Rough Sleeping Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op) 1.
What assessment he has made of trends in the number of homeless
people sleeping rough since 2010. [909759] The Secretary of State
for Communities and Local Government (Sajid Javid) One person
sleeping on the streets is one too many, which is why we committed
ourselves to spending more than...Request free trial
Rough Sleeping
-
Mr (Luton South)
(Lab/Co-op)
1. What assessment he has made of trends in the number of
homeless people sleeping rough since 2010. [909759]
-
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
(Sajid Javid)
One person sleeping on the streets is one too many, which
is why we committed ourselves to spending more than £550
million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in
England. That includes supporting 84 projects through our
£50 million homelessness prevention programme, an
end-to-end approach to tackling homelessness and rough
sleeping.
-
Mr Shuker
Since joining the House in 2010, I have seen with my own
eyes the incredible increase in the number of people
sleeping rough on our streets. I have seen it in my
constituency and in places that I have visited around the
country, and, indeed, I see it on the doorsteps of
Westminster itself when we arrive and leave for votes. Can
the Secretary of State tell me what changed in 2010?
-
The hon. Gentleman may know that the number of statutory
homelessness acceptances is below its peak—less than half
its peak in 2003—but of course there is much more to be
done, especially, as he pointed out, when it comes to rough
sleeping. I have seen it as well: I have seen it throughout
the country, and I have seen it here at Westminster. As he
may also know, I said a great deal about this issue at the
Crisis 50th anniversary conference. I said, for instance:
“Ending rough sleeping is within our gift. It is something
we can do. It is something we must do. And, working
together, it is something we are going to do.”
-
Mr (Hertford and Stortford)
(Con)
Many people fear that the general election may result in a
delay in the implementation of the Homelessness Reduction
Bill. Will the Secretary of State tell us what progress has
been made so far? Given that the Bill has cross- party
support, can the work not continue during the election
period?
-
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate my hon. Friend
the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) on all the work
that he did to present that Bill and to get it through
Parliament. It has still to complete one final
parliamentary stage—about which we are very confident—but
we have already started work with local authorities to
ensure that it comes into force straight away.
-
Ms (Westminster North)
(Lab)
In my home borough of Westminster—which includes
Westminster station, where, as has been mentioned, we see
rough sleepers—the level of rough sleeping has soared. The
Westminster council area alone contains a third of all the
rough sleepers in London. The council has just cut—indeed
slashed—its rough sleeping budget. Does the Secretary of
State believe that that will help or hinder efforts to
reduce rough sleeping?
-
We are providing more funds for councils throughout the
country, including Westminster council, to combat rough
sleeping. For example, we have provided £100 million to
deliver 2,000 independent living units, as well as a £20
million rough sleeping grant. However, as I said earlier, I
want to do more, and the Government are determined to do
more. A few weeks ago, I went to Finland to see what it has
done for itself with the Housing First project. I think
that we can learn lessons from others, and make sure that
we do more at home.
-
(Bath) (Con)
Since 2015 I have led a range of homelessness roundtables
in Bath, bringing together charities such as the Genesis
Trust, Developing Health & Independence and House, all of which have
received Government funding. Does my right hon. Friend
agree that the integration of services is critical to
solving this problem, and that residents of Bath should
back my plan in order to help to solve it?
-
I very much agree with my hon. Friend, and I commend the
work that he has done locally, which is very well known, in
trying to bring those services together. I am pleased to be
able to tell him that Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North
Somerset councils will benefit from some £259,000 in rough
sleeping grant to help promote integration.
-
(Wentworth and Dearne)
(Lab)
The scale of rough sleeping and homelessness in Britain
today shames us all. In a country as decent and well off as
ours, it is not inevitable. However, the level has more
than doubled since 2010 as a direct result of decisions
made by Conservative Ministers.
There are very few simple rules in politics, but this is
one: with a Labour Government homelessness falls, and under
the Tories it goes up. On 8 June, people will ask
themselves, “Do we really want more of the same?” Let me
say to the Secretary of State that, with a new national
mission, he need not go to Finland. Will he, before the
election, commit his party to matching our Labour
commitment and backing our Labour plans to end rough
sleeping by the end of the next Parliament?
-
I know the right hon. Gentleman, and I know that he cares
deeply about this issue, as do Conservative Members. He
should not play party politics with it, because it is a
very serious issue that unites everyone in the House. We
all want to see an end to rough sleeping, but he knows as
well as I do that its causes are complex. They are not just
economic; there are mental health problems, and addiction
problems. We do have lessons to learn from abroad, but I am
sure that if the right hon. Gentleman works with us—if we
work together—we can all unite in ending rough sleeping for
good.
-
This is precisely about politics: it is precisely about the
political decisions made over the last seven years that
have made the causes of homelessness so much worse. Rapidly
rising homelessness is just the tip of the iceberg on seven
years of failure on housing: rough sleeping doubled, home
ownership down, house building falling, private renters
ignored, housing benefits bills ballooning, and now the
lowest level of new affordable homes to rent and buy for 24
years. No wonder Labour is ahead in the polls on housing.
After seven years of failure, the Tories have no plan to
fix the housing crisis. Is that not why people now
desperately need a new deal on housing led by a new Labour
Government?
-
I thought that if anyone was going to raise the opinion
polls today, it would be a Conservative Member, but the
right hon. Gentleman continues to surprise us all. I say to
him again: let us work together on rough sleeping. It is
very easy for Labour to make a commitment to end rough
sleeping without having any plans, any initiative, or
anything in hand to show what they would actually do about
it. We have got the ideas, and we have new ideas, for
example the Housing First concept which we are trialling
already—right now—in Liverpool. The right hon. Gentleman
has the opportunity to work with us if he really means it.
Small Businesses
-
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
2. What steps he is taking to ensure that local councils
support small businesses. [909760]
-
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
(Sajid Javid)
We have doubled the level of small business rate relief to
100% and made it permanent. This means that around 600,000
small businesses will pay no business rates at all. At
Budget, we also announced a £300 million discretionary fund
so that councils can provide additional support to
businesses facing increased bills.
-
York’s economy is being damaged by sharp business rate
increases due to the revaluations. While the exemption from
paying the full business rates has risen from £12,000 to
£15,000, business rate increases have rocketed far beyond
that in York. This is totally unfair, and small businesses
in the city, previously exempt, are now desperate. Some are
facing a 600% increase in their rateable value, including
The Slip Inn, and no one knows how the new relief funds
will even be distributed—total chaos! Can the Secretary of
State say why the business rate burden is falling harder on
smaller businesses and if he will urgently review the
exemption level?
