Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of orders for backdated rent payments under the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.
Answered by Viscount Camrose
The Government remains committed to implementing all remaining provisions of Part 2 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 before the end of 2024. Departmental officials have been prioritising delivery of important measures to help deployment based on extensive engagement with operators, site providers and other stakeholders.
The policy team responsible for the implementation of the PSTI Act, amongst a number of other priorities, is currently staffed by five policy officials below Senior Civil Servant grade, who are supported by legal resource as required.
The team also covers other policy areas, including local authority engagement and street works issues relating to broadband.
The team provides updates to stakeholders on the implementation of the PSTI Act as part of regular, ongoing stakeholder engagement; and recently held two series of roundtable discussions for stakeholders with an interest in the implementation of the PSTI Act in July and September 2023. PSTI Act implementation is raised in many other stakeholder meetings as part of our wider agenda.
Due to the complex nature of the provisions of the PSTI Act that relate to the renewal of relevant leases under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, and their interaction with the backdating of rent under that legislation, no final decision has been taken on transitional provisions. However, backdated payments were raised as a key concern during Parliamentary passage, and are something the Department is considering closely. The Department undertook to look carefully at the potential impacts of the backdating of rent when considering the commencement of these provisions and any transitional provisions, and this work is ongoing.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Local Government Association's report Local service delivery and place-shaping: A framework to support parish and town councils, published on 11 August 2021; and what plans they have to raise awareness of the report in central and local government.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government recognise that parish and town councils play an important role in improving the quality of life and well-being of their communities. Parish and town councils often have a close understanding of what their communities want and that is why we fully encourage schemes that support their achievements and frameworks that help improve local service delivery.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to celebrate parish and town councils that have received an award through the Local Council Award Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government recognise that parish and town councils play an important role in improving the quality of life and well-being of their communities. Parish and town councils often have a close understanding of what their communities want and that is why we fully encourage schemes that support their achievements and frameworks that help improve local service delivery.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they made provision for an 18-month relaxation period in relation to non-combustible cavity barriers in external walls of buildings when making the Building etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/603) and publishing the Approved Document B 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments, given that at the date of laying the regulations there were suitable non-combustible products readily available.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
On 1 June 2022, the Government published a response to a consultation following the review of the ban of combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings. The consultation proposed a temporary 18-month relaxation of the ban as it relates to cavity trays. This followed from issues highlighted to officials on the excessive cost, supply (including of trained professional able to install these products) and installation of products on the market at the time. At the time we brought in the changes we considered it appropriate, on balance, to allow for a short-term exemption for combustible cavity trays as the risk they pose remains relatively low while providing temporary flexibility.
The consultation response is available here.
We will continue to review the impact of the ban including this short-term exemption and to work with industry to understand new products available on the market.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise public awareness of parish and town council elections taking place on 4 May.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
As has been the case under successive administrations, Principal Councils have the responsibility to post notices and deliver elections locally. The Electoral Commission also provides information and guidance to voters.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the impact of defining 'defect' in the Developer Remediation Contract, published on 17 February, differently from 'relevant defect', in the Building Safety Act 2022; and what effect this will have on ensuring buildings are adequately remediated.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The definition of 'Defect' in the developer remediation contract and the definition of 'Relevant Defect' in the Building Safety Act were drafted for different purposes.
The definition of 'Relevant Defect' in the Building Safety Act 2022 is used in relation to a wider range of actors, defect types and circumstances.
The definition of 'Defect' in the developer remediation contract was drafted to match the wording of a public pledge signed by 49 developers. Under the developer pledge and the contract which codifies the pledge commitments, developers commit to addressing life-critical fire safety defects arising from the original design, construction or refurbishment of the building, and to do so in line with relevant standards.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the diversity of councillors by encouraging and supporting more people to stand for election.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government believes that no one should feel deterred or excluded from standing or serving as a councillor.
The Local Authority Government Sector Support Programme 2022-23 funds the Local Government Association's delivery of an expanded 'Be a Councillor' campaign to promote a greater diversity of candidates. We also provide funding to support disabled councillors including those hoping to stand for election.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have commissioned research on (1) significant fire safety defects, and (2) other significant structural defects, in residential buildings in England below 18 meters in height; and if so, whether they will publish the findings.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The department has carried out a 11 meters-18 meters data collection looking at fire safety defects in external wall systems. The findings will be published once the analysis has been completed.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 30 October 2019 (HL178), whether (1) their interim review, and (2) the Valuation Office Agency's customer evaluation, of the Check, Challenge, Appeal system has concluded; and when they intend to publish the results of each.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie
The Government intends to communicate the outcomes of the interim review of the Check, Challenge, Appeal system shortly. The Valuation Office Agency is currently conducting the customer evaluation of the delivery of the new system and intends to publish this in autumn 2020.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 8 October (HC294199), when the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will (1) launch, and (2) conclude, its review of the effectiveness of the Check, Challenge, Appeal system; and whether business rates payers will be consulted as part of such a review.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie
The Government remains committed to the Check, Challenge, Appeal system. As the full impact of the policy can only be assessed after the end of the appeals cycle, my Department intends to first conduct an interim review of the reforms, with a fuller review following after the end of the 2017 rating list. The Government intends to complete the interim review by the end of 2019. The VOA is also conducting a customer evaluation of the delivery of the new system, which will include consultation with a range of stakeholders.