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1231588

registered interest
date	04/09/2020
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	Towns Fund: Congleton
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 assessment he has made of how Congleton (a) has benefited to date and (b) will benefit from the Towns Fund.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	85013
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2020 answer text <p>The £3.6 billion Towns Fund will drive the economic regeneration of towns across England to deliver long-term economic and productivity growth. As you know, there are currently an initial 101 places developing proposals for Town Deals to benefit from the Towns Fund. <br> <br> I am pleased to confirm we have committed to a future competitive round of the Towns Fund. This will allow for more places like Congleton to benefit from the economic regeneration of towns to deliver long-term economic and productivity growth. We will publish details of the competition in due course.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 09/09/2020 16:52:36 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

1224042

registered interest
date	13/07/2020
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	Council Tax: Arrears
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 has taken to ensure that people who have fallen behind with council tax payments are supported to repay rather than becoming liable to pay the full years bill upfront.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	72870
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/07/2020 answer text <p>Local authorities are responsible for the collection of council tax. Anyone who is concerned about falling behind with their council tax payments should contact their council as soon as possible to discuss the support available. Guidance issued by my Department makes clear that councils should be willing to take account of individuals’ circumstances, and agree affordable and sustainable payment plans to ensure debts are paid off in a reasonable time. The Council will also be able to advise on eligibility for a reduced bill, for example through its local council tax support scheme and any additional help under the £500 million council tax hardship fund. This is part of the Government's response to COVID-19 and enables councils to provide further reductions in bills for economically vulnerable households.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 16/07/2020 17:42:08 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke previous answer version 37885 answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

1198404

registered interest
date	01/06/2020
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	Small Businesses: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government's News story of 2 May 2020, Top-up to local business grant funds scheme, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of permitting unused monies paid to local authorities under the initial Government business support grant funds scheme to be used in the discretionary top-up scheme.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	51851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government has confirmed to local authorities that the additional costs of the Discretionary Grants Fund will firstly be met in whole or in part from unused monies allocated to them for the Small Business and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Funds. Only where local authorities have disbursed more that 95 per cent of their original funding allocation will their funding will be topped up to ensure that they can provide the full value of the Discretionary Grants Fund.</p><p>We recognise that some local authorities may still have residual initial funding available, even accounting for the Discretionary Grants Fund expenditure. Officials continue to stay in close contact with local authorities to understand how the schemes are performing and advising ministers on any additional support which could be offered to help businesses and support local economies. No decisions have yet been taken, but the level of demand will continue to be monitored.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 04/06/2020 13:21:28 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

1125017

registered interest
date	07/05/2019
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	Troubled Families Programme: Marriage Guidance
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 much and what proportion of funding for relationships support provided through the troubled families programme has been ring-fenced for marriage support.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	251266
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>The Troubled Families Programme is designed to support families with complex problems, including promoting family stability and reducing parental conflict. Funding for the programme is not ring-fenced and we do not collect information about spending on specific services such as marriage support. This funding flexibility allows upper tier local authorities and their partners to decide how best to deliver the programme in their own area, according to local need and priorities. Up to £920 million has been made available for the programme from 2015-2020. In addition, my department has worked closely with DWP to make sure delivery of the programme is coordinated with the Reducing Parental Conflict Programme, for which up to £39 million has been made available.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 13/05/2019 14:57:38 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

1055804

registered interest
date	06/02/2019
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	Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
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 the Government is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Local Government Ombudsman.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	217539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government acts as the sponsor Department for the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO)</p><p><br> Governance arrangements are set out in a publicly-available Framework Document (<a href="https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/about-us/others-we-work-with" target="_blank">https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/about-us/others-we-work-with</a>) and include quarterly Accounting Officer meetings, chaired by the Department’s Senior Sponsor and attended by the LGSCO’s Chief Executive, that cover performance, risk, finance and other key issues</p><p><br> The Ombudsman is independent of Government in all matters relating to the investigation, determination, reporting and remedy of complaints.</p> answering member constituency Richmond (Yorks) answering member printed Rishi Sunak question first answered 11/02/2019 17:10:10 answering member 4483 label Biography information for Rishi Sunak
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

