Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 24 Nov 2020
Leaseholders and Cladding
"The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government blames the building control inspectors. The building control inspectors blame the construction company. The construction company blames the developer. The developer blames the lack of proper regulation. What is clear is that no one blames the thousands of leaseholders in my constituency …..."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 22 Jul 2020
Rented Homes: End of Evictions Ban
"I dread the autumn. Even before covid, my borough of Brent had the second highest level of evictions in London; a third of households live in poverty and more than 30% of employees earn below the living wage, and many face redundancy. This will mean that after paying their rent, …..."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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Written Question
Thursday 18th June 2020
Asked by:
Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question
to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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.
Written Question
Monday 15th June 2020
Asked by:
Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent West)
Question
to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
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
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.
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Mar 2020
Financial and Social Emergency Support Package
"The Minister said that only children of parents who are engaged in essential services should be going to school. Earlier in his remarks he talked about “essential” construction. Can he confirm that the children of construction workers working on an essential site will also be included?..."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Mar 2020
Financial and Social Emergency Support Package
"rose—..."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Mar 2020
Financial and Social Emergency Support Package
"Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it within your powers to suspend this sitting while an urgent request is made to the Prime Minister or Chancellor to come and announce what he has already said he is going to announce tomorrow?..."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 20 Feb 2019
Antisemitism in Modern Society
"May I just say that I agree with every single word the Secretary of State said? I thought he spoke incredibly powerfully, with great seriousness and with great measurement.
It has always been a mystery to me how anyone can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow human …..."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 20 Feb 2019
Antisemitism in Modern Society
"I am grateful to my hon. Friend, and I am sure that we all have similar stories to tell about the CST’s work in our constituencies. In my own constituency of Brent North, we have a Jewish community of just under 2,000 people, and we are the home of the …..."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 20 Feb 2019
Antisemitism in Modern Society
"My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I do not understand how the people who say the things that he quotes can, with any integrity, think that they belong to our party...."Barry Gardiner - View Speech
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