Political Parties: Donations from Abroad

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Dubs]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to control or limit donations from abroad to British political parties or pressure groups.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, as set out on 15 January by my noble friend Lady Taylor of Stevenage, the Government committed in our manifest to protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties. Foreign money has no place in our elections and the rules already provide clear safeguards against foreign interference. We are considering changes that will help further protect our system from such risks. Details of these proposals will be brought forward in due course.

[Lord Dubs (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister will not be aware, but I wanted to donate to the Democratic campaign on the internet. I could not do so, not because I am living in this country but because I do not have an American passport. I think we have to tighten up our arrangements a bit. Foreign money is undermining our democracy, whether it is donations to particular parties or, more insidiously, to pressure group. There are reports in the papers that an environmental pressure group is going to be funded from the States in order to undermine our attitude to climate change. We need to act quickly.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, my noble friend makes an excellent point about individuals who are not eligible to vote here. There are rules that govern individuals and organisations that campaign in elections but are not standing in political parties. While it is clear that foreign donations to political parties are not permitted, the Government recognise the risks posed by malign actors who seek to interfere with and undermine our democratic process. My final point is that the rules exist to give the public more confidence in the way third parties interact with the political system. They ensure that campaigning in a transparent manner will prevent any individual, company or organisation exerting undue influence on our elections.

[Lord Fowler (CB)]

I agree entirely with the noble Lord, Lord Dubs, but is there not a case for a review that goes rather wider than just political contributions from overseas? We have the issue, for example, of whether there should be a cap on all contributions made. Surely, above all, we need a system that is entirely honest and seen as such around the world. Compared with some of the things that are happening now, that would not be a bad example.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes an excellent point. A cap on donations is not a current priority, but strengthening the rules around donations is. By law, it is the responsibility of political parties to take reasonable steps to verify the identity of a donor and whether they are permissible. We will take any necessary steps to ensure that those requirements are tightened and abided by.

[Lord Maude of Horsham (Con)]

My Lords, will the Minister give an undertaking that his Government will follow the practice in the latter part of the last Labour Government, where Jack Straw, who had responsibility for these matters, was absolutely meticulous in ensuring that among the major established parties there was consensus on any changes that were undertaken?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

Any proposals that we bring forward are likely to require legislation, and although the Government have not included this in the timetable for this Session, we have promised to do it in our manifesto. I can assure all noble Lords that, once we have developed our proposals, we will inform Parliament and consult widely.

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD)]

My Lords, I am very happy to find that the Conservative Party has rediscovered the idea of consensus now that it is in opposition. I am not sure we want to ban all foreign donations, particularly those from pressure groups and think tanks, but transparency is essential. We need to know who is funding these bodies. Will the Government look again at the need for transparency in reporting where funds come from for all think tanks—left wing, right wing or whatever—that are involved in attempting to influence the political process?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I think it always good to have consensus across the House and in politics. On the noble Lord’s point about transparency, as stated, we are looking at strengthening the rules around donations. To do so, we will look at all the evidence and in due course we will set out our proposals.

[Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Lab)]

My Lords, I raised before the issue of permitted donors who live abroad being able to give to political parties. The last Government went ahead with that, despite opposition from this side. Similarly, they brought in ID for voting against our recommendations. I welcome the rather belated view that we should have a negotiation, and perhaps the Opposition would like to say that, this time, they will co-operate this time and not try to do something by themselves.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My noble friend makes an excellent point. She is correct that overseas voters have the right to participate in UK parliamentary elections, and this includes the right to donate to parties or candidates they support. However, foreign money is not permitted, and it is a criminal offence to facilitate an impermissible donation. Those rules apply to voters abroad as well.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, a Question was asked on this matter on the 15 January 2025, answered by the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor of Stevenage. Can the Minister provide the House with more detail on His Majesty’s Government’s review of all matters relating to electoral donations? In particular, can he confirm that it will address the matter of public bodies disclosing information to political parties, and tell the House when we can expect the review to conclude?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

The noble Baroness mentioned a similar Question that was previously asked. When it comes to foreign influence, additional controls are being implemented through the foreign influence registration scheme, which will require those being directed by a foreign power to carry out, or arrange for others to carry out, political influence activities to register with the scheme. I will take her concern forward and ensure that, when we have our wider consultation and bring forward proposals, which are not yet finalised, we will look at this in legislation and policy.

[Lord Rogan (UUP)]

My Lords, aside from its historic support for terrorism, murder and mayhem, Sinn Féin/IRA is unique in the United Kingdom political system because it receives much of its funding from the Irish Republic and the United States. Over the past five years, Friends of Sinn Féin, the party’s fundraising arm in America, banked more than $2 million. Although laws in the Republic of Ireland prohibit money raised abroad to be sent there, Friends of Sinn Féin can legally send money to Northern Ireland. Can the Minister tell me when His Majesty’s Government intend to close this loophole, which would not be acceptable in any other part of the United Kingdom?

[Lord Khan of Burnley]

My Lords, I am sure the noble Lord will understand that I cannot comment on individual cases. I agree with him that political parties registered in Northern Ireland can accept donations from Irish sources, such as Irish companies that meet the conditions. Allowing Irish donations to the Northern Ireland parties recognises the special place of Ireland in the political life and culture of Northern Ireland and is consistent with the principles set out in the Belfast/Good Friday agreement. However, Irish donations are subject to the same scrutiny by the Electoral Commission as donations from any other permissible donor.

[Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, last Wednesday, in response to the noble Lord, Lord Blunkett, the noble Baroness, Lady Taylor of Stevenage, said:

“Government take the threat posed by disinformation and foreign actors interfering in our democratic processes very seriously”.—[Official Report, 15/1/25; col. 1123.]


We have already heard from the noble Lord, Lord Rogan, about the amount of money which comes from America into Sinn Féin’s coffers, but that is not the only issue. Its social media accounts are run by a company in Serbia. Will the Minister look at that as well?

[Lord Khan of Burnley]

The noble Baroness makes an interesting point. My direct answer would be that we continue to work with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Defending Democracy Taskforce to mitigate the risk that disinformation and misinformation and AI-driven election interference pose to the UK’s democratic processes. On social media, there are already robust donations and third-party campaigner spending rules in place. The Government remain alert to any technological or other relevant changes in the electoral campaign landscape.

[Lord Rennard (LD)]

My Lords, for the last 25 years, political parties in this country have been legally obliged to declare the source and scale of all their donations above a very modest level. Why should the same rules not apply to political pressure groups trying to influence the political process?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, there are already robust spending and donations rules in place for third-party campaigners, which pressure groups would fall under. These are individuals or organisations that campaign in elections while not standing as political parties or candidates. Further rules exist in relation to transparency around those seeking to influence UK policy. The lobbying Act 2014 ensures there is transparency around meetings between Ministers and ministerial groups. The regulation of all-party parliamentary groups is a matter for Parliament.

Community Engagement Principles and Extremism Definition

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Jamieson (Con)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that, in addition to reviewing the definition of extremist organisations and the community engagement strategy, we should also review the wider communication policy regarding acts of extreme violence and terror to maintain an open dialogue with the general public and prevent the spread of misinformation?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, let me first of all say that national security will always come first for this Government, and we will always treat the threat of extremism with the seriousness that it requires. The noble Lord makes an interesting point. I confirm to the House that the Government take the threat of extremism very seriously and will continue to work with partners to tackle extremism in all parts and forms. That is why the Home Secretary commissioned a rapid review of extremism in 2024. The Government will set out their approach to countering extremism in due course and will update Parliament accordingly. I am sure that many of the issues that the noble Lord raised will be part of that review.

[Baroness Pinnock (LD)]

My Lords, knowledge and understanding of communities is crucial in this regard. Councillors are elected to serve their communities and know them well. Does the Minister agree with that proposition? Does he also agree that plans to create large wards make that more challenging for councillors? Will the Government therefore keep ward sizes appropriate to their role in knowing and representing their communities, and will the Government provide additional support to councillors in that critical role?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, let me reassure the noble Baroness that, having been a councillor for 16 years in the wonderful district of Burnley, I understand the fantastic work that local councils do. I reaffirm the Deputy Prime Minister’s position that we want to work in equal partnership with the local authorities and we want to give them more power. I would not be able to comment on the size of the wards because that is the responsibility of the Minister, Jim McMahon, in the other place.

[Baroness Hazarika (Lab)]

My Lords, I am sure the whole House will agree that this work could not be more important or timely. As a Muslim woman, can I ask the Minister what has been done to engage with women and girls’ voices? It feels like our voices are often ignored, and certain very noisy male groups dominate the conversation. Will the Minister acknowledge that it is often women and, sadly, girls, who are the victims of extremist violent behaviour?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, my noble friend makes a series of excellent points. I totally agree about extremist behaviour and its disproportionate impact on women and girls. Let me reassure the noble Baroness that we are looking at ensuring that we have more female voices—not just female voices, but young female voices—in the faith space. Let me also let the House know that I have been up and down the country and have engaged not just with the major faiths but with every faith in our country. That has been a privilege, but I have learned that there need to be more female voices in the faith space.

[The Lord Bishop of Manchester]

My Lords, a decision under the previous Government about a particular Islamic organisation being characterised as extremist led to the defunding and collapse of the national Inter Faith Network. I wonder if the Minister agrees that the Inter Faith Network provided a vital role in co-ordinating interfaith work at a national level. We do great things at local level, but we need some national work as well. Will he urge His Majesty’s Government to commit to refunding the Inter Faith Network?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, I pay tribute to the right reverend Prelate, with whom I have worked closely in the interfaith area in the north-west of England. I totally agree about the work of the Inter Faith Network. It is important that there is a national forum. Although we will not be bringing back the Inter Faith Network as it was previously, we are looking to ensure that that work is brought back and we are exploring ideas. My department, the MHCLG, has just commissioned some research and a consultation on what form that will take in future, so that there is a national interfaith presence that the Government can regularly engage with.

