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Written Question
Tenants: Social Security Benefits
Monday 11th December 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to help reduce indirect discrimination against prospective housing tenants in receipt of benefits.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Discrimination against prospective tenants in receipt of benefits has no place in a fair and modern housing market. The Government has introduced measures to the Renters (Reform) Bill at Commons Committee which outlaw the use of blanket bans. Landlords and agents will be prevented from discriminating directly or indirectly during the letting process.


Written Question
Children: Social Services
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the financial resilience of local authorities and the potential impact on children’s services.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The department has engaged regularly with Birmingham City Council, including in recent months over the pressures it faces around its failed implementation of the Oracle IT system and its unresolved equal pay liability. We have expressed serious concern over the Council's governance arrangements, and, in April, I requested that the Council commission an independent governance review, which will report on its findings in the coming weeks. I have placed a copy of my correspondence from August with the Leader of the Council in the Library of the House of Commons.

Councils are responsible for their own financial management. The department stands ready to speak to any council that has concerns about its ability to manage its finances. The decision to issue a Section 114 report is a local one, taken by the statutory chief finance officer.

In line with the practice of successive administration, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Guarantees
Monday 17th July 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

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 10 July 2023 to Question 192669 on Private Rented Housing: Guarantees, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Renters Reform Bill on family members, acting as a guarantor, who are being pursued for rent payments in the event of the death of a tenant.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Renters (Reform) Bill will generally abolish fixed-term tenancies so that a rental agreement can be ended with 2 months' notice at any point, meaning parties will not be obliged to pay rent for lengthy fixed terms.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Guarantees
Monday 10th July 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made how many families who have been pursued by landlords for rental payments through guarantor schemes following the death of a relative in the last three years.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Department does not hold information relating to specific clauses within guarantor agreements. I refer the Hon. Member to the Renters (Reform) Bill that is awaiting second reading in the Commons.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Guarantees
Monday 10th July 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of guarantor schemes for private rented properties that include clauses holding guarantors liable in the event of the death of a tenant.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Department does not hold information relating to specific clauses within guarantor agreements. I refer the Hon. Member to the Renters (Reform) Bill that is awaiting second reading in the Commons.


Written Question
Elections: Proof of Identity
Thursday 22nd June 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had recent discussions with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on undertaking a review of voter ID.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 185924 on 30th May 2023.


Written Question
Local Government: Elections
Thursday 20th April 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking with local councils to ensure that information on the requirements for voter ID is (a) accessible for people with disabilities and (b) available in Easy Read format.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to the Urgent Question on 21 February 2023 (Official Report, HC, Volume 728, Column 138), to Question UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and Question UIN 171447 on 31 March 2023.

The Government published an Equality Impact Assessment of the Elections Act. This included consideration of the impact on people with protected characteristics.

The Electoral Commission is responsible for the communications campaign to help voters understand the new requirement to present identification to vote. This has included work with civil society groups and other stakeholders, including organisations that represent disabled people.

As is already publicly available, an easy read version of the application form for the Voter Authority Certificate is on gov.uk and from the Electoral Commission and easy read instructions are available to support people to apply online. The Government has also legislated to require that accessible information be sent with the Voter Authority Certificate to electors that request it, including in easy read.


Written Question
Elections: Proof of Identity
Thursday 20th April 2023

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

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 with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the introduction of voter ID on adults living with disabilities.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to the Urgent Question on 21 February 2023 (Official Report, HC, Volume 728, Column 138), to Question UIN 165271 on 20 March 2023 and Question UIN 171447 on 31 March 2023.

The Government published an Equality Impact Assessment of the Elections Act. This included consideration of the impact on people with protected characteristics.

The Electoral Commission is responsible for the communications campaign to help voters understand the new requirement to present identification to vote. This has included work with civil society groups and other stakeholders, including organisations that represent disabled people.

As is already publicly available, an easy read version of the application form for the Voter Authority Certificate is on gov.uk and from the Electoral Commission and easy read instructions are available to support people to apply online. The Government has also legislated to require that accessible information be sent with the Voter Authority Certificate to electors that request it, including in easy read.


Written Question
Development Aid: Homes for Ukraine Scheme
Friday 2nd December 2022

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent estimate he has made of how much Official Development Assistance has been spent on payments to Homes for Ukraine hosts.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Relevant published guidance on international development aid spending are being followed. Details of spending will be set out in due course.


Written Question
Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Expenditure
Friday 2nd December 2022

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his planned timetable is for the publication of data on spending on the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Relevant published guidance on international development aid spending are being followed. Details of spending will be set out in due course.