Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) putting the New Homes Quality Board on a statutory footing, (b) requiring developers to be members of the Board and (c) providing buyers of new homes with a right of redress.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to improving upon existing means of redress for purchasers of new build homes. We are currently considering the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recommendations in their recent Housebuilding Market Study, which included activating a statutory New Homes Ombudsman, and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to bring in (a) licences for and (b) registration of property managing agents.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to ensuring that those living in the rented and leasehold sectors are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents. The Government will set out its position on the regulation of letting, managing and estate agents in due course.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to prevent products manufactured by (a) Kingspan and (b) Celotex from being used in Government-funded contracts.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Prime Minister has been clear that the government will write to all companies found by the Inquiry to have been part of these horrific failings, as the first step to stopping them being awarded government contracts. This process is being led by the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Our work to review the Inquiry report and the companies named in it as having contributed to the failures is ongoing.
Grenfell was a terrible tragedy that should never have happened. We must learn from these lessons and that is why government is considering the report’s recommendations with the seriousness the tragedy deserves.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to prevent products manufactured by (a) Kingspan and (b) Celotex being used by public bodies.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Prime Minister has been clear that the government will write to all companies found by the Inquiry to have been part of these horrific failings, as the first step to stopping them being awarded government contracts. This process is being led by the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Our work to review the Inquiry report and the companies named in it as having contributed to the failures is ongoing.
Grenfell was a terrible tragedy that should never have happened. We must learn from these lessons and that is why government is considering the report’s recommendations with the seriousness the tragedy deserves.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to increase the availability of dwellings suitable for younger people with disabilities.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We understand that accessibility in new homes, and accessibility standards for buildings in general, are important concerns. Housing is one of this Government’s top priorities. Everyone deserves to live in a decent home in which they feel safe. We will set out our policies on accessible new build housing shortly.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce Part M category 2 of the Building Regulations for new build properties.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We understand that accessibility in new homes, and accessibility standards for buildings in general, are important concerns. Housing is one of this Government’s top priorities. Everyone deserves to live in a decent home in which they feel safe. We will set out our policies on accessible new build housing shortly.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many units of accommodation in the (a) private and (b) social housing sector have combustible cladding; on how many such units is work under way to remove such cladding; and how many such units have no such work planned.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The latest data on remediation progress of 11m+ buildings identified with unsafe cladding is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-remediation-monthly-data-release-july-2024.
This shows that as of 31 July 2024, in the private housing sector, 2,127 buildings have been identified as having combustible cladding. Of these, 416 buildings have remediation works underway, and works have not started on 1,119 buildings. In the social housing sector, 2,405 buildings have been identified as having combustible cladding. Of these, 528 buildings have remediation works underway, and works have not started on 1,210 buildings.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring local authorities in their local plans to (a) allocate sites for (i) social housing and (ii) housing for elderly persons and (b) ensure the provision of housing with high-level adaptations for people with disabilities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework outlines that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those who require affordable housing, people with disabilities, older people, and to reflect this in their planning policies. In 2019, we published guidance to help local planning authorities implement this policy.
We are consulting on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system. This includes proposed changes designed to support the delivery of affordable homes including social rent, alongside securing a mix of types and tenures including housing for specific groups including older people. The consultation began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of preventing second home owners who become subject to a higher council tax charge from switching their home to a business and avoiding council tax altogether.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
From April 2025 councils have discretionary powers to charge a council tax premium of up to 100% on second homes. Properties available for commercial short-term letting may be eligible for business rates where they have been available to let for at least 140 days in the past year, are available to let for at least 140 days in the next year and can demonstrate at least 70 days of actual letting activity in the last year. The Government will continue to keep all tax policy under review.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his Department's timescales are for (a) publishing the tender documents for the licenses for the Green Flag awards and (b) awarding those licenses.
Answered by Jacob Young
The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities owned Green Flag Awards Scheme, currently operated under licence by Keep Britain Tidy, sets the national standard for public green spaces and encourages local authorities and other public landowners to ensure parks and green spaces are welcoming, safe, well-maintained and promote biodiversity and community participation.
We will provide further updates about the licensing scheme shortly.