Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what Government guidance there is on technical standards to be applied in dwellings and other buildings to improve indoor air quality.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government sets standards for indoor air quality mainly through Parts F (Ventilation) and L (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations which apply primarily to new buildings with detailed guidance provided in Approved Documents. Approved Document F sets minimum ventilation requirements to provide fresh air and reduce risks from pollutants, moisture, condensation and mould. These standards were strengthened in 2021 and took effect in June 2022.
Indoor air quality in existing properties is addressed separately, including through Awaab’s Law which requires social landlords to investigate and remedy damp and mould hazards within set timescales. Government policy is also informed by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) which provides independent advice on air quality and health.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph TR7 of the proposed revised version of the National Planning and Policy Framework, what criteria he is using to determine an acceptable environmental effect.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The reference to acceptable environmental effects in proposed policy TR7 is couched in general terms, but the consultation is clear that when using the Framework, the draft policies need to be read as a whole, including in this instance the more specific policies found elsewhere in the Framework for assessing certain environmental impacts.
The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026, and all responses received will be considered before finalising our policy proposals.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new homes were built within areas classified as flood zone 3 in 2024-2025.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold data on how many new homes were built within areas classified as flood zone 3 in 2024-2025.
The proportion of new residential addresses built on national Flood Zone 3 is published by financial year in live table P320 of our ‘Land use change: new residential addresses’ release. The most recent figures are for 2021-22 and can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for a decision on planning permission for the proposed Whitehaven coal mine.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
No target date has yet been set for a decision for the redetermination of this case. Following the quashing of the previous Secretary of State’s decision, the Secretary of State will now write to parties to give them the opportunity to provide any updated information to inform the redetermination. A decision will then be made on the process for redetermination, following which a timetable will be set.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure new houses are only built where there is sufficient (a) water supply and (b) sewage treatment.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 9948 on 23 October 2024.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many applications were (a) made and (b) rejected to access funding under schemes within the flood recovery framework in the last two years; what total amount was that has been paid out through the flood recovery framework; and how many and what proportion of applicants received the maximum pay out of £25,000 under the flood recovery framework.
Answered by Simon Hoare
In the last two years the Flood Recovery Framework has been activated twice – following Storm Babet in October 2023 and Storm Henk in January 2024. The decision to accept or reject applications for flood recovery funding is made by local authorities who are responsible for administrating all schemes, apart from the Farming Recovery Fund. To date, eligible local authorities have made payments of over £7.8 million to 8,510 impacted households and businesses. We expect this figure to rise substantially as further payments are made over the next 18 months.
With regards to the specific question on the £25,000 available under the Farming Recovery Fund scheme. DEFRA have only opened this once within the last two years on 9 April 2024 to provide farmers support to recover from uninsurable damage. The scheme provides grants of between £500 and £25,000 to return land to the condition it was before exceptional flooding of Storm Henk. The fund was initially opened in nine English local authority areas, however, DEFRA committed actively to review the areas to be included in the fund. Those farmers who were initially identified as eligible farmers have been contacted directly by Rural Payments Agency. DEFRA will be contacting all eligible farmers following completion of our review.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to double council tax on second homes.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Provisions to allow local authorities to charge a council tax premium of up to 100% on second homes are contained within the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to help improve access to the private rental sector for Afghans in hotels under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
The Home Office is the department responsible for the ACRS and ARAP schemes, including for providing tariff funding for local authorities. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is supporting cross-Government work to help Afghans into private rental sector accommodation where possible, and Government is providing £35 million of additional funding to local authorities for this purpose.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what proportion of projects that received money from the Levelling Up Fund: Round 2 aim to improve local high streets.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As set out in the published thematic and geographic analysis, Over £760 million of funding was awarded to projects under the regeneration and town centres theme, with a further £120 million awarded to projects where funding is split evenly between regeneration and town centre interventions and other themes.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether any of the Investment Zone expressions of interest received include areas at least partially within the boundaries or setting of (a) National Parks and (b) Areas of outstanding natural beauty.
Answered by Lee Rowley
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 90859 on 28 November 2022.