Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential role that gradual homeownership schemes could play in achieving the Government’s ambitions for more people to be able to own their own home.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The provision of affordable housing is a key element of the Government's plan to end the housing crisis and provide aspiring homeowners with a step onto the housing ladder. Our £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme aims to deliver up to 180,000 new homes across the country, should economic conditions allow. Approximately half of these homes will be for affordable home ownership, including Shared Ownership.
In April 2021, the Government launched its new model of Shared Ownership. This new model will make it easier for people to gradually increase the size of their equity stake in their Shared Ownership home, as and when they can afford to do so, all the way up to full ownership, with some limited exceptions.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a gradual homeownership scheme; and if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding gradual homeownership to existing property purchasing arrangements ahead of the Autumn Statement.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government's £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 aims to deliver up to 180,000 new homes, should economic conditions allow. Approximately half of these homes will be for affordable home ownership, including Shared Ownership.
Shared Ownership enables a buyer to purchase an initial equity stake in a home of between 10%-75% of its market value. Following purchase, the buyer can then gradually increase their equity stake in the home, as and when they can afford to do so, all the way up to full ownership, with some limited exceptions.
In April 2021, the Government launched its new model of Shared Ownership. This new model will make Shared Ownership more consumer friendly, easier to access and fairer, leading to a better experience for a future generation of home owners.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department's guidance is on Ofsted inspections for schools that have recently undergone a change of head teacher; and whether those schools are permitted more time following that change to implement reforms before a full inspection is carried out.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department has not set conditions on the timings of inspections where there is a change of headteacher, and there are no plans to request that Ofsted defers full inspections in these circumstances. It is important that Ofsted is able to inspect all schools in a timely manner in order to provide independent assurance about the quality of education being provided to pupils, and their safeguarding.
During an inspection inspectors will be aware that new leadership is in place and will take account of this in the evaluation of the leadership and management of the school. A change of leadership will be noted in the context section of the school’s report. In addition, where a change of leadership is relevant to what inspectors find on inspection, they will comment on this in the main body of the report.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether meetings of the House of Commons Commission are held in public.
Answered by Charles Walker
The established practice of the Commission is to meet in private. This is to enable free and open discussion between commissioners, and to enable officials to provide impartial and frank advice.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the votes of the members of the House of Commons Commission on items requiring decision are recorded.
Answered by Charles Walker
Schedule 1 (Paragraph 6(2)) of the House of Commons (Administration) Act 1978 empowers the House of Commons Commission to determine its own procedure. Its established practice is to operate by consensus, and formal votes on items requiring decision are rare. Where votes do take place, they are recorded in the Commission’s record of deliberations.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the House of Commons Commission has made of the mental health implications of requiring MPs' and House staff to work from home.
Answered by Charles Walker
The House of Commons Commission has implemented relevant Government guidance which at times required individuals to work from home. Since legal restrictions were lifted no member of House staff has been required to work from home where this would have an impact on their health.
Arrangements for their staff are a matter for the Member as the employer, who likewise have been able to allow their staff to work on the estate once legal restrictions were lifted where there was a health need.
The health and wellbeing of all on the estate remains the highest priority for the Commission. A range of services are offered by the House to support the wellbeing of Members and staff, including:
Through the use of these tools suitable arrangements for an individual can be put in place based on their specific circumstances.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the House Service has made of the number of potential redundancies among parliamentary staff which are consequential to (a) the closure of catering and hospitality venues and (b) restrictions placed on the number of visitors to the parliamentary estate.
Answered by Charles Walker
No redundancies have been made, or are expected, consequential to (a) the closure of catering and hospitality venues and (b) restrictions placed on the number of visitors to the parliamentary estate.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the announcement that the National Lottery will form a commercial partnership with the Rugby Football League, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the allocation of funds from the National Lottery promotional fund to that partnership on the ongoing Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The National Lottery's partnership with the Rugby Football League is a commercial arrangement entered into by the current operator of the National Lottery under the terms of its current (third) licence. Promotional deals are a valuable part of the National Lottery proposition as they strengthen the National Lottery brand and associated positivity.
The Gambling Commission, as the independent regulator, approved the release of funding for a range of promotional deals such as this, as they were satisfied that in the short term, they would benefit National Lottery players (through relevant prizes), while over the longer term, they would generate benefits for the National Lottery brand. The budget is from a promotional fund, and is therefore separate from the money allocated to National Lottery good causes.
The Gambling Commission launched the competition for the 4th licence on 28 August 2020. The next licence comes into force in August 2023.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the National Lottery operates with the highest regard for player protection both on and offline.
Answered by John Whittingdale
I refer my hon. friend to the answer given on 24th May, in response to question 4020.
Asked by: Gary Sambrook (Conservative - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of including (a) scratch cards and (b) instant win games in the National Lottery portfolio on (i) sales growth, (ii) returns to good causes and (iii) providing an entry point to problem gambling among players.
Answered by John Whittingdale
The decision by the operator to withdraw all £10 Interactive Instant Win Games in 2020, followed research, commissioned by the Gambling Commission, which found a correlation between players of Interactive Instant Win Games at the £10 price point and some problem gambling behaviours. The research did not show causation. The precautionary actions taken in this respect are indicative of the strong player protection policies in place on the National Lottery.
'Instants games’ have been part of the National Lottery portfolio for a majority of the time since the National Lottery was launched in 1994. Scratchcards were introduced in 1995 and online Interactive Instant Win Games in 2003. A broad portfolio ensures the National Lottery continues to appeal to a wide range of people and can provide substantial contributions for good causes every week. This has helped the National Lottery contribute over £1.2 billion to the UK wide response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
All games, including instants games, are licenced by the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission. In determining whether to licence games, the Commission will consider the potential impact on players and the player protection mechanisms which are in place to protect players from harm.
Evidence from the latest (2018) Health Survey for England shows that National Lottery games were associated with the lowest rates of problem gambling of all gambling products considered. Problem gambling rates for National Lottery draw-based games were 0.9% while the figure for Scratchcards was 1.4%.