Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 26 February (HL Deb, col 89), what progress has been made on the introduction of the accreditation body for short-term lettings; what consultation has taken place and is planned to take place; who has been, or will be, consulted; and when they expect such a body to be established.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
We welcome the work that the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) is doing to drive up standards and promote best practice.
The STAA is introducing a voluntary industry accreditation scheme for short term rental businesses and hosts that allows properties to become STAA accredited if they meet certain standards, including on health and safety. The accreditation scheme is organised by Quality in Tourism, and has been developed in conjunction with Visit England and piloted with at least three different sized organisations. The scheme is live on the STAA’s website, and will be formally launched on 14 March at the STAA’s Short Stay Show annual industry conference.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of concerns about the growth in short-term letting in Manchester.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Government has not made an assessment of concerns about the growth in short-term letting in Manchester. We believe that it is for local authorities to assess the impact within their area. The Government does however monitor broader trends in private rented housing through the English Housing Survey.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of steps taken in other countries requiring home owners to offer only their primary residences as short-term holiday lets and to register with the local council and pay a fee before doing so.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
We do not intend to introduce new legislation to prohibit short term lets or require households to register these lets. Instead, the Government is encouraging the Short Term Accommodation Association to drive up standards and promote best practice in the industry, and to work with local authorities to support their enforcement and monitoring functions.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 25 September (HL10355), what assessment they have made of the extent to which local authorities are using their powers under section 45(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to charge those who offer short-term holiday lets for additional waste collection.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Waste arising from short-term holiday lets has not been discussed as a specific issue with local authorities regarding their powers under section 45(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. We have not had direct representation from local authorities or any concerns raised by them regarding waste from short-term holiday lets and execution of their power under s45 (4). We consider the powers which allow local authorities to charge for waste collection from commercial properties, including short-term holiday lets, are clear and appropriate for dealing with waste from such businesses.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 25 September (HL10355), what discussions they have had with local authorities about whether the powers under section 45(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 are appropriate to address problems of additional waste being generated by properties being offered as short-term holiday lets.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Waste arising from short-term holiday lets has not been discussed as a specific issue with local authorities regarding their powers under section 45(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. We have not had direct representation from local authorities or any concerns raised by them regarding waste from short-term holiday lets and execution of their power under s45 (4). We consider the powers which allow local authorities to charge for waste collection from commercial properties, including short-term holiday lets, are clear and appropriate for dealing with waste from such businesses.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review Regulation 51 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 to require all wheeled goods vehicles to be fitted with basic safety equipment, including sideguards, to protect cyclists in the event of collisions.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Most heavy goods vehicles are already required to be fitted with sideguards when new. Work is already underway to amend the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 to ensure that sideguards are retained and maintained on these vehicles.
The Government is also supporting new technical measures under the European Commission’s Third Mobility Package to improve further the protection of pedestrians and cyclists.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases of collisions between cyclists and wheeled goods vehicles occurred in each of the last three years; and how many cyclists survived those collisions in each year.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department collects data on personal injury road accidents reported to the police. The table below shows the number of reported road accidents involving at least one pedal cyclist and at least one goods vehicle in Great Britain for the last three years of available data, as well as cyclist casualties by severity resulting from these accidents.
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| Number of pedal cyclist casualties involved | ||||||
Year | Number of accidents involving at least one pedal cyclist and at least one goods vehicle1 | Killed | Serious | Slight | Total | |||
2015 | 1,770 | 27 | 350 | 1,392 | 1,769 | |||
2016 | 1,574 | 23 | 300 | 1,257 | 1,580 | |||
2017 | 1,467 | 25 | 334 | 1,104 | 1,463 | |||
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1 Van, LGV or HGV |
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| Source: DfT Stats19 | |||||
On 18 October the Department published a summary of the 14,000 responses received to its Call for Evidence on cycling and walking safety, including issues relating to large vehicles. The Department has recently announced a number of activities to improve the safety, and perception of safety, of cycling and walking: tailored cycle training for driving instructors, support for police in tackling unsafe “close passing”, an update to the National Standard for Cycle Training and, most recently, a review of the Highway Code to include overtaking and opening vehicle doors. The Department will publish its full response to the Call for Evidence in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of (1) road traffic accidents involving cyclists and HGVs, and (2) deaths resulting from such accidents.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department agrees that accidents involving cyclists and HGVs are an issue of great concern and our aim is to reduce the number of deaths that result from them. Responses to the recent Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) Safety Review Call for Evidence highlighted these concerns and we will be publishing a full response to the consultation shortly, which will seek to address the issue.
Details of the Call for Evidence and the Summary of Responses are available to view on the Department’s website.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether local authorities require any additional support or powers to address any increases in the amount and frequency of waste to be disposed of as a result of short-term holiday lets.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Waste arising from short-term holiday lets is regarded as commercial waste and in accordance with Section 45(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 local authorities are able to levy a charge for its collection. The Government has therefore not made an assessment of whether local authorities require additional support or powers to address any increases in the amount and frequency of waste to be disposed of as a result of short-term holiday lets.
Asked by: Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of short-term holidays lets on the capacity of local authorities to provide sufficient domestic and business rubbish collections.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Waste arising from short-term holiday lets is regarded as commercial waste and in accordance with Section 45(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 local authorities are able to levy a charge for its collection. The Government has therefore not made an assessment of whether local authorities require additional support or powers to address any increases in the amount and frequency of waste to be disposed of as a result of short-term holiday lets.