Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Prime Minister on 22 February (HC Deb, col 626–8), what discussions they have had with train operating companies about resuming a full service on the railways; and what is the timetable for such plans.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Train Operating Companies are preparing to meet demand as restrictions are gradually eased, as outlined by the Prime Minister on 22 February. In preparation for the return of schools on 8 March, they are working closely with local transport planning authorities and schools, to meet the demand for student travel. As demand for rail services returns, operators will plan to run the appropriate level of service for demand whilst maintaining reliability.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - 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 Great North Bog Initiative.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Government is committed to the restoration and sustainable management of England's peat. England's peatlands store around 580 million tonnes of carbon but are emitting around 9.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. Restoration, through initiatives such as the Great North Bog, is a crucial tool in combating climate change and achieving the Government's aim to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
We have engaged with the development of the Great North Bog from an early stage. Restoration of these habitats can achieve multiple natural capital benefits, including havens for rare wildlife and flood protection. We have already invested a significant amount of our early Nature for Climate funding in peatland restoration projects in Great North Bog areas, including the Yorkshire Dales, Peak District and the North Pennines AONB.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of private renters with significant rent arrears since restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic were introduced; what assessment they have made of the figure of 800,000 with rent arrears in England and Wales suggested by the National Residential Landlords Association; and what steps they plan to take to prevent large-scale evictions once the protections put in place during the pandemic are lifted in England.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The vast majority of tenants are meeting their rental commitments. Data from the English Housing Survey (EHS) Household Resilience Study June-July 2020 suggests that around 7% of private rented sector households are in rent arrears compared to around 3% pre-COVID. 5% of private renters had spoken to their landlords and agreed a rent holiday and a further 6% had spoken to their landlords and agreed a rent reduction.
The NRLA also reported that 7% of renters have built up arrears, and that 91% of private renters have not built any arrears since March 2020.
The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support which is available to tenants. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the wider package of economic support measures are supporting private renters to continue paying their rent. Local housing allowance (LHA) rates will be maintained at their increased level in cash terms in 2021/22, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector will continue to benefit from the significant increase in the LHA rates applied in April 2020 in cash terms. Even in areas where rents have reduced and so the 30th percentile level has gone down, LHA rates will remain unchanged. For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. For 2021-22 the Government will make available £140 million in DHP funding, which takes account of the increased LHA rates.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the planned new base for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in Wolverhampton will be comparable to the London base in (1) the number of staff employed, (2) the staff grading structure, and (3) the numbers of staff per salary grade.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
As the Department's second HQ, the Wolverhampton office will have a wide range of Civil Service roles and grades, including senior roles, and will also have a regular Ministerial presence.
By 2025 the MHCLG Group will have 500 jobs based in the West Midlands region, and overall the MHCLG Group is moving a total of 800 roles out of London by the end of the decade, with a target to have half of the most senior roles based in the regions by 2030. As a result, the MHCLG London office will reduce by at least a quarter by 2025 but will remain our largest single office.
The Department is, as a priority, conducting a search for suitable premises in the city and expects to be able to announce further information on the timetable for opening the office by the Summer.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that funding for COVID-19 recovery schemes in communities will be available to town and parish councils on the same basis as for principal councils.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Whilst the Government does not have the necessary powers to pay parish and town councils directly, the Secretary of State has written to principal authorities to urge them to discuss appropriate funding support for parish and town councils from within the support we have provided to them. The Government has allocated over £8 billion directly to principal authorities since the start of the pandemic and has committed to provide a further £3 billion for 2021/22.
Therefore, I would encourage parish and town councils to continue to liaise with the relevant principal authorities on how this money is allocated in their area.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that in the case of specific funding schemes for (1) parks, (2) play areas, (3) leisure facilities, (4) town centres, (5) high streets, (6) community centres, and (7) other facilities for which town and parish councils commonly exercise powers that are concurrent with those of principal councils, town and parish councils are able to apply or compete for funding on the same basis as principal councils.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Whilst the Government does not have the necessary powers to pay parish and town councils directly, the Secretary of State has written to principal authorities to urge them to discuss appropriate funding support for parish and town councils from within the support we have provided to them. The Government has allocated over £8 billion directly to principal authorities since the start of the pandemic and has committed to provide a further £3 billion for 2021/22.
Therefore, I would encourage parish and town councils to continue to liaise with the relevant principal authorities on how this money is allocated in their area.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have asked Transport for the North to delay the publication of their business case for (1) a high-speed railway route between Hull and Liverpool, or (2) part of that route; and, if so, why.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department has asked Transport for the North to submit the Strategic Outline Case for Northern Powerhouse Rail after the Integrated Rail Plan is published. A Strategic Outline Case which is consistent with the Government’s policy and funding framework, to be set out in the Integrated Rail Plan, will allow a more rapid alignment around single route options and quicker progress than envisaged in previous plans.
Asked by: Lord Greaves (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the Integrated Rail Plan for the North of England.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department intends to publish the IRP in early 2021.