Many leaseholders already have a statutory right to take over management of their properties, under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. Earlier this year we consulted on proposals that\u202fwould\u202fgive leaseholders living in buildings with up to 50% non-residential floorspace new rights\u202fto manage their property, and we will respond in due course. Legislation will be announced in the usual way.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-11-09T17:52:27.05Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Leasehold"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to give leaseholders the right to manage their properties.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4444", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Karin Smyth"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Karin Smyth"} ], "uin" : "77460"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1537948", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1537948/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The reforms made to the Electronic Communications Code in 2017 were intended to make it cheaper and easier for digital infrastructure to be deployed, maintained and upgraded. These reforms recognised the increasing importance of digital communications services to UK consumers and businesses, and to the wider economy. The Government realised that the reforms would mean landowners receiving lower payments for allowing their land or buildings to be used than had previously been the case. However, these changes were only introduced following an extensive period of consultation and research, and were considered necessary to reduce operator costs and encourage the industry investment required for the UK to get the digital communications infrastructure it needs.<\/p>
The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill (the Bill) contains provisions which will, amongst other things, amend the Code. Prior to the Bill\u2019s introduction an assessment was carried out on potential impacts of reforms in the Bill, but this was general in nature and did not focus on specific categories of landowner.<\/p>
Digital communications infrastructure needs to be rolled out in the right places. From this perspective, publicly owned land must be treated no differently from privately owned land. Although the reforms made to the Code in 2017 may have caused revenue from local authority sites to decrease, they will, however, gain through increased connectivity in their districts and from the economic growth which will accompany increased coverage.<\/p>
The Government does not intend to carry out any additional assessment on the Bill\u2019s potential impact on local authorities. Many consensual Code agreements include a confidentiality clause, meaning that information about the financial terms agreed cannot be shared with others or made publicly available, except in limited circumstances or with the other party\u2019s consent. In addition, the financial arrangements underpinning these agreements can vary significantly: for example, in some instances the parties may agree to up front or lump sum payments, instead of, or as well as, ongoing rental payments.<\/p>
It would therefore be extremely difficult to conduct such an assessment as it is unlikely that comprehensive data would be available. In any event, we do not believe such an assessment is needed or appropriate. Local authorities are responsible for managing their own budgets. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities collects data returns from local authorities in England, however data on the Code or the revenue from telecoms infrastructure sites is not included in these returns. The financial position of councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the relevant devolved administration.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4647", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Julia Lopez"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hornchurch and Upminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Julia Lopez"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-11-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-11-08T08:59:46.07Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Telecommunications: Codes of Practice"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact on local government finance, including for Wolverhampton, Swindon and Leeds City Councils, of forthcoming changes to the Electronic Communications Code 2017.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Julian Knight"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Solihull"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Julian Knight"} ], "uin" : "75970"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1537950", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1537950/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Civil society organisations play an important role in upholding human rights and democracy, and they must be able to operate freely in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The former Minister for the Middle East, Amanda Milling, met with human rights defenders, journalists and civil society organisations during her visit to Israel and the OPTs in June 2022. Officials at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv continue to call upon the Government of Israel to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations and to allow them to freely operate in Israel and OPTs.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1211", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sutton Coldfield"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Andrew Mitchell"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-11-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-11-11T14:43:47.087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Israel: Palestinians"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help support Palestinian (a) civil society organisations and (b) human rights defenders in (i) Israel and (ii) the Occupied Palestinian Territories.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"} ], "uin" : "75919"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1537951", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1537951/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "