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Written Question
Shared Ownership Schemes
Wednesday 13th March 2024

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to increase access to shared ownership properties for potential buyers who have inherited a property or part of a property that they cannot or are unable to sell, but which is not suitable for them to live in.

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

The provision of affordable housing is part of the Government’s plan to build more homes and provide aspiring homeowners with a step onto the property ladder. Our £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme will deliver thousands of affordable homes for both rent and to buy right across the country, including new shared ownership homes.

If a beneficiary inherits a shared ownership home that it is not suitable for them to live in, we advise that they discuss their sale options with the home’s landlord, including how best to market the home and if the landlord can help to identify eligible buyers.


Written Question
Shared Ownership Schemes: South East
Tuesday 23rd January 2024

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has plans to increase access to shared ownership properties in the South East.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The Government’s 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme seeks to deliver thousands of new affordable homes for rent and to buy right across the country. This includes the delivery of new shared ownership homes in the South East. Since 2014-15, over 27,200 new shared ownership homes have been delivered in the South East.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department (a) has made an assessment of and (b) holds data produced by commissioned research on the potential impact of changes proposed by the Renters (Reform) Bill on the number of private residential landlords.

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

The Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver the government’s commitment to ‘a fairer private rented sector’.

The Bill’s green rated impact assessment estimated the gross costs of reforms amount to just £10 per rented property annually – approximately 0.1% of mean annual rents.


Written Question
Housing: Greater Manchester
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2023 to Question 4484 on Housing: Birmingham, what estimate he has made of the level of demand for new homes in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority area.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

Places for Everyone, the joint strategic local plan for 9 out of the 10 Greater Manchester local planning authorities is at examination. With this in mind it is not possible for the Secretary of State to comment on the plan itself due to his quasi-judicial role in the planning system.


Written Question
Roads: Access
Wednesday 6th December 2023

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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 merits of amending the planning rules on new accesses to the highway.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is already clear that transport issues should be considered from the earliest stage of plan-making and development proposals. This enables potential impact of development on transport networks to be addressed, including access. Local Plans should be prepared with the active involvement of local highways authorities. When determining a planning application for development which involves access to or from a trunk road the local planning authority must consult the local highways authority. They will provide expert advice, based on technical standards and on any adopted local transport plan policies, relating to highways safety and impacts on the transport network as a whole.


Written Question
Housing: Birmingham
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the level of demand for new homes in Birmingham City Council area.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The National Planning Policy Framework expects local planning authorities to use the standard method to assess their own local housing needs, as a starting point to inform the preparation of their local plans. The standard method was amended in 2020 to add a 35% ‘urban uplift’ to the twenty largest towns and cities in England, including Birmingham. Councils then determine how many homes to actually plan for in their area, once they have considered their ability to meet those needs, having taken into account local constraints and circumstances.


Written Question
Right to Buy Scheme: Council Housing and Housing Associations
Wednesday 29th November 2023

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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 support households to buy their (a) council and (b) housing association homes in areas with high property costs.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The Government is strongly supportive of helping people to own their own homes, those who rent their homes and those who wish to buy them, and remains committed to the Right to Buy, which has helped over 2 million social housing tenants to become homeowners.

The maximum Right to Buy discounts were raised in 2012 and increase each year in line with CPI. This annual increase in the discount assists tenants, including those in areas with high property costs, to purchase their homes, which has resulted in over 155,000 since this reinvigoration.

The Right to Buy discount also specifically recognises the higher property prices in London where the maximum available discount is £127,900 compared with £96,000 in the rest of England.


Written Question
Housing: Greater London
Tuesday 21st November 2023

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had recent discussions with the Mayor of London on levels of demand for new homes in the Greater London Authority area.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The department is looking at the barriers to housing delivery in London and will continue to work closely with the Greater London Authority on this and other areas of shared interest.


Written Question
Housing: Greater London
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had recent discussions with the Mayor of London on the demand for new homes in the Greater London Authority area.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.


Written Question
Local Government: Elections
Wednesday 25th October 2023

Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)

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 fiscal merits of requiring all local elections in England to be conducted on the same day every four years.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The Government has not made any such assessment as the costs of local elections are met locally. Holding whole council elections every four years can strengthen local leadership and enhance accountability.