Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Building Safety Programme: 26th monthly data release, data as at 31 December 2019, published by his Department, how many of the 75 private sector residential buildings with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet building regulations that were reported in that data release as having responded with an intent to remediate and are developing plans (a) do not yet have a remediation plan in place and (b) have had enforcement action taken against them.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
As at 31 May 2020, there were 40 high-rise private sector residential buildings that had reported an intent to remediate and are developing plans. Where building owners are failing to make acceptable progress, those responsible should expect further action to be taken – including tougher enforcement action by local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services.
Of those that only had an 'intent' to remediate in December 2019, the Department is aware of enforcement action that has been taken against 10 of them, including those where the Joint Inspection Team has provided support to local authorities.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) the £3.2 billion in funding allocated to help local authorities respond to the covid-19 outbreak and (b) any future funding to assist local authorities to support vulnerable groups during the covid-19 outbreak can be used to accommodate and support people with (i) conditions attached to their leave and (ii) no leave at all, and who have no recourse to public funds.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis.
We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional £3.2 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need.
The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.
The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what source of additional funding his Department has identified to meet the needs of homeless people accommodated through the Everyone In programme for (a) long-term secure accommodation, where people are (i) eligible for housing benefit but the accommodation costs result in them being affected by the benefit cap, and (ii) not eligible for housing benefit; (b) tenancy support services; and (c) mental health and other long-term support needs.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
We are?bringing forward?over?£160 million?this year?to?provide?3,300?homes for rough sleepers. This marks a significant acceleration of the £381 million announced at Budget, ensuring that 6,000 new housing units will be put into the system? as part of the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Project. Of the £160 million in 2020/21, £130 million is capital funding for the acquisition or renovation of homes. £30 million is revenue funding to pay for tenancy-sustainment support, with further support funding available throughout the following years of the programme. In addition to accelerating this capital spend for investment in housing stock, the Government is also increasing the revenue support of the total programme by 37 per cent (£53 million) over the four-year lifetime of the programme to make sure that the rough sleepers have the support they need to stay off the streets for good.
Regarding other accommodation costs, individuals can approach their local authority for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) if they need additional support to meet rental costs. The Government has raised DHP funding by £40 million this year, bringing the total to £180 million. The Government has also increased the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents.
There are no changes in respect of the benefit cap. However, the below exemptions continue to apply:
Regarding those not eligible for housing benefit or other public funds, we are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional £3.2 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider Government response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need. The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.
We are providing a further £262 million for substance misuse treatment and recovery services to meet the needs of rough sleepers and those at risk.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of homeless people accommodated through the Everyone In programme who have no recourse to public funds in (a) the London Borough of Ealing, (b) London and (c) England.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Yesterday, the Government published the management information that supports the announcements from Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, and Dame Louise Casey that 15,000 people have been accommodated by local authorities in response to Covid-19.
We have collected management information from 302 local authorities nationally.?We are continuing to work with local authorities to understand the work they are doing to help the most vulnerable in our society.
£3.2 billion of additional Government funding has now been made available to help councils respond to coronavirus, including meeting the costs of accommodating some of the most vulnerable people in our society. This is in addition to £3.2 million specifically targeted to help rough sleepers during the coronavirus emergency and the £489 million committed in 2020 to 2021 to help rough sleepers, a £121 million increase in funding from the previous year.
This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need.
The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds experiencing homelessness during the Covid-19 crisis.
The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.
The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, from which budgets will funding be allocated to meet the (a) immediate and (b) long-term needs of people accommodated through the Everyone In programme and who have no recourse to public funds.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds experiencing homelessness during the Covid-19 emergency.
We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional £3.2 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider government response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need.
The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.
The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.
While local authorities continue to provide accommodation to those that need it, it is only responsible that we work with partners to consider how best to support the rough sleepers who have been moved into accommodation once the immediate emergency has been resolved.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who became homeless after 23 March 2020 who have been granted accommodation under the Everyone In programme; and what the cost of that accommodation has been, in (a) the London Borough of Ealing, (b) London, and (c) England.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Yesterday, the Government published the management information that supports the announcements from Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, and Dame Louise Casey that 15,000 people have been accommodated by local authorities in response to Covid-19.
We have collected management information from 302 local authorities nationally.?We are continuing to work with local authorities to understand the work they are doing to help the most vulnerable in our society.
£3.2 billion of additional Government funding has now been made available to help councils respond to coronavirus, including meeting the costs of accommodating some of the most vulnerable people in our society. This is in addition to £3.2 million specifically targeted to help rough sleepers during the coronavirus emergency and the £489 million committed in 2020 to 2021 to help rough sleepers, a £121 million increase in funding from the previous year.
This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need.
The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds experiencing homelessness during the Covid-19 crisis.
The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.
The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's Coronavirus (COVID-19): planning update published on 13 May 2020, whether it is the Government's policy to encourage local authorities to consider whether it would be appropriate to allow developers to defer delivery of section 106 planning obligations including (a) financial contributions, (b) on-site affordable housing requirements, or (c) other planning obligations.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Contributions from developers play an important role in delivering the infrastructure that new homes require. Local planning authorities already have significant flexibilities to defer section 106 payments of all kinds. We have published additional planning guidance to encourage local authorities to consider using these flexibilities to ensure that infrastructure and affordable housing is delivered at the right time. It remains for the local authority to determine what may be appropriate to defer.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the October 2019 consultation on the Future Homes Standard, whether proposals to restrict local planning authorities from setting energy efficiency standards for new homes higher than those required by national Building Regulations would restrict the Mayor of London from introducing policies in new London Plans that require on-site carbon reductions from major residential developments beyond the baseline of part L of Building Regulations.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The?proposed Future Homes Standard?aims to create?new build?homes?fit for the future through?low carbon?heating?and?energy efficiency,?from?2025.? The Future Homes Standard consultation closed on 7 February 2020. We are currently analysing over 3,000 responses and will publish the Government’s response in due course. We are consulting on an ambitious set of changes proposing minimum standards for building fabric that are higher than ever, which means there may no longer be a need for local planning authorities to set higher standards . Although I cannot comment on the specifics of the London Plan during its ‘Intention to Publish’ stage, I will carefully consider the Mayor of London’s response to my Department’s consultation alongside other responses received.