Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how frequently she meets directors-general within her Department to discuss progress.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Deputy Prime Minister has regular discussions with director generals in the department. As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussion are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Table 2 of HM Treasury's publication entitled Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25, CP 1133, published in July 2024, what plans her Department has to reduce spending on (a) communications and (b) Government Communications Service staff.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As stated in the HM Treasury report, all departments will stop non-essential spending on communications. This includes the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
A review of planned government communications and marketing has recently concluded and the department is now updating our campaign plans to ensure that they are effective and in line with government priorities.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her policy on lowering the voting age to 16 and to the Answer of 2 August 2024 to Question HL382 on Caffeine: Children, what steps she plans to take to help support 16 year-olds to verify their identity at polling stations.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to carefully and thoroughly reviewing the voter identification rules and evaluating how they impacted citizens during the General Election. Work is already underway on this evaluation and will include consideration of how 16 and 17 year olds will be able to verify their identification at polling stations in line with plans to extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to hold discussions with (a) the Parliamentary Parties Panel and (b) electoral administrators on electoral law.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Alongside work to deliver on our manifesto commitments, the Government is considering a range of policies and approaches to tackle the challenges in the current systems for electoral registration and conduct. We will continue to work in partnership with key stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission and electoral administrators, to help ensure that any proposed changes address the priorities of the sector. Ministerial meetings with partners in the electoral sector are already taking place.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question 4681 on Public Houses, what steps her Department is taking to help support community pubs.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Community pubs are a fantastic example of how community ownership can help keep local institutions alive and thriving. Our pubs are already protected by the planning system, and we want to further support community pubs with the introduction of Community Right to Buy through the English Devolution Bill. This will give communities the power to buy valued community assets, such as their local pub, if they go up for sale.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 10 September 2024, to Question 3830, on Development Plans: Greater London, if she will place in the Library of the House of Commons a copy of the minutes for the meeting.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government does not intend to place a copy of the minutes of the Deputy Prime Minister’s July meeting with the Mayor of London in the House of Commons library as the discussions are considered confidential.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2024 to Question 3824, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flags, whether she plans to amend the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 on flag flying.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has no current plans to amend the Regulations in question.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposals for (a) higher quality standards, (b) cladding removal, (c) decarbonisation and energy efficiency requirements in the social housing sector on the financial capacity of housing associations to (i) build new social homes and (ii) purchase affordable homes from private developers.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to working with social housing providers to ensure that homes are safe, decent, warm and free from damp and mould. We have committed to bringing forward the regulations necessary to introduce Awaab’s Law in the Social Rented Sector this Autumn, and to consulting on and implementing a new Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. We will set out the costs and impacts of the relevant requirements alongside each consultation.
The Government’s Warm Homes Plan offers grants and low interest loans which support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other improvements. Social landlords are responsible for improvements to their properties to ensure they meet the required standards.
As we set out in July, details of future government investment in social and affordable housing will be brought forwards at the Spending Review.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the estimated cost to (a) councils and (b) housing associations is of requiring all social housing to be EPC 'C' compliant by 2030; and what (i) funding and (ii) loans her Department plans to provide to these organisations.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to working with social housing providers to ensure that homes are safe, decent, warm and free from damp and mould. We have committed to bringing forward the regulations necessary to introduce Awaab’s Law in the Social Rented Sector this Autumn, and to consulting on and implementing a new Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. We will set out the costs and impacts of the relevant requirements alongside each consultation.
The Government’s Warm Homes Plan offers grants and low interest loans which support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other improvements. Social landlords are responsible for improvements to their properties to ensure they meet the required standards.
As we set out in July, details of future government investment in social and affordable housing will be brought forwards at the Spending Review.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for the commencement of the Renters’ Rights Bill and the passage of associated secondary legislation, including any planned differences for the application of (a) new and (b) existing tenancies.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Following Royal Assent of the Renters’ Rights Bill, the Government will implement the new system as soon as possible. The abolition of section 21 and the introduction of the new tenancy system will be applied to new and existing tenancies simultaneously. This approach will support tenants, landlords and agents to adjust to and understand the new rules, while making sure that tenants can benefit from the new system quickly. We will provide more details about our implementation plans and timetables during the passage of the Bill.