Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2024 to Question 14837 on Absent Voting, whether postal ballot sweeps will be undertaken at local delivery offices on the evening of (a) 2 May 2024 and (b) General Election polling day.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Royal Mail conducts ‘sweeps’ of all primary (and where requested, secondary) mail centres on the evening of polling day by identifying and pulling out postal vote envelopes, which are specially marked to support this process. All incoming mail collected from post-boxes goes via the delivery offices and should be at the mail centres later that day, before sweeps take place. Any postal vote envelopes pulled out at mail centres are provided directly to the relevant local returning officers. Royal Mail liaises directly with each local elections office regarding the organisation of postal ballot sweeps.
Guidance on working with Royal Mail and other mail delivery partners is provided by the Electoral Commission and is available on their website (https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-returning-officers-administering-local-government-elections-england/planning-election/managing-contractors-and-suppliers/working-mail-delivery-partners).
Sweeps for Police and Crime Commissioner and UK Parliamentary elections are paid for centrally from the Consolidated Fund and are planned for the Police and Crime Commissioner and local elections on 2 May 2024 and for the next UK Parliamentary general election.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to monitor the potential impact of Royal Mail delays on the number of postal votes received after the deadline; and what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of voting packs that were received late in (a) local elections in May 2023 and (b) other elections in the last five years.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 13601 on 22 February 2024.
The May local elections will be held on the same day as scheduled Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, and so the Government has taken the decision to fund a ‘national’ sweep on polling day this year. This will mean that Royal Mail can conduct ‘sweeps’ of their mail centres to ensure completed postal ballot packs are pulled out at mail centres on the evening of polling day and delivered directly to local Returning Officers.
Returning Officers are required at elections to record the number of postal ballot packs received after the close of poll and this information is available for public inspection after the election.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it a requirement for the number of voting packs received after an election deadline to be published; and what steps he is taking to protect the postal voting system from Royal Mail delays.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 13601 on 22 February 2024.
The May local elections will be held on the same day as scheduled Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, and so the Government has taken the decision to fund a ‘national’ sweep on polling day this year. This will mean that Royal Mail can conduct ‘sweeps’ of their mail centres to ensure completed postal ballot packs are pulled out at mail centres on the evening of polling day and delivered directly to local Returning Officers.
Returning Officers are required at elections to record the number of postal ballot packs received after the close of poll and this information is available for public inspection after the election.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which policies under each arms length body reporting to their Department fall within the scope of the Environmental principles policy statement, published on 31 January 2023.
Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The duty does not require us to maintain a comprehensive list of policies within scope of the duty.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's consultation on Permitted development rights, which closed on 25 September 2023, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of extending permitted development rights in (a) national parks and (b) other protected landscapes to allow the conversion of (i) barns and (ii) other rural buildings for residential use on the ability of national park authorities to support the statutory purpose of national parks to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We are currently considering the responses received to the consultation, including from stakeholders representing National Parks and other protected areas, and will make further announcements in due course.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the report by Centre Point entitled Human costs and lost potential: the real cost of youth homelessness, published on 12 September 2023; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 201488 on 23 October 2023.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish all correspondence between (a) his Department and (b) the Government Whips Office on the progress of the Renters (Reform) Bill since May 2023.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
This Government is committed to delivering the Renters (Reform) Bill which will deliver the government's commitment to a better deal for renters.
The government recognises the cost-of-living pressures that tenants are facing, and that paying rent is likely to be a tenant's biggest monthly expense. Individuals who need help to make their rent payments may be eligible for a range of financial support through the welfare system. We have maintained the Local Housing Allowance at its increased rate following a significant investment of almost £1 billion in 2020.
For those most in need, Discretionary Housing Payments are available to help meet a shortfall in housing costs and the Household Support Fund has been extended to help with the cost of essentials. Further decisive action has been taken to support households across the UK through cost-of-living challenges, and the government will continue to provide cost of living support in 2023-24, designed to target the most vulnerable households.
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he held discussions with the Prime Minister in August and September 2023 on the potential impact of changing the rules on nutrient neutrality and home building on the nutrient mitigation credit scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Ministers and officials have regular discussions with colleagues in 10 Downing Street on a range of issues.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of the Deputy Leader of the House of Lords of 4 September 2023 on the Lords Report stage of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, Official Report, column 280 HL, when his Department plans to publish its consultation on the technical specification for the future homes standard; if he will make it his policy for that consultation to include a requirement for solar to be equipped as mandatory on all suitable homes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We intend to consult this year on the technical specification for the Future Homes Standard. The Building Regulations on energy efficiency will continue to set a performance-based standard rather than mandating the use of any specific technologies. Under the current performance standards, most new homes are likely to be built with solar panels.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish all correspondence between Natural England and his Department from 1 May 2023 to 31 August 2023 on changes to regulations on nutrient neutrality and the delivery of new homes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.