Levelling-up Funding: Economically Deprived Communities Grahame
Morris (Easington) (Lab) 2. If he will target levelling-up funding
at the most economically deprived communities.(901064) The
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing
and Communities (Jacob Young) The Government have set clear and
ambitious missions to end long-standing geographical inequality in
the UK. In targeting levelling-up funding, we consider a range of
factors,...Request free trial
Levelling-up Funding: Economically Deprived Communities
(Easington) (Lab)
2. If he will target levelling-up funding at the most
economically deprived communities.(901064)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The Government have set clear and ambitious missions to end
long-standing geographical inequality in the UK. In targeting
levelling-up funding, we consider a range of factors, including
levelling-up need. These metrics draw on the extensive evidence
base of what matters for levelling up, as set out in the
levelling-up White Paper.
I am interested in the Minister’s comments about targeting.
Deprivation is made worse by bad policy decisions. The bedroom
tax significantly impacted and brought an end to a
multimillion-pound housing renovation scheme in the village of
Horden in my constituency. Can the Minister explain to my
constituents why our levelling-up bid aimed at regenerating
Horden, which is ranked in the bottom 10% for the UK, was
rejected?
We selected the bids based on strict criteria and the methodology
is set out on gov.uk. I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman is
disappointed that his constituency did not benefit. We funded a
project in County Durham in round 1 of the levelling-up fund, and
I am happy to work with him to see what more we could do to
invest in County Durham.
(Bracknell) (Con)
The household support fund has given a lifeline to councils
across the UK, including Bracknell Forest Council, and it is
discretionary. Will the Minister confirm whether that fund will
be extended beyond this financial year?
I cannot make spending commitments today, but I can say that my
hon. Friend is a fantastic champion for his constituents and I am
happy to ensure that the relevant Minister is able to meet him to
discuss the matter further.
(Newport East) (Lab)
The Secretary of State is the deputy chair of the Tata Steel
transition board, so if his Department is at all serious about
levelling up, will he acknowledge just how devastating Tata
Steel’s announcement was for Port Talbot and for families,
workers and communities across south Wales? Why will the Minister
not work with Business and Trade Ministers to look again with the
company at a longer, fairer transition that protects our
sovereign steelmaking capabilities and our communities?
The hon. Lady knows how important steel is to me; my constituency
was deeply affected when SSI closed in 2015. We have already
provided £100 million of support, but I am happy to ensure that
the relevant Minister meets her to discuss how we can provide
further support.
(Stoke-on-Trent South)
(Con)
It is very positive that Stoke-on-Trent has been included as one
of the levelling-up partnership schemes. Does the Minister agree
that it is vital that every part of Stoke-on-Trent gets
levelling-up support so that all communities, including those in
my constituency and particularly the town of Longton, can benefit
from the scheme?
The levelling-up partnership will be transformational for
Stoke-on-Trent, building on the levelling-up investment we have
already made there. I was pleased to meet my hon. Friend last
week to discuss his priorities, including the town of Longton,
and we hope to make further announcements about that in the
coming months.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Ashton-under-Lyne)
(Lab)
I am glad that my delayed Avanti West Coast train
got me here on time, with a sprint for me at the end.
Data revealed by the Centre for Cities today shows that after 14
years, towns and cities in every corner of our country have been
levelled down, left behind and left out of pocket. On average,
people are over £10,000 a year worse off as a result of the
sluggish growth since 2010. Analysis of the country’s largest
cities and towns reveals that every place is out of pocket, north
and south, from former industrial towns to major cities. Fourteen
years after taking power, does the Minister accept that the
British people are worse off now than they were then?
I absolutely do not accept that. The right hon. Lady seems to
forget the reality that we have had a financial crash, covid-19
and the Scottish Government failing to support cities like
Aberdeen with the oil and gas industry. She can look at the
evidence of what we are doing through levelling up. We have
invested more than £4.8 billion of levelling-up funding directly
into communities the length and breadth of the country, and we
will continue to do that.
The Minister says “look at the evidence” and I am looking at the
evidence—14 years of a Conservative Government, elected on a
promise to level up the country, which has left working people
worse off. In Manchester, the average household is over £8,000 a
year out of pocket. Down the road in Burnley, the loss amounts to
£28,000. Will they now listen to our proposals to reform
planning, reinstate housing targets and get Britain building
again, or will the country have to suffer another final year of
failure?
The Labour party has bankrupted Birmingham, and it would bankrupt
Britain. We have made huge progress towards levelling up,
including by rolling out gigabit broadband, introducing
educational investment in areas, opening new freeports,
increasing the national living wage, recruiting more police
officers, funding regeneration and community ownership, and
devolving more power to local Mayors. We will continue to level
up.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
The European Union has provided greater funding support to
economically deprived communities in Scotland than the UK
Government have with their mismanaged levelling-up fund. If
Scotland were still part of the EU, we would have been entitled
to a multibillion-pound share of the €750 billion
NextGenerationEU fund. Why should Scots be happy with the tiny
sliver of Westminster levelling-up funding that we have been
given, when Westminster has denied Scotland a share of the far
greater opportunity of EU development funding?
I completely reject the hon. Lady’s assertion. We have invested
£212 million in Scotland through the UK shared prosperity fund so
far, £465 million through the levelling-up fund and £18.3 million
through the community renewal fund—I could go on, Mr Speaker. If
the hon. Lady wants to support constituencies in Scotland, she
should back our Bill later today.
