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Written Question
Public Houses: Closures
Thursday 3rd March 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department provides support to local community groups that seek to purchase closed pubs in their local areas.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

We recognise the central role that pubs play in our towns and villages and welcome more applications. Our Community Ownership Fund helps community groups to buy or take over local community assets at risk of being lost. Across the first bidding round we have funded 5 pubs valued at £990,696 and will support many more in future rounds.


Written Question
Derelict Land: Regeneration
Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what support his Department provides to local authorities to help regenerate derelict land.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

At Spending Review 2021, the Government announced £1.5 billion to regenerate underused land and deliver transport links and community facilities. This funding will help to unlock sites across the country that the private sector alone will not deliver, alongside a further £300 million locally led grant funding that will be distributed to Mayoral Combined Authorities and local authorities to help unlock smaller brownfield sites


These announcements build on our existing, extensive support for growth and regeneration, including the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund that has funded town and city centre regeneration schemes in places across the UK. Future rounds of the Levelling Up Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will build on this investment and the billions of pounds of investment made through the Towns Fund, Future High Streets Fund, Getting Building Fund and Brownfield Housing Fund.


Written Question
Derelict Land: Regeneration
Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what powers local authorities posses to purchase derelict buildings and land for regeneration purposes.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Local authorities have various compulsory purchase powers which they can use to acquire and develop derelict buildings and land, including for regeneration purposes. These include powers under Part 9 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to compulsorily purchase land for development and other planning purposes. As announced in the recent Levelling Up White Paper, we intend to bring forward improvements to compulsory purchase powers to enable more effective land assembly and support regeneration. Further details will be announced in due course.


Written Question
Housing Estates: Regeneration
Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what support his Department provides to local authorities for the regeneration of existing housing estates.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

£100 million for the Brownfield Land Release Fund includes support for local authorities for estate Regeneration. In 2021 / 2022 £14.2 million of capital grants has been allocated to 14 existing social housing estates across England.

The Levelling Up White Paper sets out the importance of regeneration on the economic and social missions of Levelling Up and we will be exploring with local leaders how we can support places further.


Written Question
Social Rented Housing: Carbon Emissions
Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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 local authorities with encouraging the building of net zero social housing.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

The Government has given councils a comprehensive range of tools to deliver a new generation of council housing. Alongside these ambitions, the Government remains committed to meeting its target of net zero emissions by 2050; we must ensure that the energy efficiency standards we set through the Building Regulations for new homes put us on track to meet the 2050 target.

From 2025, the Future Homes Standard will ensure that new homes produce at least 75% fewer CO2 emissions compared to those built to the 2013 standards. These homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency.

In December 2021, we introduced an uplift in energy efficiency standards that provides a stepping-stone to the Future Homes Standard. Once the uplift comes into force, in June 2022, new homes will be expected to produce around 30% fewer CO2 emissions compared to the previous 2013 standards, marking an important step on our journey towards a cleaner, greener built environment and net zero by 2050.


Written Question
Regional Planning and Development: Essex
Friday 25th February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the Government's levelling up agenda will support local plans for levelling up including those set out in Everyone’s Essex.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

The Levelling Up White Paper sets out how we will spread opportunity more equally across all parts of the UK, including Essex. The government’s plan is underpinned by 12 ambitious missions that will serve as an anchor for policy across government, as well as catalysing innovation and action by local partners.

On ‘Levelling Up Essex’, ‘Everyone’s Essex’, and other local strategies, the government recognises that levelling up is a collective endeavour. Success in closing spatial disparities across Essex will rely on input, buy-in and partnership with local stakeholders.

The White Paper highlights how Essex is already benefiting from investments to boost living standards, spread opportunity, restore local pride and empower local leaders. These include the government’s commitment to develop a new integrated, high-tech healthcare campus to replace the ageing Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, as well as providing a new Institute of Technology at South Essex College. Basildon, Harlow and Southend-on-Sea will also receive expert support from the High Street Task Force.

To date, Essex has also benefited from £19.9 million from the Levelling Up Fund to support the fishing industry at Leigh-on-Sea and to enhance the visitor offer along Southend seafront. Essex County Council, Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council have also received a combined £5.6 million from the Community Renewal Fund to help support local areas to pilot imaginative new approaches, including a pilot with Harlow College to support economically inactive, unemployed and employed adults, and a project to develop the capacity of Harlow-based organisations through the Harlow Local Procurement Portal.

Communities in the East of England are set to benefit from the Thames Freeport and Freeport East, and government is also backing the Thames Estuary Growth Board. Government has invested £23.7 million through the Towns Fund to regenerate Harlow and address transport connectivity challenges within the town, with a further £60.9 million from the Fund awarded to Colchester, Grays and Tilbury.

Going forwards, local authorities in Essex will also be able to bid for further funding through the second round of the Levelling Up Fund and use the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to further support Levelling Up priorities in the region. Finally, the White Paper sets out for the first time a clear framework for devolution in England, supporting areas to develop devolution proposals which demonstrate effective leadership and sensible geography.


Written Question
Regional Planning and Development: Essex
Friday 25th February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps the Government plans to take to ensure that deprived areas of Essex will be supported through proposals in the Levelling Up White Paper.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

The Levelling Up White Paper sets out how we will spread opportunity more equally across all parts of the UK, including Essex. The government’s plan is underpinned by 12 ambitious missions that will serve as an anchor for policy across government, as well as catalysing innovation and action by local partners.