[Lord Robathan (Con)]

My Lords, given the changes to the definitions of extremist organisations, can the Minister please reassure me and the House that the Provisional IRA remains defined as a terrorist and extremist organisation? Can he therefore take back to his colleagues in government the real fear that many of us have that members of the Provisional IRA, including Gerry Adams, will be compensated in some way by the British taxpayer?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, I think it is just for me to say that I will take back the noble Lord’s concerns.

[Viscount Brookeborough (CB)]

My Lords, will the Minister consider that there are a lot of good lessons to be learned from Northern Ireland on community relations? Those relations have come on a great deal, and that is often about creating neutral spaces and reasons for communities to come together that are not related to being extreme or not getting on. It is about getting people on the fringes of those extremists to enjoy life together for other reasons—and that may be sport or art—on neutral ground. Often, when you target people to bring them together, those people naturally resist being brought together, so it is about doing it from ground level up, and doing it because people want to enjoy doing things together.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord made some interesting points. On the initial point about community relations, I reassure him that that is very important, and it is why counter-extremism has gone back into the Home Office. In my department, I am the Minister responsible for cohesion. We work with different communities to ensure, up and down the country, we hear those diverse voices, not just faith-based voices but from different communities, different diasporas and different parts of the country. So I reassure the noble Lord that this work is happening and we are working with our partners and across the country.

[Lord Harries of Pentregarth (CB)]

Did the Minister see the result of a rather disturbing poll the other day that one in five people between the ages of 18 and 45 would rather have a strong leader than democracy? Democracy, of course, is about solving one’s political problems without violence. Does he agree that there is a failure at the moment in our country to encourage people in schools to really understand democracy and believe in it? It is not the only aspect of the matter, but we want children to come out of our schools believing in democracy and in doing these things without violence.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble and right reverend Lord makes a strong point about ensuring that we provide more education about and awareness of the importance of democracy. Democracy unfortunately is also being attacked by malign actors and foreign interference, as we have seen evidence of in recent weeks and even in previous elections. I reassure the noble and right reverend Lord that I am having those conversations with the Department for Education and the Minister responsible to ensure that we can look at focusing education and getting more understanding of democracy, so our citizens understand and appreciate the historical struggle for democracy and celebrate our system. Although there are challenges, it is a wonderful system and we need to ensure that people engage with it.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, just a small point first: countering extremism always has sat in the Home Office. I should know, as I was the first Minister for Countering Extremism in the Home Office. Linked to that, a lot of the extremism is imported from other parts of the world and it is important to stop it at source. Can the Minister assure this House that there will be an integrated approach to ensure that the foreign threat is also dealt with?

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes an excellent point about making sure that there is an integrated approach. I do not want to pre-empt the conclusion of the rapid sprint, which the Home Secretary has not completed yet, although there were some initial findings in December. The Deputy Prime Minister has made sure that community cohesion, community relations and working with communities come within MHCLG and the Home Office takes responsibility for counter-extremism. I know that was the situation when the noble Lord was in post, but when I came into post it was not the situation. Clarity has now been found. That work is important and the Home Secretary is leading on it.

[Baroness Whitaker (Lab)]

My Lords, on a point of clarification, because Hansard is a journal of record, will my noble friend the Minister confirm, in answer to the noble Lord, Lord Robathan, that Gerry Adams was never a member of the Provisional IRA—as he would himself say—but was a leader of the IRA which took, of course, a significant part in the Good Friday agreement? He was not in the Provos.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I say to my noble friend that I am not in a position to comment on that. I think it is a conversation that the noble Baroness needs to have with the noble Lord and settle it outside.

Older People’s Housing Taskforce

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Monday 16th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Best]

To ask His Majesty’s Government when they will implement the recommendations of the report from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, published on 26 November.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Government are thankful to the chair of the task force, Professor Julienne Meyer, and all its members for producing such a comprehensive, detailed and well-researched report. I recognise the importance of improving housing choices for older people, and I thank the noble Lord, Lord Best, for all he does on this issue. We are committed to taking action on older people’s housing and will consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy.

[Lord Best (CB)]

I thank the Minister for that positive response, and I congratulate Professor Julienne Meyer and her task force on a really good report. Have the Minister and his Government paid particular attention to at least three of the key recommendations from this report, such as that 10% of all affordable housing should be for older people, that planners should require a percentage of all major developments to be for older people, and that stamp duty should be exempt where an older person is downsizing, rightsizing, making way for and releasing a home for a family elsewhere?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, I recognise how important the right housing arrangements are in supporting people to live independently and well. The Government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021 to 2026 affordable homes programme at the spending review. The National Planning Policy Framework outlines that local authorities should assess the housing needs of different groups, including older people, and reflect this in their local plans. We have strengthened the National Planning Policy Framework to encourage the delivery of mixed-tenure development. For most of those looking to downsize, the stamp duty due on the new property will be small. Stamp duty is an important source of revenue to provide essential services, and the Government have no further plans for relief for those looking to downsize.

[Lord Young of Cookham (Con)]

My Lords, further to the Question from the noble Lord, Lord Best, and the Minister’s reply, the task force published its report two weeks ago, before the Government published their National Planning Policy Framework, and, despite what he says, that policy framework does not reflect the major recommendations of the task force. Will the Government publish a detailed response to all the recommendations of the task force, and will they implement some of the recommendations in the forthcoming planning Bill?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, we consulted on reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and published our response on 12 December. We are determined to create a more diverse housing market that delivers homes to meet a range of needs. On the noble Lord’s particular point, we will respond to all 44 recommendations of the task force. However, my honourable friend in the other House, Matthew Pennycook, will look at this in the wider housing strategy.

[Baroness Pidgeon (LD)]

My Lords, the report of the task force mentions the LGBTQ+ communities only once, yet there is a growing need and desire for inclusive LGBT+ affirming retirement accommodation, as provided by organisations such as Tonic Housing. What plans do the Government have to address these specific needs?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness makes an important point. As I said, the task force report was published two weeks ago, and we are looking at each of its 44 recommendations to make sure that our housing needs are diverse for the country. It is in the national interest that the Government ensure that we have housing that reflects the country and that we take into account the needs of people of all backgrounds and all ages.

[Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)]

My Lords, in considering the housing needs of older people, is the Minister mindful that many older people are also caring? It is not at all uncommon for people in their 70s to be caring for people in their 90s, or for people in their 80s to be caring for older adult children with special needs. Will these responsibilities of older people also be considered when looking at housing needs?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, my noble friend makes a very important point. On carers, the Government are committed to ensuring that families have the support that they need. I want to ensure that people who care for family and friends are better able to look after their own health and well-being. The Department for Work and Pensions announced its intention to bring forward an independent review of the issue of overpayment of carer’s allowance in cases where earnings have exceeded the entitlement threshold. The Government are committed to reviewing the implementation of carer’s leave and examining the benefits of introducing paid carer’s leave.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that it is very important to have intergenerational development so that there are not ghettos of older people in one place and ghettos of young people, particularly students, in another? If developments are intergenerational, they can help each other. Will he therefore discourage the kinds of developments I see in Edinburgh—no doubt they are elsewhere too—where private developers build blocks for students which seem to me to be purely to make some additional money rather than in the interests of the students themselves?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes an interesting point about intergenerational living. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on that particular case, but I am happy to take it away with me and have a private conversation with him.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

My Lords, what levers do the Government plan to have to ensure that the recommendations in the report, such as accessible bathrooms and toilets, with doors to bathrooms that open outwards, are actually built into all new plans because of a high incidence of falls in the home? These affect not only morbidity but mortality rates. Similarly, how will they ensure that stairs are properly designed, as we previously debated, to decrease the number of falls of old people on stairs?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

The noble Baroness makes a very important point. I understand that accessibility in new homes—and accessibility standards for buildings in general—is an important concern. Housing is one of this Government’s top priorities. Everyone deserves to live in a decent home where they feel safe. We will set out our policies on accessible new-build housing shortly, and we will make sure that accessibility is a part of the discussion when we bring forward our new housing strategy.

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

My Lords, in planning for older people in housing and with regard to accessibility, is it not also important to ensure that this accommodation is near accessible bus routes, for example? Will my noble friend the Minister look at how devolved powers can be used to ensure that local authorities work together with, for instance, local bus companies to ensure that proper provision is provided for older people in what can be isolated areas?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My noble friend makes a very important point. I will take it away with me and discuss it with Minister Pennycook. It will also be a cross-departmental discussion with the Department for Transport to ensure that the particular issues that my noble friend raises are addressed and thought of when moving forward so that we can make not only the house accessible within, but the route to the house.

[Lord Jamieson (Con)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as set out in the register, particularly that I was a member of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce. It is widely acknowledged that supported accommodation can significantly benefit the health and well-being of older people. That has the additional benefit of saving social care and the health service considerable costs. In addition, if it is placed in urban areas, it can support town centre regeneration.

However, due to the additional facilities, the building costs of supported accommodation are substantially higher than those of mainstream accommodation. In recognition of this, one of the task force’s recommendations to help to deliver supported accommodation was that it should not be subject to demands as heavy as the affordable housing and Section 106 planning obligations of mainstream housing. Will the Minister confirm that the Government will support this?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

The Government will publish a housing strategy that will set out a long-term vision for the housing market that works for communities, building 1.5 million high-quality homes and the biggest increase in affordable housing in a generation. Supported housing plays a vital role in delivering better life outcomes, improved well-being and health, as the noble Lord mentioned, and greater independence for many vulnerable people, including older, disabled and homeless people.