Social Rented Housing
(City of Chester) (Lab)
3. What steps he is taking to increase the provision of social
rented housing.(901065)
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
()
Our £11.5 billion affordable homes programme will deliver
thousands of affordable homes for rent and to buy right across
the country. The levelling-up White Paper also committed us to
increasing the supply of social rented homes, and a large number
of the new homes delivered through our affordable homes programme
will be for social rent.
Local authorities have been stripped of resources for the past 14
years, and even Conservative Members agree with that. Does the
Secretary of State recognise that local authorities and housing
associations need certainty and stability over time, so that they
have the confidence and security to invest in affordable social
and council housing stock, rather than the Conservatives’
last-minute, unplanned changes that wreak chaos and
instability?
I certainly agree that housing associations do fantastic work in
providing homes for social rent as well as shared ownership
homes, and we work in partnership with them. We are aware of the
many pressures they are under. The hon. Lady says that they need
certainty and stability, but that is why it would be so damaging
if there were a Labour Government with their £28 billion black
hole, which would mean either more borrowing or tax increases,
and higher interest rates for those aspiring to get on the
housing ladder. That is why we should stick with the plan rather
than going back to square one.
Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) (Con)
In my constituency of Suffolk Coastal, Flagship is selling houses
to second-home owners. That is a scandal. It tries to suggest
that it is because it cannot repair them economically, but it is
not offering them, first of all, to the local council. There are
restrictions and covenants that could be put in place if these
were council houses, but they are not; they are housing
association homes. I would love to meet my right hon. Friend to
discuss this matter further to make sure that the housing that
was originally given to the housing associations stays for local
people.
I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for raising that issue. She
represents one of the most beautiful constituencies in the United
Kingdom and does so with great skill. It is because it is such a
beautiful constituency that demand for housing is so high. The
proportion of second homes in her constituency does create
challenges for local people, which I would be more than happy to
discuss with her at her convenience.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Weaver Vale) (Lab)
Rather than levying fines of £2,500 on the most vulnerable people
sleeping rough, as is proposed in the Criminal Justice Bill, will
the Minister commit to building a new generation of social
housing? The current levels are pitiful and are an embarrassment,
are they not, Secretary of State?
No, absolutely not. Our record on building social homes is
significantly better than that of the last Labour Government. It
is under our Administration that local authorities have been
given the chance to take 100% of the receipts from right to buy
and to reinvest them in social housing. It is this Government,
spending £11.5 billion through the affordable homes programme,
who are capable of delivering social homes. As we are talking of
billions of pounds, the £28 billion black hole in the shadow
Minister’s budget would devastate our housing market.
Regional Mayors: Accountability
(Dewsbury) (Con)
4. What steps his Department is taking to ensure effective
accountability of regional Mayors.(901066)
(Amber Valley) (Con)
18. What steps his Department is taking to ensure effective
accountability of regional Mayors.(901080)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The English devolution accountability framework was published in
March 2023 to make it easier to understand how Mayors, leaders
and institutions with devolved powers are held to account. The
framework, alongside the recently published scrutiny protocol,
will improve scrutiny and make clearer the outcomes and metrics
that Mayors are delivering against.
Once again, I thank the Minister for the £48 million of
levelling-up funds to upgrade the Penistone line, which will
significantly improve the service and bring much-needed
improvements to Shepley, Stocksmoor and Denby Dale stations.
However, to achieve the ultimate goal of getting trains to run a
half-hourly service, more investment is required, and that needs
to come through the West Yorkshire Mayor and Network North. Does
my hon. Friend agree that the Mayor should make that a priority,
and announce the extra investment to ensure a full upgrade of the
Penistone line?
We were delighted to provisionally award Kirklees Council with
£48 million from the levelling-up fund to upgrade the Penistone
railway line. I thank my hon. Friend and others, particularly
Conservative Members, for their dedicated support, and I look
forward to seeing the benefits that the funding will bring to
people travelling between Huddersfield and Sheffield. As my hon.
Friend says, Network North will see additional devolved funding
provided to the West Yorkshire Mayor. My right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State for Transport and I will work with him and the
Mayor to ensure that this new and unprecedented level of
investment addresses local priorities, and supports towns, cities
and rural areas across West Yorkshire.
In Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, we are looking forward to
electing our first Mayor in a few weeks’ time, especially with
the £1.5 billion of funding for transport improvements. How do we
ensure that that money is spent on improving our road links,
fixing potholes, improving railway lines and so on, and is not
lost in the creation of a costly administrative third tier of
local government?
We have provided additional funding to councils in the east
midlands to set up the new local authority, so any additional
funding through Network North will not be consumed by that. It is
a fantastic opportunity to get my hon. Friend the Member for
Mansfield () elected as the East Midlands
Mayor. I am sure that he will focus on exactly the priorities my
hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley () mentions.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Committee.
(Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
One of the better aspects of devolution so far, which might
actually work, is the trailblazer projects that have been rolled
out in the west midlands and Greater Manchester. One of the key
elements of those projects is having a single pot of money. I
have repeatedly asked whether it is the intention to roll
devolution deals out to the other combined authorities, and I
have been assured that it is. Why, then, in the first iteration
of what a new devolution deal might look like, have South
Yorkshire, Merseyside and West Yorkshire been told that a single
pot of money will not be included in the devolution deal? Why are
the Government backtracking on the commitment to give those areas
a full devolution deal, not a devolution-minus deal?
We have invited the combined authority areas that the hon.
Gentleman mentions to progress to level 4 devolution, which as he
rightly says does not come with a single settlement. It is
something that we are still considering, and when we see it in
action in the west midlands and Greater Manchester we will be
able to assess its value for money and whether it is delivering
for people there. I assure him that this is not devolution-minus;
we are giving devolution-plus to communities the length and
breadth of the country.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
I am a big supporter of devolution to city regions such as
Greater Manchester, and I welcome a number of the Government’s
proposals to shift even more powers and responsibility from this
place to the combined authority and Mayor, but does the Minister
understand the disappointment of Greater Manchester MPs of all
political persuasions in the proposals for greater scrutiny by
MPs? One question at meetings, with a supplementary at the
discretion of the chair, just does not cut it.
I held a session for Greater Manchester MPs on the scrutiny
protocol. I cannot remember whether the hon. Gentleman was there,
but I am happy to hold a further session with him. The scrutiny
protocol is not yet in place; it is a work in progress, which we
are trying to establish in partnership with MPs. We want to know
what would work well for MPs in the scrutiny sessions.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Blaydon) (Lab)
Last week, the Secretary of State told the Business and Trade
Committee that he hoped that the long-delayed inquiry that he
commissioned into Teesworks and the Tees Valley Mayor will be
published soon, and that he would not “pre-empt it”. The report
was promised in July, then November, then December. It is now
January. Where is it?
The hon. Lady should know that the ministerial code means I am
recused from matters relating to my constituency. However, I
would simply say to her when she wants to criticise that he is one of the most
effective Mayors we have had. The employment rate in Teesside
since Ben was elected has increased by 3.6%, compared with the
rest of the north-east, which only increased by 0.1%, and the
national average of 0.6%. She should focus her attention on some
of the Labour Mayors like the Labour Mayor of London , who is failing on housing,
failing on crime and failing on the things that matter to
people.
Voter ID: Election Turnout
(Sefton Central) (Lab)
5. What recent assessment he has made of the impact of voter
identification requirements on election turnout.(901067)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
We were pleased to see, in the May 2023 elections, that the vast
majority of voters in polling stations were able to cast their
vote successfully. That amounted to 99.75% of those seeking to
vote.
Fourteen thousand voters were turned away from polling stations
at the May 2023 local elections for not having photo
identification. Local councils have been cut to the bone, so they
do not have the resources to ensure that everybody has photo ID.
What will the Government do to ensure that nobody is
disenfranchised when we get to the general election?
There is nothing novel about having voter ID. France, Germany,
Austria and Canada all have it, and we have had it in Northern
Ireland—part of the United Kingdom—for the past 20 years. I
understand that in internal Labour party selection elections,
their members also have to produce voter ID. We have a full and
comprehensive list of voter IDs, which councils have been using
very well. For those who wish to vote and do not have one of
those forms of ID—a tiny number—we also have the voter
certificate, available free of charge, which allows them to vote.
We want to see as many people as possible voting and, of course,
we want to see them voting Conservative.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
The Government’s voter ID requirements, which allow travel cards
for older people but not the young person’s equivalent, are
unfair at best, but the reality is that this is political
opportunism. As has just been said, analysis by the Electoral
Commission following England’s 2023 local elections found that
14,000 people were unable to vote due to voter ID requirements.
There is real concern, based on that data, that there will be a
potential impact in the forthcoming general election. Voters at
local elections are often a smaller group of more politically
informed people, whereas the larger group of voters who wish to
cast their vote at a general election may be less aware of the
requirements. Does the Minister agree with the words of his
former Cabinet colleague, the right hon. Member for North East
Somerset (Sir ), that
“Parties that try and gerrymander end up finding their clever
scheme comes back to bite them, as… we found by insisting on
voter ID for elections”?
I do not agree with that, and nor will I take any lessons on
political opportunism from the SNP. I am tempted to say that I
would WhatsApp my answer to the hon. Lady, but she would probably
delete it before she read it. A lot will depend on whether the
identification has the relevant hologram. I also point out to the
hon. Lady that—[Interruption.] She chunters from a sedentary
position without wanting to listen to the answer, but of the
14,000 who did not have the right identification, 7,000 came
back.
Council Budget Deficits
(Tiverton and Honiton)
(LD)
6. What assessment he has made of the causes of council budget
deficits.(901068)
(Bath) (LD)
23. What assessment he has made of the causes of council budget
deficits.(901087)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The Department works closely with the local government sector and
other Departments to understand specific demand and cost
pressures. The provisional local government finance settlement
for 2024-25 makes available over £64 billion—an increase in core
spending power of almost £4 billion or 6.5% in cash terms. We
stand behind councils up and down the country to deliver the
services that their communities look for.
It was recently revealed that Devon County Council is using its
broadband clawback money to close its deficit. That £7.8 million
was intended for improving broadband across rural areas.
Countryside connectivity is key to boosting businesses so that
they can pay their taxes, so what does the Minister plan for next
year, when Devon County Council’s finance minister puts his hand
down the back of the sofa, only to find he has spent the millions
intended for broadband on paying day-to-day direct debits?
If the money from that Department is ring-fenced, it is not at
the discretion of the county councillors where they use it; they
have to use it for that purpose. I would take the hon.
Gentleman’s concern a little more seriously if he had taken part
in the parliamentary engagement, as 97 colleagues across the
House did, including the hon. Member for Bath (), or attended the Westminster
Hall debate about Mid Devon Council funding, secured by my hon.
Friend the Member for Bridgwater and West Somerset (Mr
Liddell-Grainger).
I appreciate the time that the Minister took to answer my
questions at the drop-in session. We will not cut NHS waiting
times without good, well-resourced social care. My Liberal
Democrat council colleagues in Bath are on track to bring social
care back in-house, which means better care that is better
delivered locally and long-term savings. However, even Bath &
North East Somerset Council, as he knows and as I have already
pointed out, is under severe financial strain. Will he therefore
commit to extra funding to allow it to deliver the vital social
care that my constituents so desperately need?
Adult social care is a demand on all upper-tier authorities. I
commend BANES Council on the work it is doing; that is precisely
the demonstration of flexibility and innovation in local
government that we look for to deliver quality services in a
cost-efficient way, and it deserves our approbation for that.
With the Department of Health and Social Care, we keep under
review precisely those policies relating to adult social care, to
make sure that those who are most in need receive the services
that they need in a timely fashion.
(The Wrekin) (Con)
Would the Minister like to put on record that he shares my thanks
to Councillor Lezley Picton, the leader of Shropshire Council,
who has done a fantastic job despite the challenges in trying to
get down the deficit there? The council has found significant
efficiency savings, but there is still more to do. Ahead of the
local government finance settlement announcement, could the
Minister look at the rural services delivery grant and see what
more can be done for large rural counties such as Shropshire,
which he will know is the largest landlocked county in
England?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend and for the work that Councillor
Picton does as the leader of his council. He is absolutely right
to point to the continued importance of innovation, change and
reform to ensure value for money—that is key—and to highlight the
importance of the rural services delivery grant. My right hon.
Friend the Secretary of State and I remain committed to that and
we hope to be able to make that announcement in due course.
(Mid Norfolk) (Con)
Rural councils face a disproportionate triple whammy from the
rising cost of energy due to the Ukraine war, with rural councils
and rural public services having to pay higher heating, energy
and labour costs. Could I have a meeting with my hon. Friend to
talk about the fair funding formula, to make sure that rural
councils are properly funded in this next settlement?
As a rural Member of Parliament, I am tempted to tell my hon.
Friend that he will be preaching to the choir, but of course I am
happy to meet him. He points to the challenges that rural
councils face in delivering services in areas that are wide in
geography and sparse in population.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister.
(Oldham West and Royton)
(Lab/Co-op)
The reality is that more and more councils are being pushed to
the financial brink. It stands as a fact that more councils
issued bankruptcy notices last year than in the previous 30 years
combined. Those councils were Conservative, Liberal Democrat and
no overall control, but the one thing they have in common is the
Conservative Government in Downing Street. The Local Government
Association reports that councils face an immediate £2.6 billion
funding gap. Now that the deadline has passed, can the Minister
confirm how many councils have applied for exceptional financial
support, and whether pressures in adult social care, children’s
services and homelessness will be fully met in the financial
settlement?
It is not policy for us to comment individually on councils that
are seeking advice from or engagement with officials, but I am
grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question, because it gives
me the opportunity to put on record that my Department and I
stand ready to engage with all those councils who wish to discuss
their financial circumstances. We want to make sure that we have
a well-funded, professional local government sector, delivering
for those people in our communities who look to them for the
services that they require for their daily lives.
Public Green Spaces
(Erewash) (Con)
7. What steps he is taking to protect public green spaces.
(901069)
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety ()
Through the levelling up parks fund, taxpayers are providing more
than £9 million to create new green spaces or significantly
refurbish existing ones. The Department-owned green flag award
scheme, which is currently operated under licence by Keep Britain
Tidy, sets the national standard for public green spaces and
encourages local authorities to ensure that parks and green
spaces are welcoming, safe and well maintained.
Behind the closed doors of the town hall, Labour-controlled
Erewash Borough Council is plotting to sell off large swathes of
green open space, including the former Pewit golf course in
Ilkeston, which had previously been designated as a nature
reserve. Will my hon. Friend take steps to prevent local
authorities from selling public land without first carrying out
full public consultations, and will he join me on a visit to the
Pewit site to discuss how we might save it from the hands of
developers?
By law, local authorities are required to publish a notice and
advertise it before disposing of any open space. This is exactly
why it is so important that my hon. Friend is and continues to be
the MP for Erewash. She can call out all the disasters of the
Labour Erewash Borough Council which, as a fellow Derbyshire MP,
I see Derbyshire Labour doing regularly all across my county. It
has the wrong priorities and outcomes, and it makes the wrong
decisions.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
The Minister might know that we have wonderful public green
spaces in our country—many of them are around London and in West
Yorkshire—but is he aware that the decline of education
departments in many local authorities owing to the policies of
successive Conservative Governments means that today the ability
to organise school trips to green spaces is minimal? Could we
have a policy that allows all our children, of whatever
background, to go to and enjoy those beautiful green spaces?
Mr Speaker
I call the Minister.
Mr Sheerman
Because if they cannot get there to visit them, they cannot love
them.
Mr Speaker
Order. Mr Sheerman, please do not take advantage of the Chair. I
am trying to bring the Minister in, and I have to get many others
in. You are important, but so are other people.
The hon. Gentleman should look at the Conservative party’s record
on education in over 40 years in government. There have been
substantial improvements in education and teaching, and our
children are better readied for the challenges ahead as a
result.
Local Authorities: Four-day Week
(Bootle) (Lab)
8. What assessment he has made of the potential merits of a
four-day working week for local authority employees. (901070)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The Government have been crystal clear that we do not support any
attempt from local authorities to implement part-time work for
full-time pay. Removing capacity to deliver services to residents
is not acceptable. The Government have taken steps to deter
councils from operating such practices, and we will take further
steps if necessary.
The Minister only earlier extolled the virtues of devolution. In
fact, page 29 of the 2019 Tory manifesto said that the
“ambition is for full devolution across England, building on the
successful devolution of powers to city region mayors”
and others. How does that laudable aim fit with the Government’s
shocking attempts, through threats and bullying tactics, to
strangle the ability of local councils such as South
Cambridgeshire District Council to trial a four-day week and
other money-saving initiatives?
