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100564

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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
hansard heading	Council Tax Benefits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish the detailed terms of reference for the review of the impact of abolishing Council Tax Benefit.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL2301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department is currently working with the Council Tax Partnership Forum and local authorities to identify appropriate and proportionate data for the independent three-year review of the local council tax support policy.</p><p> </p><p>The timetable, coverage, process for data collection and detailed terms of reference for the review will be agreed and published in due course.</p><p> </p><p>Spending on council tax benefit doubled under the last Government, costing taxpayers £4 billion a year—equivalent to almost £180 a year per household. Welfare reform is vital to tackle the budget deficit by the last Administration.</p><p> </p><p>Our reforms to localise council tax support now give councils stronger incentives to support local firms, cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people to into work. We are ending the last Administration's 'something for nothing' culture and making work pay.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 06/11/2014 17:48:45 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

100565

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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
hansard heading	Housing Revenue Accounts: Tower Hamlets
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 October (HL1902), whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of the correspondence encouraging the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to revise its bid for funding from the Local Growth Fund Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Programme 2015–17.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL2302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/11/2014 answer text <p>I have today placed copies of the relevant letters - a letter from the Minister for Housing to all stock holding local authorities dated 7 July 2014; a letter from officials to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets also dated 7 July 2014; and a second letter to the authority dated 5 August 2014 - in the Library of the House.</p><p> </p><p>The Greater London Authority, which has an operational involvement in the programme in London, also had discussions with the Council, but such correspondence/information is not held by my Department.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon attachment 1 file name PQ428929 HL2302 - Letter1_Redacted.pdf title Minister of Housing 7 July 2014 2 file name PQ428929 HL2302 - Letter2_Redacted.pdf title London Borough of Tower Hamlets 7 July 2014 3 file name PQ428929 HL2302 - Letter3_Redacted.pdf title London Borough of Tower Hamlets 5 August 2014 question first answered 19/11/2014 14:48:36 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

100566

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 October (HL1906), whether they will place in the Library of the House the findings of their review into the impact of the abolition of the Discretionary Social Fund.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL2303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions are undertaking a review into how local welfare provision has been used in 2013/14 and its anticipated use in 2014/15. The Department are making plans to publish the review shortly. A copy will be placed in the Library of House.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 05/11/2014 14:01:03 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

100568

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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
hansard heading	Homelessness
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the findings of the recent research by Crisis into the treatment of single homeless people by local authorities in England.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL2305
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is committed to preventing and tackling homelessness. We have increased homelessness prevention spending, making over £500 million available since 2010 to local authorities and the voluntary sector to help the most vulnerable in society. <br> <br> We are improving services through the new £8 million Help for Single Homeless Fund. This will enable local authorities, working with local partners such as the health and probation services, to better tackle and prevent single homelessness. <br> <br> We are helping single homeless people find and sustain accommodation in the private rented sector through our £13 million funding to Crisis. By 2016 we expect the Crisis scheme to have helped 10,000 single homeless people since it started in 2010. <br> <br> We are continuing to tackle and prevent rough sleeping. Thousands of vulnerable people have been helped off the streets through the No Second Night Out and Streetlink initiatives. £20 million funding has been made available to the voluntary sector through the Homelessness Transition Fund which has helped No Second Night Out schemes across the country. There have been 18,000 Streetlink referrals since December 2012.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/10/2014 15:17:28 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

91844

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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
hansard heading	Housing Revenue Accounts: Tower Hamlets
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they rejected two of the bids made by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for additional borrowing headroom under the Local Growth Fund Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Programme 2015–17.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL1902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2014 answer text <p>On 9 October, my Department announced £122 million of additional Housing Revenue Account borrowing to support over 1,700 new homes across twenty two local authorities. This included two of the four bids submitted by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Of the two approved bids, the total additional headroom amounts to over £8 million supporting almost 50 homes. The Department has not approved two of their bids where they did not meet the Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Programme's clearly stated aims to drive down costs and to support bids with lower public sector costs. The Department gave Tower Hamlets the opportunity to revise their bid which was not taken up by the local authority.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/10/2014 13:44:52 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

91845

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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
hansard heading	Housing Revenue Accounts
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authorities bid for additional borrowing headroom under the Local Growth Fund Housing Revenue Account Borrowing Programme 2015–17; what were the values of those bids; and how many new homes were involved.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL1903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2014 answer text <p>On 9 October 2014 the Government announced £122 million of additional Housing Revenue Account borrowing to support over 1,700 new affordable homes and local growth across twenty two local authorities.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The attached table details all the local authorities who bid for additional borrowing headroom.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/10/2014 13:54:39 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon attachment 1 file name 141013 PQ350202 Baroness King of Bow table.docx title table - local authorities who bid for borrowing
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

