Oral Answers to Questions

Brandon Lewis Excerpts

Monday 10th November 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

3. What assessment he has made of the level of the take-up of neighbourhood planning and community rights.

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)]

Over 1,500 assets of community value have now been identified and listed, and over 1,200 communities have taken their first steps towards producing a neighbourhood plan for their area. There has been overwhelming support in the 34 local referendums held so far, and that means that roughly 5.2 million people are now covered by a neighbourhood planning area.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

May I take this opportunity to praise the residents of Warton in my constituency who recently submitted a comprehensive neighbourhood plan in line with the Government’s aspiration for community engagement? Does my hon. Friend agree that neighbourhood plans should be given full consideration by local councils at the earliest opportunity?

[Brandon Lewis]

I congratulate my hon. Friend’s community on going forward with a neighbourhood plan. He is absolutely right. Local authorities should move forward to get them to the referendum stage as quickly as possible—the average at the moment is just two months. I hope that his community will benefit from that as well.

[Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)]

The Government have made very much of localism, particularly community planning. Why, then, has the Minister held up the Gateway project in Coventry? Why cannot we have a decision?

[Brandon Lewis]

I am sure the hon. Gentleman appreciates that every planning decision that comes through the Department is taken on its own merits. Obviously I cannot comment on a particular application as it is going through its process.

[Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)]

Neighbourhood planning and community rights are clearly welcome, so will the Minister give advice to a community that cannot exercise them because the people who are planning to build 3,000 houses on their doorstep are in the neighbouring local authority area?

[Brandon Lewis]

The hon. Gentleman highlights an issue for local authorities, and Labour’s plans, which would allow councils to build on other councils’ land, would create that very problem. That is why we have the duty to co-operate and planning inspectors look very carefully at how it is exercised. I would be very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the issue.

[Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab)]

Recent research by planning consultancy Turley shows that areas of below average income have so far been less involved in the neighbourhood planning process, with just nine plans published in areas categorised as most deprived. What do the Government intend to do to ensure that more disadvantaged communities can participate in this process and that it does not become the preserve of the affluent few?

[Brandon Lewis]

All communities should be looking to undertake neighbourhood planning. I visited Southwark last week to see the excellent work being done there. A wide range of more than 1,250 areas are undertaking neighbourhood planning. Obviously, a few are ahead of the others and there have been 34 referendums. We have put in more money and are funding local areas that undertake neighbourhood planning and the local authorities to support them. I encourage all areas and communities to consider undertaking a neighbourhood plan.

[Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab)]

5. What estimate he has made of the number of children living in bed- and-breakfast accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

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[Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)]

8. What recent assessment he has made of the availability of affordable housing in Brighton and Hove.

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)]

Local authorities are required to develop an evidence base locally. This ensures that their local plans meet the needs for their market and for affordable housing to be consistent with policies in the national planning policy framework. We have published new guidance to local authorities on assessing housing need in their area and 340 new affordable homes have been provided in Brighton and Hove since 2010.

[Caroline Lucas]

In spite of national constraints, the Green administration in Brighton has overseen the development of more than 500 affordable homes, with a further 230 in the pipeline, and has built the first council homes in a generation. Brighton council and councils around the country could do much more if the Government would provide direct capital grant funding. Will the Minister reconsider that and meet my constituents to discuss proposals we have put together in a local housing charter to promote fairer rents and more affordable homes?

[Brandon Lewis]

There is about £2.8 billion of headroom in the housing revenue account across local authorities. We have recognised this year that some authorities that have been building have come close to that headroom, so we made extra money available. We have already announced some bids and will announce some more shortly. I encourage local authorities to bid to take up this opportunity, along with the housing guarantee grants that we have been offering with housing associations to provide more affordable housing. I am proud that we have managed to deliver more than 200,000 such houses over the past couple of years.

[Robert Neill (Bromley and Chislehurst) (Con)]

9. When his Department plans to issue a final response to the consultation entitled “Opportunities for collaboration, cost savings and efficiencies”; launched in May 2014, on the local government pension scheme.