We recognise the challenges local authorities are facing as demand increases for critical services. We have listened to voices across local government and have announced £4 billion in additional funding for local government services at the Budget, including £1.3 billion, which will go through the settlement.

[Lord Ranger of Northwood (Con)]

My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, mentioned earlier with regard to intergenerational housing, my community and many other communities have grown up with the older generation living with us, and it has helped in caring and sharing, by both young and old, as families stay together. That has faded a bit over the decades, but it is still happening. However, the challenge for communities and families in continuing to do that is ever-increasing with the costs for caring for older people. Is the task force looking at that in its report?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes an interesting and important point. When my honourable friend Minister Pennycook looks at the 44 recommendations from the task force—I thank the task force once again for its hard work in this area—we need to ensure dignity and a better quality of living for all generations. However, as the Question from the noble Lord, Lord Best, outlines, there is a particular issue in relation to older people’s housing. We need to ensure that the housing strategy reflects the mixed tenure of houses to be built and to work closely with local authorities up and down the country to ensure that they can decide what the needs are for their area.

Political Donations: Cap

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Thursday 5th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Rennard]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to cap donations to political parties.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Government have committed to reforming political finance rules. We are considering changes that will help protect our system from foreign interference, such as tighter controls on donations. For example, the Electoral Commission has pointed to a need to consider the rules on company donations. Details of these proposals will be brought forward in due course.

[Lord Rennard (LD)]

My Lords, people are absolutely astonished when they discover that there is absolutely no limit whatsoever to how much money can be given by one individual to a political party. This week, Transparency International has produced analysis showing how dark money from dodgy sources can infect British politics, and Unlock Democracy has produced an excellent Democratic Integrity white paper. Will the Minister undertake to ensure that his department properly considers these reports? Is it not high time that the Government accepted the recommendation of the Committee on Standards in Public Life that there should be a £10,000 maximum cap on the sum any individual can give to a party?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, let me first address the noble Lord’s question about reports, in particular that of Transparency International. The Government are committed to safeguarding the integrity of our democratic processes and, as I am making clear today, we will be taking steps to strengthen protections against foreign interference in our elections. We are seeking and remain open to evidence from stakeholders, particularly on threats to our democracy. Our primary concern is reducing the threat of foreign interference.

Political parties play a vital role in our democracy, and it is important that they be able to fundraise effectively and communicate with the electorate. My department is currently developing proposals to give effect to these commitments. We are engaging with key stakeholders such as the Electoral Commission and the Committee on Standards, and we will update the House in due course.

[Baroness Hodge of Barking (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that it is vital that the new Government take every step to clean up our politics—on political donations and beyond? Does he agree that, as well as a cap, we need greater transparency in respect of political donations? For example, for all donations over £200, we should know the identity of the donor. Does he also agree that we need to ban all foreign donations, cutting off the infiltration of Russia and China into our politics, and that we need to strengthen the remit and powers of the Electoral Commission to ensure both the integrity and legitimacy of our donations?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My noble friend makes a number of excellent points. To summarise, I agree that there is a lot more we have to do as a Government. We committed in our manifesto to protecting democracy by strengthening the rules on donations to political parties. While it is clear that foreign donations to political parties are not permitted, the Government recognise the risk posed by malign actors who seek to interfere with and undermine our democratic processes. We will take the necessary steps to make sure that effective controls are in place, in order to ensure that democratic processes are safeguarded.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)]

Further to the Question from the noble Lord, Lord Rennard, the largest ever donation to the Liberal party was made by a convicted fraudster, Michael Brown. In looking at any changes in the law, will the Government consider forcing political parties that, like the Liberal party, have received money from fraudulent sources to return it to the victims of the fraud?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes an interesting point; however, it is not for me, as a Minister, to consider, but for other parties. This is a decision for political parties on how they operate.

[Lord Beamish (Lab)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that a key point in a democracy is that donations and the sources of them are transparent? Therefore, I urge him to look at unincorporated associations and change the rules. This has been used by the Conservative Party on an industrial scale to make it very difficult to know where large sums of public money affecting our elections are coming from.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My noble friend makes a very interesting point. I reassure him that we are going to look at the whole issue of electoral reform, and we will bring legislation forward. There is nothing timetabled in this Session, but it is difficult to specify a particular date. We will take away the issues my noble friend raises and consider them when we bring legislation forward, looking at not just political donations but wider electoral reform.

[Baroness Finn (Con)]

My Lords, if His Majesty’s Government intend to cap donations to political parties, can the Minister confirm that this cap will also extend to clothes and glasses?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, all I can say is that the point the noble Baroness makes is not relevant to the Question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Rennard.

[Lord Dodds of Duncairn (DUP)]

My Lords, will the Minister look again at the backdoor loophole whereby foreign donations to political parties find their way to Northern Ireland through the Irish Republic? In 2022, over $1 million was raised by Sinn Fein, and before the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in May 2022, money from that source found its way to Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland. Will the Minister undertake to look again at that issue—it was raised in the other House many years ago—and take action?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for making that point. I assure him that I will contact colleagues in the Northern Ireland team, and we will revert back to him.

[Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (LD)]

My Lords, I think the Minister accepts that there is an urgent need to tackle foreign donations, malign actors and donations funnelled through companies that may not, in reality, actually operate in the UK. This is an extremely serious issue, notwithstanding comments from the Conservative Party.

The secondary issue, however, is the one raised by my noble friend: the substantial donations made within the UK. Limiting donations in the UK to small figures would not just democratise the process but would get parties to focus again on membership, which has been in spectacular decline in the UK as parties focus their efforts on just a handful of seats and very major donors. That is not healthy for democracy. Incidentally, if we were to cap that, it might make an interesting change to the representative nature of this Chamber, too.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes a number of points. I reassure him that we want to ensure that the Government’s focus is on our manifesto commitment to strengthen integrity in our democratic process. Democracy is precious, and we want to make sure that no malign actors can contribute to it and that any foreign interference is stopped. However, it is for political parties themselves, under law, to ensure the nature of the donation and the background of the company or individual making it.

[Lord Hayward (Con)]

My Lords, the Minister is aware of my long-standing concern about the use of anonymous opinion polls and other forms of campaigning, either in a general election or prior to one. Will the Minister please ensure that he talks to the excellent new chief executive of the Electoral Commission to establish that it uses all the powers it currently has available to check on the issues I have identified, and, if it does not have the necessary powers, that it is given them through changes in legislation where necessary?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord and I met the new chief executive of the Electoral Commission, and we will continue to have those conversations—together, if need be, given the noble Lord’s expertise in this area. The noble Lord is quite right: the Electoral Commission plays an important part in the UK’s democratic system, promoting public confidence in democratic processes and ensuring their integrity. On his question about anonymous donations, I will take it away and ensure that we come back to him with some more facts and information.

[Lord Grocott (Lab)]

Does my noble friend recall that the last Government thought it wise, and legislated accordingly, to ensure that people who had lived abroad for more than 15 years and had no intention of ever living in the United Kingdom again should be enfranchised? Can he tell us, in the light of material gathered since the last election, precisely how many more people were given the franchise as a result of that? I have heard estimates of around 2.5 million. What have been the costs involved in ensuring that these people are identified and known to be bona fides residents at whatever residence they last lived at in the United Kingdom? Finally, can he tell us what proportion of the 2.5 million actually exercised their right to vote? He will not be able to answer all of that right now, but will he please send me an extended reply?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

To the noble Lord’s surprise, I can answer his question. The total number of overseas voters registered was 191,338, according to the Electoral Commission’s recent report on the 2024 general election. The noble Lord made a very interesting point. Overseas voters have the right to participate in UK parliamentary elections, including the right to donate to the parties or candidates they support. However, foreign money is not permitted, and it is a criminal offence to facilitate an impermissible donation. Political parties can accept donations only from registered electors. Overseas electors are subject to the same counter-fraud measures as domestic electors, including having their identity confirmed as part of the registration process. On his other questions, I will write to him.

Shared Prosperity Fund: Wales

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Wednesday 4th December 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Wilcox of Newport]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made towards giving decision-making over the allocation of the Shared Prosperity Fund to democratic representatives in Wales, as set out in the Labour Party Manifesto 2024.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

This Government are committed to restoring relationships with devolved Governments and showing the utmost respect to the devolution settlement. We are working closely with the Welsh Government to discuss our commitment to restore decision-making on structural funding to representatives of Wales. My noble friend will be pleased to hear that my colleague, Minister Alex Norris, will meet his ministerial counterpart in the Welsh Government this week to discuss this very important issue.

[Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for that Answer, because the era of doing things to Wales, rather than with Wales, is surely at an end. When will proper devolved decision-making reflect both our distinct Welsh needs and UK-wide objectives? While I am on my feet, let me say llongyfarchiadau mawr—many congratulations—to the Wales women’s football team on reaching the Euro 2025 finals and making history.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, I add my congratulations to the Wales women’s football team on reaching the Euro 2025 finals.

My noble friend makes a very important point. Having worked alongside her for many years, I have deep respect for her passion for the prosperity of local government in Wales. This Government know that uncertainty about local allocations is causing concern for our partners in local government. My department is working tirelessly to confirm local allocations and we intend to publish them shortly. I am pleased that we have been able to announce that the fund will continue for a further year. This transitional arrangement will provide a period of stability in advance of wider local growth funding reforms beyond March 2026, when we will work with the Welsh Government to honour our manifesto commitment to return decision-making on these funds to representatives of Wales.

