Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority has received from the Government for each year since 2010.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Detailed information on Core Spending Power, including individual allocations for Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) for each year since 2015-16, can be viewed here. Comparable data is not available prior to 2015-16.
Fire and Rescue Authorities also receive some separate funding for specific purposes, including fire protection work and capabilities.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his timescale is for publishing information on successful bids to the Levelling Up Fund Round 2.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 76086, on the 9th November 2022.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, against what criteria will the success of Investment Zones be measured.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Expression of Interest process for Investment Zones closed on Friday 14 October. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is now assessing the proposals it received and will announce those sites that have been taken forward for delivery planning in due course.
We have published guidance and FAQs covering the EOI process and the assessment framework on GOV.UK.
Those sites that are taken forward will work with the Government to develop delivery plans and conduct relevant legal assessments to confirm that sites will represent value for money for taxpayers and deliver the objectives of the Investment Zones programme.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what criteria and process his Department will use to determine which local authorities become Investment Zones.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Expression of Interest process for Investment Zones closed on Friday 14 October. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is now assessing the proposals it received and will announce those sites that have been taken forward for delivery planning in due course.
We have published guidance and FAQs covering the EOI process and the assessment framework on GOV.UK.
Those sites that are taken forward will work with the Government to develop delivery plans and conduct relevant legal assessments to confirm that sites will represent value for money for taxpayers and deliver the objectives of the Investment Zones programme.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what deadline his Department has set for the establishment of the first Investment Zones.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Expression of Interest process for Investment Zones closed on Friday 14 October. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is now assessing the proposals it received and will announce those sites that have been taken forward for delivery planning in due course.
We have published guidance and FAQs covering the EOI process and the assessment framework on GOV.UK.
Those sites that are taken forward will work with the Government to develop delivery plans and conduct relevant legal assessments to confirm that sites will represent value for money for taxpayers and deliver the objectives of the Investment Zones programme.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when detail on the full conditions for Investment Zones will be published.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Expression of Interest process for Investment Zones closed on Friday 14 October. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is now assessing the proposals it received and will announce those sites that have been taken forward for delivery planning in due course.
We have published guidance and FAQs covering the EOI process and the assessment framework on GOV.UK.
Those sites that are taken forward will work with the Government to develop delivery plans and conduct relevant legal assessments to confirm that sites will represent value for money for taxpayers and deliver the objectives of the Investment Zones programme.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that (a) landlords and (b) letting agents are only able to require a guarantor when it is strictly necessary.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government wants everyone to have access to secure, safe and affordable housing. We continue to encourage private rented sector landlords and agents to assess the suitability of potential and existing tenants on an individual basis.
Landlords and letting agents are free to carry out referencing and affordability checks within the law before accepting a new tenant in order to ensure a sustainable tenancy for both parties. This may include setting a requirement for a guarantor.
Local authorities may offer guarantee schemes to help people on low incomes or at risk of homelessness. These schemes may allow the local authority to act as a guarantor and cover unpaid rent or damage up to a certain amount.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to help support (a) first time and (b) young renters who have funds to pay monthly rent but do not have access to a guarantor.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government wants everyone to have access to secure, safe and affordable housing. We continue to encourage private rented sector landlords and agents to assess the suitability of potential and existing tenants on an individual basis.
Landlords and letting agents are free to carry out referencing and affordability checks within the law before accepting a new tenant in order to ensure a sustainable tenancy for both parties. This may include setting a requirement for a guarantor.
Local authorities may offer guarantee schemes to help people on low incomes or at risk of homelessness. These schemes may allow the local authority to act as a guarantor and cover unpaid rent or damage up to a certain amount.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what support is available for local communities to repurpose industrial heritage sites for the benefit of local economies.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
Our industrial towns and cities have a proud history, and we are determined that they will have a bright future. Through our levelling up funds, we are tackling the economic differences and driving prosperity across the UK.
Every part of the country will benefit from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund - including the hon. lady's constituency of Barnsley East, which will benefit from a share of £46,162,439.
Culture and heritage are key themes of our Levelling Up Fund, which provides an important boost to local economies through providing funding for maintaining, regenerating, or creatively repurposing existing cultural and heritage assets, or creating new assets that support the visitor economy.
Further funding opportunities are available through the Community Ownership Fund, which helps communities take ownership of cultural and heritage assets at risk of closure, ensuring that small, and much-loved assets are safeguarded and can continue to benefit the local economy.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the Government has made an assessment of statistics on veteran housing from the most recent census data.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The government is committed to making the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran.
In line with the Armed Forces Covenant, we changed the law in 2012 so that seriously injured, ill or disabled Service personnel, and former members of the Armed Forces, with urgent housing needs are always given high priority for social housing. In June 2020 we also published new statutory guidance for local authorities to improve access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families.
Top level summaries of the veteran population and how it is broken down by age and gender are expected to be published by the Office for National Statistics towards the end of this year. Following the release of these summaries, the Office for National Statistics will work with the Office of Veterans Affairs to conduct analyses on veteran housing and make an assessment of the findings.