Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
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 adequacy of funding allocated to local authorities for the provision of children’s services.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
Funding for local government services, including children’s services, is set at Spending Review. The Chancellor has announced that the next Spending Review will be in 2019 and decisions about the future funding of local government will be taken in the round.
We are working with the Department for Education (DfE) and the sector to develop an understanding of children’s services costs and pressures, and to help local authorities innovate and reform services to achieve better quality and efficiency.
In preparation for the Spending Review, and as part of the Government’s review of relative needs and resources, new, up-to-date formulas are being developed to ensure funding distribution to councils is based on the best available evidence. DfE and MHCLG have commissioned an ambitious data research project from independent contractors to inform this work.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to ensure greater protection and improved redress for consumers where developers of new build homes fail to complete the development infrastructure and in the event that infrastructure utilities refuse to adopt that infrastructure.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Government is committed to fixing our broken housing market, to ensure we have a housing market that works for everyone. We expect housing developers to deliver good quality housing, on time, and to treat house buyers fairly.
The majority of house builders are covered by an industry-led consumer code or warranty provider scheme which can offer resolution where things go wrong, but these do not always cover all issues. Where applicable, the industry-led Codes offer protection for the pre and post sales process and can include a completion timeframe. Where breaches of the code are evident, consumers can raise a complaint through the independent dispute resolution service. If consumers are unhappy with the warranty provider they can raise a complaint through the Financial Ombudsman Service.
It is right that developers are required to mitigate the impacts of development, and pay for the cumulative impacts of development on the infrastructure in their area. Specifically on the adoption of roads, this is covered under separate legislation (s.38 of the Highways Act 1980).
There are already existing enforcement powers available to local authorities to ensure developers comply with conditions of the grant of planning permission.
Through our package of planning reforms, which includes the revised draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the reforms to developer contributions, we’re putting more rigour into the system so that plans are clear about the obligations expected for infrastructure and affordable housing and developers are held to account in meeting them.
In February, we published the consultation “Strengthening consumer redress in the housing market”, to simplify the redress process so consumers have a clear and simple route to redress This follows the Secretary of State’s commitment from last November to explore options for improving redress in the housing market.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to ensure greater protection and improved redress for consumers where developers of new build homes fail to complete development infrastructure in respect of roads, drainage, sewerage and street lighting to the satisfaction of the local planning authority to the extent that such infrastructure remains unadopted.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Government is committed to fixing our broken housing market, to ensure we have a housing market that works for everyone. We expect housing developers to deliver good quality housing, on time, and to treat house buyers fairly.
The majority of house builders are covered by an industry-led consumer code or warranty provider scheme which can offer resolution where things go wrong, but these do not always cover all issues. Where applicable, the industry-led Codes offer protection for the pre and post sales process and can include a completion timeframe. Where breaches of the code are evident, consumers can raise a complaint through the independent dispute resolution service. If consumers are unhappy with the warranty provider they can raise a complaint through the Financial Ombudsman Service.
It is right that developers are required to mitigate the impacts of development, and pay for the cumulative impacts of development on the infrastructure in their area. Specifically on the adoption of roads, this is covered under separate legislation (s.38 of the Highways Act 1980).
There are already existing enforcement powers available to local authorities to ensure developers comply with conditions of the grant of planning permission.
Through our package of planning reforms, which includes the revised draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the reforms to developer contributions, we’re putting more rigour into the system so that plans are clear about the obligations expected for infrastructure and affordable housing and developers are held to account in meeting them.
In February, we published the consultation “Strengthening consumer redress in the housing market”, to simplify the redress process so consumers have a clear and simple route to redress This follows the Secretary of State’s commitment from last November to explore options for improving redress in the housing market.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to ensure greater protection and improved redress for consumers where developers of new build homes fail on their obligations to complete the construction in accordance with the conditions of the grant of planning permission.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Government is committed to fixing our broken housing market, to ensure we have a housing market that works for everyone. We expect housing developers to deliver good quality housing, on time, and to treat house buyers fairly.
The majority of house builders are covered by an industry-led consumer code or warranty provider scheme which can offer resolution where things go wrong, but these do not always cover all issues. Where applicable, the industry-led Codes offer protection for the pre and post sales process and can include a completion timeframe. Where breaches of the code are evident, consumers can raise a complaint through the independent dispute resolution service. If consumers are unhappy with the warranty provider they can raise a complaint through the Financial Ombudsman Service.