If the hon. Gentleman can construct an argument for hard-working
families across the country —many of whom will be working two or
three jobs to keep a roof over their heads—that five days’ pay
and benefits is commensurate with four days’ work a week, I would
be interested in hearing it. I invite him in all seriousness to
consider the impact on the public’s perception of the public
sector if it is given out that we can afford to work four days a
week but still expect and receive five days’ pay.
First-time Buyers
(Bexleyheath and Crayford)
(Con)
9. What steps he is taking to help first-time buyers.
(901071)
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety ()
Getting on the property ladder is everything that is important
about being a Conservative. The Government have a range of
schemes available to first-time buyers, including the first homes
scheme, shared ownership and right to buy. So far, nearly 900,000
people have been helped on to the property ladder by this
Government.
Does the Minister agree that while Labour Members actively block
the building of new homes for first-time buyers, the Conservative
Government have increased the numbers to a 20-year high and
helped almost 1 million households through Government-backed
schemes?
I absolutely agree with my right hon. Friend. I hope he heard
some of the chunters of “Come on!” from the Opposition Benches
when he raised the absolutely correct point that, when the
opportunity was there for Labour Members, they flubbed it. They
have blocked 100,000 houses that could be used for first-time
buyers, people who need help, and the most vulnerable. It is all
down to the right hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne ().
(Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Minister for that answer. What discussions has he had
with large UK banks, such as Danske Bank in Northern Ireland, to
ensure mortgages are made as accessible as possible for
first-time buyers, encouraging them to buy, not rent, when they
have a steady income? Further, are there any plans to reintroduce
the help to buy ISA?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his important question.
Getting people on the housing ladder is absolutely vital: that is
why we introduced the mortgage guarantee scheme, which extends
the number of mortgages that are on the market for those people
who need it, including first-time buyers. I am happy to talk
separately to the hon. Gentleman about other ideas that he may
have.
Leasehold
(Newcastle upon Tyne Central) (Lab)
11. What steps he is taking to reform the leasehold system.
(901073)
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety ()
Right now, the Government are taking action with the progression
of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill through this place,
which delivers on the Government’s manifesto commitments on
leasehold reform.
Leaseholders in Leazes Park in Newcastle are having their lives
ruined because their supposedly charitable freeholder, the St
Mary Magdalene and Holy Jesus Trust, refuses to allow them to
extend or buy their leaseholds. Across the constituency, in a
cost of living crisis, my constituents face exorbitant management
fees, high costs for fire safety and ever-increasing ground
rents. Can the Minister tell my constituents why, when the Labour
party is committed to comprehensive and fundamental reform of the
leasehold system as set out by the Law Commission, he has brought
forward a leasehold reform Bill that does not actually reform
their leaseholds?
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, which is going through
Parliament at the moment—going through in a very constructive way
so far, with contributions from Members of all parties,
presumably because they recognise the value of the clauses it
contains—will make substantive changes for those who have
leaseholds at the current time. We look forward to its continued
progress through the House.
Mr Speaker
I call the Father of the House.
(Worthing West) (Con)
There will be agreement on both sides of the House that reform is
needed. For my part, I welcome the introduction of the Leasehold
and Freehold Reform Bill to get people on to modern leasehold and
commonhold, and through the Minister, I invite those who are
suffering—the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central () explained that her constituents are suffering—to put
their points through MPs to the Department, so that when
amendments to the Bill are tabled, as many as possible can be
discussed and accepted.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend. As I and the Secretary of State
have said, we are keen to improve the Bill where we can, but it
is a substantial Bill that will make substantial changes for
people who have needed reform of leasehold for a long time.
Local Government Transparency
(East Devon) (Con)
14. What steps he is taking to promote transparency in local
government. (901076)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
Steps are always being taken to improve transparency. The local
government accountability framework and transparency code sets
standards for transparency; it mandates the publication of
certain information, such as spend. The Office for Local
Government will promote transparency further by providing
authoritative local government performance data on the local
authority data explorer.
Being a cabinet member in a local council should require the
highest level of transparency. However, I fear that is not always
the case when relevant previous criminal and custodial
convictions remain hidden. What advice would my hon. Friend give
council leaders about how to ensure cabinet members are fully
transparent about their previous convictions where relevant to
their role as a cabinet member?
My hon. Friend raises an important question. At the time of
appointment, all council leaders should be aware of existing
disqualification criteria barring councillors who have been given
a custodial sentence of three months or more, or who are
registered sex offenders. If the council leader is not aware,
those people who are due to be appointed should make their group
leader aware of those circumstances. They have a legal obligation
to declare as election candidates—this is an important issue. The
Nolan principles are there for a reason: to maintain transparency
and standards. If my hon. Friend wishes to write to me with the
details of the case he has mentioned, I would be happy to receive
his submission.
Private Rented Sector
(Eltham) (Lab)
15. What steps he is taking to reform the private rented sector.
(901077)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The Renters (Reform) Bill will soon enter its Report stage in the
House of Commons. That Bill abolishes section 21 evictions, moves
the sector to a system of periodic tenancies and introduces a
private rented sector property portal and ombudsman, improving
the system for responsible tenants and good-faith landlords.
In my casework, I have seen an alarming rise in the number of
no-fault evictions. This is leading to families being moved a
long way from my borough, with children having to travel tens of
miles to get to school every day. The Government have said that
they are going to remove section 21 evictions, but they have not
given the criteria under which they are going to do so, and it
seems that this is going to be in the hands of the Minister.
