Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken in response to the recommendations of the APPG for Healthy Homes and Buildings White Paper, Laying the foundations for healthy homes, published on 24 October 2018.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the BRE Code for Sustainable Homes data that 107,000 homes have been built in England to the zero carbon homes standard, if he will include in the forthcoming review of Building Regulations a proposal to reinstate that standard from 2020.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The recent UK Green Building Council report on new homes ( https://www.ukgbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Driving-sustainability-in-new-homes-UKGBC-resource-July-2018-v4.pdf ) stated that 107,000 homes have been built to the Code Level 4 standard. Code Level 4 represents a 19 per cent uplift on current Part L energy efficiency standards across the build mix.
We have noted these findings and are preparing to consult on options to deliver the government’s ambitious commitments for future housing. In the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy, we committed to reviewing the Part L standards, including consulting on improving energy efficiency requirements in new and existing buildings where the evidence suggests it is cost effective, affordable, practical and safe to do so. In the Spring Statement, government committed to introduce a Future Homes Standard by 2025 for new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency, to create healthy homes that are fit for the future, have low energy bills, and are better for the environment.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to (a) establish a sub-committee of the Housing Taskforce to include stakeholders involved in the delivery of healthy and quality homes and (b) respond to the recommendations made in the all-party Parliamentary group for healthy homes and buildings white paper, published 24 October 2018.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
This Government is committed to improving housing standards. Minister's have engaged with the APPG for Healthy Homes and Buildings, following the publication of their White Paper in October and have noted the Paper’s recommendations. We will continue to engage with the APPG and related stakeholders as we develop policy to build their views into policy. The Department has seen the number of private rented homes failing to meet the Decent Homes Standard fall 15 per cent since 2010 – a record low.
We have also seen the number of social homes failing to meet the Decent Homes Standard decrease significantly. Our Department has also dedicated a chapter in The revised National Panning and Policy Framework includes a dedicated chapter on the creation of healthy and safe places. We have also launched the Social Housing Green Paper which asks if we should consider what constitutes a decent home.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps (a) he is taking and (b) proposes to take to ensure that energy efficiency in buildings is adequate to ensure that the target of net zero by 2050 is met.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The UK has a good track record in energy efficiency. In the latest International Energy Efficiency Scorecard[1], the UK is ranked 4th in the world and scores very highly on buildings. Since 1990 we have improved the energy efficiency of non-domestic buildings, including public sector buildings, with respective emissions 18 per cent[2] and 40 per cent[3] lower in 2015.
Building energy efficiency policy forms a key part of our Clean Growth Strategy where we have set ambitious targets for non-domestic buildings:
Progress will be kept under review to ensure we achieve net zero by 2050 and consider what further action will be required across sectors to deliver this.
[1] ACEE, ‘The 2018 International Energy Efficiency Scorecard’, 2018 https://aceee.org/research-report/i1801
[2] BEIS (2017) Final UK greenhouse gas emissions national statistics: 1990-2015 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990-2015
[3] Compared to 2015 levels. Sustainable Development Unit (2016) Sustainable Development in Health and Care Report – Health Check 2016 https://www.sduhealth.org.uk/policy-strategy/reporting/sustainable-development-in-health-and-care-report-2016.aspx
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether office to residential conversion under permitted development meets the aims set out in the National Policy Planning Framework to achieve healthy, safe and inclusive places, which promote social interaction, are safe and accessible, and enable and support healthy lifestyles.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We announced in Written Ministerial Statement HCWS 1408 our intention to review permitted development rights for the conversion of buildings to residential use in respect of the quality standard of homes delivered.
New homes in England, whether granted permission on an application or through a permitted development right, are required to meet Building Regulations.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will (a) work with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and (b) establish a cross-departmental committee on health and buildings.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department welcomes the All Party Parliamentary Group’s report, and we know that a high-quality, safe, and suitable home can help people stay independent and healthy for longer, and reduce health and social care costs. The Department works across Government, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, on many of the issues highlighted in the report.
Both Departments are signatories to the ‘Health through the Home’ Memorandum of Understanding with Public Health England (PHE). A refreshed version, which emphasises the importance of housing in supporting people’s health, was published by PHE in March 2018. It can be found at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-health-and-care-through-the-home-mou
PHE also recognises the importance of indoor environmental quality (indoor air quality, noise, overheating and ventilation) on human health and wellbeing, and the need for a holistic approach. Further information is available in PHE’s resources on homes and health, available at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/collections/housing-for-health
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effect on his Department's policies on peoples health of the recommendations in the Report, Building our Future: Laying the Foundations for Healthy Homes and Buildings, published on 24 October 2018 by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Healthy Homes and Building.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Department welcomes the All Party Parliamentary Group’s report, and we know that a high-quality, safe, and suitable home can help people stay independent and healthy for longer, and reduce health and social care costs. The Department works across Government, including with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, on many of the issues highlighted in the report.
Both Departments are signatories to the ‘Health through the Home’ Memorandum of Understanding with Public Health England (PHE). A refreshed version, which emphasises the importance of housing in supporting people’s health, was published by PHE in March 2018. It can be found at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-health-and-care-through-the-home-mou
PHE also recognises the importance of indoor environmental quality (indoor air quality, noise, overheating and ventilation) on human health and wellbeing, and the need for a holistic approach. Further information is available in PHE’s resources on homes and health, available at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/collections/housing-for-health
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Healthy Homes and Buildings all party parliament group green paper Building our Future: Laying the Foundations for Healthy Homes and Buildings; and what steps the Government is taking to improve the overall standard of new and existing homes to ensure that people live in comfortable, warm, dry, well-lit and well designed homes.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government will consider the Healthy Homes and Buildings all party parliament group green paper, "Building our Future: Laying the Foundations for Healthy Homes and Buildings", in taking forward its work on reviewing the guidance in relevant Building Regulations’ Approved Documents. This follows recommendations by Dame Judith Hackitt in her independent review of building regulations and fire safety, and in the review announced on 26 October to assess how well the Housing Health and Safety Rating System works in practice, whether it needs to be updated and, if so, to what extent.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will hold discussions with the all-party group on Healthy Homes and Buildings on the (a) extent of the problems caused by poor quality homes and buildings and (b) steps that are being taken to incentivise home providers and builders to build and retrofit homes to the highest standards.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
I refer the Hon Member to my previous answer to Question UIN 177311 on 15 October 2018.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on peoples health of the quality of (a) ventilation, (b) lighting and (c) acoustics in house building; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government will consider the Healthy Homes and Buildings all party parliament group green paper, "Building our Future: Laying the Foundations for Healthy Homes and Buildings", in taking forward its work on reviewing the guidance in relevant Building Regulations’ Approved Documents. This follows recommendations by Dame Judith Hackitt in her independent review of building regulations and fire safety, and in the review announced on 26 October to assess how well the Housing Health and Safety Rating System works in practice, whether it needs to be updated and, if so, to what extent.