Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent (a) discussions he has had and (b) correspondence he has exchanged with the Deposit Protection Service on the decision to pay 0.78% interest on tenants' deposits held on account.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Mandatory tenancy deposit protection for deposits taken in connection with assured shorthold tenancies is provided by three independent companies authorised to operate under concession contract of the department. These companies protect deposits and provide free dispute resolution services.
The Secretary of State has not had any discussions or had any correspondence with the Deposit Protection Service regarding their recent decision to pay interest on tenants' deposits held on account however the decision to pay interest is welcome.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
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 West Worcestershire, dated October 19 2022 to Rt Hon Simon Clarke MP on behalf of the Malvern Hills Trust Chief Executive.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
A response was issued to my Hon. Friend today.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many Tree Protection Orders there are in (a) Malvern Hills District, (b) Worcestershire and (c) each local authority in England.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Department does not hold the requested information. This information is held by the relevant local authorities so they should be contacted directly.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much Shared Prosperity Fund money he plans to allocate to Worcestershire in each of the next three financial years.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
All areas of the UK will be receiving an allocation from the Fund via a funding formula rather than a competition. This recognises that even the most affluent parts of the UK contain pockets of deprivation and need support.
UK-wide, funding for the UKSPF will ramp up to £1.5 billion per year by March 2025. Alongside commitments to support regional finance funds across the UK via the British Business Bank, this upholds the UK government’s commitment to match EU structural fund receipts for each nation.
The Government will publish a full Prospectus on the Fund which will include allocations later in Spring 2022.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much European Regional Development Fund money has been spent in Worcestershire in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The table below sets out the money spent in Worcestershire arising from investments contracted to deliver activity specifically in the area.
| 17/18 | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | 21/22** | Total |
Worcestershire | £1,172,492 | £2,896,209 | £2,370,255 | £2,102,926 | £3,000,432 | £11,542,314 |
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| **only up to end Jan Q1 | |
Worcestershire will have also benefited from activity arising from contracts covering larger geographies. The Department’s ERDF database does not record spend from these contracts at local geographies such as Worcestershire.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
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 21 January 2022 to Question 103540 on Housing: Construction, if he will provide further basis to the statement that lower household projections do not mean fewer homes need to be built.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been clear lower household projections do not mean fewer homes are needed – in some cases they reflect existing under-supply, where lack of provision stops new households from forming. The ONS has also been clear that household projections are not forecasts; they do not attempt to predict the impact of future public policy, changing economic circumstances or other factors that may influence household growth.
The 2014-based household projections are used within the standard method to provide stability for planning authorities and communities, to ensure that historic under-supply and declining affordability are ultimately reflected in housing requirements, and to support the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
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 take steps to revise down future housing projections in local plans in the context of the latest population predictions from the Office for National Statistics.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The standard method for assessing local housing need is only the starting point in the process of planning for new homes. It comprises a baseline of 2014-based household projections, informed by population projections, which are then adjusted to take account of affordability and capped to make the increase realistic for areas. In December 2020 following a review, a 35% uplift for the 20 most populated urban areas was added to ensure that the standard method was consistent with the aim to deliver 300,000 homes a year. After uncertainty due to COVID-19 it was particularly important to provide stability and certainty for plan-making and decision-making, so that local areas could get on and plan based on a method and level of ambition that they are familiar with.
Household projections are not a measure of how many homes are needed to meet demand, they simply show what would happen if past trends continue. The Office for National Statistics has been clear that lower household projections do not mean fewer homes need to be built.
As with all policies we will monitor the impact of the updated standard method, particularly as the impact of changes to the way we live and work and levelling up become clear.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
What steps he is taking to promote house building.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We have set out an ambitious package of measures to ensure we build the right homes in the right places; levelling up opportunities across the country. This includes, at £12 billion, the highest single funding commitment to affordable housing in a decade; and once in a generation reform to the planning system. This builds on the 240,000 new homes delivered last year; the highest in over 30 years.
Asked by: Harriett Baldwin (Conservative - West Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the risk assessment that his Department commissioned when it advised landlords to continue to carry out in-home gas boiler inspections during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Health and Safety Executive is the regulator and independent enforcer of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and oversees the Gas Safe Register under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The Health & Safety Executive has made clear that landlords should not suspend all annual gas safety checks at this time as it could put tenants at risk of serious illness or fatalities from gas explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning, particularly as people are spending all or most of their time at home. It is the responsibility of the dutyholder to assess on a case by case basis the risk of carrying out gas safety checks in a property. HSE guidance can be found here: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/landlords/.
Our guidance is clear that no work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless the work is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household. Where entry is required for emergency repairs landlords should take every possible step to minimise contact with residents and follow government guidance on tradespeople working in people homes, which may be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19#social-distancing-in-the-workplace---principles.