91846

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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
hansard heading	Council Tax
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what factors caused the reduced collection rate of Council Tax in England in 2013–14.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL1904
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>Council tax collection rates have not substantially changed, as illustrated by this table, which lists average collection rates over the last ten years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><em>Average collection rate in England</em></p></td><td><p><em>%</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004-05</p></td><td><p>96.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>96.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>96.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>97.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>97.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>97.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>97.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>97.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>97.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>97.0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There were a number of factors which may have influenced the collection rates in 2013-14, which are explained in the statistical release published in July, which I have placed in the Library of the House. Historical figures can also be found on Table 4 of the release on the level of arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I also have placed in the Library a table showing the total council tax arrears as of 31 March 2014 for each billing authority in England; to assist public scrutiny, the table also includes total arrears per dwelling and the in-year council tax collection rate. The worst council in England is Liverpool with £450 of arrears per dwelling; the best is Amber Valley with just £14 per dwelling.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department’s best practice document, “50 ways to save”, listed improving council tax collection rates and reducing arrears as a key way of making sensible savings to help keep overall council tax bills down and protect frontline services. Every penny of council tax that is not collected means a higher council tax for the law-abiding citizen who does pay on time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is important that councils are sympathetic to those in genuine hardship, are proportionate in enforcement and do not overuse bailiffs (and we have published guidance for councils to stop unjustified, aggressive collection practices). However, these figures show that there is a significant potential source of income which councils across the country could use to support frontline service or freeze council tax bills next year.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon attachment 1 file name Council_tax_collection_rate_Statistics July2014 PQ 350200-01.pdf title council Tax Stats Release July 2014 2 file name Total arrears Arrears per Dwellings and collection rates PQ350200-01.xlsx title council tax arrears grouped question UIN HL1905 question first answered 22/10/2014 16:49:26 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

91847

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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
hansard heading	Council Tax
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the average Council Tax arrears per dwelling in England in each year since 2010.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL1905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>Council tax collection rates have not substantially changed, as illustrated by this table, which lists average collection rates over the last ten years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><em>Average collection rate in England</em></p></td><td><p><em>%</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004-05</p></td><td><p>96.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>96.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>96.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>97.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>97.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>97.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>97.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>97.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>97.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>97.0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There were a number of factors which may have influenced the collection rates in 2013-14, which are explained in the statistical release published in July, which I have placed in the Library of the House. Historical figures can also be found on Table 4 of the release on the level of arrears.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>I also have placed in the Library a table showing the total council tax arrears as of 31 March 2014 for each billing authority in England; to assist public scrutiny, the table also includes total arrears per dwelling and the in-year council tax collection rate. The worst council in England is Liverpool with £450 of arrears per dwelling; the best is Amber Valley with just £14 per dwelling.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department’s best practice document, “50 ways to save”, listed improving council tax collection rates and reducing arrears as a key way of making sensible savings to help keep overall council tax bills down and protect frontline services. Every penny of council tax that is not collected means a higher council tax for the law-abiding citizen who does pay on time.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It is important that councils are sympathetic to those in genuine hardship, are proportionate in enforcement and do not overuse bailiffs (and we have published guidance for councils to stop unjustified, aggressive collection practices). However, these figures show that there is a significant potential source of income which councils across the country could use to support frontline service or freeze council tax bills next year.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon attachment 1 file name Council_tax_collection_rate_Statistics July2014 PQ 350200-01.pdf title council Tax Stats Release July 2014 2 file name Total arrears Arrears per Dwellings and collection rates PQ350200-01.xlsx title council tax arrears grouped question UIN HL1904 question first answered 22/10/2014 16:49:29 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

91848

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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
hansard heading	Welfare Assistance Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the terms of reference of the review into the impact of the abolition of funding for local welfare assistance schemes.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL1906
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2014 answer text <p>There has been no abolition of funding for local welfare schemes. From 2015/16 there was going to be no specific grant but we are looking again at how the funding is provided in 2015/16. The Department for Work and Pensions are carrying out a review into how the funds in 2013/14 have been used. I refer the noble Lady to the comments of my noble Friend the Lord De Mauley of 25 January 2012 during the debate on the Welfare Reform Act 2012. He said, “<em><em>Following the introduction of localised assistance, the department has already made plans to conduct a review in 2014-15 to obtain appropriate information from a representative cross-section of at least 50 local authorities, which represents one-third of the total, in order to help inform future funding levels. We have committed to using this opportunity to gather further information about the way in which local authorities have used the funding.”<br><br></em></em></p><p>I refer the noble Lord to the consultation paper on local welfare provision published by HM Government on 10 October 2014. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/10/2014 12:46:32 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon attachment 1 file name 210187 welfare consultaion paper.pdf title welfare assistance
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow

91849

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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
hansard heading	Private Rented Sector Taskforce
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 25 June (HL334), whether the Private Rented Sector Task Force has met representatives of Crisis, the National Union of Students, Shelter or Generation Rent since its establishment.
tabling member printed	Baroness King of Bow
uin	HL1907
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2014 answer text <p>The Taskforce has a wide ranging and extensive programme of market engagement focused on meeting its principle objective of increasing institutional investment in the private rented sector and supporting the development of new Private Rented Sector schemes. The wider team within which the Taskforce sits and consults, has met with all of the organisations referred to; the Taskforce has directly met with both Shelter and Crisis.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 14/10/2014 13:44:13 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	143 label Biography information for Baroness King of Bow