Opposition Front Benchers have offered to work with the
Government to eradicate section 21 evictions. The Government said
they would do it four years ago. According to the Government’s
own figures, 80,000 families have been threatened with no-fault
evictions. When are the Government going to co-operate and get
this resolved?
That is exactly why we are bringing forward the Renters (Reform)
Bill. However, as we set out on Second Reading and in Committee,
we will not be able to do that until the court system is able to
cope with the increased number of cases. We heard evidence in
Committee about the huge increase in cases that we will find. We
are introducing these reforms in a phased way so that courts and
the sector have time to adjust. [Interruption.] I would say to
the hon. Gentleman, and to the right hon. Member for
Ashton-under-Lyne (), who is chuntering from a
sedentary position, that it serves no one to leave tenants or
landlords in limbo in a court system that is not functioning
properly.
(Chelmsford) (Con)
Chelmsford is a brilliant city and lots of people want to go
there to live, but that does mean there is huge demand for
properties, especially affordable properties, both to buy and to
rent. At the moment, when we build new houses the local authority
can put a quota of affordable homes on those new build
properties, but they cannot do that when large office blocks are
converted into flats. Will my hon. Friend arrange for me to meet
the Housing Minister, so that I can discuss how to make progress
with my private Member’s Bill on affordable housing in
conversions of commercial to residential properties?
I will ensure that the Housing Minister is able to meet my right
hon. Friend.
Housing Developers: Information on Associated Infrastructure
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
16. What assessment he has made of the reliability of information
on associated infrastructure provided to buyers by housing
developers.(901078)
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety ()
It is absolutely vital that buyers have correct, up-to-date and
accurate material information on their purchase before they make
a decision to buy a home.
I am very grateful to my hon. Friend the Minister. He will know
that promotional documents put out by major house builders such
as Barratt Homes, Taylor Wimpey, David Wilson Homes and so on to
prospective purchasers on large-scale housing estates commit
absolutely to the building of health infrastructure, which very
often does not turn up. Just allocating a piece of land simply is
not good enough. Can he please make sure that we do not mislead
purchasers and that, frankly, the doctors’ surgery is the first
building to be built on many of these new estates?
My hon. Friend makes a hugely important point, and I am grateful
for the time he has spent with me in my first couple of months in
the job to highlight this issue, to articulate the problems and
to show the real-life examples of where there is an issue. He is
such a good champion of this issue for his constituency. A
substantial amount of infrastructure has been built all across
the country, but where there are gaps it is hugely frustrating,
and we will continue to work with assiduous Members such as my
hon. Friend to try to close them.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
A recent freedom of information request revealed that only a
third of the housing infrastructure fund has actually been spent,
which leaves £2.9 billion unspent. The National Audit Office says
that successful delivery of the housing infrastructure fund
“appears to be unachievable”, so what is going to happen to that
£2.9 billion?
The housing infrastructure fund continues to transform very
difficult, challenging and unviable areas of the country. It is
being spent at pace, and it will continue to be so. We expect it
to be able to transform more parts of the country over the years
ahead.
National Planning Policy Framework: Neighbourhood Planning
(Bosworth) (Con)
19. What assessment he has made of the role of neighbourhood
planning in the national planning policy framework.(901081)
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety ()
The Government recognise the time and commitment that communities
put into neighbourhood plans. Our recent updates to the national
planning policy framework mean that neighbourhood plans meeting
their identified housing requirement are now better protected
from speculative development, including through the additional
reforms coming in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
Dr Evans
My Lib Dem-run borough council still does not have an up-to-date
local plan. Every day that passes means that we are open to
speculative housing developments without the right infrastructure
such as GP practices and roads and those kind of things. My
communities are fantastic at producing neighbourhood plans, but
they are ridden over roughshod in places such as Desford, where
housing has been put in where the community does not want it.
Will the Minister look at increasing the priority given to
neighbourhood plans when communities and local planning
authorities do not have an up-to-date local plan?
It is hugely frustrating when local plans are not in place. As my
hon. Friend indicated, in his area the Lib Dem council has failed
to do that, which is letting residents down. There have been
changes as a result of the national planning policy framework
giving additional protection through neighbourhood plans, but
district councils and those with planning responsibilities need
to get their plans in place.
Permitted Development: Urban Homes
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
21. If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a
permitted development right for urban homeowners to increase
their property to four storeys where that complies with the local
authority’s design code. (901085)
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety ()
We have introduced national permitted development rights to allow
a wide range of existing residential and commercial buildings to
extend upwards by up to two additional storeys. We have also
recently consulted on proposals to apply local design codes to
those rights and further announcements will be made in due
course.
May I urge the Minister to go further and faster on this? The
permitted development rights would create beautiful urban
townscapes and unleash the biggest wave of housebuilding in half
a century, which would in turn cut housing costs to rent or buy,
be greener by allowing people to live within bicycling or walking
distance from work and protecting rural landscapes from urban
sprawl and, by increasing the development potential of almost any
urban building, be the biggest single act of wealth creation in
decades. What’s to dislike?
There is absolutely nothing to dislike, as my hon. Friend
indicates, about speeding up the planning system to ensure we get
the houses we so badly need. As I know my hon. Friend will
appreciate, however, there is always a balance to be struck: we
must ensure that we take local people with us, but we are
committed to building more houses, and doing so in the right
places.
Topical Questions
(Liverpool, West Derby)
(Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(901088)
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
()
Earlier this month we launched the consultation on Awaab’s law,
which insists upon time limits for repairs in the social rented
sector. In the shaping of this law and many other initiatives and
interventions to help people in social housing, the example of
, the late Member for Rochdale,
is in all our minds and hearts. Awaab was one of his
constituents, and could not have been kinder or
more supportive of the efforts of my Department and others to see
justice for Awaab’s family.