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist (Con)]

My Lords, llongyfarchiadau i chi on bringing football into this Chamber—a rare event these days, of course. The shared prosperity fund was a central part of the Conservatives’ levelling-up agenda, which involved the allocation of funds to elected local authorities, which know their communities best. Given that the shared prosperity fund already works with local authorities throughout Wales, what benefit will be achieved by extending decision- making powers to Senedd Members, who are not always known for their sensible financial decision-making?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, I politely disagree with the noble Baroness. The previous Government funded many local growth programmes, including the UK shared prosperity fund. However, they did not make adequate provision in the Budget to do so. This Government have been clear that they will take the difficult but responsible decisions to ensure we fix the foundations of our country’s finances and, more importantly, meet the commitment in our manifesto. From March 2026, we will work with our Welsh Government counterparts to ensure that the allocation of that money is decided by people in Wales.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, the previous Government announced a levelling up fund, but we saw a lot of words but no funding. Will this Government’s attempt to level up be more successful in getting more resources to the regions that need them?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My noble friend raises an important point. Many aspects of levelling up did not work, not just in Wales but across the United Kingdom. The Government are having a transitional year, during which we will work with our Welsh Government counterparts to ensure what is best for local projects and local communities. As for the future, the answer is yes: we will ensure that the Welsh Government have enough time to plan and decide on structural funding so that they have the best ability to put the money into their local communities.

[Baroness Humphreys (LD)]

Llongyfarchiadau mawr i dîm merched Cymru o’r beinciau yma hefyd—congratulations to the Welsh team from these Benches as well. I draw your Lordships’ attention to my registered interests. I thank the Minister for his announcement. It will bring some clarity about what will happen to the voluntary sector in Wales in the next 12 months. There has been uncertainty, added to which the third sector will be hit by the NICs rise, which will lead to higher costs that will need to be covered in any follow-up funding. Will the Minister ensure that the input and involvement of the third sector is sought through the NCVO and the WCVA, and that multiple-year funding agreements are in place to ensure the continuation of vital projects?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness makes an important point. The short answer is yes: we will ensure that our counterparts in Wales have those discussions. I will pass the message on to my honourable friend in the other place so that the third sector is also a part of his discussions with the Welsh Government on how we can work closely together as central government, devolved government and the third sector.

[Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (PC)]

My Lords, at present, Wales gets 23% of the shared prosperity fund. If the SPF is included in local government funding in England, this risks money being redirected through the Barnett formula. Will the Minister agree that a needs-based formula is better than a population-based formula for funding?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I understand the noble Baroness’s point. However, we have to recognise that there were no plans from the previous Government for the funding going to the devolved Governments. We have brought in a transitional year to prepare for post March 2026. All these conversations are yet to be had. I cannot make any particular comment on them, but I will come back to the noble Baroness once we finalise our proposals for after March 2026.

[Lord Evans of Rainow (Con)]

My Lords, can the Minister give a definition of shared prosperity? Can he enlighten the House on what role private sector business will have in that shared prosperity in Wales?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord. As I said to the noble Baroness, Lady Smith, we are having discussions with all counterparts. However, it is important to recognise that people in Wales will have a huge say on how that money will be invested in terms of local growth, businesses and working together in partnership.

[Lord Hain (Lab)]

My Lords, I associate myself with my noble friend Lady Wilcox’s question, including her congratulations for our magnificent Welsh women footballers. Does the Minister agree that the previous Conservative Government penalised Wales massively, including by pretending that the shared prosperity fund could somehow substitute for European Union economic funding? Taken together, the £243 million loss of rural EU funding and the £772 million shortfall in EU structural funds add up to more than £1 billion. So much for making Brexit work; for Wales, it has been absolutely disastrous.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, I agree with my noble friend. The previous Government made no plans for the UK shared prosperity fund past March 2025. We will extend the fund for a transitional year. Many local growth programmes, including the UK shared prosperity fund, were funded by the previous Government despite them not making adequate provision in the Budget to do so. This Government have been clear that they will take difficult but responsible decisions to fix the foundations of the country’s finances.

[Lord Harlech (Con)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as a business owner in Wales. You cannot have prosperity without good infrastructure. Since 2023, the Welsh Government have cancelled all roadbuilding projects. I have asked this question before: will the Minister seek to have discussions with his Senedd counterparts about getting some of those roadbuilding projects going again?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I have great admiration for and friendship with the noble Lord from the previous Government, when I was an Opposition Whip and he was a Whip. These are the conversations that my honourable friend Alex Norris MP is currently having, so I would not like to pre-empt them. I will also be visiting Wales to meet my counterpart in my portfolio, and I will raise that particular point.

[Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Lab)]

We look forward to welcoming the Minister to Wales. Can he say, more broadly than the fund, what action the Government are taking to spread growth and prosperity more evenly across Wales?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My noble friend makes an excellent point. The UK Government are committed to addressing regional inequalities and supporting growth across the whole of the UK. Through the Council of the Nations and Regions, we will address this, working with devolved Governments. As well as the shared prosperity fund, we are taking other initiatives. For example, we will continue to support the four city and growth deals which cover the whole geography of Wales. Through the freeports and investment zones programme, we are delivering significant economic interventions into each corner of Wales, with freeports established in the north-west and south-west of Wales, and great progress has been made on establishing investment zones in north-east and south-east Wales. When I visit Wales, I promise that I will learn a few words of Welsh.

Voter Identification (Amendment of List of Specified Documents) Regulations 2024

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Monday 2nd December 2024 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Lord Khan of Burnley]

That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 15 October be approved.

Relevant document: 5th Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee. Considered in Grand Committee on 28 November.

Motion agreed.

Voter Identification (Amendment of List of Specified Documents) Regulations 2024

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Thursday 28th November 2024 Grand Committee

Moved by

[Lord Khan of Burnley]

That the Grand Committee do consider the Voter Identification (Amendment of List of Specified Documents) Regulations 2024.

Relevant document: 5th Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Elections Act 2022 amended the parliamentary election rules set out in Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983. This set out the requirement for voters to show photographic identification when voting in person in a polling station in Great Britain. The list of accepted forms of photographic ID is set out in rule 37 of Schedule 1 to the Act. It includes: passports; driving licences; various concessionary travel cards; identity cards bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram, such as the Young Scot card or the NUS TOTUM card; blue badges; and the defence identity card.

As set out in our manifesto, the Government are committed to improving how voter ID works by addressing the inconsistencies and ensuring that legitimate electors are able to vote. We are carefully and thoroughly reviewing the voter ID rules and evaluating how they impacted citizens during the general election. Work is already under way on this evaluation, using data gathered at polling stations along with public opinion surveys and qualitative research with electors and the electoral sector.

The Electoral Commission has also conducted a thorough review of the 2024 general election. It published an interim report on voter ID in September, and a final report on the wider conduct of the polls earlier this month. We will, of course, carefully consider the findings and recommendations of the Electoral Commission as part of our own review of the voter identification policy and will respond formally to both commission reports in the new year. If, in our assessment, we find that changes are necessary or appropriate, we will bring forward further proposals on the wider voter ID policy in due course. I do not wish to speculate today on what they might be, but I will of course keep noble Lords informed on the outcomes of our work.

However, there is a clear gap in the existing provisions, which we can and should address now: the absence of His Majesty’s Armed Forces veteran card from the accepted voter ID list, which is why we made its inclusion on the list a manifesto commitment. The veteran card is a recognition of the service and dedication of our veterans to our country. This is just one of the things this Government are doing to honour their contribution. We should not allow the need for fuller consideration of the policy in the round to stop us making a necessary change that will support veterans to exercise their democratic rights.

I know that noble Lords opposite were supportive of this change when in government, and I hope that consensus remains. This instrument makes changes to the current legislation that sets out the accepted forms of voter ID and will result in the veteran card being added to the list of accepted forms of ID for the purposes of voting in Great Britain. It will mean that holders of the veteran card can use it to prove their identity when voting in person in polling stations for all elections from May 2025 onwards. The veteran card was fully launched in January this year and is now available free of charge to all veterans. This, alongside the already accepted defence identity card, will bring parity between veterans and serving armed services personnel when voting.

The regulations also make two further small changes, which are technical clarifications to support the smooth and consistent application of the law. They have been highlighted by electoral administrators operating the policy in practice. First, they provide clarification regarding the entry relating to Commonwealth passports by updating it to refer to the specific list of Commonwealth countries in the British Nationality Act 1981. This will make voter ID legislation consistent with electoral registration legislation. In particular, it will allow Zimbabwean passports to be used as identification at the polling station from May 2025.

--- Later in debate ---

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for bringing these regulations before the Committee. As we have heard from my noble friends Lord Mott and Lord Hayward, the timeliness of these changes is welcome. My noble friend Lord Hayward is right: it would be preferable to have any other changes come to us all at one time. I would also like to hear the Minister’s views on the possible changes to the May 2025 elections.

To go back to the SI, we on these Benches welcome the inclusion of the Armed Forces veteran card for use as voter ID. This is a sensible policy that allows our veterans to use a well-respected form of ID to exercise their democratic rights. I note that these regulations also allow for the national entitlement card issued by local authorities in Scotland to be used as voter ID. I also noted all the relevant changes to the forms required and the small changes outlined by the Minister.

These Benches’ primary concern is that the integrity of the ballot box is maintained. I therefore again seek the Minister’s assurance that this integrity will be paramount in any future changes that the Government may make.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I thank noble Lords for their valuable contributions to this debate. I will respond to some of the points raised.

I thank first the noble Lord, Lord Mott, for his support for these regulations. I will tackle the issue he raised about additional documents being added to the list, as he asked for more clarification. On the subject of accepted documents at polling stations, I recognise that there have been calls from the public and noble Lords to include various additional forms of documents since the original voter ID rules came into effect. The noble Lord, Lord Rennard, also touched on this. We are pleased to bring forward this legislation to include the veteran card on the list of accepted documents, as this has been frequently called for since the card was fully launched.