-
Overall, businesses in the north have seen on average a
fall through the revaluation process.
-
What about York?
-
The hon. Lady talks about York. Since 2010 York has had a
74% fall in unemployment. That is because York has a
Conservative-led council working with a Conservative
Government. If the Labour party gets its anti-business
agenda and hikes up taxes on businesses throughout the
country, we know what the result will be.
-
Sir (East Yorkshire)
(Con)
Is the Secretary of State aware that many Labour-controlled
councils are still pursuing anti-car policies? Will he
remind them of recommendation 9 of the Mary Portas retail
review, which stated that free and available but controlled
parking should be made available to high street shoppers?
-
As always, my right hon. Friend makes a very good point
about anti-car policies coming from Labour councils. Where
councils have worked with businesses and taken a pro-car
policy, especially on parking, that has helped local
businesses, and Labour can learn a lesson from that.
-
(City of Durham)
(Lab)
Given the great concern expressed by small businesses up
and down the country about their ability to pay the
business rate rises, I am going to give the Secretary of
State another chance. What reassurance can he give small
business owners who are concerned about the impact of rate
rises that they will not be paying higher rates over the
next few years than online and large retailers such as
Sports Direct?
-
I can tell the hon. Lady two things. First, I point her to
the package my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced
at the Budget: £435 million of additional help for small
businesses with rates, including the £300 million
discretionary fund, for which there will be absolutely no
delay because of the general election. It is going ahead
exactly as planned. Indeed, the Government have already
confirmed the final allocations for all local authorities,
and local authorities are free to start using that scheme
and helping local businesses.
Secondly, I point the hon. Lady to what my right hon.
Friend the Chancellor said in the Budget speech. He said
that
“in the medium term…we have to find a better way of taxing
the digital part of the economy—the part that does not use
bricks and mortar”—[Official Report, 8 March 2017; Vol.
622, c. 812.],
and that we also need to look at the frequency of the
revaluation process.
-
Mr (Bury North)
(Con)
Many small businesses in Bury will see a fall in their
business rates as a result of the revaluation, but because
of phasing, it will be some years before they receive the
full benefit. Will my right hon. Friend look again at what
can be done to speed up the introduction so that they can
feel the full benefit sooner?
-
We have also put in place the transitional relief scheme,
which is worth more than £3 billion and will help
businesses across the country, including in my hon.
Friend’s constituency. That will certainly speed up the
introduction.
-
(Belfast East)
(DUP)
During the last Communities and Local Government questions,
I asked the Secretary of State to engage with me and with
councillors on Belfast City Council to determine how best
we could grow business there through a city deal. He kindly
agreed to do this, but sadly events have overtaken our
arrangements. Given the commitment that he has made to
spreading city deals throughout the devolved regions, will
he assure us that he would like to see that theme
continuing in the Department for Communities and Local
Government?
-
I would be very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman before
Parliament is prorogued.
Supported Housing
-
(Telford) (Con)
3. What estimate he has made of levels of funding for
supported housing in each of the next five years. [909761]
-
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
(Sajid Javid)
In September 2016, we announced the extension of the local
housing allowance exemption for supported housing until
April 2019. We have recently consulted on a reformed
funding model for supported housing. We are not doing this
to save money; we want to get the right model to deliver
improvements in quality and in value for money.
-
Telford has some excellent supported housing schemes, many
of which I have visited, including Rose Manor in Ketley and
Vicarage Grove in Dawley. However, supported housing costs
can often be higher than the local housing allowance rate.
How will the Government’s reforms address that concern?
-
My hon. Friend makes a good point. Last September, we
announced that we would devolve funding to local
authorities so that providers could, when necessary,
reflect the higher average costs of supported
accommodation. This would give local authorities an
enhanced role in commissioning supported housing in their
area.
-
Mr (Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
The Secretary of State will be aware of the Select
Committee inquiry into funding proposals for supported
housing. Will he give me an assurance that he will reflect
carefully on the overwhelming evidence that we have
received, which shows that the local housing allowance
rates are not an appropriate basis on which to devise a
funding scheme for supported housing?
-
I can tell the Chair of the Select Committee that the
Government hugely value the role that supported housing
plays in helping vulnerable people. I take seriously what
the Committee has to say, and I know that the
Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr
Jones), has given evidence to its inquiry. I will look at
this matter carefully, because I want to ensure that the
final model incentivises providers to continue to provide
this important type of housing.
-
(Thirsk and Malton)
(Con)
I very much welcome the Government’s commitment to the
supported housing project and the extra moneys that have
been devolved to local authorities for that purpose.
However, the local housing allowance cap significantly
favours London over the regions. For example, 99% of
tenancies in my region will require a top-up from the fund,
whereas only 3% of tenancies in London will do so. Would
the Secretary of State be prepared to look again at this
matter, to ensure that we have a system of supported
housing that works for everyone?
-
I know that my hon. Friend takes a strong interest in these
matters, including in his role as a member of the Select
Committee. I have listened to him carefully, and others
made a similar point during the consultation process. I can
assure him that we will look at all the responses carefully
and ensure that the final system works for everyone.
-
(Dulwich and West
Norwood) (Lab)
The Select Committee inquiry has received evidence that the
Government’s approach to supported housing is causing many
providers to put new schemes on hold and resulting in some
pulling out of providing supported housing altogether. When
will the Secretary of State accept that his policy is
damaging the provision of housing for our most vulnerable
residents, and when will he commit to providing the funding
and certainty that the sector needs if it is to provide the
supported homes that we need?
-
It is important that we take a careful look at this policy,
precisely because we all want to see a sustainable model
that will result in providers providing enough of this type
of home. That is exactly what this policy is designed to
do, and when we come out with the final policy, that is
what it will achieve.
Assured Shorthold Tenancies
-
(Colchester) (Con)
4. What steps he is taking to encourage landlords to offer
longer assured shorthold tenancies. [909762]
-
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
On 18 April, 20 leading members of the British Property
Federation pledged to offer three-year tenancies in
build-for-rent developments, and leading housing
associations have made a similar pledge. We hope that will
encourage a shift in the market towards more landlords
offering longer tenancies.
-
Thousands of renters in Colchester and across the country
will welcome that news, but does the Minister agree that
landlords are only half the issue? In fact, getting
mortgage lenders, 50% of which at the moment do not lend on
more than a year’s assured shorthold tenancy, to change
that policy will be the key to unlocking longer tenancies
for the future.
-
My hon. Friend is right to raise the issue of security for
people in the private rented sector, and he is also right
to identify the issue of lending. Since the Government
introduced their model tenancy agreement, which has
appropriate break clauses, there is no longer any
impediment to landlord customers submitting longer
tenancies. The majority now permit tenancies of up to two
to three years.
