Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Eighth sitting)

Debate between Barry Gardiner and Eddie Hughes

Committee stage
Thursday 25th January 2024 Public Bill Committees

[Eddie Hughes (Walsall North) (Con)]

It’s like those leases he keeps talking about; they just keep rolling round.

[Barry Gardiner]

Oh yes, I was intervening.

Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Fourth sitting)

Debate between Barry Gardiner and Eddie Hughes

Committee stage
Thursday 18th January 2024 Public Bill Committees

[Barry Gardiner]

I am sure hon. Members can ponder on your words and work it out from there. Thank you; that is really helpful.

[Eddie Hughes (Walsall North) (Con)]

Q Mr Freedman, you represent developers and investors as part of your job. You just referenced the possible impact on pension funds. How significant is that? I am hearing, on the one hand, that people have very diverse portfolios, so although it would be a big number, it would be broadly distributed, nobody would actually feel any real impact and this is just a bit of shroud waving by people who would rather be very rich instead of quite rich. However, there are other people who say, “Hang on a sec, this is not very Conservative, is it?” or, as has been said, that we are talking about transferring wealth from one bunch of people to another. Clearly, Parliament can do that, but the impact might be greater on one than the other. I just wondered about your thoughts on that.

Philip Freedman: I am afraid that I cannot give you the answer to that. because I am not directly acting for those particular clients. I am afraid I know no more—

Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]

Debate between Barry Gardiner and Eddie Hughes

Report stage & 3rd reading
Monday 24th January 2022 Commons Chamber

[Eddie Hughes]

I strongly suspect that my right hon. Friend will be catching up with the Secretary of State next time they walk through the Lobby together, and will be making exactly that point to him.

[Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab)]

May I take up the point made by the right hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Sir Mike Penning)? When the Minister conducts that far-reaching review, will it return to the case of Custins v. Hearts of Oak Benefit Society back in 1969? Will it consider the abolition of leasehold, and the full ability of leaseholders to take on the franchise and ultimately the freehold of their buildings?

[Eddie Hughes]

I think it is too early for me to be able to predict exactly what will be in the Bill, and what its reach and remit might be, but I am sure I will be open to conversations with the hon. Member to discuss his thoughts on what could go into it.

It would be remiss of me to not mention that in fact only two weeks ago we launched a public consultation to seek views on proposals to allow more leaseholders in mixed-use buildings to take control and ownership of their building. That consultation will play an important role in shaping the next stage of our reforms to create a fairer leasehold system in England and Wales.

I thank the Competition and Markets Authority for the vital role it is playing in improving the sector for existing leaseholders. The CMA has already helped thousands of leaseholders to gain access to justice since opening its investigation, and I welcome its dedication in the ongoing fight against abuse in the sector. Let me repeat that the CMA’s action against industry players serves as a warning to others, and we expect those who continue to permit such poor practices to heed the example set by the investigation.