I understand that many people would like further forms of identification to be added to the list. As I mentioned, we are continuing to review the voter ID policy. If further changes to the list of accepted documents are found to be necessary or appropriate, we will bring forward proposals in due course. I look forward to discussing them with noble Lords at that time. I make that point in particular. I have had really healthy discussions with all noble Lords who have spoken and want to ensure that I continue to have that conversation with them.

Many noble Lords touched on the theme of increasing democratic participation, as did the noble Baroness on the Benches opposite. The Government are committed to encouraging democratic engagement among all electors, including young people. We will help to encourage the engagement of young people by legislating to give 16 and 17 year-olds the right to vote in all elections.

The Government are carefully assessing the postal voting process as part of our wider review of electoral conduct and the registration processes. We have begun work on this and will work closely with stakeholders from across the sector to gather their feedback, analysis and ideas. The Electoral Commission has published its final report on the general election. We will carefully consider its findings and recommendations. Once we have completed our review, we will bring forward firm proposals for changes and improvements to our electoral system. I look forward to discussing this with noble Lords in due course. On the point about when the review will end, we expect to have a report on it in spring 2025.

The noble Lord, Lord Hayward, raised a number of important issues on Electoral Commission reports and our report in particular. I thank the Electoral Commission for its ongoing research into the running of our elections, and for its feedback and advice on potential areas of improvement. The commission published its interim report on the 2024 general election in September, focusing on the impact of the voter ID policy. Officials are already considering its recommendations. Two weeks ago, the commission published its full report on that election. This draws on the full suite of evidence and data, including surveys of candidates, returning officers and polling station staff, and feedback from charities and civil society organisations.

We will be carefully reviewing the commission’s findings and recommendations from both reports, and providing a formal response to both reports in due course. We are very cognisant of the need to ensure that the foundations of our electoral system are robust and secure, which the noble Baroness, Lady Scott, asked about, as we introduce further reforms to the way in which elections are run.

We are undertaking a strategic review of electoral registration, conduct and funding processes, looking at the biggest challenges and the pain points in the current system. We are working in partnership with the elections sector to understand how we can address these challenges in a practical and pragmatic manner. I will provide noble Lords with an update on the Government’s overall strategic approach to elections and electoral registration, including the outcomes of this review, in due course.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

Should I assume, since the Minister is saying that we will have nothing from the review until next spring, that there will be no further changes for the May 2025 elections?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I am sorry for any miscommunication, but what we are saying is that we want to get everything ready for the May 2025 elections. The focus is on getting the review and I am sorry if I confused noble Lords on that point. It depends what comes out of the review: depending on what it tells us, we can act on that. That is our focus.

The noble Lord. Lord Hayward, talked about the IFF research and the point that the Minister in the Commons made on this. The Elections Act 2022 included a requirement for the Secretary of State to publish an evaluation of the implementation and impact of the voter ID policy on the first local and the first two UK general elections after the Act came into force. We have therefore contracted IFF Research, an independent research organisation, to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the July 2024 general election—we would have waited much longer for an evaluation of two general elections. It is essential that we understand how the policy has operated in practice, what has gone well and where there are any areas for improvement in the future. We expect that report summarising the work on the voter ID policy in the spring of 2025.

[Lord Hayward (Con)]

I thank the noble Lord for that clarification. I seek further clarification on that point: will the political parties be consulted as part of the IFF research, so that they as well as other organisations can have input?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes an interesting point. The research is independently contracted, so that is something for IFF to consider. I reassure noble Lords that I will consult across the House on any concerns they may have around ongoing work on the report or its publication.

The noble Lord, Lord Rennard, raised a number of important issues. On the voter ID policy, he reminded me and my colleagues of how we voted when in opposition. I note the concerns about the policy requiring voters to show identification when voting, which is why this Government are conducting a thorough review of the voter identification rules. This will include evaluating their impact on the 2024 general election. I, too, am waiting for that review. A number of noble Lords have raised concerns, and it is right to raise concerns about all new policies to make sure that they are working in practice, promoting democracy and helping people to turn out and vote at elections. I say to all noble Lords: let us wait for that review to take place. We will carefully consider the findings and recommendations contained in both the report we have contracted and the Electoral Commission report and will bring forward a proposal in the future.

The noble Lord talked about the voter authority certificate. There is a big issue in that approximately 210,000 people applied for a voter authority certificate between January 2023, when it was launched, and 26 June 2024, which was the deadline for the UK election, but around 26,000 certificates were used as a form of ID on 4 July. It is not clear why so few electors used the VACs they applied for, so we want to conduct a review on that point of the voter identification rules, which will include the impact in 2024 of the VACs, and any changes or improvements will wait for that review to take place.

If I have not addressed any issues, I am happy to meet noble Lords about them, as we regularly do. An important point to make before I finish—I know the noble Lord will want to come back in—is that the Government are committed to improving electoral registration and addressing lower registration rates among all groups in society. Officials are working with their counterparts in the Welsh Government to learn in particular from automatic registration pilots under way there and to see how they are taking place. We will examine different approaches and use experiences from other countries to inform our decisions. My only point here is that we are waiting for the review. The Government are working on a number of improvements in this area, and that will take a bit of time as we set out our position.

[Lord Hayward (Con)]

I apologise for intervening again, but I seek quick clarification on a point that I raised at the end of my comments in relation to the county council elections next year. Is the Minister in a position to indicate whether all the county council elections currently scheduled will actually take place?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I apologise; that point was also raised by the noble Baroness opposite, and it is very important. I have just been handed a clear answer—it is exactly what I was going to say noble Lords, since I have not been informed of any plans—which is to reassure the Committee that there are no plans at the moment to cancel any elections, but if anything happens I will communicate through the usual channels of government machinery to ensure that noble Lords with a particular interest, expertise and passion in this area, over a number of years, are consulted.

We are all justifiably proud of our long history of democracy, but we should never take it for granted. The addition of the veteran card to the list of documents accepted as identification at the polling station will support this important community in engaging in the elections process and exercising their democratic rights. I hope that noble Lords will agree that these regulations provide for some important changes to our electoral rules, strengthening, widening and securing our democracy into the future. I hope they will join me in supporting the veteran community.

Motion agreed.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Friday 22nd November 2024 Lords Chamber

Moved by

[Lord Khan of Burnley]

That this House takes note of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, it has been more than seven years since the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, but time has not diminished the shock and horror that we all felt when we witnessed the terrible events in west London. It was an immensely personal tragedy for the bereaved families, survivors and residents in the immediate community as 72 people lost their lives, 18 of them children. The community were failed in the years before the fire and in the immediate aftermath. I am sure I will be joined across the House in paying tribute to them and restating our commitment to ensure that lessons are learned.

We are meeting here today to debate and discuss the findings of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report, as part of the Government’s work to ensure that it never happens again. This is the least we owe to those most affected by this tragedy, a tragedy that the inquiry found to have been entirely “avoidable” and, to quote the report, was

“the culmination of decades of failure by central government and other bodies in positions of responsibility in the construction industry”.

I thank Sir Martin Moore-Bick and his team for their forensic examination of what happened on that day and why. Their report was difficult to read. The findings prompted renewed shock and horror at the lack of competence, professionalism, oversight and integrity and, in some cases, downright dishonesty in those we trusted to keep us safe in our homes.

As the inquiry makes clear, the tragedy was the result of a collective failure: the failure of the state to protect residents from harm and of those we trust to build and maintain our homes to put safety first. The inquiry uncovered

“systematic dishonesty on the part of those who made and sold”

the cladding and insulation that was used, and describes how they

“engaged in deliberate and sustained strategies to manipulate the testing processes, misrepresent test data and mislead the market”.

The Government understand the criticisms that were levelled at the state. The Prime Minister has apologised for the failings of the British state and, as the Lords Minister for Faith, Communities and Resettlement, I want to say again how deeply sorry I am, and this Government are, for the failures that led to the tragedy and how the Grenfell community were treated in the aftermath by those who should have been there for them. They have waited a long time for the findings of the inquiry’s report and for change. With each inquiry hearing, each news story, each government announcement and each new commitment to change over the past seven years, they had to relive the painful events of that night.

Sir Martin’s report exposes the truth in unsparing detail, but we recognise that this is not yet justice. It is imperative that there is full accountability, including through the criminal justice process, and that this happens as swiftly as possible. I reiterate this Government’s commitment to supporting the bereaved, survivors and residents of the immediate community, now and for the long term.

This Government are treating the inquiry’s findings and recommendations with the seriousness that they deserve. The Prime Minister committed the Government to responding in full within six months. We remain committed to this timetable and to providing a considered and unambiguous response that sets out how we will build a strong pathway to reform. We are committed to unequivocal reform, system-wide reform, governmental and regulatory reform and, of course, justice. Our commitment to justice remains as strong as ever and we fully support the Metropolitan Police, recognising that this is an independent and ongoing investigation.

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, and again after the inquiry published its findings, we have seen a disappointing lack of remorse, apology or accountability from the organisations and individuals who failed in their duties. I know that many noble Lords have raised this important issue, and they are right to do so. Many of those who manufactured, sold and used inappropriate products, and many of the owners and developers who are dragging their heels in now making their buildings safe, have not taken responsibility. This Government will make sure that they do. I can confirm that the Cabinet Office has sent preliminary letters to companies named in the inquiry. For those found by the inquiry to have been part of these horrific failings, this is the first step in stopping them being awarded government contracts.

What happened at Grenfell Tower had a deeply personal impact on those directly affected. It was a national tragedy. It shone a light on the failures of the system and how practices, priorities and culture must change. Firefighters at the scene faced impossible circumstances with courage and professionalism but were let down by poor management, inadequate training and a chronic failure of leadership. Much has changed since 2017: fire and rescue services are better trained and prepared to respond to large-scale emergencies, but there is more to do to develop high-quality leadership, equipment and training for all personnel and to develop an environment that supports continuous learning and professional excellence.