-
(Cambridge)
(Lab)
If the Minister had visited Cambridge recently, he would
have seen the manifestation of the housing crisis in the
number of people sleeping on the streets, which so
depresses residents and those people. When I recently
visited Wintercomfort, one of the leading charities, it
told me that landlords are increasingly unwilling to let to
people on housing benefit because of insecure employment.
Does he agree that cracking down on insecure employment
would help us to tackle the housing crisis?
-
I had the opportunity to visit Cambridge very recently, and
I share the hon. Gentleman’s diagnosis of the problem: we
desperately need to build more homes in this country to
give people more choice. He is also right about our
employment market, but it is the policies of this
Government that have driven record levels of employment,
and it is the national living wage that is increasing
people’s spending power.
-
(Rugby) (Con)
Both landlords and tenants often mistakenly believe that a
tenancy has to be six months or a year renewable, when of
course there is no legal impediment to people having longer
tenancies, and in some cases they do. One reason why longer
tenancies do not happen is that landlords often find it
difficult to recover possession if they need to occupy the
house themselves or if the tenant fails to pay their rent.
Will the Minister consider encouraging landlords to provide
longer tenancies by making it easier for them to recover
occupation?
-
My hon. Friend is right that we need to ensure that, when a
tenant behaves antisocially or is in rent arrears,
landlords can regain possession, but the fundamental
pressure we face at the moment is in giving the increasing
number of families in the private rented sector the
security they need. Reforming our housing market,
increasing supply and bringing in these new build-to-rent
schemes that will offer longer tenancies is a key reform.
-
(Hammersmith)
(Lab)
Labour councils like Newham, Redbridge, Greenwich and my
own borough of Hammersmith and Fulham are doing a fantastic
job of cracking down on rogue landlords. If the Minister
actually cares about private tenants, why is he blocking
borough-wide private sector licensing schemes? Is his party
still the slum landlord’s friend?
-
The suggestion that Conservative Members do not care about
these issues is as ridiculous as it is insulting. The work
of Labour councils to which the shadow Minister refers is
often being funded by this Government. He is factually
wrong to suggest that this Government are blocking
borough-wide selective licensing, and I point out the many
reforms that we are introducing—we are banning letting
agent fees and insisting on client money protection—that
were not in place when the shadow Housing Minister, the
right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey),
was running this Department.
Supported Housing
-
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
(Sajid Javid)
We are committed to protecting and boosting the supply of
supported housing, and since 2011 we have delivered 23,000
new supported homes in England. My hon. Friend will know
that we recently consulted on a reformed funding model, and
we are now keen to press on with that reform as soon as
possible.
-
I will probe a little further on emergency short-term
accommodation, such as women’s refuges. Does the Secretary
of State agree that a totally separate funding stream is
essential to honouring our ambition that no victim be
turned away from accessing critical support services by
2020?
-
My hon. Friend highlights an important point. We have been
working with the sector to develop options to ensure that
providers of short-term accommodation continue to receive
the appropriate funding. That might be through a different
funding mechanism from the one we have today, but it is
vital that supported housing receives the protection it
deserves, and it will.
-
Mr (Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
The Secretary of State knows that he has let down elderly
people in this country. It is not just supported housing or
funding but the fact that, in constituencies such as mine,
we have a magic wand whereby suddenly student accommodation
rises like daisies in the spring. But when it comes to
accommodation for elderly people who desperately need it,
because we have an ageing population, he has got nowhere in
what he has achieved.
-
Perhaps the hon. Gentleman just missed what I said: since
2011, 23,000 units of specialised and general housing have
been delivered for vulnerable people, and we have provided
another £400 million for specialist homes throughout the
country. That kind of action makes results, and he should
welcome it.
-
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
In evidence to a joint Select Committee inquiry, David Orr
of the National Housing Federation said that the local
housing allowance was
“not a competent starting point”
for a funding model. Is the Secretary of State wedded to
LHA as a starting point, or is he considering some other
option?
-
We have just had a consultation on supported housing, which
is now closed. We received a number of representations and
we want to consider them carefully, but whatever the final
model is, it will be designed to be sustainable for the
long term and provide the supported housing we need.
-
I look forward to hearing the Government’s response on
that, and it would be useful to get a date on that issue.
On the different types of supported accommodation being
consulted on, does the Secretary of State recognise that
placing an arbitrary limit on the length of time somebody
is in short-term accommodation could have a detrimental
effect on their life chances thereafter if they are forced
to leave that supported accommodation too soon? Will he
allow flexibility in the system, so that organisations such
as Emmaus and Blue Triangle in my constituency can keep
people for as long as they need to be there?
-
As part of the review and the response to the consultation,
we are considering exactly the point the hon. Lady raises:
the terms of access to short-term accommodation.
Social Housing Rent Arrears
-
(Redcar)
(Lab/Co-op)
6. What estimate he has made of the number of social
housing households in rent arrears in England. [909764]
-
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
In 2015-16, about 685,000 socially renting households were
either in arrears or had been in the previous 12 months,
which represents 25% of households in that sector.
-
That seems a huge number: nearly a quarter of people in
social housing in rent arrears. In one ward of my
constituency, nearly half of our social housing tenants—46%
of them—are in rent arrears. One single mum has seen her
rent jump from £8 to £70 a week because of the benefit cap,
and the bedroom tax is still wreaking devastation. Is this
not a damning indictment of seven years of Tory assault on
Britain’s struggling families?
-
In 2011-12, the first year in which the data were
collected, the figure was 23.5%, so the current figure is
similar to what we inherited from the Labour Government. On
the benefit cap, Conservative Members believe very clearly
that it is completely wrong for out-of-work households to
receive support far in excess of that which their working
neighbours earn when they go out to work. Discretionary
housing payments are in order and the level is actually
falling—in 2013-14, we were talking about 30% of
households—so the figure is moving in the right direction,
and the hon. Lady is wrong to oppose the fundamental
welfare reforms we need to make sure that the system is
fair.
-
Mr (Kettering)
(Con)
Those tenants in the social housing sector who do not keep
up with their rent payments are, of course, in danger of
becoming homeless. Will my hon. Friend pay tribute to
councils such as Kettering Borough Council, of which I am a
member, that make it an absolute priority to help people in
those situations and stop them becoming homeless in the
first place? In the first five months of this year,
Kettering Borough Council has helped 78 households stay in
their current accommodation.
