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Written Question
Housing: Valuation
Monday 15th April 2024

Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answers of 23 October 2006, Official Report, column 1679WA and 8 October 2007, Official Report, column 227W, and pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2024 to Question 16860 on Housing: Valuation, whether the Valuation Office Agency uses locality adjustment factors to calibrate the automated valuation model for multiple regression analysis; and how many localities the Valuation Office Agency has created for the model.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency’s Automated Valuation Model (AVM) methodology for Wales has been updated substantially since the cancelled 2007 English revaluation. The new AVM uses spatial modelling techniques of which location is a key element. The spatial model estimates a continuous field of location factors (which are influenced by various aspects such as transport links, crime rates, quality of nearby schools) rather than the discrete localities.

I would observe that this is a policy proposed by the Welsh Government, and does not represent the policy position of the UK Government in England.


Written Question
Housing: Valuation
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2024 to Question 16860,on Housing: Valuation, whether the Valuation Office Agency plans to collect additional (a) dwelling house codes and (b) value significant codes in addition to those used in England for the model.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Welsh Government has commissioned the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to carry out a revaluation of all domestic property in Wales. To facilitate this, the VOA has built an Automated Valuation Model which has produced values for 1.46 million properties.

The following external datasets were used:

  • Land Registry Price Paid data to supplement VOA sales data
  • Land Registry Title Polygons and Ordnance Survey National Geographic Database for plot sizes for houses
  • Ordnance Survey Master Map for building footprints for houses
  • House Price Index to adjust sales in time
  • National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL) to incorporate Census Geography
  • Ordnance Survey AddressBase Premium for latest property coordinate data
  • Energy Performance Certificates

Additionally, as part of model development, sales verification was undertaken. VOA staff used a range of available data, such as aerial and street view photography, sales particulars, EPC certificates and Local Authority Planning websites to verify the usefulness of the sale.

The VOA has not collected additional codes over and above those already used within England and Wales.

I would observe that this is a policy proposed by the Labour Welsh Government, and does not represent the policy position of the UK Government in England.


Written Question
Housing: Valuation
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2024 to Question 16860 on Housing: Valuation, how many value estimates have been produced using the Valuation Office Agency's automated valuation model.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Welsh Government has commissioned the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to carry out a revaluation of all domestic property in Wales. To facilitate this, the VOA has built an Automated Valuation Model which has produced values for 1.46 million properties.

The following external datasets were used:

  • Land Registry Price Paid data to supplement VOA sales data
  • Land Registry Title Polygons and Ordnance Survey National Geographic Database for plot sizes for houses
  • Ordnance Survey Master Map for building footprints for houses
  • House Price Index to adjust sales in time
  • National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL) to incorporate Census Geography
  • Ordnance Survey AddressBase Premium for latest property coordinate data
  • Energy Performance Certificates

Additionally, as part of model development, sales verification was undertaken. VOA staff used a range of available data, such as aerial and street view photography, sales particulars, EPC certificates and Local Authority Planning websites to verify the usefulness of the sale.

The VOA has not collected additional codes over and above those already used within England and Wales.

I would observe that this is a policy proposed by the Labour Welsh Government, and does not represent the policy position of the UK Government in England.


Written Question
Housing: Valuation
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2024 to Question 16860 on Housing: Valuation, which already available data from third parties was used for the model development.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Welsh Government has commissioned the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to carry out a revaluation of all domestic property in Wales. To facilitate this, the VOA has built an Automated Valuation Model which has produced values for 1.46 million properties.

The following external datasets were used:

  • Land Registry Price Paid data to supplement VOA sales data
  • Land Registry Title Polygons and Ordnance Survey National Geographic Database for plot sizes for houses
  • Ordnance Survey Master Map for building footprints for houses
  • House Price Index to adjust sales in time
  • National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL) to incorporate Census Geography
  • Ordnance Survey AddressBase Premium for latest property coordinate data
  • Energy Performance Certificates

Additionally, as part of model development, sales verification was undertaken. VOA staff used a range of available data, such as aerial and street view photography, sales particulars, EPC certificates and Local Authority Planning websites to verify the usefulness of the sale.

The VOA has not collected additional codes over and above those already used within England and Wales.

I would observe that this is a policy proposed by the Labour Welsh Government, and does not represent the policy position of the UK Government in England.


Written Question
Housing: Valuation
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's contract Contract Finder procurement reference VOA/2023/033, if he will list each of the associated contracts that have been awarded to assist the development of the Automated Valuation Model with (a) name of supplier and (b) awarded value; and what external datasets have been purchased to assist that development.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has developed an Automated Valuation Model in-house as part of its preparations for the proposed Council Tax Revaluation in Wales. I would observe that this is a policy proposed by the Labour Welsh Government, and does not represent the policy position of the UK Government in England.

The let contract relates to an independent audit of the VOA’s Automated Valuation Model, undertaken to ensure it meets expected international standards.

VOA used its own data, and already available data from third parties, for the model development, at no additional cost. To assist with the development process, the VOA let a short-term advisory contract with the Center for Appraisal Research and Technology (CART), budgeted at $6,000.


Written Question
Housing: Valuation
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Valuation Office Agency's contract ContractFinder procurement reference VOA/2023/033, what the budget is for the development of the Automated Valuation Model, and at what stage in its development is the current model.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has developed an Automated Valuation Model in-house as part of its preparations for the proposed Council Tax Revaluation in Wales. I would observe that this is a policy proposed by the Labour Welsh Government, and does not represent the policy position of the UK Government in England.

The let contract relates to an independent audit of the VOA’s Automated Valuation Model, undertaken to ensure it meets expected international standards.

VOA used its own data, and already available data from third parties, for the model development, at no additional cost. To assist with the development process, the VOA let a short-term advisory contract with the Center for Appraisal Research and Technology (CART), budgeted at $6,000.


Written Question
Pupils: Per Capita Costs
Tuesday 7th January 2020

Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase the level of per pupil funding.

Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union

At last year’s Spending Round, the Chancellor announced a £7.1 billion increase in schools funding by 2022-23 compared to this year.

This will level up funding across the country and ensure at least £5,000 a year for every secondary school pupil next year, and £4,000 a year for every primary school pupil by 2021-22.