Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
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 statement by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs to the House on 28 March on Afghan Resettlement Update, what proportion of the Local Authority Housing Fund expansion of £250 million will be charged to the development budget.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The £250 million of additional funding for the Local Authority Housing Fund in England is funded from DLUHC departmental budgets.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to reply to the letter from the Hon. Member for Reigate dated 5 May 2022 on planning enforcement on traveller encampments.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
A response was issued to my Hon Friend on 25 May. A copy of the letter will be resent by email.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the average length of time is applicants have had to wait since 1 January 2020 to have an appeal heard (a) against a planning authority's decision against development of more than one home and (b) planning enforcement decisions by a planning authority.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The average time applicants have to wait to have an appeal heard is as follows:
a) For appeals against a planning authority's decision against development of more than one home, the average time is 29 weeks
b) For appeals against planning enforcement decisions by a planning authority, the average time is 43 weeks.
The Planning Inspectorate maintains its commitment to simplifying the planning appeal process by making best use of digital systems to support effective service delivery. The Inspectorate has also developed a cyclical Inspector recruitment process which is intended to support the recovery of Inspector resource numbers and consequently improve wait times for customers.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will update the Improving access to social housing for members of the Armed forces statutory guidance for Local Authorities to remove the five-year time limit on local connection test for social housing allocation.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Local councils are best placed to determine how best to manage access to social housing – they are responsible for allocating housing through local schemes. These are governed by a framework of rules set by central government which ensure social housing is prioritised for those in housing need.
In line with DLUHC’s commitments in the Armed Forces Covenant, we introduced regulations in 2012 that prevent local authorities from applying a local connection test to disqualify serving personnel as well as those within 5 years of having left the Armed Forces. Statutory guidance is clear that members of the regular Armed Forces, their bereaved spouses and civil partners, and seriously injured reservists, must not be disqualified for an allocation of social housing because they lack a local connection to an area.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will update the Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities to remove the local connection test for those currently serving in the Regular Armed Forces or who have served in the Regular Forces.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Our veterans play a vital role in keeping our country safe and we are committed to ensuring that they are provided with all the support they need to successfully adjust back into civilian life
Homelessness legislation includes eligibility criteria such as the local connection test, to ensure that resources are prioritised effectively, ensuring accommodation is there for people who need it most. We have already made changes to local connection rules to ensure that veterans are not at a disadvantage as a result of their service.
Section 315 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 amended the local connection test to enable armed forces personnel to establish a local connection in an area through residing there by choice, or being employed there, in the same way as a civilian.
Service personnel can also apply to the local authority where they are currently based or, if they were previously in another area for 3 out of the last 5 years they could chose to apply to that authority. They could also choose to apply to an area where they have never lived but have close family living, or where they have special reasons for needing to live.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to increase the provision of veteran supported housing.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme (2021-26) (England) includes delivery for new supported housing within the programme. The delivery by Homes England and the Greater London Authority is based on bids from providers who are encouraged to discuss proposals with local areas. My previous answer to Question UIN 105327 on 31 January 2022 sets out the position on the provision of local housing support services.
In 2012, we changed the law so that seriously injured, ill or disabled Service personnel, and former members of the Armed Forces, with urgent housing needs are always given high priority for social housing. In June 2020 we published new statutory guidance for local authorities to improve access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what (a) statutory funding and (b) charitable and other non-statutory funding has been available for veteran supported housing in each financial year since 2010-11.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
This Government is committed to supporting our veterans who have given so much in service of our country (and we have published a refreshed Veterans Strategy Action Plan, on 19 January). We are also committed to ending rough sleeping, including for veterans. This is backed by over £2 billion over the next 3 years to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness
Funding for housing support services is devolved to local authorities through the Local Government Settlement. Local authorities are best placed to make decisions on what local services they provide, based on local priorities and circumstances. My Department does not collect annual statistics here specifically on veterans.
The refreshed Veterans Strategy Action Plan includes a reference to planned research on supported housing, including veterans.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what research (a) has been and (b) is being undertaken to help improve understanding of the supply and funding of supported housing for veterans affected by homelessness; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy in the funding for that housing to meet existing service provision.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
This Government is committed to supporting our veterans who have given so much in service of our country (and we have published a refreshed Veterans Strategy Action Plan, on 19 January). We are also committed to ending rough sleeping, including for veterans. This is backed by over £2 billion over the next 3 years to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness
Funding for housing support services is devolved to local authorities through the Local Government Settlement. Local authorities are best placed to make decisions on what local services they provide, based on local priorities and circumstances. My Department does not collect annual statistics here specifically on veterans.
The refreshed Veterans Strategy Action Plan includes a reference to planned research on supported housing, including veterans.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the equity of permitting 15 attendees at religious weddings and six at humanist weddings; and whether he plans to take steps to tackle that issue.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Humanist wedding ceremonies can take place at this time with 15 people present, as well as for the legal solemnisation of the marriage.
We understand the unique significance that weddings hold in people’s lives but, by their nature they are events that bring families and friends together. For this reason, only up to 15 people can attend a wedding. We will keep this under review.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how the specific needs of (a) LGBT+ homeless people and (b) other homeless people with protected characteristics have been taken into account in the steps the Government is taking to tackle the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
We have provided funding to assist local authorities to provide accommodation and support to vulnerable people who are at risk of, or who have been diagnosed with, coronavirus. This may include people identifying as LGBT+, as well as those who identify as having another protected characteristic.
£3.2 billion of additional funding was provided to local authorities to enable them to respond to Covid-19 pressures across the services they deliver. This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding to ensure that we minimise the risk to those rough sleepers unable to self-isolate.
The Chancellor also announced a £750 million package of support for frontline charities across the UK. This will help charities to provide support to vulnerable people during the pandemic, including those whose beneficiaries have a protected characteristic.