-
I am happy to pay tribute to the work that Kettering
Borough Council has done, and I reassure my hon. Friend
that the Ministry of Justice’s protocol for social
landlords stresses the value of preventive measures in
respect of rent arrears and advises landlords to deploy
alternatives to eviction wherever possible.
-
(Halton) (Lab)
Has the Minister had discussions with his colleagues in the
Department for Work and Pensions about universal credit and
the impact it is having on many of my constituents who are
not being paid for weeks and sometimes months on end and
are therefore going into arrears? That is in addition to
being hit by the bedroom tax and other benefit changes. Has
he had these discussions, or will he do so, because what is
going on in my constituency is a disgrace?
-
We have had discussions with DWP colleagues, and I make two
brief points to the hon. Gentleman. First, universal credit
advances are available for new claims, and those should be
taken up. Secondly, DWP research shows that after four
months the proportion of universal credit claimants who
were in arrears at the start of their claims had fallen by
a third. So there is an initial problem, and the advance
claims are there to cope with that, but over time the
situation is improving.
-
(Strangford) (DUP)
One in three people in Northern Ireland, and a lesser
number on the UK mainland, are just a pay cheque away from
homelessness. What steps have been taken to help those who
are on the cusp of homelessness due to the benefits system
to hold on to their tenancies?
-
The Government have significantly increased the
discretionary housing payments that are available to local
authorities to assist those affected by welfare reform
changes. The whole emphasis of the policy on which the
Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr
Jones) is working is to try to shift the approach to
emphasise prevention. That way, we will prevent people from
becoming statutorily homeless in the first place, rather
than just providing help at the point of crisis.
Parking Reform
-
(Lewes) (Con)
7. What assessment his Department has made of the
implications for his policies of the consultation of May
2015 entitled “Parking reform: tackling unfair practices”.
[909766]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Mr Marcus Jones)
The Government are committed to reforming unfair parking
practices. We have already taken steps to tackle rogue and
unfair practices by private parking operators, including by
banning wheel clamping and towing. The Department published
a summary of the responses to its discussion paper on
private parking in 2016, and I am considering the points
that were raised.
-
I thank the Minister for his response. In Lewes in my
constituency, the discrepancy between parking on public and
private land is causing huge problems and hefty fines for
drivers. I am thinking particularly of the area in the town
centre behind Laura Ashley, where if someone stops for two
minutes they will receive a £60 penalty. Will the Minister
bring forward the recommendations from the consultation to
end such unfair practice?
-
Mr Jones
My hon. Friend is a strong campaigner for her constituents
and raises an important point: people need clarity on where
they can and cannot park. I recognise the anger felt by her
constituents, and we will certainly look carefully at what
she says, as we prepare our response to the consultation.
Pubs
-
(Hazel Grove)
(Con)
8. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness
of (a) the community right to bid scheme and (b) other
Government initiatives to protect and support local pubs.
[909767]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Andrew Percy)
So far, 2,000 pubs have been listed as assets of community
value. That listing provides communities with the time to
bid for a pub if it comes on to the market. We are
supporting the process further, with £3.6 million, through
the “More than a pub” programme.
-
The Northumberland Arms in Marple Bridge is a much-loved
local pub, and members of the local community hope to
reopen it using the community right-to-bid scheme. Will my
hon. Friend the Minister lend every possible support to
their effort and consider joining us for a celebratory pint
when it reopens? Indeed, we could make it a double
celebration, should the good people of Marple Bridge see
fit to return me to the House.
-
It is unthinkable that the people of Hazel Grove will not
return my hon. Friend to the House, given his work on their
behalf these past two and a bit years. I would be delighted
to join him, with the whole ministerial team, to celebrate
the community pub he mentions—so long as he is buying the
pints, of course.
-
(Leeds North West)
(LD)
The Minister has failed to mention what my office has been
told by the Department, which is that the Neighbourhood
Planning Bill is set to fall, so the change to pub
protection it contains would not be made. Will he assure
the House that that is not the case? That wonderful
decision was supported on both sides of the House, and we
need to make sure that the change goes through.
-
My understanding is that we hope to complete the passage of
that legislation before the Dissolution of Parliament. The
change he refers to has been broadly welcomed by very many
people, including, of course, the hon. Gentleman, who
campaigned for it.
Affordable Homes
-
Mr (Delyn) (Lab)
9. What assessment he has made of trends in the number of
affordable homes to (a) rent and (b) buy since 2010.
[909768]
-
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
Since April 2010, we have delivered on average more than
50,800 affordable homes per years, 36,300 of which were
affordable homes for rent. Under the previous Government,
the annual average was only 42,900, of which only 28,700
were homes for rent.
-
Mr Hanson
I am expecting several Members of Parliament and Ministers
to visit Delyn constituency in the next few weeks; will the
Minister come with me to Flint, where he will see a Labour
council building council houses for rent? This social
housing is supported by the Welsh Assembly, with more than
600 in one constituency alone. Why can he not match that in
England?
-
As I just said and contrary to what the shadow Housing
Minister said, higher levels of affordable housing are
being delivered under this Government than were delivered
under the previous Labour Government. Nevertheless, if the
right hon. Gentleman’s local council is delivering new
council homes, I am glad to hear it. We want more homes of
every kind. In Croydon, it was a Conservative council that
started to build council housing again, after a Labour
council had failed to do so.
-
(Crawley) (Con)
Will my hon. Friend join me in welcoming the fact that
almost 2,000 new houses are currently being built in
Crawley’s Forge Wood neighbourhood? There is a complete mix
of units, including council, social-rented and low-cost
housing.
-
I warmly welcome what my hon. Friend has to say and his
support for building the homes that we so desperately need
in this country. Contrary to what we often hear from the
shadow Front-Bench team, there is a widespread consensus
across the country that we desperately need to build more
homes of every kind to tackle the housing crisis that has
been building in this country for the past 30 or 40 years.
-
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
18. The right-to-buy scheme has led to a devastating
erosion of social housing stock, with 40% of ex-council
houses now in the hands of private landlords. With public
money going straight into the pockets of those landlords,
will the Secretary of State tell the House how much the
right-to-buy scheme has cost the public purse? [909777]
-
The right-to-buy scheme has helped nearly 2 million
hard-working people own their own home in this country.
Since we reinvigorated the right-to-buy scheme in 2012, we
have made it a condition that, for each home that is sold,
we replace it with a new affordable home. That is the right
policy as we help people who have the aspiration to buy
their home, but we also make sure that the rented homes are
replaced. That is what people will get from a Conservative
Government.