We have seen that poor culture and a lack of integrity in our fire and rescue services lead to operational incompetence and thereby risk public safety. We must also acknowledge the impact of the failures in the fire safety industry. Collective action is imperative to raise standards in key roles, such as fire risk assessors, and to ensure that there is sufficient oversight of safety-critical work.

Sir Martin’s report focused on fire safety, but it exposed wider failures in practice and culture across government and industry. There have been important reforms since 2017, but there is more to do. Culture change cannot be a long-term aspiration; it must begin immediately. The Government have an obligation to carefully consider the findings and recommendations, and to continue to reform accordingly. So too do the designers, housebuilders, contractors, specialists, professions, those who produce and market products, and those who service and manage buildings. Every constituent part of our housing sector must act.

It is abundantly clear that far too many buildings remain unsafe. Yesterday the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published its monthly remediation statistics. They show that, of the 4,834 residential buildings 11 metres and over in height with unsafe cladding that the department is monitoring, 1,436, or 30%, have completed remediation and 983, or 20%, have started remediation. But 2,415 buildings, 50%, have still not started remediation We must go further, faster. Investment in remediation will rise to over £1 billion in 2025-26, and we have previously committed to accelerating the pace of remediation through targeted measures. I am pleased to say that more on this will be outlined imminently.

Everyone is entitled to, and should be able to access, a safe home, regardless of background or community. What we saw prior to, during and after the tragedy at Grenfell Tower was a lack of respect for residents and a community treated appallingly by both their landlord and local government leaders, who should have listened and acted sooner. Lessons have been learned, but more must be done so that the right support can be mobilised quickly to respond to major events. We will continue to carefully consider the findings on how central and local government must change, both in how they are organised and in their culture.

Social housing is a vital part of this country’s housing stock, but it must be better. That is why we have committed to a council housing revolution and to reforms that will ensure that landlords are held accountable for the quality and safety of the homes and services they provide. Routine inspections of large landlords will ensure that those who are not meeting standards will have nowhere to hide and will need to take steps to improve. Inspection results will be published, and residents can have their say about whether their landlord is delivering a good-quality service through annual tenant satisfaction measures.

Residents must be able to trust their landlords to deliver good services. We will introduce greater professionalism in the sector to embed that trust by bringing forward a new competence and conduct regulatory standard for social housing staff. We will press ahead with measures such as the new access to information requirements and the Make Things Right complaints communications campaign, so that tenants know their rights and how to raise issues.

This is not just about social housing: all residents must be heard. Our aim must be to support a more accountable, resident-centred housing system. We are putting in place stronger protections for the vulnerable, including through Awaab’s law, which will set specific timeframes for landlords to investigate and repair dangerous hazards in homes.

The inquiry’s report is a shocking story of what can happen when a system fails, when profits are put first, when the right oversights are not in place, when residents are ignored and when trusted actors are dishonest. We all witnessed the result of these catastrophic failures. Independent reforms have been made since 2017, but we must go further. I am sure that noble Lords will agree that this Government, the emergency services that serve to protect us, and those who build and maintain our homes must work together to create a fully modernised fire and rescue service and an effective, vibrant, innovative and, above all, safe housing sector, not just for now but for future generations to come.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, I am grateful for the interest shown across the House. The points considered and the fulsome debate on the important findings and recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry have been very pertinent.

It is clear that there are strongly held views, and passionate arguments have been made. I am pleased that an update on our progress on several of the key issues raised, including on our plans to increase the pace and quality of remediation, will be made imminently in the other place. I am in an unenviable position, in that a lot of the announcements on the progress on remediation will be made in the other place, hopefully in the coming days. But I will respond to many of the points raised across the House today.

I am glad to see the noble Baroness, Lady Sanderson, on the Front Bench. She delivered an excellent speech and has done brilliant work for many years, working closely with the Grenfell community. The noble Baroness made numerous points. Let me start by talking about the Joint Select Committee and the inquiry into the national oversight mechanism. The Government are grateful to the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee for its inquiry into the efficacy of the law and practice relating to public inquiries. The Cabinet Office is considering the findings and recommendations in detail and will respond in due course.

The noble Baroness, Lady Sanderson, also asked for details on the delivery framework and the communication of implementation. I agree that it is vital that we carefully consider the inquiry’s recommendations and drive delivery at pace. We will not allow this important work to drift. We remain committed to tracking the performance and pace of reforms through regular assessments, data collection and analysis. We will ensure that any method of monitoring is extensive, transparent, unambiguous and accessible to the Grenfell community, as we have done for phase 1 of the report. We will set out monitoring proposals in due course, but we do take on board the noble Baroness’s feedback.

On the review of the civil contingencies mechanisms and the Act in particular, we are carefully considering all the recommendations in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report and have committed to responding within six months. We will be looking to provide answers to specific questions, but there is a clear commitment to respond to the recommendations within six months. That was made clear by the Prime Minister.

The Government are also supporting the community for the long term, an issue that was raised a number of noble Lords. The Deputy Prime Minister has already written to and met with some of the Grenfell community and is keen to continue to meet them to hear directly about the issues that are important to them. A number of noble Lords raised the issue of communication, especially talking to the bereaved, including victims’ families. We will make sure we keep that conversation and those discussions at the heart of the process.

The noble Baroness asked about the creation of one department. The Government are carefully considering this recommendation, as well as others.

The noble Baroness, Lady Thornhill, in a very detailed contribution, spoke about the lack of investment in social housing. We will bring forward details of future government investment in social and affordable housing at the spending review. We will work with mayors and local authorities to consider how funding can be used in their areas, and support devolution. We are committed to delivering 1.5 million houses in this Parliament, and the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation. The Government are also adding £500 million to the affordable homes programme to kick-start the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.

Social housing reform was referred to by the noble Lord, Lord Best—he was eloquent, as always, on this issue, of which he has vast experience—and the noble Baroness, Lady Thornhill. Since the Regulator of Social Housing’s new regulatory regime went live in April 2024, routine inspections of larger landlords’ properties have begun, with the first new gradings published to make clear how landlords are performing. These reforms will help drive a transformational change in culture, a theme which has run through many contributions today. A transformational change in culture and behaviour is needed across the social housing sector. It is essential that everyone working in social housing treats tenants with empathy, courtesy and respect.

The noble Lord, Lord Best, has met with the Regulator of Social Housing. The regulator has begun inspections and will be holding everybody to account on the new standards, applying stronger enforcement powers where necessary. I know that the noble Lord has had that conversation with her.

In early 2025 we will take further steps towards ensuring that all social homes are safe, decent and warm by consulting on a decent homes standard and new minimum energy efficiency standards for the social rented sector. Also in 2025, we will direct the Regulator of Social Housing to set a new competence and conduct regulatory standard, to which I have previously referred. This will ensure that all housing staff have the skills and knowledge needed to carry out their roles effectively, and that they are held to account on treating residents fairly and with respect at all times. We will also direct the regulator to set new access to information requirements for housing associations. This will enable housing association tenants to access information about the management of their social housing and to hold their landlords to account.

The noble Baroness, Lady Thornhill, mentioned whistleblowers. I agree that it is imperative that workers feel able to raise concerns when they see them. As a whistleblower, you are protected by law; you should not be treated unfairly or lose your job because you have blown the whistle. You can take a case to an employment tribunal if you have been treated unfairly because you have blown the whistle.

A number of noble Lords, including the noble Lords, Lord Porter and Lord Carter, and the noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon, raised the progress and the pace of remediation. We will be setting out further measures soon through the remediation action plan to increase the pace of building remediation and deliver for residents and leaseholders. The Deputy Prime Minister has had a round table with mayors, regulators and national building and safety bodies to press the urgency of this work. Further steps to increase the pace of remediation will be set out soon in the other House.

It was important for the House to hear the passionate speech of the noble Lord, Lord Porter, who clearly has skin in the game. Where low-rise buildings have been brought to our attention, we are writing to freeholders and managing agents in affected buildings to make sure that any proposed works are necessary and proportionate, and that the rights to redress are being fully utilised. A number of noble Lords mentioned this.

Following the passage of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, we are delivering an extensive programme of reform. I talked directly to the noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon, about her particular points. The Chancellor reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to improving building safety, with the total spend on remediation in 2025-26 to rise to over £1 billion. This includes some new money in 2025-26 to begin to accelerate the remediation of social housing.

The noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock, and the noble Lord, Lord Porter, touched on the theme of justice. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government established a recovery strategy unit to use powers in the Building Safety Act to pursue the most egregious actors who have failed to make homes safe. The unit is seeking to recover £72 million of leaseholder and taxpayer funds to pay for remediation work, impacting 1,200 homes.

On the investigation, the Met Police and courts are independent. As the Met Police has said, this will take time. It is one of the largest and most legally complex investigations ever conducted by the Met Police, with around 180 officers and staff dedicated to it. Decisions on the level of special grant funding will be made as part of the considerations on the wider police funding settlement. The Home Office is working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service finance team to understand and manage the position on funding.

We have provided over £14 million to local authorities for them to take increased enforcement action against those whose buildings remain unsafe, as well as providing regulators with the powers needed to act. The building safety regulator has extensive enforcement powers and will hold those who are not complying with their responsibilities to account.

My noble friend Lord Stevenson talked in particular about manufacturers, construction products and the need for reform. We will bring forward comprehensive proposals for system-wide reform of the construction products regime to give consumers confidence and underpin supply chains and housing delivery. We are committed to working with the sector on this system-wide reform, including examination of the institutions that play a key role in the construction products regime, so that businesses and consumers can have confidence in the products and services they purchase.

