Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with student accommodation providers to prevent students with tenancies having to pay for properties they cannot reside in safely during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
If students have already signed an accommodation contract for next year and, because of the COVID-19 outbreak, think it may no longer fit their requirements, they should talk directly to their accommodation provider.
During these unprecedented times, the Government encourages student accommodation providers, landlords, letting agencies and tenants to take a pragmatic, flexible approach and have a frank and open conversation at the earliest?opportunity, to allow both parties to agree a sensible way forward.
In cases where students do not wish to move into the accommodation, they are able to end or surrender their fixed term tenancy if they reach an agreement with their landlord. Where students have a joint tenancy agreement, all tenants will need to agree to the surrender as well as the landlord.
In very limited situations where a student has been legally prevented from living in their accommodation, they may be entitled to a refund from certain accommodation providers. This is dependent on the terms of their contract and their particular circumstances. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published guidance on consumer contracts, cancellation and refunds affected by the coronavirus. This sets out the CMA’s view on how the law operates to help consumers understand their rights and help businesses treat their customers fairly. If students need help, organisations such as Citizens Advice offer a free service, providing information and support.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what provision he is making for local authorities to continue the Everyone In campaign to house and support people who were street homeless.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Almost 15,000 vulnerable people, including those who were street homeless, have been housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown period, according to returns from local authorities to MHCLG.
£3.2 billion has been provided to support councils to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, including supporting homeless people. This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding for councils to support vulnerable rough sleepers.
On 24 May, the Secretary of State announced plans for thousands of long-term, safe homes to support many of the vulnerable rough sleepers who have been supported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, individuals taken off the streets during the pandemic can get the support they need to rebuild their lives.
This?unprecedented?commitment?– the biggest of its kind since the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative?began?– will be backed by?£160?million?in 2020/21 to inject 3,300 new units of accommodation over the next 12 months, part of?6,000 in total.
This means in 2020/21 we are providing £606 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This marks a £238 million increase in funding from the previous year and further demonstrates our commitment to assist the most vulnerable in society.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what account he has taken of the Government's policy to end unabated coal in framing National Planning Policy Framework guidelines on the approval of new coal extraction projects.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Department for Energy and Climate Change will be launching a consultation on how to fulfil the Government's commitment to phase out existing unabated coal as an energy source for power stations shortly. The National Planning Policy Framework and planning practice guidance, sets the planning framework for mineral planning authorities to assess applications for the extraction of coal, they do not address the specific uses of coal.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 7 on page 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework, published in March 2012 whether his Department has made an assessment of the extent to which the UK's carbon budgets and 2050 climate target is taken into account by planning authorities when making planning decisions.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that sustainable development should be at the heart of planning, and should be pursued in a positive and integrated way. It makes it clear that policies set out in paragraphs 18 to 219, taken as a whole, constitute the Government's view of what sustainable development in England means in practice for the planning system – both in preparing local plans and taking decisions on individual planning applications. It is for the decision-maker to take these policies into account when considering applications for development.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which organisation is responsible for carrying out environmental impact assessments for hydraulic fracturing developments.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Where an environmental impact assessment is required, the applicant must produce an environmental statement to accompany the planning application. The local planning authority will consider the environmental statement and other relevant information when determining the planning application.
We do not hold information on the likely future annual costs of environmental impact assessments in respect of hydraulic fracturing development. Estimating annual costs would be difficult given uncertainties over the number of proposals coming forward each year. Additionally the costs of individual environmental impact assessments will depend on factors such as the scope and level of detail of the information required to assess the likely significant environmental effects of the proposal and will vary on a case by case basis
The majority of the cost in respect of an environmental impact assessment will be borne by the applicant. The industry has already committed to undertake environmental impact assessment for any exploration well that involves hydraulic fracturing.
A Government amendment to the Infrastructure Bill requires that, before issuing consent for associated hydraulic fracturing, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change must be satisfied that the environmental impact of the development has been taken into account by the local planning authority.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost of the environmental impact assessments required for hydraulic fracturing developments in (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17, (d) 2017-18, (e) 2018-19 and (f) 2019-20; and what assessment he has made of how these costs will be met.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Where an environmental impact assessment is required, the applicant must produce an environmental statement to accompany the planning application. The local planning authority will consider the environmental statement and other relevant information when determining the planning application.
We do not hold information on the likely future annual costs of environmental impact assessments in respect of hydraulic fracturing development. Estimating annual costs would be difficult given uncertainties over the number of proposals coming forward each year. Additionally the costs of individual environmental impact assessments will depend on factors such as the scope and level of detail of the information required to assess the likely significant environmental effects of the proposal and will vary on a case by case basis
The majority of the cost in respect of an environmental impact assessment will be borne by the applicant. The industry has already committed to undertake environmental impact assessment for any exploration well that involves hydraulic fracturing.
A Government amendment to the Infrastructure Bill requires that, before issuing consent for associated hydraulic fracturing, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change must be satisfied that the environmental impact of the development has been taken into account by the local planning authority.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether planning guidance provides for a specific approach to planning for hydraulic fracturing in a) national parks, (b) the Broads, (c) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (d) world heritage sites.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 July 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, Column WS141, which outlines the current planning guidance in place on this issue.
Planning applications for shale extraction are considered under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, like any other local planning application.
In January, we published a plain English guide to the planning system which explains the limited role of Ministers. It can be found online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plain-english-guide-to-the-planning-system
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what grounds current planning guidance provides for not refusing an application for hydraulic fracturing in (a) national parks, (b) the Broads, (c) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (d) world heritage sites.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 July 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, Column WS141, which outlines the current planning guidance in place on this issue.
Planning applications for shale extraction are considered under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, like any other local planning application.
In January, we published a plain English guide to the planning system which explains the limited role of Ministers. It can be found online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plain-english-guide-to-the-planning-system
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has the power to overturn a decision on an application for hydraulic fracturing in (a) national parks, (b) the Broads, (c) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (d) world heritage sites.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 July 2014, Official Report, House of Lords, Column WS141, which outlines the current planning guidance in place on this issue.
Planning applications for shale extraction are considered under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, like any other local planning application.
In January, we published a plain English guide to the planning system which explains the limited role of Ministers. It can be found online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/plain-english-guide-to-the-planning-system
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what protections for residual amenity space are provided by the regulatory regimes for (a) planning, (b) environmental permitting and (b) health and safety.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Where residual open space is delivered as part of a new development, local planning authorities can consider imposing conditions that prevent the use of the land for other purposes.
If residual open space comes forward for further development, this is likely to require an application for planning permission which must be considered in line with the local plan and national planning policy for open space. The National Planning Policy Framework provides strong protection in relation to building on open space. The Framework makes clear that existing open space, sports and recreational land should not be built on unless an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown it to be surplus to requirements, or the loss resulting from the proposed development would be replaced by equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality in a suitable location. The Framework also enables local communities to identify green areas of particular importance to them for special protection by designating them as Local Green Space, through the preparation of local and neighbourhood plans.
The regulatory regime for environmental permitting is a matter for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The regulatory regime for health and safety is a matter for the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.