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Written Question
Temporary Accommodation: Standards
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that temporary accommodation used to house homeless children is a suitable standard.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Local authorities must ensure any temporary accommodation placement is suitable and should try to place individuals within their own area. Government has been clear that the long-term use of B&B accommodation for families with children is inappropriate and unlawful and we are determined to stop this practice.

If an authority places a household in temporary accommodation outside of the local area, this should be as a last resort, and they should still try to place the household as near as possible to the original local authority.

The Government is taking steps to increase quality and regulation across all housing stock, including temporary accommodation. This includes reviewing the Decent Homes Standard, improving the way social housing is regulated through The Social Housing Regulation Act and delivering a better deal for renters through the Renters Reform Bill.

The Government has provided local authorities in excess of £1 billion over the next 3 years through the Homelessness Prevention Grant to help them prevent homelessness and provide temporary accommodation.


Written Question
Temporary Accommodation
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to reduce the number of councils offering temporary accommodation outside of their areas.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Local authorities must ensure any temporary accommodation placement is suitable and should try to place individuals within their own area. Government has been clear that the long-term use of B&B accommodation for families with children is inappropriate and unlawful and we are determined to stop this practice.

If an authority places a household in temporary accommodation outside of the local area, this should be as a last resort, and they should still try to place the household as near as possible to the original local authority.

The Government is taking steps to increase quality and regulation across all housing stock, including temporary accommodation. This includes reviewing the Decent Homes Standard, improving the way social housing is regulated through The Social Housing Regulation Act and delivering a better deal for renters through the Renters Reform Bill.

The Government has provided local authorities in excess of £1 billion over the next 3 years through the Homelessness Prevention Grant to help them prevent homelessness and provide temporary accommodation.


Written Question
Temporary Accommodation: Government Assistance
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

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 assist local authorities with the highest proportion of spend on temporary accommodation relative to their overall revenue.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government publishes statistics on local authority revenue expenditure and financing in England, which can be found here: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2023-24 budget - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Councils are ultimately responsible for the management of their own finances. At the last Local Government Finance Settlement, Government made available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23.

The Homelessness Advice and Support Team (HAST) in DLUHC are set up across the country to provide advice, support and challenge to Local Authorities to help them improve the delivery of homelessness services to families and single people. Each Local Authority has a dedicated adviser.


Written Question
Temporary Accommodation: Expenditure
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

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 an estimate of the ten local authorities with the highest expenditure on temporary accommodation as a proportion of their total revenue budgets.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government publishes statistics on local authority revenue expenditure and financing in England, which can be found here: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2023-24 budget - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Councils are ultimately responsible for the management of their own finances. At the last Local Government Finance Settlement, Government made available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23.

The Homelessness Advice and Support Team (HAST) in DLUHC are set up across the country to provide advice, support and challenge to Local Authorities to help them improve the delivery of homelessness services to families and single people. Each Local Authority has a dedicated adviser.


Written Question
Temporary Accommodation: Finance
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of funding temporary accommodation on the financial stability of local authorities.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government publishes statistics on local authority revenue expenditure and financing in England, which can be found here: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2023-24 budget - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Councils are ultimately responsible for the management of their own finances. At the last Local Government Finance Settlement, Government made available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23.

The Homelessness Advice and Support Team (HAST) in DLUHC are set up across the country to provide advice, support and challenge to Local Authorities to help them improve the delivery of homelessness services to families and single people. Each Local Authority has a dedicated adviser.


Written Question
Homelessness
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to monitor local authority homeless strategies in respect of their ability to (a) prevent homelessness, (b) achieve value for money and (c) promote best practice.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government publishes statistics on local authority revenue expenditure and financing in England, which can be found here: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2023-24 budget - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Councils are ultimately responsible for the management of their own finances. At the last Local Government Finance Settlement, Government made available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23.

The Homelessness Advice and Support Team (HAST) in DLUHC are set up across the country to provide advice, support and challenge to Local Authorities to help them improve the delivery of homelessness services to families and single people. Each Local Authority has a dedicated adviser.


Written Question
Hastings Borough Council
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help Hastings Council (a) reduce their expenditure on temporary accommodation, (b) reduce housing pressures and (c) manage their financial stability.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government publishes statistics on local authority revenue expenditure and financing in England, which can be found here: Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England: 2023-24 budget - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Councils are ultimately responsible for the management of their own finances. At the last Local Government Finance Settlement, Government made available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23.

The Homelessness Advice and Support Team (HAST) in DLUHC are set up across the country to provide advice, support and challenge to Local Authorities to help them improve the delivery of homelessness services to families and single people. Each Local Authority has a dedicated adviser.


Written Question
Local Government: Devolution
Thursday 6th July 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

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 impact of the differences in levels of (a) resources and (b) powers granted in devolution deals in England.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

Our Devolution Framework sets out a clear menu of options for places in England that wish to unlock the benefits of devolution.

The devolution framework is designed to let areas deepen their devolution arrangements over time and at their own pace, recognising that, as institutions mature, they can gain greater responsibility.


Written Question
Supported Housing
Tuesday 4th July 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the provisions of the Renters (Reform) Bill on the stepping stone accommodation model.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 184765 on 17 May 2023.


Written Question
Local Government: Devolution
Thursday 29th June 2023

Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool, Wavertree)

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 merits of (a) increasing devolution in England and (b) giving Metro Mayors local tax raising powers.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

We are already extending devolution across England.

Through the announcement of six new devolution deals last year and most recently ground-breaking trailblazer devolution deals with Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities, as well as the publication of the English Devolution Accountability Framework, the Government is empowering local leaders by ensuring they have more control and influence over the decisions that affect their communities. We will continue to work with local government in England to establish and grow new mayoral combined authorities, combined county authorities, and county deals. Our existing mayors are already playing a powerful role in driving economic growth, improving public services and giving local areas a voice on the national stage. The Government recognises the importance of fiscal devolution in England.