The household support fund has supported 330,000 households in
Liverpool since its introduction. The focus needs to shift from
crisis support to prevention but in the short term the demand for
local welfare is rising. Like many other councils, Liverpool City
Council says the household support fund will need to continue
beyond March 2024 to keep residents well supported to stay in and
enter work and prevent an escalating crisis, reducing pressure on
public services including local authorities. What representations
has the Minister made to the Treasury and the Department for Work
and Pensions to ensure the continuation of the fund after
March?
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: the fund has helped many
communities in need, particularly in Liverpool. He and other
Liverpool MPs have been assiduous in making the case for its
continuation and I have passed that on to colleagues.
(Bosworth) (Con)
T4. Leicester-shire MPs had plenty of time last week with two
Ministers from the Department—the levelling-up Minister and the
local government Minister—to discuss the funding and structure of
our county council. To follow up, will the Minister for local
government commit to meet the county council leadership to ensure
that the funding and the formula that goes with it are improved
for the future?(901092)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
I thank my hon. Friend for his positive engagement, alongside
that of my right hon. Friend the Member for Charnwood () and my hon. Friends the
Members for Loughborough () and for South Leicestershire
(), who came to see me to
discuss this issue last week. I would of course be delighted to
meet the leadership of Leicestershire County Council with my hon.
Friend the Member for Bosworth (Dr Evans) and his colleagues.
Through the good offices of our hon. Friend the Member for South
Leicestershire, I met informally with Councillor Louise
Richardson, the cabinet lead on health, last week.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow spokesperson.
(Ellesmere Port and Neston)
(Lab)
First, Mr Speaker, may I echo the comments made by the Secretary
of State in relation to the late , who will be greatly missed in
all parts of the House?
As we have heard from the shadow Secretary of State, the whole
country has been levelled down since 2010 at an average rate of
£10,200 per person. That is a damning indictment of this
Government, but with about 1,300 projects funded by the future
high streets fund, the towns deals and levelling-up funds, that
decline should, in theory, not have happened. How many of those
projects have now been completed and what evidence does the
Department have that those projects have contributed to reducing
regional inequalities?
The evidence of the reduction in regional inequalities is perhaps
most marked in Teesside and the Tees valley where the
Conservative Mayor has been responsible for
overseeing an economic renaissance, renewed foreign direct
investment, and improvements in public health and education. The
message is clear: if we want levelling up to work, we need to
elect Conservative mayors in May.
(Rother Valley)
(Con)
T5. The Minister will be aware that Labour-run Rotherham
Metropolitan Borough Council has recently given the go-ahead for
developers to build hundreds of new homes at Highfield Park in
Maltby on land that has always been greenfield. What he might not
be aware of is that the developer has given thousands of pounds
to the local Labour party, which none of the councillors voting
on the issue declared. What can he do to ensure that such
greenfield sites are not wantonly given over to
developers?(901093)
The Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety ()
I am sorry to hear about the challenges that my hon. Friend has
seen in Rother Valley. It is one reason that more Conservative
councillors need to be elected on to Rotherham Metropolitan
Borough Council for the future. We are absolutely aware that
there are challenges. We need to build more houses and in the
right place, and the best way to do that is by getting a local
plan in place, and by the councils that are responsible for that
engaging properly with their communities about it.
Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab)
T2. My local authority is bending over backwards to try to build
social housing and is committed to building 2,000 new homes, yet
the Government are still standing in the way by placing
restrictions on reinvesting right-to-buy money in building social
housing. Why will the Government not assist local authorities to
build those houses? We have had 14,000 fewer homes a year since
2010. Does the Minister accept that that is a disgraceful record
for the Government?(901089)
We always stand ready to work with local authorities of whatever
stripe or colour to ensure the delivery of new homes. As the hon.
Member knows, London is the region of the United Kingdom that has
performed worst against its housing targets. Principally, that is
down to the Mayor, not to individual local authorities, so I look
forward to talking to him about what more we can do together.
(Harrogate and Knaresborough)
(Con)
T8. There is a powerful community campaign to stop an asphalt
plant being built in countryside in my constituency. The
application has dragged on for years. Will the Minister look at
how applicants and councils can be compelled to provide and
process information in a more timely manner, so that such
applications do not blight the lives of local people for so
long?(901096)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we need decisions at the
earliest possible opportunity. Sometimes that is not possible,
but it is important that things are done as quickly as possible.
That is one reason that we announced a few weeks ago that we were
monitoring local authorities’ planning application performance,
so that can see where they are, and are not, doing the right
thing.
(Bristol East) (Lab)
T3. Lease-holders at Orchard House in my constituency are in an
unsafe building with known defects. They have been issued with a
remediation order, but the freeholder is simply not co-operating.
Does this not suggest that the feudal freehold system should be
abolished for flats, as well as for houses? What assurances can
the Minister give my constituents that they will get help from
somewhere?(901091)
It suggests to me that the freeholder is doing the wrong thing,
and where the freeholder is doing the wrong thing, they need to
be held to account through the court system, as they are, and
they will eventually be forced to do the right thing. On the
specifics, I am happy to talk to the hon. Lady, if that would be
helpful.
(Bishop Auckland)
(Con)
We have £72 million for Bishop Auckland through the levelling-up
fund, the future high streets fund and the towns fund, £20
million for Spennymoor through the long-term plan for towns and a
£1.4 billion investment fund through the north-east devolution
deal. It really is the Conservatives who deliver for the
north-east, is it not?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
I completely agree with my hon. Friend, and I thank her for her
work in this role in the Department and all that she has done to
help level up in her constituency.
