Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that people working in the social care sector have access to social and affordable housing in proximity of their place of work and community networks; and what plans she has to increase the supply of affordable housing stock in areas of high demand.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in my answer to Question UIN 11383 on 31 October 2024, this government has committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, including in areas of high demand.
Local authorities are responsible for designing and managing their own housing allocations policies to meet local need.
To ensure sufficient social and affordable housing is available for those working in the social care sector in proximity to their place of work and community networks, S.166A(6)(b) HA96 allows local authorities to set local lettings policies i.e., to allocate accommodation to people of a particular description such as people working in the care sector. Housing associations can apply a similar principle when allocating Affordable Rent homes.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) local authorities on local authority funding for implementing Awaab’s Law.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Officials meet regularly with counterparts in local government to discuss a range of issues.
Social landlords already have a responsibility to meet the Decent Homes Standard (which specifies homes must be free of the most dangerous 'category 1' hazards) and to remedy disrepair. Awaab's law will establish the timeframes within which landlords have to fulfil those responsibilities.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
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 cost to the public purse of implementing Awaab’s Law.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Officials meet regularly with counterparts in local government to discuss a range of issues.
Social landlords already have a responsibility to meet the Decent Homes Standard (which specifies homes must be free of the most dangerous 'category 1' hazards) and to remedy disrepair. Awaab's law will establish the timeframes within which landlords have to fulfil those responsibilities.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding has been allocated to local authorities to promote awareness of new Voter ID rules, broken down by local authority.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Further to the answer given to Question UIN 124038 on 19th January 2023 and UQ response given on the floor of the House on 21 February 2023 (Official Report, HC, Volume 728, Column 138), I refer the Hon. Member to the publication on new burdens funding here.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
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 estimate of the number of instances of voter personation that will be prevented by the new voter identification requirements in the local elections in May.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to UIN 171447 given on 31 March 2023.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities which are holding elections in May 2023 on the new voter identification requirements; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which those local authorities are adequately prepared to implement those requirements.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As set out previously, this department is working closely with local authorities, Valuation Joint Boards, and electoral organisations to support their successful implementation of voter identification in May 2023 and beyond.
In line with longstanding government policy, New Burdens funding has been provided.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many cases of possible voter personation have been investigated in each of the past ten years; and what estimate he has made of the number of voters likely to be unable to vote due to new voter identification requirements in the local elections to be held in May.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to urgent question response given on the floor of the House on 21 February 2023 (Official Report, HC, Volume 728, Column 138).
The Electoral Commission collects data from all UK police forces about allegations of electoral fraud and publishes an annual report on the numbers, types and outcomes of these allegations. The reports can be found on their website here.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
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 assessment of the potential dangers of relaxing regulations on combustible cavity trays in residential buildings.
Answered by Marcus Jones
On 1 June 2022 the Government published a response to a consultation following the review of the ban of combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings. The consultation proposed a temporary 18-month relaxation of the ban as it relates to cavity trays. This followed from issues highlighted to us on the excessive cost, supply, installation and durability of product on the market at the time.
We consider it is appropriate, on balance, to allow for a short-term exemption for combustible cavity trays as the risk they pose remains low while providing temporary flexibility.
The consultation response is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-ban-on-the-use-of-combustible-materials-in-and-on-the-external-walls-of-buildings/outcome/government-response-review-of-the-ban-on-the-use-of-combustible-materials-in-and-on-the-external-walls-of-buildings.
We will continue to review the impact of the ban including this short-term exemption and to work with industry to better understand new products available on the market.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many eviction notices have been issued in each week since March 1 2020.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government does not collect information on the number of notices landlords issue to tenants indicating a desire to regain possession of their property.
Where a landlord serves a valid notice on Assured Shorthold Tenancy, the landlord can only lawfully regain possession by using the county court process unless the tenant chooses to vacate the property.
The Mortgage and Landlord Repossession Statistics record the number of claims for possession brought by landlords in the county court. The latest statistics (Figure 9) show the number of claims for possession issued on a weekly basis from the week commencing 3 February until the week commencing 23 March. The statistics are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mortgage-and-landlord-possession-statistics-january-to-march-2020.
The Government, along with the courts service, has delivered unprecedented support to protect tenants from eviction during the Coronavirus emergency. Emergency legislation is now in place so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict their tenants for at least a three-month period. The Master of the Rolls, with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor, also suspended?all ongoing and new housing possession cases for 90 days?from 27 March 2020. As a result of these measures, no tenant in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction during this time.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Independent - Leeds East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of value of rent arrears outstanding in (a) Leeds, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) the UK as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Department does not routinely collect information on the value of rent arrears.
Emergency legislation is now in place so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict their tenants for at least a three-month period. The courts have also suspended housing possession proceedings. As a result of these measures, no tenant in private or social accommodation needs to be concerned about the threat of eviction during this time.
In addition, the Government has introduced an unprecedented financial support package to help renters continue to pay their living costs, including rent. This includes support for businesses to pay staff salaries, strengthening the welfare safety-net with a £7 billion boost to Universal Credit, and increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents in each area.
For renters who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments are also available. As announced at the spending round for 2020/21,?there is already £180 million in Discretionary Housing Payments for local authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housing costs in the private and social rented sectors.