Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports of stabilisation and growth in the housing market, what steps they are taking to ensure that this translates into an increased housing supply, particularly in areas facing housing shortages.
Answered by Baroness Swinburne - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Housebuilding is a priority for this Government, and we are on track to meet our manifesto commitment to deliver one million homes over this Parliament. In December, the revised National Planning Policy Framework was published, making clear that a core purpose of the planning system is planning for the homes and other development that our communities need. With both the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act and the new Framework now in place, alongside the additional resources for planning departments the Government has recently announced, our planning reforms will accelerate the delivery of new homes.
We are spending billions to support housebuilding, including through our £1 billion Brownfield Infrastructure and Land Fund and our £1.5 billion Levelling Up Homebuilding Fund (LUHBF). We have scaled up the delivery of affordable housing by investing £11.5 billion through the Affordable Homes Programme, which will provide thousands of new homes for rent and sale across the country.
In February, we announced that we are consulting on a range of new measures to boost housebuilding while protecting the Green Belt, through strengthening planning support for brownfield housing development. Legislation was also laid to extend current permitted development rights to support the conversion of commercial buildings of any size into new homes, and we announced an expansion of the ENABLE Build scheme to increase availability of SME finance to the sector.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the development of more cooperative housing schemes.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government is committed to supporting housing co-operatives and other providers of community-led housing. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied, and was most recently revised in December 2023. The National Planning Policy Framework now includes several measures that will support the diversification of the housing market, including the growth of the community-led housing sector. These new measures include:
Community-based groups (or their partner organisations) who are registered as providers of social housing may apply for capital grant through the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme (AHP).
In addition, in 2023, we provided £3 million to support a social finance fund to provide equity and loan finance for community-led housing schemes across England. This fund is expected to support the delivery of 1587 homes over ten years.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her Department's annual delivery target is for the number of households applying for the (a) Home Upgrade Grant, (b) Great British Insulation Scheme, (c) Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and (d) Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The current wave of Home Upgrade Grant Phase 2 funding is expected to improve the energy performance of up to 25,000 homes. The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund estimates to upgrade up to 99,500 social homes. The Great British Insulation Scheme target is set in terms of annual bill savings, but it is estimated that it will support the installation of energy efficiency measures to around 300,000 homes.
The annual targets for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) depends on the grant levels at the time, as we can change them to respond to market conditions.
The Government recently announced further details regarding the £6 billion extension that will be allocated from 2025-2028. This will support an extra 500,000 homes, prioritising those who need it most.
Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to help enable more community-led housing developments on rural exception sites.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government is committed to supporting Community Land Trusts and other providers of community housing. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied, and was most recently revised in December 2023. The National Planning Policy Framework now includes several measures that will support the diversification of the housing market, including the growth of the community-led housing sector. These new measures include:
Community-based groups (or their partner organisations) who are registered as providers of social housing may apply for capital grant through the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme (AHP).
In addition, in 2023, we provided £3 million to support a social finance fund to provide equity and loan finance for community-led housing schemes across England. This fund is expected to support the delivery of 1587 homes over ten years.
Asked by: Rachel Maclean (Conservative - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has taken recent steps to support the growth of community land trusts.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Government is committed to supporting Community Land Trusts and other providers of community housing. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied, and was most recently revised in December 2023. The National Planning Policy Framework now includes several measures that will support the diversification of the housing market, including the growth of the community-led housing sector. These new measures include:
Community-based groups (or their partner organisations) who are registered as providers of social housing may apply for capital grant through the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme (AHP).
In addition, in 2023, we provided £3 million to support a social finance fund to provide equity and loan finance for community-led housing schemes across England. This fund is expected to support the delivery of 1587 homes over ten years.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s Guide for the Disposal of Surplus Land, published March 2017, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of that guidance; and what assessment he has made of the impact of that guidance on (a) the development of sites and (b) NHS services.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
A Guide for the Disposal of Surplus Land, published March 2017, was withdrawn in June 2021. By then it was assessed as inadequate: it had out-of-date references and no longer reflected current government policy.
Subsequent government reports assessed delivery on the two primary targets for housing land and capital receipts. These showed the release of government-owned sites for redevelopment continued to make progress, and the receipts target was fully met. Land releases included NHS sites, for which an assessment of impact would routinely be made prior to release.
There are no plans at present to assess the adequacy of the 2017 guidance. Revised guidance will take account of property market and construction sector situations as well as social value and the three missions of the Government Property Strategy 2022-2030, including a ‘smaller, better, greener’ government estate.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Guide for the Disposal of Surplus Land, published by his Department in March 2017, in the context of trends in the level of growth in the construction industry.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
A Guide for the Disposal of Surplus Land, published March 2017, was withdrawn in June 2021. By then it was assessed as inadequate: it had out-of-date references and no longer reflected current government policy.
Subsequent government reports assessed delivery on the two primary targets for housing land and capital receipts. These showed the release of government-owned sites for redevelopment continued to make progress, and the receipts target was fully met. Land releases included NHS sites, for which an assessment of impact would routinely be made prior to release.
There are no plans at present to assess the adequacy of the 2017 guidance. Revised guidance will take account of property market and construction sector situations as well as social value and the three missions of the Government Property Strategy 2022-2030, including a ‘smaller, better, greener’ government estate.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of schemes aimed to provide affordable rented housing to NHS key workers
Answered by Will Quince
We recognise the importance of ensuring that high-quality, affordable accommodation is available to National Health Service staff. We are working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to explore how we can best support NHS trusts to deliver key worker accommodation where it is needed. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Markham) will lead a joint taskforce with the housing minister, the Hon. Rachel Maclean, to work through the barriers identified in a recently published paper on key worker accommodation by the NHS Homes Alliance and support the NHS to streamline delivery.
Local organisations are ultimately responsible for determining the appropriate use of NHS estate, including for key worker accommodation. NHS staff also have access to the national First Homes scheme, established in 2021, which enables key workers to purchase homes at a discount to the market value on new housing sites, paid for by developer contributions.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the provision of housing for NHS staff (a) nationally and (b) in York; and if he will take steps to provide housing for NHS staff in (a) England and (b) areas with low recruitment and retention.
Answered by Will Quince
Local National Health Service organisations are responsible for determining the appropriate use of their NHS estate, including for key worker accommodation.
We recognise the importance of ensuring the availability of high-quality, affordable accommodation to NHS staff. We are working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to explore how we can best support NHS trusts to deliver key worker accommodation where it is needed. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lord Markham) will lead a joint taskforce with the Minister of State for Housing (Rachel Maclean MP) to work through the barriers identified in a recently published paper on key worker accommodation by the NHS Homes Alliance, and to support the NHS to streamline delivery.
NHS staff also have access to the national First Homes scheme, established in 2021, which enables key workers to purchase homes at a discount to the market value on new housing sites, paid for by developer contributions.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities about key worker housing for NHS staff.
Answered by Will Quince
We recognise the importance of ensuring that high-quality, affordable accommodation is available to National Health Service staff. We are working closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to explore how we can best support NHS trusts to deliver key worker accommodation where it is needed. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Markham) will lead a joint taskforce with the Minister of State for Housing and Planning (Rachel Maclean MP) to work through the barriers identified in a recently published paper on key worker accommodation by the NHS Homes Alliance, and to support the NHS to streamline delivery.
Local organisations are ultimately responsible for determining the appropriate use of NHS estate, including for key worker accommodation. NHS staff also have access to the national First Homes scheme, established in 2021, which enables key workers to purchase homes at a discount to the market value on new housing sites, paid for by developer contributions