Dan Carden (Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)
T6. There are 14,000 families waiting on Liverpool’s housing
register. We are facing a housing and homelessness crisis, and
the cost of providing temporary accommodation has gone from
£250,000 to £19 million in the past three years. The leader of
the council has written to the Secretary of State twice. When
will the Secretary of State wake up to this
emergency?(901094)
I appreciate the advocacy of Liverpool MPs on behalf of those in
temporary accommodation, and I appreciate the scale and nature of
the problem. I have been working with the Mayor of Liverpool city
region and others to look at a strategic futures advisory panel
report that we believe will unlock not just additional housing,
but additional investment in Liverpool and the Liverpool city
region. I look forward to discussing that with the hon. Member
and, indeed, the new leader of Liverpool City Council.
(Sedgefield) (Con)
Over the weekend, the Express ran a story about Ferryhill in my
Sedgefield constituency being a dumping ground for rapists and
paedophiles. My constituents believe that has been driven by
housing groups advertising in the south to people that they have
houses in places such as Ferryhill where no checks are required.
Can the Minister meet me to discuss how we can stop the
degeneration of places such as Ferryhill?
I am very sorry to hear of my hon. Friend’s concerns. I will meet
him and discuss how our antisocial behaviour action plan can help
in Ferryhill.
(Luton South) (Lab)
I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’
Financial Interests. Today, more than 40 of the Government’s own
MPs have written to the Prime Minister with their concern about
the financial situation facing councils and the need for
emergency funding. The Local Government Association says that
there is likely to be a £4 billion funding gap over the next two
years. If there are to be these council shortfalls and many
people will not see the essential services they rely on, what
will the Secretary of State do to ensure that people still have
access to the vital services they so desperately need?
I think that of the 40 MPs who wrote that letter, one was the
hon. Member for Cambridge () and one was the hon.
Member for Somerton and Frome (), so I look forward to their
joining our ranks as part of the swelling tide of Conservative
support that I see across the country. On the specifics of the
hon. Member’s point, we have been listening carefully to
colleagues in local government and will respond in due
course.
(Warrington South) (Con)
Local council tax payers in Warrington quite rightly expect high
levels of governance and transparency when councillors are using
public money to invest in commercial businesses, which carries a
high level of risk. Does the Minister agree that the decision by
Labour-run Warrington Borough Council to reduce the number of
opposition councillors on its audit committee flies in the face
of good governance and that questions need to be asked about how
it is managing its £1.8 billion debt?
I recognise the concerns regarding Warrington’s debt. Of course,
the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 provides new powers
for the Government to step in and take action to protect the
public purse. My experience is that where important scrutiny
chairmanship roles are held by opposition parties, those who take
the decisions take better decisions, and the scrutiny is much
better as a result.
(Lewisham East) (Lab)
Does the Secretary of State think it is acceptable that
leaseholders of Lee Court in my constituency should be without
heating and hot water, as well as experiencing multiple problems
in the communal area? If he does not think that is acceptable,
how and when will he strengthen the Leasehold and Freehold Reform
Bill to stop these injustices from happening?
I absolutely accept that, and I believe that I wrote recently to
Lewisham council to draw attention to its responsibilities in the
area.
(Darlington) (Con)
On Metro Mayors, may I draw my right hon. Friend’s attention to
the decision of to deliver the £250 million
Darlington northern link road using Network North funds? Does he
agree that that is a fantastic example of Ben delivering for
Darlington and the Tees Valley?
It is just another example of as Metro Mayor using all the
powers at his disposal and the resources released by this
Conservative Government to ensure that, at last, Teesside and the
Tees Valley gets the investment it needed. One reason he attracts
so much criticism from the Labour party is that he is a Tory who
delivers for Teesside in a way that no one has ever delivered
before.
Mr Speaker
Come on, Jim.
(Strangford) (DUP)
Will the Minister commit to further levelling-up funding for the
devolved institutions for local sports clubs across Northern
Ireland, instead of funding Casement Park to the detriment of
every other sport looking for funding in Northern Ireland, so
that all traditions and all sides of the community can benefit
from the funding?
I take the hon. Gentleman’s point seriously. It is important that
we support grassroots sport and other civil society organisations
in Northern Ireland. We are working hard to try to ensure that we
can do that with our partners in a restored Executive. In the
meantime, I should say that I am grateful to Ulster rugby for
ending its relationship with Kingspan, which means that we can
unlock additional funding for grassroots rugby across Northern
Ireland.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
While I am deeply disappointed that Stoke-on-Trent Labour refuses
to make the necessary terms and conditions changes to help save
Stoke-on-Trent City Council funding, there is a united view
across the political divide in Stoke-on-Trent that the legacy in
children’s social care is causing huge financial strain on the
local authority. Will the Secretary of State do everything he can
to work with Councillor Jane Ashworth to ensure that that gap is
funded and those children—the most vulnerable in our society—are
protected?
Absolutely. I hope that the House will note that my hon. Friend,
who fights incredibly hard for his principles and for
Stoke-on-Trent, is taking a typically statesmanlike approach in
putting his constituents first. Come the next general election,
people should remember that he is someone whose big heart
reflects their good values.
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
Road safety is put at risk by roads that are not adopted, because
speed limits cannot be enforced and often they do not get
gritted. There are serious worries that people will get injured.
What more can the Department do to ensure that key service roads
on big, new housing estates get adopted more quickly?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to ensure that
developers live up to their responsibilities to provide
appropriate infrastructure. It has been the case that a number of
fleecehold—for want of a better word—developments have unadopted
roads, where children are at risk.
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