-
(Luton North)
(Lab)
Luton’s housing waiting list is now three times higher than
it was in the 1970s, when I was vice-chair of the council’s
housing committee. The housing stock has halved in that
time from compulsory sales. Is it not the truth that only a
Labour Government led by my right hon. Friend the Member
for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn) will save Britain’s
housing situation and make sure that people in Luton can
have a decent home?
-
People can look back at the record of the last Labour
Government—how many council homes were built between 1997
and 2010? What level of house building did we inherit from
the Labour Government in 2010? The truth is that house
building in this country has been increasing under this
Government. Certainly, there is still further to go, but we
are the party that is committed to building more homes for
people to buy, more homes for people to rent privately and
more affordable homes for people to rent. If we want a
solution to the housing crisis, this is the party that is
offering it.
Housing Market
-
(Wimbledon)
(Con)
10. What discussions he has had with the housing
association sector on rent-setting policy post-2020 since
the publication of “Fixing our broken housing market” on 7
February 2017. [909769]
-
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
(Sajid Javid)
My Department regularly meets housing associations to
discuss how we can help keep rents affordable and increase
the supply of new homes. Our housing White Paper has been
welcomed by the sector and we look forward to many more
productive discussions in the coming years.
-
I thank my right hon. Friend for his answer. Indeed, the
housing White Paper has been welcomed by housing
associations. Does he agree that the future rent policy
should not only guarantee affordability, but offer
long-term certainty for housing associations, so that they
do deliver the homes that we need?
-
Yes, I do agree with my hon. Friend. It is an excellent
point. Housing associations currently account for roughly a
third of total housing supply, and we do want a situation
in which they can borrow even more against that future
income to build even more homes. That is something that it
is in the housing White Paper, and we intend to build on
it.
-
Mr Speaker
is not here, but Mrs
is.
Adult Social Care Funding
-
Mrs (South Shields)
(Lab)
12. What steps he is taking to tackle regional variations
in adult social care funding. [909771]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Mr Marcus Jones)
Adult social care funding is distributed according to the
relative need of the different areas using a
well-established formula. Most of the £4.5 billion funding
for social care announced at the 2015 spending review and
in the spring Budget takes into account councils’ ability
to raise money through the social care precept.
-
Mrs Lewell-Buck
I thank the Minister for his response, but I am sorry to
say that he is wrong. The formula is broken. South Tyneside
Council is the third hardest hit council in the country
with a low council tax base, demand for adult social care
higher than average and hospital services under threat from
this Government’s forced sustainability and transformation
plans. Is it not true that this Government, who created the
social care crisis, cannot solve it and our constituents
are suffering as a result?
-
Mr Jones
The hon. Lady’s assessment is completely wrong. Councils
will have access to £9.25 billion of extra funding over the
next three years. On the money that is coming directly from
the Government, it absolutely takes into account a local
area’s ability to raise council tax, so areas such as that
of the hon. Lady will receive more in funding from the
Government than some other areas. She does not have any
reason to talk about council tax because it doubled during
the Labour Government. Since 2010, it has gone down by 9%.
-
(Bromley and
Chislehurst) (Con)
The Minister’s answer on the former point is absolutely
right, but does he also accept that another variable,
perhaps of greater practical concern, is the variation in
the willingness of the health sector to work jointly with
local authorities to maximise the integration of the funds?
Local authorities are well used to joint working and
democratic accountability, but I am afraid that there is
not often the same history in clinical commissioning groups
and other health institutions. What will he do about that
in a future new Government?
-
Mr Jones
I have great respect for my hon. Friend, who has
considerable knowledge in this area. He is absolutely
right: we need to ensure that health and social care works
far more collegiately and that harder work is done to
ensure that services are integrated. We are determined to
do that at a national level with this Department working
with the Department of Health, and it is what we expect to
see delivered at a local level for local people.
-
(Sheffield Central)
(Lab)
21. As the Minister has recognised, the social care precept
means that funding available for social care is
increasingly dependent on a local authority’s tax base. In
2017-18, the precept will generate £9 million in additional
funding in Sheffield, compared with more than £31 million
for Surrey. Does the Minister think that that is fair?
[909781]
-
Mr Jones
The hon. Gentleman should look at the allocations for the
£4.5 billion of social care funding coming to local
authorities directly from the Government. That absolutely
takes into account the fact that certain places can raise
far more in council tax and from the social care precept
than areas such as his own. That is reflected in the
allocations, and I wish that he would recognise that.
-
(Erith and Thamesmead)
(Lab)
Many care homes up and down the country are reliant on care
workers from the EU; estimates suggest that there are about
100,000 workers. What meetings does the Secretary of State
have with the care sector to reassure them that, when
Britain leaves the EU, care homes will be adequately
staffed with appropriately trained care workers?
-
Mr Jones
The hon. Lady makes a very important point and I can
reassure her that my hon. Friend the Minister who is
responsible for these matters in the Department of Health
has met care providers, as has my right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and
as have I. This is an extremely important situation and we
must ensure that we have enough care workers to support the
most vulnerable in our society.
Northern Powerhouse
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Andrew Percy)
The northern powerhouse is central to our plans for an
economy that works for all. During these past few months,
we have published the northern powerhouse strategy,
launched the second northern powerhouse investment
portfolio, allocated more than £500 million of local growth
investment, launched the £400 million northern powerhouse
investment fund, committed tens of millions to cultural
investment in the north and, of course, supported 17
enterprise zones across the north that are in turn
providing employment for 9,000 people.
-
With regional growth fund money and local enterprise
partnership funding helping local businesses in my Colne
Valley constituency achieve record levels of employment,
will the Minister ensure that the northern powerhouse
investment fund builds on that success and that we power
the powerhouse for many years to come?
-
Absolutely. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work he
does in promoting the local economy. In total, the Leeds
city region, which includes his area, has received £694
million of Government funding for local growth funds and
the new £400 million investment fund is there specifically
to support small and medium-sized businesses across the
north that want to grow and expand.
-
(Newcastle upon Tyne
Central) (Lab)
The north-east should be the powerhouse for our country’s
manufacturing and exporting renaissance, with a workforce
who take pride in making and building things. Why, then, do
the so-called industrial strategy and the so-called
northern powerhouse do so little to invest in the jobs and
infrastructure that the north-east needs?
-
One of the reasons people in the north of England have lost
their faith in the Labour party is that it never has
anything positive to say about the north of England. All
Labour does is talk down the north and talk down people.
Look at what is actually happening in the north-east: £379
million of direct Government investment in the north-east
and record unemployment levels. The hon. Lady might not
want to talk up Newcastle, but I will, because it is
leading this country’s economic recovery.