The noble Baroness, Lady Pidgeon, raised a point about freeholders who do not accept culpability. Where buildings are delayed, we will work to unblock this and our enforcement team will engage with local regulators to support them in using their enforcement powers where appropriate. Where freeholders are undertaking their duties appropriately and at pace, the department works to support them in unblocking factors beyond their control.

The noble Baroness also talked about justice for those affected by the tragedy. The police were not able to take legal proceedings forward with the CPS before the conclusion of this inquiry due to legal obligations, because the report was required to be considered as a third-party disclosure.

The noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, raised a number of points. The first was about personal emergency evacuation plans—PEEPs. We must ensure that the most vulnerable in our society are protected. Following public consultations and engagement with organisations representing those with disabilities, the Home Office will soon bring forward proposals to improve the fire safety and evacuation of disabled and vulnerable residents in high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings. This will mean that residents with disabilities and impairments will be entitled to a person-centred risk assessment to identify appropriate equipment and adjustments to aid their fire safety and evacuation, as well as a plan involving a statement that records what vulnerable residents should do in the event of a fire. The Government have committed funding next year to bring this important work forward. More information on funding will be available when the policy for the residential personal emergency evacuation plans is published. On the timescale, the Home Office is planning to lay the regulations as soon as possible, with a view to the proposals coming into force in 2025-26.

A number of noble Lords talked about the duty of candour, including the noble Baronesses, Lady Thornhill, Lady Brinton and Lady Scott. As outlined in the King’s Speech, we will deliver on our manifesto commitment to implement a Hillsborough law to place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities. The Prime Minister has made it clear that the Bill will enter Parliament before the next anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.

On the culture point, which was also raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Sanderson, the Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of all civil servants to uphold the Civil Service’s core values, which are: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. The code makes it clear that civil servants must

“set out the facts and relevant issues truthfully”

and

“must not … knowingly mislead ministers, Parliament or others”.

The specific scope of the duty in the forthcoming Bill is part of ongoing policy development. More information will be brought forward in due course.

On the issue raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Thornhill, about building control standards, making building control a regulated profession with a transparent register of registered building inspectors is just one of the steps that we have taken towards achieving improved standards in the sector, but we will continue to review the building control system to ensure that those aims are met.

A number of noble Lords, including the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, and the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, talked about the Hackitt recommendations. The Government accepted all 53 of Dame Judith’s recommendations in her Building a Safer Future report, and work has been done to implement these since 2018.

A number of noble Lords talked in particular about parliamentary scrutiny of public inquiries, including the noble Baronesses, Lady Sanderson and Lady Thornhill, and the noble Lords, Lord Carter and Lord Booth-Smith. The Prime Minister has already committed to responding to the inquiry within six months and to updating Parliament annually on our progress against every commitment that we make. The Government are also grateful to the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee for its inquiry into the efficacy of the law and practice relating to public inquiries more broadly. I know that the Cabinet Office is considering the findings and recommendations in detail and will respond in due course. The Government are grateful for all the work that this House is doing on that point.

I agree that it is vital that we carefully consider the inquiry’s recommendations and deliver at pace. We will not allow that important work to drift; we will remain committed to tracking the performance and pace of reforms through regular assessments, data collection and analysis. We will ensure that any method of monitoring will be extensive, transparent, unambiguous and accessible to the Grenfell community.

The noble Lords, Lord Porter and Lord Carter, touched on the “stay put” policy on evacuation alert systems. If a building requires remediation to address issues that could compromise the “stay put” building strategy, the strategy will change to simultaneous evacuation, with interim measures being put into place to support residents’ ability to evacuate. The building will revert back to a “stay put” policy only when the remediation is complete and it no longer presents a significant fire risk. An evacuation strategy can be changed during an incident by the fire and rescue Service, which can judge from the situation whether it needs to be changed.

On the issue of sprinklers, they are recognised as an effective means of controlling fire, but they are only one of several measures. There are other measures that can make a building safe. On the point from the noble Lord, Lord Carter, on Approved Document B, it makes provision for sprinklers in all new care homes, and for existing care homes some owners may choose to retrofit sprinklers as part of their overall fire strategy, while others may opt for alternative measures that may be more appropriate.

The Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government has accepted that successive years of deregulatory policy and financial constraints have impacted the ability of the department to do its job properly. Clearly, that is unacceptable, and the systems that we have today are not those of 2017. A few steps have been made to tighten regulations and enforcement, but more needs to be done. Some £16.5 million in funding has been provided to support the recruitment and training of 230 new building control surveyors, and an additional £3.5 million has been made available to support the upskilling of building inspectors in local authorities.

The Deputy Prime Minister has made it clear that the Government will work in partnership with local authorities to build the foundations of local government. The recently announced leaders’ council will give councils a voice at the heart of government; it will bring together local government leaders and Ministers to jointly tackle problems and deliver for communities that we serve. That approach will help to deliver recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, particularly those that have an effect on the point of the local authority-related areas.

The noble Lord, Lord Carter, raised a point in relation to the construction industry. The Building Safety Act has created powers to introduce additional construction product regulations, including a general safety requirement and requirements for safety-critical products that will enable all construction products available on the domestic market to be regulated.

The noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, asked about the Dagenham fire. Barking and Dagenham Council provided emergency accommodation in local hotels for all 31 households that needed it, with suitable move-on accommodation being secured.

The noble Earl, Lord Lytton, made a strong contribution and I really value the expertise that he brings. On the “stay put” strategy, which I have mentioned before, that depends upon buildings being properly constructed, refurbished and maintained to building safety regulations. If a building requires remediation to address issues that could compromise a “stay put” strategy, and therefore has not been built or maintained correctly, that strategy will be changed to simultaneous evacuation, with interim measures put in place to support the residents’ ability to evacuate.

The supply chain of skilled professionals who are able to meet the sector’s demands is delicate. Good fire engineers are in short supply, contractor capacity for remediation work may be insufficient and the rates of remediation are not rapid. We will address these issues in the plan that will be announced imminently.

In concluding, I recognise that I may not have covered all noble Lords’ points. I will write to colleagues on specific areas. What the inquiry has demonstrated, and what today’s debate has shown, is that the housing sector needs fundamental change. What happened at Grenfell Tower must never be allowed to happen again. There must be a rebalancing of power that gives voice and respect to every citizen, whoever they are and wherever they live.

But, unbelievably and unacceptably, seven years on people across the country continue to live in potentially unsafe homes. It has taken far too long to make their buildings safe. This Government will imminently set out plans to increase the pace of remediation, protect leaseholders from additional costs and ensure that those who are responsible for the building safety crisis pay to help put it right.

The housing sector must act now to fix the unsafe buildings that need fixing, to change behaviour and culture, to rebuild the confidence and trust of residents and to deliver the 1.5 million safe and secure homes that we have committed to delivering in this Parliament, which this country so desperately needs.

I am conscious that there is such expertise in this House and make clear my commitment to sit down with noble Lords across the House to have further discussions. I appreciate all the feedback from across the House in today’s very important debate and look forward to meeting a number of noble Lords on this area. My door is always open to make sure that we improve lives for everybody to live in safe, secure and prosperous homes.

Motion agreed.

Voter Registration and Participation

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Thursday 14th November 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase voter registration and participation.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, as set out in our manifesto, this Government are committed to improving electoral registration and democratic participation. We will lower the voting age to 16 for all UK elections to widen democratic participation and encourage a lifelong commitment to voting. We are also exploring options to improve registration, including using data and online services to facilitate registration and increase registration rates. Changes will be informed by evidence and user research.

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend the Minister for that Answer, especially regarding data sharing. Can he assure me that he will give serious consideration to the Electoral Commission’s recommendation that there should be a requirement on public bodies to share data with electoral administrators? Will he also look at allowing young people to use, for example, student cards and travel cards as ID when voting, following the very welcome change to the use of veteran cards?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My noble friend makes an excellent point. We are exploring options to utilise data held by public bodies to encourage electoral registration, including what more can be done to enable electoral administrators to obtain local data. We are working with the Electoral Commission on this. On voter identification documents, as part of our commitment to expanding the voter franchise to 16 and 17 year-olds, we need to consider whether the requirements and patterns of ownership of identity documents for identification differ for younger voters. If we find that the list of accepted identification documents needs to be revised, the Government will bring forward proposals in due course.

[Lord Forsyth of Drumlean (Con)]

My Lords, does the Minister not acknowledge that one way to increase participation in elections is for Governments not to break the promises they make in the run-up to a general election—in particular by imposing taxes on working people, which they said they would not do?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, we are delivering on our manifesto. On voter registration and increasing participation, the Government are committed to encouraging democratic engagement among all electors, including young people. That is why we will bring forward legislation for 16 and 17 year-olds to be able to vote in UK elections. This Government believe that by building a strong foundation for democratic participation among young people, we can establish voting habits that will continue as they grow older.

[Lord Patel of Bradford (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, I congratulate the Minister on all his efforts to ensure participation from local communities in Burnley. However, what are the Government doing in rural areas, where people have to travel long distances and transport and polling infrastructure are poor. How do we get young people there to vote?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes an excellent point on the difference between urban and rural participation. My department, MHCLG, is working with other government departments to explore the potential use of their data and online services to help improve voter registration across all areas. Continued collaboration is essential to deliver the Government’s electoral reform agenda. We will work with academics, civil society groups, the Electoral Commission and the electoral sector across the country, particularly with local communities.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord McFall of Alcluith)]

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Campbell-Savours, is participating remotely.