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[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

17. What steps he is taking to protect leaseholders from nuisance legal actions initiated by their landlords.

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)]

Existing legislation already provides leaseholders with rights and protections. Furthermore, the Government fund the Leasehold Advisory Service to give free advice to leaseholders who face a dispute with their landlord.

[Mrs Lewell-Buck]

I thank the Minister for his response, but not enough is being done. My constituent Emma Stewart is being pursued by her landlord over a leasehold dispute. A tribunal decision found that Ms Stewart had made every effort to comply with the terms of her lease, and that her landlord had not been disadvantaged in any way, yet they continue to demand payment from her. That is a clear case of nuisance action and has cost Ms Stewart the sale of her home. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the situation and say what on earth can be done?

[Brandon Lewis]

I wrote to the hon. Lady about this issue a couple of weeks ago, but I am happy to meet her if that letter did not cover everything she needs.

[Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)]

19. What recent guidance he has given local authorities on ensuring adequate storm water drainage in residential areas. [Official Report, 18 November 2014, Vol. 588, c. 1-2MC.]

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[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)]

The Government have already helped more than 54,000 families purchase a home in England with the support of Help to Buy since March 2012, helping people to achieve their ambition of owning their own home. In the Winchester local authority area, 65 families have already bought through Help to Buy.

[Steve Brine]

Like many Members, I have spent years listening to young people say that they can afford mortgage payments but never the deposit to get on the housing ladder. Help to Buy nails that issue, and it is one of the most positive things this Government have done. Will the Minister comment on the starter homes plan and say whether those two programmes will work together to give more young people a chance to live the dream?

[Brandon Lewis]

My hon. Friend has campaigned hard for people to aspire to own their own home, and the Government share that desire. The Conservatives have made clear that after the next election we want to deliver 100,000 extra starter homes at a 20% discount, giving more people the opportunity to get on the housing ladder for the first time.

[Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

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[David Mowat (Warrington South) (Con)]

T4. Last month, the Secretary of State upheld the planning inspector’s decision to close the Arpley landfill in Warrington. This is of great benefit to the town and on behalf of the residents I thank him for that. Will he confirm that landfill remains at the bottom of the waste hierarchy and that in time it will be replaced everywhere by incineration and recycling?

[The Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis)]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that landfill is at the bottom of the waste hierarchy, below incineration, energy recovery and recycling. Updated planning policy on waste from October this year continues the focus of moving waste up the hierarchy by moving away from traditional landfill towards more sustainable options.

[Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)]

I join the Secretary of State in condemning anti-Semitic abuse. I very much welcome the action he has taken today.

Last year, the Secretary of State decided to extend permitted development rights so that offices could be converted to residential use without requiring planning permission. What assessment has he made of the impact of his change on the availability of office space, in particular for small and start-up businesses that are so important to our economy?

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[Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View) (Lab)]

T5. I draw the House’s attention to my indirect interest, which I frequently make public in this place.When will the Secretary of State act to save roughly £500 million of public money over 10 years by giving registered housing providers the same powers as local authorities to enter properties to carry out essential gas safety checks, as supported by the Association of Gas Safety Managers?

[Brandon Lewis]

I am discussing this matter with the industry, and I will continue to do so and inform the House once we have finished those conversations.

[Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con)]

The concrete councillors of Labour-led Telford and Wrekin borough council seem to be building on every bit of greenfield and every green patch in the borough, despite its being a semi-rural borough. What more can the planning Minister do to encourage this out-of-touch council to build on brownfield sites?

[Brandon Lewis]

We have published further guidance to help councils to appreciate that green-belt development should be an absolute last resort and that brownfield sites should always be used first. This summer, we made available to councils an extra several hundred million pounds, and I encourage my hon. Friend’s council to bid for some of that and do what it can to protect its valuable green belt.

[John Healey (Wentworth and Dearne) (Lab)]

T7. It is a disgrace that the Secretary of State has personally allowed the dispute over fire service pensions to drag on for three years. The Government’s own expert report says that two thirds of firefighters will not pass the current fitness standard at the age of 60, meaning they will be faced with no job and no pension after years of good service. Why has he turned his back on firefigters and now dragged his new junior Minister away from the negotiating table?