Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many organisations are waiting to be added to the redundancy modification order list as of 25 August 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
There are 34 bodies waiting to be added to the Redundancy Modification Order.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his timeline is for completion of the local government redundancy modification order.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Announcements will be set out in the usual way.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the impact of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 on intergovernmental relations.
Answered by Michael Gove - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
I can assure the Honourable Lady that as the minister responsible for intergovernmental relations I speak to Cabinet colleagues regularly about the devolved governments’ views on UK Government policy.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to support employment projects for disabled people through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund 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.
A portion of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will support investment in people and skills, in communities and places and in local businesses, all tailored to local needs.
A second portion of the Fund will be targeted differently to people most in need, through bespoke employment and skills programmes. This will support improved employment outcomes for those in and out of work in specific groups of people who face labour market barriers.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the average length of time was for Ministers of his Department to respond to correspondence from hon. Members in each month in the last two years.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
In line with Cabinet Office guidance, The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has a target of responding within 20 working days where a response is required.
As you will understand, MHCLG is currently dealing with unprecedented volumes of correspondence due to COVID-19. MHCLG ensures that urgent cases raised by hon. Members are prioritised, and is taking steps to provide substantive responses in as short a time as possible.
All correspondence received from hon. Members is being reviewed and will be responded to as soon as possible.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission has made an assessment of the effect of the travel restrictions in relation to covid-19 on trends in the level of the cost of MP’s travel to Westminster.
Answered by Pete Wishart
Issues relating to the costs of MPs’ travel to Westminster are a matter for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
The Commission has ensured the Travel Office remains available to all members to facilitate their travel to and from Westminster and have made specific arrangements to ensure that accommodation is available where required.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to improve the (a) availability and (b) affordability of housing for older renters.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Affordable housing is a top priority for the Government and we believe that the key to improving availability and affordability for all tenants, including older renters, is to build more homes for rent. Institutional investment in purpose-built privately rented homes is increasing, with over 29,000 homes delivered since 2012, and around 110,000 in the pipeline.
We are also committed to making housing for rent more affordable now. This includes banning lettings fees paid by tenants and capping tenancy deposits with the Tenant Fees Act, which will come into force on 1 June 2019.
The Government is supporting those in receipt of housing benefit who are most in need, including older renters, through Targeted Affordability Funding. This fund provides a top-up in LHA rates for areas where affordability pressures are greatest, providing a Discretionary Housing Payment fund for Local Authorities to protect the most vulnerable claimants.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, why Open University students do not qualify for council tax discounts; and whether he plans to review this policy.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The council tax system in England does not exclude Open University students from being eligible for council tax discounts. If such students meet the eligibility criteria that apply to any council tax discount, they will qualify for it.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the (a) effect on living standards and (b) equity of Open University students being ineligible for council tax discounts.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The council tax system in England does not exclude Open University students from being eligible for council tax discounts. If such students meet the eligibility criteria that apply to any council tax discount, they will qualify for it.