1001451

registered interest
date	05/11/2018
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	Leasehold: Unfair Practices
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	What steps his Department is taking to tackle unfair practices in the leasehold system.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	907448
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2018 answer text <p>The Government is very clear that unjust practices in leasehold must come to an end. We have committed to banning new leasehold houses and restricting ground rents on future leases to a peppercorn. We launched our consultation on the details of these proposals on 15 October.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 05/11/2018 17:28:44 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

943870

registered interest
date	18/07/2018
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	Freehold
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 recourse to complaint freeholders have who pay into a common management scheme that is badly managed.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	165534
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2018 answer text <p>Freeholders have recourse to a number of procedures to help settle a complaint. An initial complaint can be made through their common management scheme's complaints procedure. If necessary, complaints can be escalated through one of the following ombudsman schemes: Ombudsman Services: Property, Property Redress Scheme, and The Property Ombudsman. Ultimately, a complaint can be settled through the courts.</p><p>As part of the response to the consultation 'Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market' the Government committed to legislate to ensure that freeholders who pay charges for the maintenance of communal areas and facilities on a private or mixed use estate can access equivalent rights as leaseholders to challenge their reasonableness. We will bring forward the necessary legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 23/07/2018 16:56:20 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

937446

registered interest
date	09/07/2018
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	Planning Permission: Cheshire East
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 he is taking to address effect of the shortage of planning inspectors on the progress of road developments in Cheshire East.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	162047
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2018 answer text <p>The shortage of planning inspectors is being dealt with by a substantial and on-going recruitment programme. The Planning Inspectorate is working to increase the number of specialist inspectors with training and mentoring support, against a demanding background of increasing levels of work in nearly all areas of the business.</p> answering member constituency North West Hampshire answering member printed Kit Malthouse question first answered 12/07/2018 15:41:25 answering member 4495 label Biography information for Kit Malthouse
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

934243

registered interest
date	03/07/2018
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: Management
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 recourse to action residents have in relation to builders who having part-developed a freehold site appoint a management company that unsatisfactorily administers the common parts of that site; and whether there is an equivalent of the Leasehold Advisory Service from which freeholders can seek help.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	160176
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for leaseholders and freeholders and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service.</p><p><br>There are a number of ways to take action against a poor managing agent. Freeholders can make a formal complaint through their managing agent’s own complaints procedure. A complaint can also be made to one of the Government-recognised redress scheme. By law all property agents are required to belong to one of the following three redress schemes: Ombudsman Services Property, Property Redress Scheme and The Property Ombudsman.</p><p><br>To provide additional protections, on 21 December 2017, we set out a package of measures to tackle abuses and unfair practices in the leasehold market. This includes legislation to ensure that freeholders who pay charges for the maintenance of communal areas and facilities on a private or mixed use estate, can access equivalent rights as leaseholders to challenge the reasonableness of service charges.</p><p><br>On 1 April, we published the response to our recent call for evidence on <em>protecting consumers in the letting and managing agent market</em>. Proposals include establishing a working group to consider how fees such as service charges should be presented to consumers and to explore the best means to challenge fees which are unjustified.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 09/07/2018 15:20:53 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce

934246

registered interest
date	03/07/2018
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: Management
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government is taking steps to prevent (a) builders, (b) management companies appointed by builders and (c) the legal advisers to such individuals charging disproportionately large amounts of money for (i) notice fees and (ii) the provision of draft deeds of covenant to be entered into by purchasers; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Congleton
tabling member printed	Fiona Bruce
uin	160177
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2018 answer text <p>The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for leaseholders and freeholders and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service.</p><p>On 1 April, we published the response to our call for evidence on protecting consumers in the letting and managing agent market. Proposals include establishing a Working Group to consider how fees such as service charges should be presented to consumers and to explore the best means to challenge fees which are unjustified. We will also ask the Working Group to look into those fees and charges that go beyond service charges, but can impact both leaseholders and freeholders, and consider under what circumstances they are justified, and if they should be capped or banned. This includes the use of restrictive covenants, leasehold restrictions, administration charges and other charges placed on properties.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 09/07/2018 15:25:38 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	3958 label Biography information for Fiona Bruce