Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support small businesses impacted by flooding in Gloucester.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My thoughts remain with householders and business owners impacted by flooding after the recent heavy rainfall, flooding is a devastating experience for all those affected.
Government support in the aftermath of flooding is only provided in exceptional circumstances. At present, overall, the scale of impacts is not sufficiently significant for the Flood Recovery Framework to be activated in any area. However, officials continue to review impacts data and stand ready to support as appropriate.
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to encourage investment in high streets in (a) Gloucester and (b) Gloucestershire.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to rejuvenating high streets, supporting businesses and communities that drive town centre success. High Street Rental Auctions, effective December 2024, give local authorities in England powers to auction rental rights for vacant commercial properties, addressing long-term vacancies.
To further revitalise high streets, the Government is tackling anti-social behaviour, late payments, and crime, empowering communities to utilise vacant properties. Initiatives include, expanding banking hubs, strengthening the Post Office network, and reforming business rates. A Small Business Strategy Paper will be introduced this year to support small businesses.
Gloucester City Council received £1.468 million from UKSPF over three years to enhance community spaces, and support local businesses, including on the high street. Gloucester was awarded £11 million to transform the Greyfriars Quarter around Eastgate Shopping Centre. These aim to create vibrant, sustainable high streets for residents and visitors. Gloucestershire has received an additional £2.308 million from UKSPF which could also be invested in high streets.
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people have received funding from the disabled facilities grant in (a) Gloucester and (b) Gloucestershire in the last five years.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Disabled Facilities Grant allocation to Gloucester and Gloucestershire for the last five years has been as follows:
Financial year | Gloucester | Gloucestershire |
2020/21 | £1,276,921 | £6,842,353 |
2021/22 | £1,276,921 | £6,842,353 |
2022/23 | £1,276,921 | £6,842,353 |
2023/24 | £1,388,345 | £7,439,417 |
2024/25 | £1,584,452 | £8,490,250 |
This information is also available through the website of Foundations, the National Body for Disabled Facilities Grants and Home Improvement Agencies here: Disabled Facilities Grant Annual Allocations.
It is for local authorities to decide how to spend their allocation and deliver adaptations to eligible disabled and older people. Government does not hold data on how many people have received Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding.
Government recognises how important home adaptations are in enabling older and disabled people to live as independently as possible in a safe and suitable environment. This is why on 3 January 2025 government announced an immediate £86 million in-year uplift to the DFG, taking the funding total to £711 million for 2024-25. This will allow 7,800 more eligible people to make vital improvements to their home allowing them to live more independent lives and reducing hospitalisations.
Furthermore, government announced an £86 million additional investment in the DFG for the 2025-26 financial year at the Autumn Budget (bringing total funding for 2025-26 to £711 million).
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the supply of social housing in Gloucester constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my Hon Friend to my answer to Question UIN 11383 on 31 October 2024.
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support economic growth in (a) Gloucester and (b) the South West.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government recognises the importance that Gloucester plays as part of the UK’s economy, alongside the significant contribution that the South West makes on the national and international stage. HMT is committed to supporting the national agenda for growth, working with regional stakeholders to deliver investment and programmes which will drive forwards solutions that positively impact businesses and residents across the South West.
Through the recent Budget announcement, HMT reaffirmed its commitment to Levelling Up Round 3, with £11,000,000 dedicated to the Greyfriars regeneration project in the City Centre. In addition to this, in October 2024 Gloucester City Council was awarded £688,484 under the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 (BLRF2) to use the money to turn surplus land into new homes. Gloucester City Council has also benefited from £1,486,352 Shared Prosperity Fund, with local autonomy to direct funding to projects which best support economic growth in the area. Allocations to areas for the period 25/26 are expected to be released in December 2024.
The Government is currently undertaking a consultation with stakeholders to help shape the national Industrial Strategy and in parallel with this, officers from Cities and Local Growth Unit will be engaging with partners and businesses across the South West to understand how HMG investment can be best shaped to support economic growth in the region. The upcoming Spending Review in 2025 will further develop potential future funding streams for Gloucester and the wider South West.
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help tackle overcrowding in social housing in (a) Gloucester and (b) England.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer my Hon Friend to my answer to Question UIN 11383 on 31 October 2024 that sets out the steps the government is taking to increase social and affordable housebuilding, which will help tackle overcrowding.
Local authorities, including Gloucester City Council, are responsible for allocating social housing through schemes managed locally. In doing so, they are governed by a framework set by central government which ensures that they must give ‘reasonable preference’ to specific groups, including people in overcrowded housing. Statutory allocations guidance also recommends local authorities consider giving ‘additional preference’ (high priority) to families in severe overcrowding which poses a serious health hazard.
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the number of people sleeping rough in Gloucester; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing a long term plan to end rough sleeping.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Homelessness and rough sleeping levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. This Government will address this and deliver long term solutions to combat the need to sleep rough. We will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us on back on track to ending homelessness and rough sleeping once and for all.
Whilst we develop our new cross governmental strategy, the £547 million Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) which runs from April 2022 to March 2025 will continue its support to up to 300 local authorities across England including Gloucester City Council by funding local, tailored rough sleeping services.
On 31 March 2024, there were 198 households in temporary accommodation in Gloucester. Of these, there were 94 families with 204 children. This information is available at table TA1 Detailed_LA_202403.xlsx.
Asked by: Alex McIntyre (Labour - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the number of (a) adults and (b) children living in temporary accommodation in the Gloucester constituency.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Homelessness and rough sleeping levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. This Government will address this and deliver long term solutions to combat the need to sleep rough. We will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us on back on track to ending homelessness and rough sleeping once and for all.
Whilst we develop our new cross governmental strategy, the £547 million Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) which runs from April 2022 to March 2025 will continue its support to up to 300 local authorities across England including Gloucester City Council by funding local, tailored rough sleeping services.
On 31 March 2024, there were 198 households in temporary accommodation in Gloucester. Of these, there were 94 families with 204 children. This information is available at table TA1 Detailed_LA_202403.xlsx.