-
(Morecambe and
Lunesdale) (Con)
On that note, Lancashire County Council has continually
blocked an enterprise zone and business park in Morecambe
and Lunesdale. Since the M6 link road opened up, we have
been crying out for that. The Secretary of State himself
has come down to see it. Would the Minister like to come
during the election campaign and listen to the businesses
that want that enterprise zone or business park?
-
I would be delighted to take up that invitation. I plan to
visit many constituencies across the north during the
election period, and I will of course visit my hon.
Friend’s constituency. The Secretary of State has already
visited. Enterprise zones have made a real difference to
the economy of the north and, as I said, 9,000 jobs have
been provided in them, so I will certainly visit.
-
(Oldham West and Royton)
(Lab)
The Manchester Evening News reported at the weekend
pressure from Conservative Back Benchers to scrap HS2 to
fund the Brexit bill. Will the Minister confirm that HS2 to
Manchester will go ahead, to time and to the budget that
has been outlined?
-
There has been no change to the Government’s policy on HS2.
I remind the hon. Gentleman that, in addition, there is £13
billion of other investment. Over the next two years,
particularly on the TransPennine line, there will be
new rail, new carriages and new services—a whole new
passenger experience. There will be over £2 billion of
investment in that important TransPennine route under the
Government. The northern rail franchise will operate on an
improvement basis, unlike the no-improvement basis when it
was run by the Labour party.
Local Housing Provision
-
(Pudsey) (Con)
15. What plans he has to introduce an alternative method of
estimating the number of homes a local area may need.
[909774]
-
(Pendle)
(Con)
16. What plans he has to introduce an alternative method of
estimating the number of homes a local area may need.
[909775]
-
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
It is essential that local plans start with an honest
assessment of housing need in the area. As we set out in
our housing White Paper, we will introduce a standardised
approach to assessing housing need to ensure that that is
the case.
-
The methodology used by Leeds City Council has brought
about an excessive 70,000 housing target, which has
threatened swathes of green-belt and greenfield sites in my
constituency. If the alternative method proves my
community’s suspicion that the target is excessive, will
that override the current target and help to save these
important green lungs in my constituency?
-
The methodology will reveal the real level of housing need
in Leeds. Local authorities across the country choose to
build more homes than are needed because they have an
ambition to grow. There is a legitimate debate to be had
about that, but my hon. Friend’s constituents should have a
clear understanding of what the relevant need is. I should
add that the housing White Paper makes it clear that
green-belt land should be released only in exceptional
circumstances when all other options for meeting housing
need have been explored.
-
Pendle has lots of brownfield sites, and many homes that
have been granted planning permission have not yet been
built because of the depressed property market, leading to
low demand. How can we ensure that low demand in areas such
as Pendle is better reflected in housing targets?
-
That is exactly the purpose of the new methodology that we
plan to introduce. The level of housing need for which we
plan should reflect the real market demand for housing in
an area.
Park Homes
-
Sir (New Forest West)
(Con)
17. What recent representations he has received on amending
park homes legislation. [909776]
-
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
In the past year, we have received representations from
park home residents as well as members of the all-party
parliamentary group. Our call for evidence reviewing the
legislation was published on 12 April, and addressed key
concerns, including charges, site management and
harassment.
-
Sir
Will the Minister remove the temptation that prompts those
park owners who have neither the social nor managerial
skills to make a success of it to maximise sales revenue
commission by bullying residents to secure a higher
turnover of residents?
-
Bullying and harassment are not acceptable in any form,
which is why we introduced the Mobile Homes Act 2013, which
gives local authorities greater power. We shall obviously
listen to the response to the call for evidence to see
whether further action is required to stop the kind of
behaviour that my right hon. Friend described.
Construction Industry
-
(St Austell and Newquay)
(Con)
19. What plans he has to encourage new methods of building
in the construction industry. [909779]
-
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
Our White Paper sets out measures to increase the use of
modern methods of construction in house building. Those
methods offer a huge opportunity, both to speed up the
building of homes and to improve the quality of the build.
-
Cornwall council recently granted planning approval for a
garden village at West Carclaze in St Austell. The vision
for the development is to build the highest-quality
sustainable homes with modern construction methods. Does
the Minister agree that it is vital that the site
developers are held to that vision, and what support can he
give to ensure that that happens?
-
My hon. Friend is an outstanding advocate for his
community. I would be very happy to meet him to talk about
how the Government can assist with the infrastructure
required and the mix of housing as the proposed scheme goes
through the planning process.
-
Mr (Wellingborough)
(Con)
The Rushden Lakes development in my constituency is being
built using modern construction methods and is creating
hundreds of jobs. An extension to it, approved unanimously
by East Northamptonshire Council, was submitted to the
Secretary of State for approval on 4 April. The council is
concerned that the general election might mean that there
is not enough time to approve the extension. What is the
position on that?
-
The Government are now in purdah, so further decisions
cannot be taken. The new Government can obviously look at
this issue straight away. It is to the credit of my hon.
Friend and his council that their part of the country is
determined to build the homes that we so desperately need.
High Streets
-
Karl M?Cartney (Lincoln) (Con)
20. What steps his Department is taking to support high
streets. [909780]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Andrew Percy)
We are supporting our high streets to thrive as consumer
habits change. We have introduced the biggest ever cut in
business rates, worth £6.6 billion, and launched the high
street pledge and digital high street pilot in
Gloucestershire. We are also celebrating our high streets
through the hugely successful Great British High Street
awards, which Members on both sides of the House supported.
-
Karl M?Cartney
Although Lincoln’s Sincil Street—a much treasured
traditional shopping area just off our High Street—is full
of first-class independent shops, they are all losing
customers by the day due to large-scale regeneration works.
I, and many others, believe that the valuation office
should reduce business rates for the shops directly
affected during this period, and that their landlord, the
Lincolnshire Co-op, should discount their rent, especially
as it has caused the shortfall. What does my right hon.
Friend—sorry, my hon. Friend—think the valuation office
should do?
-
I am sure it is just a matter of time.
Businesses are fully entitled to make a case for a
temporary reduction in their rateable value. As a fellow
Lincolnshire MP, I know Sincil Street very well. I advise
my hon. Friend’s businesses to contact the local valuation
office to discuss whether the rateable values can be
amended at all.
-
(Scunthorpe) (Lab)
As the Minister is well aware, there has been a significant
increase in begging on Scunthorpe High Street over the past
three years. The police, the local authorities and the
courts between them do not seem to be able to roll up their
sleeves and sort out the problem, despite trying hard in
many different ways. What are the Government going to do to
ensure that the right powers are in the right place to
tackle the issue?