It is right that developers are required to mitigate the impacts of development, and pay for the cumulative impacts of development on the infrastructure in their area. Specifically on the adoption of roads, this is covered under separate legislation (s.38 of the Highways Act 1980).
There are already existing enforcement powers available to local authorities to ensure developers comply with conditions of the grant of planning permission.
Through our package of planning reforms, which includes the revised draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the reforms to developer contributions, we’re putting more rigour into the system so that plans are clear about the obligations expected for infrastructure and affordable housing and developers are held to account in meeting them.
In February, we published the consultation “Strengthening consumer redress in the housing market”, to simplify the redress process so consumers have a clear and simple route to redress This follows the Secretary of State’s commitment from last November to explore options for improving redress in the housing market.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of redress arrangements for consumers when (a) structural and (b) other problems occur with new build homes.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Government is committed to fixing our broken housing market, to ensure we have a housing market that works for everyone. We expect housing developers to deliver good quality housing, on time, and to treat house buyers fairly.
Where something goes wrong, house builders and warranty providers should fulfil their obligations to put things right, however coverage of the current landscape differs with levels of consumer protection. Where applicable, the industry-led Codes offer protection for the pre and post sales process and consumers can raise an independent dispute where breaches of the code are evident.
Where there are structural concerns, consumers can raise a dispute through their warranty provider. However we know the current system remains fragmented and does not always provide full coverage. We know more needs to be done, which is why, in February, we published the consultation “Strengthening consumer redress in the housing market”. This follows the Secretary of State’s commitment from last November to explore options for improving redress in the housing market.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure greater protection for consumers when (a) structural and (b) other problems occur with new build homes.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Government is committed to fixing our broken housing market, to ensure we have a housing market that works for everyone. We expect housing developers to deliver good quality housing, on time, and to treat house buyers fairly.
Where something goes wrong, house builders and warranty providers should fulfil their obligations to put things right, however coverage of the current landscape differs with levels of consumer protection. Where applicable, the industry-led Codes offer protection for the pre and post sales process and consumers can raise an independent dispute where breaches of the code are evident.
Where there are structural concerns, consumers can raise a dispute through their warranty provider. However we know the current system remains fragmented and does not always provide full coverage. We know more needs to be done, which is why, in February, we published the consultation “Strengthening consumer redress in the housing market”. This follows the Secretary of State’s commitment from last November to explore options for improving redress in the housing market.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has plans for infrastructure utility providers to become statutory consultees on planning applications.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The current policy and legislative framework already provides for the engagement of infrastructure utility providers in the planning system.
The National Planning Policy Framework asks local planning authorities to work with infrastructure providers to assess the quality and capacity of infrastructure and its ability to meet forecast demands during the plan-making process.
Local planning authorities are able to consult utility providers where appropriate. Where a utility provider raises issues that are material to the determination of the application in question, local planning authorities must take these into account in reaching a decision.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of dwellings in the UK have an EPC rating below band E; and what proportion of measures installed under the Energy Company Obligation have been in dwellings with an EPC rating below band E.
Answered by Lord Barwell
On 29 July 2016, 5% of dwellings in England and Wales where an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) has been produced are rated band F and 2% are rated band G.
Information on the proportion of measures installed under the Energy Company Obligation carried out in dwellings with an EPC rating below band E is not held centrally.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of trends in the level of home ownership among young people in Bradford since 2010.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The department does not produce local authority level estimates of home ownership and cannot therefore make an assessment of trends in the level of home ownership among young people in Bradford.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the provisions of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 on the total stock of affordable homes in Bradford.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Housing and Planning Act will help more people buy their own home and ensure that we are making best use of our social housing stock. It will also get the nation building homes faster, by giving house builders and decision makers the tools and confidence to deliver more homes.
The Act sets out that planning authorities have a duty to promote the supply of starter homes and the starter homes requirements in the planning system. Local authorities will still be able to seek other forms of affordable housing in addition to the starter homes requirement where it would be viable.
The impact assessment for the Housing and Planning Bill can be found here:
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/housingandplanning/documents.html