Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to use Council Tax data effectively for the enforcement of (a) the empty home Council Tax surcharge, (b) Empty Dwelling Management Orders and (c) other enforcement measures.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
Local authorities have powers to tackle empty homes through the council tax empty homes premium and Empty Dwelling Management Orders. Local authorities can already use data collected for the purposes of council tax administration to assist with making effective use of these powers.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government has taken to tackle owners of empty residential properties relabelling those properties as second homes to avoid the empty home Council Tax surcharge.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
The administration of council tax, including the premium on long-term empty properties, is the responsibility of local government. Local authorities have their own inspection and enforcement regimes in order to satisfy themselves as to whether a property should be subject to a premium.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many Section 215 (Town and Country Planning Act 1990) notices have been issued by local authorities in the past year; and what proportion of those notices resulted in successful (a) remedial action and (b) direct action for non-compliance.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Local authorities have a discretionary power under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1980 to deal with derelict land and buildings. This information is not collected centrally.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has plans to harmonise the actuarial methodology which determines the level of employer pension contributions for local authorities.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
Contributions for Local Government Pension Scheme employers are set locally and principally reflect variations in membership and accumulated experience within the fund. The level of employer contributions is for funds to determine based on local actuarial advice.
The Public Service Pensions Act 2013 provides in section 13 for a review of the triennial local fund valuations, including employer contribution rates, to ensure that they are set at an appropriate level to ensure solvency and long term cost efficiency. The Department has appointed the Government Actuary to carry out the section 13 review following the 2016 valuations and it will be published later this year.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has plans to harmonise the actuarial methodology which determines the level of employer pension contributions for local authorities.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
Contributions for Local Government Pension Scheme employers are set locally and principally reflect variations in membership and accumulated experience within the fund. The level of employer contributions is for funds to determine based on local actuarial advice.
The Public Service Pensions Act 2013 provides in section 13 for a review of the triennial local fund valuations, including employer contribution rates, to ensure that they are set at an appropriate level to ensure solvency and long term cost efficiency. The Department has appointed the Government Actuary to carry out the section 13 review following the 2016 valuations and it will be published later this year.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new developments benefit first-time buyers and rather than buy-to-let landlords.
Answered by Dominic Raab
This Government introduced the 'Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme' to help more first-time buyers and others to buy a new home. Since 2013 it has supported 116,898 first-time buyers into homeownership, which is 81 per cent of all buyers through the scheme. We have also announced greater funding for new Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy properties, and the Housing White Paper set out our plans for starter homes.
In addition, we have prioritised first-time buyers though our recent reforms to Stamp Duty, ensuring that first-time buyers are exempt from the tax on purchases of properties up to £300,000. Those buying a property between £300,000 and £500,000 will only be liable on the premium above £300,000. This reform should help 95 per cent of first-time buyers and give them a distinct advantage over buy-to-let investors, who are now subject to a higher Stamp Duty charge.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether planned changes related to viability assessments will include the introduction of a standard methodology for such assessments.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Viability assessments play an important role in making sure that both plans and individual proposals are deliverable.
However the use of viability assessments to inform the negotiation of section 106 planning obligations can add complexity and uncertainty to the planning process, leading to delays.
In September the Government consulted on proposals to simplify the viability assessment process and create more certainty about the contributions developers are expected to make.
The consultation asked what factors should be taking into account in updating national planning guidance, to encourage viability assessments to be simpler, quicker and more transparent, for example through a standardised report.
The consultation has now closed and we are currently analysing the responses. A further announcement will be made in due course.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government whether his Department plans to review the regulation of the level of charges made by private parking operators for vehicles parking on private land in respect of the Unfair Terms of Consumer Contracts Act 1999.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
The Government promotes a system of self-regulation by the private parking industry. Private parking companies must be a member of a trade association if they wish to access the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data and then issue parking charges to the owner of a vehicle. The two parking trade associations, the British Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC), have their own codes of practice and appeal procedures to which they expect their members to adhere.
Sir Greg Knight has introduced a Private Members’ Bill that seeks to create an independent code of practice for private parking companies. In line with the Manifesto, the Government fully supports Sir Greg’s Bill and seeks to get the fairest deal for motorists whilst helping to tackle rogue private parking companies. Should the Bill progress, there will be an opportunity to consider the obligations on private parking companies. The Bill is due for second reading on 2 February 2018. Further information is available here http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/parkingcodeofpractice.html
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will take steps to ensure through the planned National Planning Policy Framework revision that viability assessments are made transparent and public to allow for proper scrutiny by local councillors and communities.
Answered by Dominic Raab
In September the Government consulted on proposals to simplify the viability assessment process, create more certainty about the contributions developers are expected to make and improve transparency.
The consultation asked what factors should be taken into account in updating national planning guidance, to encourage viability assessments to be simpler, quicker and more transparent. For example, through a standardised report.
The consultation has now closed and we are currently analysing the responses. A further announcement will be made in due course.
Asked by: Alex Chalk (Conservative - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure local authorities provide support to people with disabilities who are unable to travel due to extreme weather in winter months.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
Local authorities have responsibilities to provide care and support for vulnerable persons in their area. Where it appears a person, including those with a disability, has a care need local authorities have, under the Care Act 2014, a duty to assess the care and support needs of that person and following an assessment meet those care and support needs.