-
May I begin by congratulating the hon. Gentleman on his
marathon success yesterday? For such a young man, he did it
in such an interesting time; he deserves full credit for
it. He raises an issue that I am fully aware of in
Scunthorpe, which is a town centre that is on its way back.
I am happy to discuss with him further what we can do
across Government to help to deal with the problem.
-
(Cleethorpes)
(Con)
Traders in Cleethorpes High Street and elsewhere in the
resort are concerned following a decision by North East
Lincolnshire council, which is Labour controlled, to close
a number of public toilets and refuse to repair others.
That is having a very detrimental effect. I know that my
hon. Friend, as the coastal communities Minister, would
want to look favourably on future funding requests so that
these amenities can be improved.
-
It is a delight to get a question from my other neighbour.
Across northern Lincolnshire more generally, we have seen
the council in north Lincolnshire actually open new public
toilets. We recently allocated £20 million to northern
powerhouse projects through the coastal communities fund.
There will be a further round of bidding in October. If the
local coastal community team wants to come forward with a
proposal that includes that, we will, of course, look at
it.
Domestic Violence Refuges
-
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
22. What recent assessment the Government have made of the
adequacy of the availability of domestic violence refuges
for women. [909782]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Mr Marcus Jones)
Refuges provide vital support for victims of domestic
abuse. Since 2014, we have invested more than £33 million
in services, including refuges, to support victims of
domestic abuse. We expect local areas to assess their need
and provide services and support to meet that need.
-
I have one refuge for women in my area. With 17% of
specialist refuges in England lost since 2010, what are the
Government doing to protect this vital lifeline for women
and children?
-
Mr Jones
The Government take this issue extremely seriously. No
person should be turned away from the support they need. We
announced in February that 76 projects across the country
will receive a share of £20 million to support victims of
domestic abuse, creating 2,200 extra bed spaces and giving
support to more than 19,000 victims. That includes
additional funding to the hon. Lady’s area of Lewisham.
Topical Questions
-
Mr (Isle of Wight)
(Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities. [909749]
-
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
(Sajid Javid)
In the past few weeks, we have set out our plans to crack
down on rogue landlords, we have launched 12 new enterprise
zones, we have unveiled a £40 million cash boost for
Britain’s coastal communities and we have listened to some
of the concerns voiced about our business rates
revaluation, responding with a £435 million package.
However, contrary to previous promises, I can no longer
expect to deliver 100% business rates retention by the end
of this Parliament—simply because the end of this
Parliament will now come round rather sooner than I had
previously thought.
-
Mr Turner
Isle of Wight Council welcomes the award of £9.5 million
specifically for transport improvements. Another priority
for the council is to develop a back-office hub to improve
services and cut costs. What more can the Government do to
assist with that aim?
-
First, may I tell my hon. Friend that I enjoyed my visit to
his beautiful and sunny constituency last week? The idea of
this back-office hub, which I heard about from the local
Conservative group, is a very good one. It highlights the
fact that Conservative councils cost you less but deliver
you more, so if local people want to see that, they should
vote Conservative in the local elections throughout the
country on 4 May.
-
Mr (Jarrow)
(Lab)
T2. The Minister will know that, since 2010, the Tories
have stolen 40% of South Tyneside Council’s grant and 46%
of Gateshead Council’s grant. The victims of this crime are
obviously the hard-working people in the area. Would the
Minister like to take this opportunity to apologise to them
for this shabby Conservative crime? [909750]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Mr Marcus Jones)
The hon. Gentleman raises an interesting question, seeing
as his party is still on the manifesto from the last
election, where it said there would not be one more penny
for local government. That said, as the hon. Gentleman has
heard, we are providing additional access to £9.25
billion—for example, for adult social care—during the next
three years, and his area will certainly benefit from that.
-
Mr (Kettering)
(Con)
T3. Kettering is a wonderful place to live, but some rural
parts of the borough are blighted by inappropriate and
illegal development by Gypsies and Travellers. This is
especially galling when many commuters in Kettering do far
more travelling than so-called Travellers ever do. If there
were a planning policy for black people or white people,
there would rightly be outrage in this country. Why do we
have special planning provisions for Gypsies and
Travellers? [909751]
-
First, I agree with my hon. Friend that Kettering is,
indeed, a wonderful place. I do understand that
unauthorised encampments can cause real distress for local
communities. He will know that, since 2010, the Government
have made a number of changes that are designed to help
with illegal and unauthorised encampments, but I do agree
that more can be done, and I would be more than happy to
sit down with him and to listen to what ideas he has.
-
Mr (Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
T4. The Secretary of State will be aware of the Select
Committee’s two reports into social care. Rightly, a lot of
attention was given to funding, but also to the situation
of the care workers who provide this important service. The
Committee heard that nearly half of workers leave within a
year of getting a job, half are on zero-hours contracts,
many do not get paid for travelling time, in contradiction
to the minimum wage legislation, and 27% do not get any
training in dementia before they go out to deal with people
with that condition. Is there not now a case for developing
a well-paid and well-trained workforce, utilising Unison’s
ethical care charter as a basis? [909752]
-
I welcome the Select Committee’s work in this important
area, and I will listen carefully to the final research it
comes up with. The hon. Gentleman will know, first, that
more funding is helpful, and the local government Minister,
my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr Jones), referred
to that earlier. However, there also need to be longer term
changes that make the whole sector more sustainable, and
that includes skills.
-
Mrs (South East Cornwall)
(Con)
T5. I am pleased that parishes and town councils in my
constituency are getting on with their neighbourhood plans.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that Cornwall Council must
address these community-driven priorities to open up more
options for local people who face difficulties in finding
suitable housing? [909753]
-
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Gavin Barwell)
I am delighted to hear of the work my hon. Friend has been
doing to promote neighbourhood planning in her
constituency. She is a powerful champion for South East
Cornwall. She is absolutely right that Cornwall County
Council needs to work with these neighbourhood plans to
help local communities deliver the visions they have set
out.
-
Several hon. Members rose—
-
Mr Speaker
Order. As I call the hon. Member for Livingston, perhaps I
may congratulate the hon. Lady, as she is one of several
Members who magnificently ran the marathon yesterday. She
may be feeling a tad tired today, but not too tired to
stand up and ask her question. We are grateful to the hon.
Lady.
-
(Livingston)
(SNP)
T9. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am eminently glad that my
question is on the Order Paper today and I do not have to
bob, because that might just be beyond me. The rise in hate
crimes following the UK’s vote to leave the EU has shocked
us all, and the rhetoric from this Tory Government on
immigration will do nothing to assist integration and
cohesion. What discussions have the UK Government had with
Ministers from the Scottish Government regarding the Casey
report? Will the Secretary of State commit now to making
sure that the policies in his party’s manifesto will not
seek to divide people along these lines? [909757]
-
First, Mr Speaker, I join you in congratulating the hon.
