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 - Opposition Chief Whip (Commons)
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.
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 - Opposition Chief Whip (Commons)
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.
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 - Opposition Chief Whip (Commons)
£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.
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.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what method local authorities will use to distribute the Council Tax Rebate.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has published guidance to local authorities on administering the council tax rebate. This can be found in the link below:
The council tax rebate 2022-23 – billing authority guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance is available to local authorities on the £150 Council Tax rebate.
Answered by Simon Clarke
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has published guidance to local authorities on administering the council tax rebate. This can be found in the link below:
The council tax rebate 2022-23 – billing authority guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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.
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.
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.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether consumers are able to opt out of receiving the £200 upfront discount on energy bills.
Answered by Greg Hands
Domestic energy customers in Great Britain will receive a £200 reduction on their bills this Autumn. The Government will provide funding to all suppliers for them to pass on to their domestic energy customers from October 2022. The Department will consult on the detail of the scheme in the spring