streets and town centres policy is a devolved matter. Government officials have worked and will continue to work closely with their counterparts in the devolved administrations on the response to Covid-19 and in the future.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4487", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rochester and Strood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kelly Tolhurst"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-08T17:29:46.233Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Retail Trade: Northern Ireland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing (a) directly and (b) to the Northern Ireland Executive to support Northern Ireland\u2019s high streets.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4846", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Colum Eastwood"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Foyle"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Colum Eastwood"}
], "uin" : "124903"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258214", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258214/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The timelines for the Building Fund, set out in the prospectus, are intended to incentivise building owners to demonstrate pace of progression with their remediation plans for unsafe buildings. We will keep timelines under review as we continue through the application process.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4075", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Christopher Pincher"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Tamworth"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Christopher Pincher"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-12-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "122739"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-12-08T17:51:13.25Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Building Safety Fund"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the deadline for applications to the Building Safety Fund beyond 31 December 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4788", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fleur Anderson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Putney"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fleur Anderson"}
], "uin" : "124878"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258223", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1258223/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government has put in place an unprecedented financial package, which is supporting renters with their housing costs. This includes support for businesses to pay staff salaries through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has been extended until March 2021. We have also boosted the welfare system, including increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 for the year and increasing Local Housing Allowance rates so that they cover the lowest 30 per cent of market rents. For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments are available. As announced at the spending round for 2020/21 there is £180 million for local authorities to distribute in Discretionary Housing Payments for supporting renters with housing costs in the private and social rented sectors.<\/p> Under the Coronavirus Act 2020, landlords are required to give tenants 6 months\u2019 notice except in the most serious circumstances such as anti-social behaviour, fraud and arrears of more than 6 months. Housing possession cases were suspended in the courts from 27 March until 20 September. Landlords are now once again able to progress their claims, and the most serious cases are being prioritised by the courts. To further protect tenants, the Government has changed the law to ensure bailiffs do not enforce evictions in England until 11 January 2021, except in the most serious circumstances such as illegal occupation, anti-social behaviour or rent arrears of more than 9 months accrued before 23 March.<\/p> The Department does not currently hold information on the number of households within the private and social rented sectors that have fallen into rent arrears in Coventry North East constituency, Coventry, the West Midlands and England as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.<\/p> The Regulator of Social Housing\u2019s quarterly survey report for July to September 2020 (which is based on regulatory returns from private registered providers and private registered provider groups that own or manage more than 1,000 homes) shows that mean current tenant arrears stood at 3.98 per cent at the end of September. The equivalent figure in the same quarter of 2019/20 was 3.71 per cent. This information is for private registered providers in England and does not include local authorities. The report is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-survey-of-private-registered-providers<\/a><\/p>
We are carrying out a data collection to gather information on the impact COVID-19 is having on local authority finances. Data from these returns indicate that Housing Revenue Account residential rent arrears for local authorities for April to October 2020 is estimated at £101.265 million.<\/p>