Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people there are in out-of-area temporary accommodation.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
While local authorities aim to secure permanent accommodation for families, time spent in temporary accommodation means people are getting help and ensures no family is without a roof over their head.
The legislation and guidance set out that in the first instance, local authorities should try to place individuals within their own area, and retain established links with schools, doctors, and other key services and support. However, when this is not possible, they should place the household as near as possible to the original local authority. Placing a household out of the local authority area should be as a last resort and authorities must consider the impact a change in location would have on a household.
If a local authority places a household into accommodation in another local area, they are required by law to notify the local authority of any placement, to ensure there is no disruption to schooling or employment for example.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to tackle out-of-area temporary accommodation.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
While local authorities aim to secure permanent accommodation for families, time spent in temporary accommodation means people are getting help and ensures no family is without a roof over their head.
The legislation and guidance set out that in the first instance, local authorities should try to place individuals within their own area, and retain established links with schools, doctors, and other key services and support. However, when this is not possible, they should place the household as near as possible to the original local authority. Placing a household out of the local authority area should be as a last resort and authorities must consider the impact a change in location would have on a household.
If a local authority places a household into accommodation in another local area, they are required by law to notify the local authority of any placement, to ensure there is no disruption to schooling or employment for example.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the change in the level of the council tax base in 2020-21; and what assessment he has made of the effect of that change on the Government's estimate in the Local Government Financial Settlement for 2021-22.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
For the purposes of estimating Core Spending Power in presenting the annual Local Government Finance Settlement, each local authority’s average annual tax setting base over the previous five years is used to project its tax base for the coming financial year. No adjustments were made to this methodology in the 2021-22 settlement to account for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the Government is providing additional support to local authorities through the £670 million Local Council Tax Support grant, in recognition of the impact of anticipated increased local council tax support caseloads.
The Government also recognises that council tax yields may have been reduced during 2020-21 as a result of COVID-19. This is why we are compensating councils for 75% of irrecoverable council tax losses from 2020-21 through the tax income guarantee.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding each English region will be allocated under UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need, such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers.
The November 2020 Spending Review set out the main strategic elements of the UKSPF in the Heads of Terms. The Government will publish a UK-wide investment framework later in 2021 and confirm multiyear funding profiles at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
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 social care funding for local authorities.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2021/22 confirmed that Core Spending Power is forecast to rise by 4.6% in cash terms - a real terms increase. Within their Core Spending Power, councils will have access to an additional £1 billion for social care this year, made up of a £300 million increase to the social care grant and 3% Adult Social Care precept. The additional £1 billion of grant funding announced at SR19 for Adult and Children’s Social Care will be continuing, along with all other existing social care funding including the improved Better Care Fund.
Complementing this is an unprecedented package of support for local authorities to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, including £4.6 billion of un-ringfenced funding for Covid-19 pressures in 2020/21 and an additional £1.55 billion of un-ringfenced funding for Covid pressures in 2021/22, including social care.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 2 March 2021 from the hon. Member for Blackburn on local authority remote participation.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Luke Hall MP, Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government wrote on 25 March to all Members and leaders of all principal councils in England on the future of regulations introduced during the coronavirus pandemic regarding remote meetings.
The Government is supporting the ongoing legal action for remote meetings to be ruled as permissible under existing legislation. Minster Hall will write again to Members when there is any update on the court case.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will publish any impact assessment it has undertaken on councils returning to in-person meetings after the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Councils have been able to meet in person throughout the pandemic so long as they follow the relevant Covid-19 guidance on the safe use of council buildings. It is for councils to apply the Covid-19 guidance to ensure meetings take place safely.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s policy is on social distancing in council meetings during the covid-19 outbreak; whether local authorities that cannot implement social distancing measures are required to make alternative provisions; and what those alternative provisions should be.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Where local authority meetings take place face-to-face the ‘Working safely during cornavirus’ guidance published on gov.uk should be followed. Ultimately it is for local authorities to carry out their own risk assessments and follow the ‘working safely’ guidance to ensure meetings take place safely. It is for the local authority to decide what is appropriate in their specific circumstances.
The Government keeps all policy under review. To extend the facility for all local authorities to continue to meet remotely or in hybrid form after 7 May 2021 would require primary legislation.
We have received representations from local authorities and sector representative organisations making the case for the continuation of remote meetings beyond 7 May 2021 and are carefully considering next steps in this area.
Asked by: Kate Hollern (Labour - Blackburn)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on public health of ending remote council meetings under section 78 of the Coronavirus Act 2020.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Where local authority meetings take place face-to-face the ‘Working safely during cornavirus’ guidance published on gov.uk should be followed. Ultimately it is for local authorities to carry out their own risk assessments and follow the ‘working safely’ guidance to ensure meetings take place safely. It is for the local authority to decide what is appropriate in their specific circumstances.
The Government keeps all policy under review. To extend the facility for all local authorities to continue to meet remotely or in hybrid form after 7 May 2021 would require primary legislation.
We have received representations from local authorities and sector representative organisations making the case for the continuation of remote meetings beyond 7 May 2021 and are carefully considering next steps in this area.