On ‘Levelling Up Essex’, ‘Everyone’s Essex’, and other local strategies, the government recognises that levelling up is a collective endeavour. Success in closing spatial disparities across Essex will rely on input, buy-in and partnership with local stakeholders.

The White Paper highlights how Essex is already benefiting from investments to boost living standards, spread opportunity, restore local pride and empower local leaders. These include the government’s commitment to develop a new integrated, high-tech healthcare campus to replace the ageing Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, as well as providing a new Institute of Technology at South Essex College. Basildon, Harlow and Southend-on-Sea will also receive expert support from the High Street Task Force.

To date, Essex has also benefited from £19.9 million from the Levelling Up Fund to support the fishing industry at Leigh-on-Sea and to enhance the visitor offer along Southend seafront. Essex County Council, Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council have also received a combined £5.6 million from the Community Renewal Fund to help support local areas to pilot imaginative new approaches, including a pilot with Harlow College to support economically inactive, unemployed and employed adults, and a project to develop the capacity of Harlow-based organisations through the Harlow Local Procurement Portal.

Communities in the East of England are set to benefit from the Thames Freeport and Freeport East, and government is also backing the Thames Estuary Growth Board. Government has invested £23.7 million through the Towns Fund to regenerate Harlow and address transport connectivity challenges within the town, with a further £60.9 million from the Fund awarded to Colchester, Grays and Tilbury.

Going forwards, local authorities in Essex will also be able to bid for further funding through the second round of the Levelling Up Fund and use the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to further support Levelling Up priorities in the region. Finally, the White Paper sets out for the first time a clear framework for devolution in England, supporting areas to develop devolution proposals which demonstrate effective leadership and sensible geography.


Written Question
Regional Planning and Development
Friday 25th February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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 merits of supporting (a) Levelling Up Essex and (b) other local levelling up strategies as part of his plan to level up the country.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

The Levelling Up White Paper sets out how we will spread opportunity more equally across all parts of the UK, including Essex. The government’s plan is underpinned by 12 ambitious missions that will serve as an anchor for policy across government, as well as catalysing innovation and action by local partners.

On ‘Levelling Up Essex’, ‘Everyone’s Essex’, and other local strategies, the government recognises that levelling up is a collective endeavour. Success in closing spatial disparities across Essex will rely on input, buy-in and partnership with local stakeholders.

The White Paper highlights how Essex is already benefiting from investments to boost living standards, spread opportunity, restore local pride and empower local leaders. These include the government’s commitment to develop a new integrated, high-tech healthcare campus to replace the ageing Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, as well as providing a new Institute of Technology at South Essex College. Basildon, Harlow and Southend-on-Sea will also receive expert support from the High Street Task Force.

To date, Essex has also benefited from £19.9 million from the Levelling Up Fund to support the fishing industry at Leigh-on-Sea and to enhance the visitor offer along Southend seafront. Essex County Council, Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council have also received a combined £5.6 million from the Community Renewal Fund to help support local areas to pilot imaginative new approaches, including a pilot with Harlow College to support economically inactive, unemployed and employed adults, and a project to develop the capacity of Harlow-based organisations through the Harlow Local Procurement Portal.

Communities in the East of England are set to benefit from the Thames Freeport and Freeport East, and government is also backing the Thames Estuary Growth Board. Government has invested £23.7 million through the Towns Fund to regenerate Harlow and address transport connectivity challenges within the town, with a further £60.9 million from the Fund awarded to Colchester, Grays and Tilbury.

Going forwards, local authorities in Essex will also be able to bid for further funding through the second round of the Levelling Up Fund and use the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to further support Levelling Up priorities in the region. Finally, the White Paper sets out for the first time a clear framework for devolution in England, supporting areas to develop devolution proposals which demonstrate effective leadership and sensible geography.


Written Question
Regional Planning and Development
Friday 25th February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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 merits of devolving specific powers or funds to county councils outside of a formal devolution deal, where requested, as part of the Government's levelling up agenda.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

Devolving specific powers or funds to an individual local authority is dependent on agreeing a devolution deal with government, informed by the devolution framework published in the Levelling Up White Paper. As well as those which establish new institutions, all devolution deals which establish new institutions or confer new powers will be subject to Parliamentary approval to the necessary secondary legislation in order to be implemented; and deal implementation will need to be prioritised and scheduled accordingly.


Written Question
Regional Planning and Development
Friday 25th February 2022

Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he has taken to (a) assess and (b) take account of the level of need in local communities when determining the areas of focus in the Government's Levelling Up White Paper.

Answered by Neil O'Brien

The Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper provides a clear plan to level up every corner of the UK, by addressing the spatial disparities that exist within and between regions. The White Paper sets out a detailed policy programme to deliver on the 12 levelling up missions and wider levelling up objectives, particularly in those places that have been left behind.

Essex will benefit from a number of policies targeted at local communities, as set out in the White Paper. For example, Basildon, Harlow and Southend-on-Sea are part of the next group of local authorities to receive expert support from the High Streets Task Force to regenerate their high streets. Essex is also one of the areas set to benefit from the greatest uplift in funding compared with 2021-22 from the updated allocation formula for the Supporting Families programme. A new Institute of Technology, specialising in delivering higher technical education, will be developed in partnership with South Essex College.

Additionally, the ONS is making publicly available a Levelling Up Subnational Data Explorer aimed at local users and decision makers, making it easier for them to extract insight from a wide range of local authority level data on economic and social outcomes in their area. This will ensure future policies continue to be targeted at areas with the highest need.