Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to assist communities affected by the winter floods as a result of the decisions of the Ministerial Recovery Working Group.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Member to the flood recovery progress report published on 27 November, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the Severe Weather Recovery Scheme awarded to local authorities for costs incurred during the winter floods has been (a) allocated to and (b) received by local authorities.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Member to the flood recovery progress report published on 27 November, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many households have received a repair and renew grant intended for homeowners and businesses which were flooded in winter 2013-14.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Member to the flood recovery progress report published on 27 November, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the contribution made by the Prime Minister of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 1116W, what extra resource his Department will provide to deal with extended eligibility for claims made under the (a) council tax relief, (b) business rate relief, (c) business support relief, (d) repair and renewal grant and (e) severe weather recovery schemes.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I can confirm that this is under active consideration. My officials are currently assessing the impacts of flooding throughout the financial year 2013/14 and the likely costs of extending the recovery funding schemes.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the contribution by the Prime Minister of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 1116W, what assessment he has made of the cost of flooding damage to (a) householders and (b) small businesses in the UK from the beginning of the financial year 2013 which will become eligible for support under the (i) council tax relief, (ii) business rate relief, (iii) business support relief, (iv) repair and renewal grant and (v) severe weather recovery schemes; and what estimate he has made of the number of additional claims made under each such scheme as a result of this extended eligibility.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
I can confirm that this is under active consideration. My officials are currently assessing the impacts of flooding throughout the financial year 2013/14 and the likely costs of extending the recovery funding schemes.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the Government's Business Rates Relief Fund for flooded businesses has been (a) allocated to local authorities and (b) received by businesses to date.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
As at 2 June 2014, 979 businesses were in receipt of a business rates relief from their local authority as a result of the impact of flooding. There are no set or advance allocations to councils. The fund works by councils retrospectively claiming back the cost of the business rate relief (in the same way, for example, as the Bellwin Scheme has always worked). 66 local authorities recently submitted claims for reimbursement; the deadline for applications was 26 May. Subject to data checking, we expect reimbursement payments in the region of £4 million to be made shortly.
Further information on the available flood support schemes is available on the gov.uk website at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-support-package-for-homeowners-and-businesses
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 18 March 2014, Official Report, columns 527-8W, on the Bellwin scheme, how much has been (a) allocated to and (b) received by each of the authorities which have registered for funding under the Bellwin scheme.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Bellwin provides emergency financial assistance to local authorities to help them meet uninsurable costs they incur when responding to a major emergency in their area. The level of funding over time is causally linked to the scale of flooding or other emergency. As was the case under previous and current Administrations, it operates by local authorities retrospectively claiming spending back.
As at 9 June, 110 local authorities have registered for the December 2013 to February 2014 severe weather events. They now have until 30 June 2014 to submit their formal claims. However, only 20 local authorities have submitted formal claims so far.
A table deposited in the Library lists the reimbursement payments that have been made to date. In the remaining cases, the claims have literally just been received or we are waiting for the local authorities to provide supporting information. All valid claims will be paid quickly.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the Government's Council Tax Relief Fund for people whose homes have been flooded has been (a) allocated to local authorities and (b) received by residents to date.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
As at 2 June 2014, 4,031 households were in receipt of a council tax discount from their local authority as a result of the impact of flooding. There are no set or advance allocations to councils. The fund works by councils retrospectively claiming back the cost of the council tax relief (in the same way, for example, as the Bellwin Scheme has always worked). Local authorities recently submitted the first round of claims for reimbursement. Subject to data checking, we expect reimbursement payments in the region of £1.8 million to be made shortly.
Further information on the available flood support schemes is available on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flood-support-package-for-homeowners-and-businesses
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much of the Severe Weather Recovery Scheme awarded to local authorities for costs incurred during the recent floods has been (a) allocated to and (b) received by local authorities to date.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
£73.5 million has been allocated to, and received by, local authorities for costs incurred during the recent floods under the first phase of the Severe Weather Recovery Scheme. The closing date for the second tranche of the funding was 6 June.