Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have held discussions with representatives of district councils on the development of county deals.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
District council representatives were invited to an online seminar held by the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government on July 27 2021. Since then a series of meetings have taken place between local representatives, officials and ministers to understand areas’ proposals for county deals; district councils were welcome at these meetings. In discussions thus far, we have been pleased to see collaboration between county and district councils on devolution proposals to deliver better outcomes for their area. Further details on county deals will be set out in the forthcoming Levelling Up White Paper.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether lenders and insurers will be able to require leaseholders and building owners to seek cladding remediation in the event that a B1 or B2 rating has been given to a building under 18 metres.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
On 21 July, the Government issued a recommendation that EWS1 forms should not be required for buildings under 18 metres.
The announcement followed the new advice from fire safety experts which found that there is no evidence of systemic risk of fire in all blocks of flats.
The expert advice also stated that where EWS1 forms and assessments have already been completed for buildings below 18 metres, it is strongly recommended that these assessments are reviewed by competent professionals to ensure that the proposed solution is cost effective and proportionate.
The Government is continuing to engage with insurers and lenders to encourage them to take a proportionate approach to risk.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether mortgage providers and buildings insurers have provided undertakings not to penalise leaseholders in apartment blocks under 18 metres with (a) higher mortgage costs, (b) higher fire insurance premiums or (c) refusals to provide fire cover.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Ministers and policy officials have met senior representatives from the largest insurance companies, major lenders and industry bodies, and have encouraged the insurance and lending industries to take a proportionate approach to risk. We are continuing to work with insurers and lenders to restore confidence in building safety and return to proportionate premiums and products.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when landlords of (a) private and (b) public properties will be able to resume evictions of tenants who are committing antisocial behaviour as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Currently due to measures in place to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic, all possession procedures from private and public properties are suspended until 23 August 2020. We do not intend to extend the suspension of possession proceedings beyond this date.
Landlords may still serve a notice of intention to seek possession, but they must comply with the Coronavirus Act 2020 by providing their tenants with at least three months’ notice. Our emergency measures to stay possessions and extend notice periods are designed to protect public health and as such apply to all cases, even where the issues a landlord has with their tenant are unrelated to the effects of COVID-19.
Both private and social landlords can also work with their local authority who have strong powers available to them through the Anti-social, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to tackle anti-social behaviour. These powers include the use of civil injunctions, closure orders and community protection notices.