Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to continue supporting local authorities with large shares of exempt supported accommodation in their areas through the supported housing improvement programme.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
Future spending on specific programmes in 2025-26, including for the Supported Housing Improvement Programme (SHIP), is yet to be determined. SHIP local authorities will be notified as soon as possible.
The government is currently consulting on proposals for implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. The consultation closes on 15 May. Following this, the responses will be analysed before regulations are drafted and consulted on. We are continuing to engage closely with the sector as we work to implement the Act.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress has she made in implementing the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
Future spending on specific programmes in 2025-26, including for the Supported Housing Improvement Programme (SHIP), is yet to be determined. SHIP local authorities will be notified as soon as possible.
The government is currently consulting on proposals for implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. The consultation closes on 15 May. Following this, the responses will be analysed before regulations are drafted and consulted on. We are continuing to engage closely with the sector as we work to implement the Act.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of local authority powers to ensure that vacant rental properties are made available for new tenancies.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years.
Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found here.
The government expects social housing landlords to manage their stock efficiently, ensuring that vacant properties are made available where possible.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the average number of full time equivalent trading standards officers per local authority over each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Simon Hoare
The department does not collect this information centrally.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he plans to take to ensure the (a) independence, (b) impartiality and (c) academic integrity of the counter-extremism centre of excellence.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Civil Service code applies to all civil servants. Further details of our work on Counter Extremism will be set out in the usual way.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the new definition of extremism.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Over the past year, a wide range of stakeholders were engaged to ensure a balance of views on the definitions development. The definition was tested across Government, with practitioners and with subject matter experts.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure (a) Birmingham City Council and (b) other Local Authorities designate an adequate number of authorised Gypsy and Traveller Sites.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Responsibility for the assessment of and provision for traveller sites is with local authorities.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the total costs incurred by local authorities relating to legal cases on the fitness for habitation of council properties in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jacob Young
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will provide guidance to local authorities on the maximum number of telegraph poles that can be erected in local areas per number of households.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government is aware of ongoing concerns about telegraph pole deployment. DLUHC officials are working with officials at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of using permitted development powers for the installation of (a) fibre optic and (b) 5G (i) poles and (ii) other infrastructure in residential areas on (A) broadband coverage, (B) quality of life and (C) street landscape in those areas.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Reliable, fast digital connectivity is vital for the prosperity of this country, local businesses and families.
It is essential that the planning system can effectively support the delivery of the telecommunications infrastructure that we need. Permitted development rights are an important tool to enable deployment of fixed line broadband and mobile telecommunications. In 2022 we introduced reforms to planning regulations to enable faster deployment of 4G and 5G networks.
These encouraged sharing of existing infrastructure and ensured that local areas can consider the location and appearance of new ground-based masts. The Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development and Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice outline additional expectations for operators to consult communities.
The Government Response to consultation, published on 7 March 2022, set the Government’s assessment of how these changes strike an appropriate balance between providing local control and delivering improved connectivity.