Select Committee Reports: Government Responses

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Baroness Stowell of Beeston

Tuesday 13th January 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

My noble friend raises an interesting point, but I do not think that it has been raised particularly extensively by other noble Lords. Probably, one of the reasons for that is because we are all very clear in this House that all the chairmen of our Select Committees, regardless of which part of the House they are from, act very independently.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that the debate around this Question has been slightly confused? We appear to be discussing, on the one hand, whether the Government have responded to a Select Committee report and, on the other, whether that committee report and the response have been debated in this House. For the benefit of those of us who have forgotten, can the noble Baroness explain to the House the procedure whereby, once the Government have responded, a Select Committee report comes forward for debate?

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

The decision on when to hold a debate about a Select Committee report is taken very much as part of a discussion between the Whips’ Office and the Committee Office. Some Select Committees decide to hold their debates before they have had a response from the Government and some decide that they want to wait until after the Government have responded. There is no hard and fast rule on that.

Housing: Affordable Housing

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Baroness Stowell of Beeston

Thursday 12th June 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

I am not at liberty to commit from the Dispatch Box to a new building regulation if one does not already exist but I will certainly explore the point that my noble friend raises and come back to him.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that in many parts of the country the term “affordable housing” is a very slippery concept? Will she also confirm that since most housebuilding in this country at the moment is dependent on the private sector for its delivery, there is a straightforward conflict between the need of private developers to make profit and the requirements of the populations around which they are building houses? Does she believe that the National Planning Policy Framework—have I got those two Ps the right way round?—is actually allowing councils to make the right judgments about what sort of houses to build or is it too much weighted in favour of developers?

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

The noble Baroness makes an important distinction between affordable housing, which is a formal definition, and affordability, which is a separate matter. My simple answer to her question is that planning permission was granted for 216,000 new homes in England last year, so the planning reforms are working.

Rental Properties: Smoke Alarms

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Baroness Stowell of Beeston

Thursday 8th May 2014 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

My noble friend makes an important point because it is not just about installing these alarms; it is about making sure that they are working effectively. One of the things that the Government do is support the “Fire Kills” campaign. We do a lot of activity to ensure that people check that their alarms are working on, at the very least, the weekends when we change the clocks.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, does the noble Baroness have any information about the incidence of death from carbon monoxide poisoning? Do the Government have any plans to consider the introduction of carbon monoxide monitors, in the same way as they are now looking at smoke alarms?

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

I did not say so because I wanted to focus on smoke alarms, but all that I said in response to the Question from the noble Lord, Lord Hoyle, extends to carbon monoxide alarms. This review is looking into carbon monoxide alarms along with smoke alarms.

Housing: Leaseholder Redress Schemes

Debate between Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall and Baroness Stowell of Beeston

Thursday 7th November 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

As I understand it, in the rental sector—I am focusing now on the rental sector as opposed to leasehold properties—two redress schemes are already operating, and we certainly expect those two schemes to come forward for statutory approval. The new redress scheme was part of a wider package of measures that we announced a couple of weeks ago and that will provide greater support for those living in rented accommodation. We will certainly ensure, as part of that, that there is more support for local authorities, so that they can be even more effective in their responsibility to ensure that the accommodation provided in their area is of a high standard.

[Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall (Lab)]

My Lords, since the noble Baroness has raised the issue of the private rented sector, I am sure she will be aware that for most people who are obliged to use that sector—which, of course, includes a number of Members of your Lordships’ House—the big issue is the enormous increase in rents over the past few years and the concomitant rise in payments to letting agents. Does she agree that it might be beneficial for the Government to investigate this market to see whether it really is operating in the consumer interest? At the moment, it is very much rampaging in the interests of those who let rather than of those who rent.

[Baroness Stowell of Beeston]

As I said in response to another question, the most important action we can take to ensure that rents are kept at a sensible rate is to ensure that an increasing supply of rented accommodation is accessible to people. We are very much behind that. One way in which we are doing that is with a £1 billion fund called Build to Rent, which is about creating new residences that are purpose built as rented accommodation. These new schemes—new blocks or estates—are designed to meet that fundamental purpose in the way they are constructed. Overall, however, although I understand the noble Baroness’s point, I think that average rent rises are running below inflation at the moment, certainly outside London.