Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow the reopening of churches in the UK following their closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and what, if any, health measures will be put in place to facilitate the reopening of places of worship.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
On 11 May, the Government published the document “Our Plan to Rebuild”, which outlined the steps it would be taking to ease the lockdown restrictions.
The Government continues to consider how to allow places of worship to reopen for additional uses in Step 3 of its roadmap, which is expected to be no earlier 4 July, subject to further scientific advice. As part of the steps to ease the restrictions, the Government launched a Places of Worship Taskforce to look at how they can reopen and operate safely. Meetings are being led by the Secretary of State for Communities, or the Faith Minister, and comprise of representatives from the country’s major faiths. The Taskforce is working towards the safe reopening of places of worship as soon as possible. It also addresses the specific issues that places of worship will face as they prepare to reopen safely.
As of Saturday 13 June, places of worship are now permitted to open for individual prayer, in line with social distancing guidelines. We have published (attached) guidance to support places of worship to do this in a way that is safe and in line with social distancing. Communal prayers, worship or devotion will not be possible at this stage. The Government will continue to work with the Taskforce towards the full reopening of places of worship as soon as the scientific advice allows.
Places of worship play an important role in spiritual and mental health for many, and in bringing our communities together, which is why we want them to reopen them as soon as we can. However, no place of worship will be able to reopen for further activities before a final decision by the Government and the accompanying changes to the legal position in the published regulations. Even after we permit places of worship to reopen for further activities, some may choose to reopen in stages or at a slower pace depending on their local circumstances.
The current list of permitted activities that can take place within a place of worship can be found (attached) on gov.uk here, and the associated regulations can be found here. These documents will be updated as and when further changes come into effect.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
Her Majesty's Government what are the annual figures for housing starts in (1) the United Kingdom; and (2) England, from 1979 to 2016; and how these figures compare to the equivalent figures for (a) Germany, (b) France, (c) Ireland and (d) Poland.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
New build dwelling starts for the United Kingdom and England for 1979 to 2016 are shown in the table below. These cover new build dwellings only and should be regarded only as an approximate leading indicator of overall housing supply.
The Department also publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply. The most recent publication can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/housing-supply-net-additional-dwellings-england-2015-to-2016
The Department does not hold figures for Germany, France, Ireland, or Poland.
Table 1. New build dwelling starts for the United Kingdom and England
| United Kingdom | England |
Year | New build dwelling starts | New build dwelling starts |
1979 | 231,700 | 190,580 |
1980 | 160,360 | 129,740 |
1981 | 158,810 | 130,760 |
1982 | 200,650 | 165,650 |
1983 | 228,350 | 189,010 |
1984 | 204,930 | 168,720 |
1985 | 206,120 | 169,920 |
1986 | 218,380 | 181,760 |
1987 | 234,760 | 196,800 |
1988 | 259,560 | 217,290 |
1989 | 208,100 | 165,220 |
1990 | 171,633 | 133,470 |
1991 | 170,687 | 133,800 |
1992 | 164,147 | 129,300 |
1993 | 193,383 | 151,230 |
1994 | 210,993 | 165,440 |
1995 | 178,387 | 136,230 |
1996 | 185,827 | 144,710 |
1997 | 200,813 | 157,570 |
1998 | 187,920 | 149,400 |
1999 | 191,124 | 148,370 |
2000 | 186,182 | 142,610 |
2001 | 192,063 | 146,770 |
2002 | 194,369 | 150,700 |
2003 | 208,502 | 161,280 |
2004 | 227,984 | 176,680 |
2005 | 224,445 | 173,900 |
2006 | 223,953 | 170,610 |
2007 | 234,353 | 183,600 |
2008 | 141,772 | 106,890 |
2009 | 114,274 | 85,600 |
2010 | 139,234 | 110,660 |
2011 | 138,438 | 113,260 |
2012 | 125,345 | 101,020 |
2013 | 149,937 | 124,790 |
2014 | 169,907 | 140,760 |
2015 | 177,281 | 146,090 |
2016 | .. | 153,560 |
Sources:
United Kingdom and England (Department for Communities and Local Government, Welsh Assembly Government, Scottish Government, Department of Finance (Northern Ireland), District Council Building Control (Northern Ireland). Released 25 May 2017. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to accelerating their review of the future of the rating system and the associated taxation of online businesses, in the light of the impact on the UK's towns and high streets.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Government is considering the scope of possible reforms to the business rates system, including the frequency of revaluations, and will provide an update in due course.