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Written Question
Housing: Insulation
Wednesday 20th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of low-rise homes in England clad in flammable Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride panels, (2) emerging acute fire risks, as evidenced by the fire at Moss Hall Grove in the London Borough of Barnet, and (3) the funding of appropriate remedial action.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

We are aware of the action being taken by Barnet Council and continue to engage closely with them on the steps they are taking, following the Moss Hall Grove fire in June 2023. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is aware and is keeping the situation under review, in line with their duty under the Building Safety Act to keep the safety and standards of all buildings under review.

The department will continue to liaise with the BSR and Local Authorities as appropriate to determine whether further action is necessary.

Local authorities, including Barnet Council, are responsible for keeping the housing conditions in their area under review with a view to identifying any action that may need to be taken by them. Local authorities have a longstanding duty where they are building owners to manage building safety and performance risks of all kinds in their buildings, and should continue to do so in a proportionate, risk-based, and evidence-based manner.

Local authorities are also responsible for managing their own budgets and delivering on their responsibilities. This includes their duty as building owners to assess their buildings and keep them safe, and to take any enforcement action they deem necessary.


Written Question
Buildings: Safety
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of building control officers fully accredited to deliver the new building safety regime when it comes into effect on 1 April, and (2) the capacity of such building control officers to fully enforce that regime across each relevant local authority from that date.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Question UIN 16272 on 5 March 2024.


Written Question
Banking Hubs
Monday 19th February 2024

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the delivery of the banking hubs and delivery hubs recommended by Link for locations which have been identified as lacking in services, such as Marple in Greater Manchester; and what steps are they planning to ensure that delivery is accelerated.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Banking Hubs are a voluntary industry initiative, which enable customers of participating banks to access cash and banking services in shared facilities. To date, LINK has recommended over 100 Banking Hubs across the UK. Over 30 Banking Hubs have opened, with a further 70 expected to open by the end of the year. LINK has also recommended cash deposit services in another 90 communities, including Marple in Greater Manchester. While industry is responsible for delivering these services, the government is closely monitoring the rollout and hopes to see facilities open as soon as possible.

Separately, the government has legislated to protect access to cash specifically. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 provides the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. Following the conclusion of its consultation on 8 February, the FCA expects to finalise its rules in Q3 2024.


Written Question
Caledonian Modular
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government which Government-funded construction projects had been awarded to Caledonian Modular prior to its collapse in March, including, for each project, the awarding department, the contract value, and the anticipated costs of remediation of defective work.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office does not centrally hold commercial information on Government-funded construction projects. Individual departments manage and procure their own contracts. The Cabinet Office can confirm that no contracts with Caledonian Modular were held with the Cabinet Office prior to its collapse in March 2022.


Written Question
Levelling Up Fund
Monday 11th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government which local authorities (1) made only bids to Levelling Up Fund Rounds 1 and 2 that were unsuccessful, and (2) made no bids to either round.

Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)

Over the lifetime of the Levelling Up Fund £4.8 billion has been invested into 271 projects across Great Britain.

For both rounds 1 and 2, all local authorities were eligible to bid for funding. We received 305 bids in round 1 of the Fund, and 529 in round 2. A list of successful bids has been published for each of the three rounds on gov.uk, as well as analysis on the geographic and thematic split of successful and unsuccessful bids in rounds 1 and 2.

Successful Round 1 bidders: Link

Successful Round 2 bidders: Link

Round’s 1 and 2 geographic and thematic analysis: Link

Further details of the objectives and decision-making process are set out in published methodology notes for each round.

Round 1 methodology note: Link

Round 2 methodology note: Link

Round 3 methodology note: Link


Written Question
Carbon Emissions and Energy: Finance
Monday 4th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the departmental budget for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for the current financial year is allocated to supporting, promoting and delivering (1) energy demand reduction measures, and (2) zero and low carbon energy generation measures; and what changes in the departmental budget and headcount for those tasks are planned for the 2024–25 financial year.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government published how the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s current year budget has been allocated in the 2023-24 Main Estimate. The Government will publish the equivalent information for the 2024-25 financial year in the forthcoming 2024-25 Main Estimate. Departmental headcount figures are published each year in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.


Written Question
Russia: Prisoners of War
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK citizens taken prisoner while fighting in Ukraine are being treated in compliance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.


Written Question
Building Regulations: Fire Prevention
Wednesday 21st June 2023

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that construction product standards are upheld until the National Regulator for Construction Products is established; and what assessment they have made of progress in improving those standards in line with the recommendations of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

As of April 2021, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is responsible for the regulation of construction products. The regulator is undertaking enforcement activity under the current Construction Products Regulations 2013, funded by the department. In July 2022, the department further extended existing enforcement powers, enabling OPSS to act on behalf of the Secretary of State as the national enforcement authority, overseeing compliance where there are existing designated standards.

The department is also looking to lay future secondary legislation (to be made under the Building Safety Act 2022) which will give OPSS access to broader powers to intervene in the sector.

To examine how the system for testing the safety of construction should be strengthened, the department commissioned an independent review into weaknesses in the existing testing regime. This report has recently been published, and the department is working with the two regulators (OPSS and HSE) to take its recommendations forward.


Written Question
Building Regulations: Fire Prevention
Wednesday 21st June 2023

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government what factors have led to the delay in establishing the National Regulator for Construction Products since it was announced by the Office of Product Safety and Standards on 14 January 2022; and what steps they are taking to bring about its establishment.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

As of April 2021, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is responsible for the regulation of construction products. The regulator is undertaking enforcement activity under the current Construction Products Regulations 2013, funded by the department. In July 2022, the department further extended existing enforcement powers, enabling OPSS to act on behalf of the Secretary of State as the national enforcement authority, overseeing compliance where there are existing designated standards.

The department is also looking to lay future secondary legislation (to be made under the Building Safety Act 2022) which will give OPSS access to broader powers to intervene in the sector.

To examine how the system for testing the safety of construction should be strengthened, the department commissioned an independent review into weaknesses in the existing testing regime. This report has recently been published, and the department is working with the two regulators (OPSS and HSE) to take its recommendations forward.


Written Question
Levelling Up Fund
Wednesday 21st December 2022

Asked by: Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to speed up the notification of the results of bids to the Levelling Up Fund; and what assessment they have made of the delay of the establishment of Marple Leisure and Community Hub in Stockport Borough.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

All bids submitted to the second round of the Levelling Up Fund, including the Marple Leisure and Community Hub in Stockport Borough, have been assessed following the robust process set out in published guidance.

I appreciate that applicants, if successful, will want to begin work on their projects as soon as possible. We have notified applicants and MPs that having received such a high number of quality applications, the announcement has been delayed until the New Year to allow us to allocate additional funds - meaning up to £2.1 billion will be granted to successful bids in this round. We will therefore announce the results of the second round by the end of January 2023.