Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that (a) Right to Manage Companies and (b) Residential Management Companies who do not wish to exercise the option of appointing a building safety director will be able discharge their obligations under Part 4 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
As set out by Dame Judith Hackitt in 2018, in her Building a Safer Future report, 'A step change is…needed to place greater demands on the new duty holder to manage building safety effectively.' Following the Building Safety Act gaining Royal Assent in 2022, the Building Safety Regulator will make guidance available to accountable persons to assist them in complying with their new duties and/or requirements under Part 4 of the Act.
Insurers make individual decisions on whether to offer insurance products and the associated premiums based on a range of factors. We will continue to work with the insurance industry to help them understand the roles and duties in the Building Safety Act 2022 (the Act) and encourage them to provide appropriate cover that is priced fairly and in the best interest of their customers.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his oral contribution in the statement on building safety on Tuesday 14 March 2023, Official Report, column 727, if he will publish key features of the Government’s new responsible actors scheme by 24 March 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon. Member to the key features document.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department holds a list of competent professionals qualified to conduct Fire Risk Appraisals of External Wall construction following the methodology set out in PAS 9980:2022 for existing multi-storey, multi-occupied residential buildings.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
This information is not held centrally by the Department.
Homes England holds information relating to those that have registered with its panel of qualified assessors. This is not a complete list, due to the range of professional accrediting bodies of which qualified assessors may be members.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
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 approached Comer Group UK to sign the developer remediation contract.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Further to the oral statement by the Secretary of State on 30 January 2023, I refer the Hon. Member to this link.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
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 made assessment of the potential impact of the withdrawal of New Homes Bonus legacy payments on local authorities.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2021, we published a consultation on the future of the New Homes Bonus and sought views from the sector on a range of issues.
When considering changes to the New Homes Bonus, the Government has considered both the impact on local authorities and the effectiveness of the Bonus in encouraging housing growth.
Further announcements will be set out in the usual way.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish his Department's response to the Future of the New Homes Bonus consultation.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2021, we published a consultation on the future of the New Homes Bonus and sought views from the sector on a range of issues.
When considering changes to the New Homes Bonus, the Government has considered both the impact on local authorities and the effectiveness of the Bonus in encouraging housing growth.
Further announcements will be set out in the usual way.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his plans are for the Future of the New Homes Bonus beyond 2023-24.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2021, we published a consultation on the future of the New Homes Bonus and sought views from the sector on a range of issues.
When considering changes to the New Homes Bonus, the Government has considered both the impact on local authorities and the effectiveness of the Bonus in encouraging housing growth.
Further announcements will be set out in the usual way.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the final report on the regulation of property agents working group on July 2019.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
As part of creating a fair and just housing system, the Government is committed to making sure that homeowners and tenants are protected from abuse and poor service. Further announcements will be made in the usual way.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Housing and Planning in the Delegated Legislation Committee of 18 July 2022 on the Draft Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2022, Official Report, column 10, whether his Department secured the appropriate memorandum from the Law Officers providing for approval of a retrospective law in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
As set out in paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May and paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code, by long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the Law Officers of the Crown is not generally disclosed outside Government.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many developers that signed the building safety repairs pledge have been provided with the execution copy of the developer remediation contract as of 8 March 2023.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon. Member to the following link.