[Lord Campbell-Savours (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, have we not wasted millions on a national scheme of individual registration to deal with a problem of fraud confined to only a few inner-city areas? Was not the real reason for the scheme’s implementation no more than a deliberate attempt by the then Government to suppress the vote in disadvantaged, transient communities in Labour inner-city areas? Ministers should read the debate of 8 September 2020 on the Parliamentary Constituencies Bill, where deficiencies in electoral registration were fully exposed. We need to increase the vote, not spend money decreasing it.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I note my noble friend’s important points, but I assure him that the Government are committed to improving electoral registration and addressing low registration rates among various groups in society. We will examine different approaches and use the experience of other countries to inform our decisions.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, we welcome the inclusion of the Armed Forces veteran card for use as voter ID but note that there will be a further review. Can the Minister assure the House that the integrity of the ballot box will be maintained in any future changes that the Government make?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for making the point about the addition of the Armed Forces veteran card to the list of accepted documents for voter ID. On her very direct question, yes—it is in our manifesto.

[Lord Rennard (LD)]

My Lords, only 65% of 18 to 25 year-olds are registered to vote, compared with more than 95% of the over-65s. Will the Government now act urgently on the unanimous cross-party recommendation of this House’s Select Committee on electoral administration in 2013, and begin the process of automatically registering young people to vote when they are issued with their national insurance numbers and the DWP has checked on their nationality?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, the noble Lord makes an interesting point and I have had the great pleasure of working with him on various SIs and, in particular, on the Elections Act 2022. The Government will explore all options to ensure that we increase voter participation. We believe that, by building a strong foundation of democratic participation among young people, we will establish voting habits that continue as they grow older. It is about delivering long-lasting, positive consequences for our democracy and building an informed and engaged electorate for the future. In the meantime, we are working on these issues and will bring proposals to the House.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, on voter participation, does the Minister recognise that a gross disservice to democracy has been perpetrated by all political parties—I am afraid I include my own—that base their election canvassing on so-called voter modelling algorithms and social profiling? They aim at getting only identified party supporters to turn out and leaving other voters undisturbed. Is it any surprise that there is a cynicism towards politics? Will the Government give serious consideration to adopting the STV system, in which every vote counts, to encourage inclusivity in our democratic processes?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, there was a lot stacked in the noble Lord’s question, but he makes an interesting point. I single out that turnout at the 2024 general election was 59.7%, which was the lowest since 2001. It was 7.6 percentage points lower than in 2019, so there is an issue with increasing voter participation but also an apathy with politics. The Prime Minister was very determined, as he started his premiership, to make sure that we reach out across all parts of our electoral system to ensure that people feel confident to get involved and participate in the system.

[Lord Reid of Cardowan (Lab)]

My Lords, in this digital age, is it not a disgrace that we depend on displaying rail cards, bus cards, Armed Forces cards and all sorts of other cards to combat fraud? Is the answer not staring us in the face? In this digital age, we should have digital ID and digital ID cards, without which we will not be able to tackle voter fraud, far less black employment, immigration or counterterrorism. Will the Government finally at least consider the use of digital ID?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for making that very important point. He alludes to the use of technology and the digitalisation of the process, but I remind the House that technology already plays a part in the smooth running of the UK’s election registration infrastructure. The noble Lord is talking about ID to help voting, but there is a range of ways in which technology could be part of measures to improve the whole process. The Government will thoroughly explore the viability of every avenue to achieve that goal. Any new measures will be rigorously tested and will take the accessibility and diverse needs of different groups of people into account, so that all those eligible to vote are able to register.

Social Housing: Awaab’s Law

Lord Khan of Burnley Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lady Scott of Bybrook, and with her permission, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in her name on the Order Paper.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Lord Khan of Burnley) (Lab)]

My Lords, first, I pay tribute to the noble Baroness, Lady Scott, for her tireless work under the previous Government in introducing the enabling powers for Awaab’s law through the Social Housing (Regulation) Act. I also pay tribute to Awaab Ishak and his parents, and the family’s efforts in campaigning for Awaab’s law. Their constructive work with the Government on this crucial policy deserves this place’s thanks and recognition. The Government will introduce Awaab’s law in both the social and private rented sector. This will support tenants to secure faster repairs, reducing health and safety risks. We will bring forward secondary legislation for Awaab’s law in the social rented sector in autumn.

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

My Lords, I understand that the Government have extended the timeline for implementing the secondary legislation that will set the standards that social landlords must comply with under Awaab’s law in order to also set out the rules that private landlords must comply with under the Renters’ Rights Bill. However, given that winter is approaching, bringing colder and damper days and nights, will the Minister commit to a more urgent timeline to ensure that no other child dies because of inhumane housing conditions?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

The consultation received over 1,000 responses. It is important that we consider these responses in full before confirming the requirements of Awaab’s law. We intend to publish the Government’s response to the consultation and lay the statutory instrument for Awaab’s law in Parliament this autumn. Alongside it, the Renters’ Rights Bill will ensure that we have similar legislation for the private rented sector. The noble Baroness is right that we want to get this done as fast as possible. No one should ever have to lose a child because of the condition of their home. No one should have to suffer appalling living conditions. Nor should anyone feel powerless in the face of landlords who will not listen to them or who make them feel like they are the problem when they ask for help.

[Lord Bird (CB)]

Do the Government agree with me that one of the problems we have now is that many social housing associations are behaving like private landlords? Many of the problems that happen for tenants, including mould, are happening in the public housing sector. Maybe we need to think again about whether we need more council houses and fewer housing associations.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

On enforcement, seeking redress is important and tenants should challenge their landlords, whether it is a private landlord or the social housing sector. There are important ways to address this through the courts, but there is also the Housing Ombudsman. Tenants can challenge their landlord and if they do not get a satisfactory response, the Housing Ombudsman can address the issue, whether it is in the private or social sector. The noble Lord makes a valid point about the problems being widespread and not just in the private rented sector.

[Baroness Thornhill (LD)]

My Lords, only last week, the Housing Ombudsman said that damp and mould complaints constitute half of all its complaints. It named and shamed 20 social housing providers to which it had served severe maladministration orders. It is clear to me that the sector is already struggling with the timescales involved in Awaab’s law. Can the Minister assure us that all parties are ready for this? Following the comments made about speed, does he agree with me that new legislation is valuable only if it is enforceable? If it will not work, and if the sector is already struggling to make it work, do we not need to listen to the sector for a little longer before extending this legislation to the private rented sector?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

My Lords, we are working with social landlord and tenant groups to consider the practical implications of the proposed requirements to be set through Awaab’s law. The Government’s response to the consultation, which will be published in due course, as well as subsequent regulations, will provide details on how Awaab’s law will work. We will issue guidance for landlords and residents on the new duties to be set by the regulations. The guidance will be published before the regulations come into force, to give landlords time to prepare and for tenants to know their rights.

[Baroness Hazarika (Lab)]

My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree with me that Awaab’s law is not just important to our housing policy but absolutely germane to preventing child poverty? A child’s life chances depend on having a home that is clean, safe and habitable.

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I absolutely agree with my noble friend’s excellent and eloquent point. It is for us all to learn lessons from what happened. She talked about the wider societal issues and unfortunate challenges we have to deal with, and I hope that we can work together across government to address them.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, in 1997, the Labour Government inherited damp and cold houses, and they had years to try to fix them. This Government have inherited from the previous Government 13 years of neglect. I welcome the measures that the Government are taking. Can the Minister introduce them as quickly as possible?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I note my noble friend’s point. There is a challenge ahead. There is a different set of economic circumstances in 2024 than there was in 1997, but we are equally focused to ensure that we can tackle this scourge in both the private and social rented sectors. We will work hard to ensure that, after the responses to the consultation, we can move on swiftly—which was the premise of the Question tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Scott.

[Baroness Redfern (Con)]

My Lords, what extra resources will be made to local authorities to provide stronger investigatory powers and, ultimately, to deliver swift enforcement action?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

The consultation on Awaab’s law in the social rented sector invited views on the costs of the policy. The department has considered those views and will publish an updated impact assessment alongside the government response to the consultation. As we set out in our manifesto, we recognise that councils and housing associations need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to an affordable housing supply. We will set out our plans at the next fiscal event, to give councils and housing associations the rent stability they need to borrow and to invest in both new and existing homes.

[Lord Best (CB)]

My Lords, the Government are right to bring some pressure to bear on the housing associations and councils to get their properties up to scratch; it is essential if we are to prevent any more incidents like the death of poor little Awaab Ishak in his damp, cold and mouldy home. But those housing associations and councils need income to keep their stock in good nick, and that means not having reductions, caps and constraints on the rental income that they receive. Can the Government assure us that rents will be allowed to rise in line with costs and not be the subject of the constraints which have kept the income down and therefore the level of repairs and major improvements at a level that is unacceptable?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for his question and pay tribute to the excellent work he has done in this area for a number of years. To reassure him, as proposed in the consultation, Awaab’s law includes a provision for social landlords to defend themselves against legal action if they have taken all reasonable steps to comply with requirements but it has not been possible for reasons beyond their control. There is no plan by the Government to have any rent controls.

[Baroness Altmann (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, my heart goes out to the parents of Awaab Ishak and anyone whose children are living in those kinds of unacceptable conditions. Can I press the Minister on a timetable? The consultation on the social housing aspect was in January of this year. We are some months down the line, with no apparent date for the regulations. Would there not be merit in at least introducing this for social housing now, and maybe getting some of these homes updated urgently, while the Government rightly work out how to extend it to private landlords as well?

[Lord Khan of Burnley (Lab)]

I note the point made by the Baroness, Lady Altmann, about timing. As I said at the start, we intend to publish the Government’s response to the consultation and lay the statutory instrument for Awaab’s law before Parliament this autumn. In relation to the private rented sector, which the noble Baroness, Lady Penn, also talked about, the provision will be brought forward in the Renters’ Rights Bill, subject to consultation. On implementation, we continue to work with the sector on this and will confirm the commencement date for requirements when we introduce the regulations and publish the Government’s response.