During my appearance before the Liaison Committee I committed to respond in writing on a number of issues that were raised with me. I will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House of Commons Library.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Boris Johnson"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Uxbridge and South Ruislip"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Boris Johnson"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-25T15:16:38.857Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "23"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Prime Minister"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Prime Minister"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Employment: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his oral evidence to the Liaison Committee of 30 March 2022 and his acknowledgment that previous assertions that employment is higher than before the covid-19 outbreak had been incorrect, what plans he has to correct the record in relation to assertions in the House of Commons on (a) 24 November 2021, Official Report, column 344, (b) 5 January 2022, Official Report, columns 11, 14 and 15, (c) 12 January 2022, Official Report, column 568, (d) 19 January 2022, Official Report, column 323, (e) 2 February 2022, Official Report, columns 268 to 269 and (f) 23 February 2022, Official Report, column 314.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"} ], "uin" : "155564"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1458386", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1458386/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UN Humanitarian Response Plan for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) provides a high-level overview of humanitarian needs in DRC. It is one of many assessments that the UK uses to determine where and how to respond in the country. As one of the largest humanitarian donors in DRC, the UK has been providing annual life-saving support to over one million affected people through our funding to UN, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and Red Cross partners.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4674", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Ford"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chelmsford"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Vicky Ford"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-25T15:21:19.92Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Democratic Republic of Congo: Humanitarian Aid"} , "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, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the new UN Humanitarian Response Plan for Democratic Republic of the Congo.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"} ], "uin" : "155565"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1457402", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1457402/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Impact Assessment of the benefit cap was published on 26 August 2016 and can be found here:<\/p>
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/welfare-reform-and-work-act-impact-assessment-for-the-benefit-cap<\/a>.<\/p> The Secretary of State has complied with her duties under the Equality Act 2010 and had due regard to the equality impacts of the benefit cap for example in respect of the Covid 19 policy changes. There is no requirement to record or publish this in the form of an equality impact assessment and we do not intend to publish the analysis.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> In November 2021 the Secretary of State considered the equality impacts of the decision to maintain Local Housing Allowance rates in 2022/23 at the elevated cash rates agreed for 2020/21. Following PQ UIN 120618, a copy of the equality analysis was placed in the House of Commons library.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4033", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Rutley"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Macclesfield"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "David Rutley"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-21T16:48:53.897Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-04-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what date her Department made the most recent equality impact assessment of (a) the benefit cap and (b) local housing allowance rates.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "153695"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1456263", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1456263/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " An EWS1 form is not a statutory or regulatory requirement, nor \u200ba\u200b safety \u2018test\u2019. Not all lenders ask for an EWS1, but when or whether they do remains a commercial decision. The measures in the January Statement provide a clear framework for proportionate risk assessments whilst encouraging lenders to base their risk management on the presumption that medium- and low-rise buildings are safe, unless there is evidence to the contrary.<\/p> We will continue to work with lenders to enable them to accept forms of assurance other than EWS1s, such as a comprehensive fire risk assessment. We will also continue to challenge industry on the use of the EWS1 process. The Department publishes quarterly data on the number of EWS1s required on mortgage valuations by the seven largest lenders, including for medium- and low-rise buildings on gov.uk<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-19T16:52:47.973Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flats: 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 Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of measures announced by his Department on 21 July 2021 on the availability of mortgages to purchase leasehold homes in medium and lower-rise buildings without an EWS1 form; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "150971"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455851", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455851/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Those applying to come to the UK from Afghanistan using the Appendix FM route can apply for an overseas fee waiver.<\/p> The guidance for the discretion to waive a fee from overseas is being revised and is not currently operational. We expect to publish the new guidance by the Summer of 2022. The delay in publishing the new guidance has been caused by the need to develop a new online application system to meet the additional requirements of the affordability test for overseas applicants.<\/p> An applicant can still apply for a fee waiver, but their application will be put on hold pending the revised guidance. Consideration will be given as to whether the need to travel to the UK is urgent, and if so, the fee waiver application will be assessed. Each urgent case will be considered on its individual merits.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4451", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kevin Foster"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torbay"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Kevin Foster"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-20T08:49:35.943Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Visas: Afghanistan"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of offering a fee-waiver to people applying to come to the UK from Afghanistan using the Appendix FM route.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "150070"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1456035", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1456035/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, either directly or on behalf of their constituents. Data on the timeliness of responses to correspondence from MPs and Peers is published on Gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers<\/a>.<\/p> Data for 2021 will be published by the Cabinet Office in due course.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-20T14:11:56.477Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Correspondence"}
, "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, what proportion of Ministerial replies are sent to hon. Members from his Department within 20 working days as suggested in the Guide to Handling Correspondence, published by the Cabinet Office in July 2021.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "150071"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455293", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455293/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Decisions concerning the pricing and availability of loans and deposit requirements are commercial decisions for lenders, made on their own risk appetite, considering factors such as market conditions and the funding they possess. The Government does not seek to intervene in these. We do, however, recognise that having a wide variety of affordable mortgage products on the market is important to a sustainable and healthy demand; and we discuss this with the industry regularly. Furthermore, with relation to our work on building safety, we have withdrawn the consolidated advice note which had been wrongly interpreted by lenders and fire risk assessors and drove an overly risk averse and cautious approach. We have also supported the publication of the British Standards Institutions' new PAS 9980 guidance for assessing risk in external walls. This guidance provides a methodology for a more proportionate and consistent assessment of risk posed by the external wall of a building.<\/p> We have also confirmed that those at fault, not blameless leaseholders, will be the ones who pay to fix unsafe cladding. This will further remove risk for lenders and help restore common sense to the market.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4032", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Andrew"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pudsey"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stuart Andrew"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-04-19T16:50:40.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-03-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Leasehold: Mortgages"}
, "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, what further steps he plans to take to ensure the availability of mortgages on leasehold homes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/163", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Ham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Timms"}
], "uin" : "149126"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455030", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1455030/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 established the UK as the first country in the world to require businesses to report annually on steps taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.<\/p> Organisations are currently required to ensure their statement has been approved by the board, signed by a director, and is available via the homepage of their website (if they have one). Organisations are required to produce a modern slavery statement to report on their financial year (not the calendar year) and our statutory guidance states that they should publish a statement within 6 months of their financial year end. Therefore, statements covering activity throughout the year 2021 may not have been published yet as organisations have up to 6 months after the end of their 2021/2022 financial year to publish their statement.<\/p> Historically compliance with section 54 has been high, but we continue to push for higher compliance rates. In 2019, the Home Office contracted the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) to undertake an audit of compliance with Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The audit was concluded in January 2020 with data accurate up to this point. The high-level findings of this audit were published on 17 September 2020 in the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner\u2019s annual report (available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-anti-slavery-commissioners-annual-report-2019-to-2020<\/a>).<\/p>
Whilst one lender may be unable to offer a mortgage in a particular case, this would not preclude a customer from being offered credit elsewhere. There are a wide variety of mortgage products available in the UK and it can be useful for customers to shop around and speak to a mortgage broker in order to find the best possible product.
We are also taking forward a comprehensive programme of leasehold reform to bring an end to unfair practices, including those which may affect mortgage availability. The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 will put an end to ground rents for most new residential leasehold properties as part of the most significant changes to property law in a generation. We also understand the difficulties some existing leaseholders face with high and escalating ground rents. This is why we asked the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate potential mis-selling of homes and unfair terms in the leasehold sector.<\/p>