Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps the Government is taking to increase the supply of new social housing units.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The provision of affordable housing is an existing part of the Government's plan to build more homes, and provide aspiring homeowners with a step onto the housing ladder.
The government has committed £11.5 billion of taxpayer-funded grant towards the supply of new affordable homes. This includes increasing the number of homes for social rent.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the rise in rental costs on the finances of student households.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department continues to monitor private rent levels and understands that affordability may be an issue for some student households. DLUHC ministers and officials continue to take a cross-government approach to policy issues and work closely with colleagues in other departments.
Many higher education providers have hardship funds that students can apply to for assistance. In addition, all households will save on their energy bills through the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme discount. Students who buy their energy from a domestic supplier are eligible for the energy bills discount. As part of the package of support for rising energy bills, the Government is also giving a council tax rebate payment of £150 to households that were living in a property in council tax bands A to D as their main home on 1 April 2022. This includes full-time students that do not live in student halls or in property that is not considered a House in Multiple Occupation for council tax purposes.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment the Government has made of the availability of social housing in the City of Durham constituency.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government makes its assessment on housing stock through the data collected from local authorities via the Local Authority Housing Statistics data collection, which provides how many properties were vacant at 31 March of each year.
Details of housing stock levels can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
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 the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the Government's progress in agreeing a devolved County Deal with Durham County Council.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the Levelling Up White Paper, we named County Durham as one of the places invited to negotiate a devolution deal. We remain committed to continuing those discussions.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Section 21 eviction notices on trends in the level of private rent prices in (a) City of Durham constituency and (b) County Durham.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government does not collect data on the impact of Section 21 evictions on social housing waiting lists and rent prices at a local authority level.
Everyone deserves to live in a safe and secure home. The Prime Minister has committed to the ban on Section 21 'no fault' evictions to protect tenants. Ensuring a fair deal for renters remains a priority for the government and we are carefully considering next steps to support the rental market.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department have has made of the potential impact of Section 21 Eviction notices on social housing waiting lists in (a) City of Durham constituency and (b) County Durham.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government does not collect data on the impact of Section 21 evictions on social housing waiting lists and rent prices at a local authority level.
Everyone deserves to live in a safe and secure home. The Prime Minister has committed to the ban on Section 21 'no fault' evictions to protect tenants. Ensuring a fair deal for renters remains a priority for the government and we are carefully considering next steps to support the rental market.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the Government will present the second stage of its proposed leasehold reforms.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this parliament.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has had recent discussions with Durham County Council on its projected budgetary deficit.
Answered by Paul Scully
My department regularly speaks to councils across the country about a wide variety of issues including their financial position. I can confirm that my officials met with officers from Durham County Council earlier this year, as part of this regular programme of engagement.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his department plans to open a help desk on the Parliamentary Estate to manage queries about the Homes For Ukraine scheme.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Home Office, supported by DLUHC officials, has been running a walk-in hub at Portcullis House to answer queries from MPs and caseworkers.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the remit of the Local Government Ombudsmen to include parish councils.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman published its Triennial Review of their complaints and public accountability framework on 2 December. The Review made a number of recommendations to refine their legal framework. Recommendation 1.2 proposes that a pilot is developed to explore bringing a subset of the largest town and parish councils within the Ombudsman’s remit. The Government is considering the Review’s recommendations and will respond in due course.