Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what further devolution deals they expect to conclude in 2023.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We want to see every part of England reap the benefits of devolution and have made significant progress with the six new deals announced in 2022. The Government is in discussions with places to identify potential candidates for new devolution deals in 2023 and we will set out more detail in due course.
This Government is committed to not just extending the benefits of devolution to new parts of England, but to deepening existing devolution settlements. As the Chancellor set out at the Autumn Statement, the government will deliver the Levelling Up White Paper commitment to sign new 'trailblazer' devolution deals with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands Combined Authorities by early 2023. The government is in discussion with the mayors of these areas to devolve powers to deliver levelling up in areas such as skills, transport and housing. These 'trailblazer' deals will act as a blueprint for other areas to follow.
This Government has set itself a mission that by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal. The Levelling Up White Paper made clear that devolution is essential for Levelling Up. For too long, decisions impacting many communities of England have been taken in Whitehall. Devolution is about giving local areas more flexibility, freedom and accountability to deliver. Before 2010 the only significant devolution in England had been in London. Now, strong mayors in our major cities are acting as agents of economic growth. Levelling up requires strong and dynamic local leadership, that can understand how complex issues come together in a place; tailor policy to local priorities; attract investment; and seize each area's opportunities.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat anti-Muslim behaviour and prejudice.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government will not tolerate Anti-Muslim hate crime in any form. We have supported Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) with nearly £5 million between 2016 and 2023 to monitor and combat anti-Muslim hatred and support Muslim victims of hate crime.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the state of devolution in England; and what plans they have to publish any such an assessment.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We want to see every part of England reap the benefits of devolution and have made significant progress with the six new deals announced in 2022. The Government is in discussions with places to identify potential candidates for new devolution deals in 2023 and we will set out more detail in due course.
This Government is committed to not just extending the benefits of devolution to new parts of England, but to deepening existing devolution settlements. As the Chancellor set out at the Autumn Statement, the government will deliver the Levelling Up White Paper commitment to sign new 'trailblazer' devolution deals with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands Combined Authorities by early 2023. The government is in discussion with the mayors of these areas to devolve powers to deliver levelling up in areas such as skills, transport and housing. These 'trailblazer' deals will act as a blueprint for other areas to follow.
This Government has set itself a mission that by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal. The Levelling Up White Paper made clear that devolution is essential for Levelling Up. For too long, decisions impacting many communities of England have been taken in Whitehall. Devolution is about giving local areas more flexibility, freedom and accountability to deliver. Before 2010 the only significant devolution in England had been in London. Now, strong mayors in our major cities are acting as agents of economic growth. Levelling up requires strong and dynamic local leadership, that can understand how complex issues come together in a place; tailor policy to local priorities; attract investment; and seize each area's opportunities.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to celebrate Windrush Day in 2023.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has committed £3.75 million in funding to date toward honouring the Windrush legacy. This includes £2.75 million across five years of the Windrush Day Grant Scheme, and £1 million allocated to the National Windrush Monument.
HM Government is fully committed to ensuring that National Windrush Day celebratory events in 2023 mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush at the Port of Tilbury.
We have already announced that the funding pot offered by the 2023 Windrush Day Grant Scheme has increased from £500,000 to £750,000. This is the largest sum yet to be offered by the scheme. For the first time, projects operating in Northern Ireland were also given the opportunity to apply for funding.
Details of this year's grant scheme can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-75-windrush-day-grant-scheme-2023/windrush-75-windrush-day-grant-scheme-2023-guidance-for-applicants
DLUHC has also committed £50,000 toward developing educational materials, which will be made available via HM Government's National Windrush Monument website. These will ensure that the contributions of the Windrush generation and their descendants are recognised across the UK.
I can also confirm that officials have been asked to explore further what else we can do ahead of the summer.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to combat antisemitism.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Question (attached) UIN 117512 on 16 January 2023.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in delivering a combined authority and metro mayor for Leicester and Leicestershire.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In the Levelling Up White Paper the Government committed that by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution and a simplified, long-term funding settlement.
We thank Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland for their proposals and their work on this to date, which we are considering.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in delivering a combined authority and metro mayor for the Solent and Hampshire.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In the Levelling Up White Paper the Government committed that by 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution and a simplified, long-term funding settlement.
We welcome the ambition demonstrated in the recent Pan-Hampshire Deal Prospectus and we look forward to working with local councils across Hampshire and the Solent.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the number of people sleeping rough.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have made good progress towards our goal to end rough sleeping. Since the peak in 2017 we have seen a sustained decrease in rough sleeping numbers, with rough sleeping on a single night 49% lower in 2021 than in 2017, according to the official snapshot. However we are not complacent and recognise that times are tough for many people.
Our latest published management information, which provides more timely but unverified data on rough sleeping, shows that there were 2,900 people estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in September 2022 - up 20% since the same period since last year. We know based on previous trends that rough sleeping figures increase during the summer months and decrease during the winter months, so some seasonal fluctuation is anticipated.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what lessons they have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic period in their approach to rough sleeping.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The pandemic response, including 'Everyone In', saved hundreds of lives - an estimated 266 Covid-19-related deaths were avoided in 2020. By March 2022, we had helped over 43,000 people into settled accommodation or supported housing pathway as part of our response to the pandemic. We continue to support all local areas across England to promote vaccination amongst people sleeping rough.
The pandemic response made clear the powerful impact that can be achieved when government, local government, and the voluntary and community sector work together with health and housing partners.