Lady on what she achieved yesterday, as well as all the
people who raised so much money for so many good causes.
The issue that the hon. Lady raises is an important one. We
are taking the Casey review very seriously. It shows the
need for a new integration strategy to make sure that we do
everything we can, working together across this House,
including with people in Scotland and other parts of the
UK, to make sure that we bring this nation together and
reduce the number of people who face isolation.
-
Sir (Mid Sussex)
(Con)
T6. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that he intends to
increase the weight given to made neighbourhood plans, and
will he indicate that the same weight will be given to an
emerging five-year land supply? [909754]
-
I am happy to confirm that the written ministerial
statement that is enlarged on in the White Paper is exactly
designed to ensure that neighbourhood plans are not
overruled when the local authority does not demonstrate
that it has a five-year land supply. In addition, the White
Paper contains proposals to help councils to demonstrate
that they have a five-year land supply in order to uphold
the plans that they have worked hard to produce.
-
(Sheffield Central)
(Lab)
T10. Sheffield City Council is leading the way in building
much-needed affordable housing through its innovative
Sheffield Housing Company partnership, but across the
country the number of affordable homes built last year fell
to the lowest in 24 years. Sheffield is doing its bit; why
are the Government failing so badly to address the
country’s housing crisis? [909758]
-
We are investing record amounts in affordable housing.
Since 2010, more than 310,000 units have been created
throughout the country. If the hon. Gentleman wants to know
what failure on affordable housing looks like, he need only
look at the previous Labour Government, who saw a fall of
410,000 units in social housing for rent.
-
Sir (New Forest West)
(Con)
T7. The housing White Paper has greater expectations of
local authorities. How is the Minister going to keep them
building? [909755]
-
Local authorities have a number of key roles: first, to
produce a local plan that is based on an honest assessment
of the level of need; and secondly, then to deliver that
plan—the new housing delivery test is key in that regard.
Thirdly, looking back when we did build enough homes in
this country, local authorities played a crucial role in
building themselves. We want to support local authorities
in doing that, either through the housing revenue account
or through the local housing company model that the hon.
Member for Sheffield Central (Paul Blomfield) referred to.
-
Mr (Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Surely the Secretary of State is aware of the damage being
done to local communities by the cuts in local government
spending. This has affected children’s centres, leading to
their closure, and cut down on youth services. These
services are at the very heart of our communities. What is
the Minister going to do to put that right?
-
The hon. Gentleman will know that every council throughout
the country has had to find efficiencies so that we can
balance the books of our country and build a stronger
economy. Some local authorities have done that well—mainly
Conservative-led authorities—and Labour authorities have
absolutely failed in it. So if people want to see more
services being delivered for less, they should vote
Conservative on 4 May.
-
(Corby) (Con)
T8. As the Secretary of State will know, thousands of new
homes are being built across north Northamptonshire. What
commitment can he give to local people in my constituency
that, across the board, infrastructure and public services
will keep up with those new homes being built? [909756]
-
My hon. Friend makes a very important point about how
having the right infrastructure can help local people to
accept more housing. He will know that local councils can
already put obligations on developers to deliver certain
infrastructure, and he will know about the community
infrastructure levy, which can also help. I would like to
highlight the new £2.3 billion housing infrastructure fund,
which he can use locally in Corby. He should make an
application to my Department to do that.
-
(Leeds North West)
(LD)
Despite a very strong objection from Historic England,
which, like me, is concerned about the impact on the
12th-century St John the Baptist church in Adel,
disgracefully, Labour councillors voted for a controversial
plan for 100 homes to be built opposite the church. Will
the Secretary of State acknowledge that the planning system
does not allow local communities to have enough say against
unwanted developments?
-
Our planning system is built on a high level of community
involvement at every stage. Local councils should work with
communities in developing their local plan—an issue raised
by my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Stuart Andrew) in
relation to Leeds City Council. Constituents also have the
opportunity to make representations on planning
applications and on appeals, but I am sorry that in this
case it appears that the city council did not listen to
their concerns.
-
(Derby North)
(Con)
In Derby we are looking at alternative methods of helping
those people who are sleeping rough, including an app that
will direct funds to agencies such as the Padley Centre.
Does my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State agree that
such initiatives can help tackle the issues of rough
sleeping?
-
Yes, I wholeheartedly I agree with my hon. Friend. It is
our ambition—I know that she shares it—to end rough
sleeping in our country, and those kinds of new ideas can
make a real difference.
-
(Worthing West)
(Con)
Following last week’s successful and important meeting of
the all-party parliamentary group on leasehold and
commonhold reform about unfair and unreasonable abuses of
leasehold, what are the Government’s plans to do something
about them?
-
First, may I commend my hon. Friend on his work to
highlight abuses? I know that he shares my concern about
where houses are sold on leasehold. That is an unacceptable
practice and we will do something about it.
-
(Eastleigh) (Con)
The leader of the Conservative group in Eastleigh has
questioned the methodology behind the plan for an extra
10,000 homes, which could threaten 400-year-old ancient
woodland. Without a local plan, and when ancient woodland
is under threat, how can housing numbers be verified?
-
I hope that the housing White Paper will help my hon.
Friend, who is passionate about protecting ancient woodland
in her constituency, in two regards. First, the new
standard methodology will give a much clearer indication of
the real level of housing need in her area. Secondly, we
propose to increase the protections of ancient woodland,
which is a precious resource that we have inherited from
previous generations and that cannot be easily replaced. It
is right that we strengthen the protection.
-
(North Devon)
(Con)
I thank the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and
Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and
Goole (Andrew Percy), for the fantastic news that North
Devon is to receive two coastal communities grants
totalling more than £2 million: £500,000 for the museum in
Barnstaple and £1.5 million for the new water sports centre
in Ilfracombe, which he will kindly visit soon. Will he
join me in congratulating those in the community who have
helped to make this happen, and does he agree that North
Devon gets this sort of recognition only when it has a
Conservative MP and a Conservative Government?
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Andrew Percy)
I am obviously going to agree with my hon. Friend’s latter
point. I also pay tribute to him for the work he has done
in advocating both of those projects. The latest allocation
of coastal community grants funded a whole host of projects
across the south-west, proving that if they want that
investment to continue, residents of the south-west will
have to vote Conservative in the forthcoming general
election.
-
(Newark) (Con)
Will my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State be
Nottinghamshire’s Robin Hood to Labour’s King John and
ensure that parts of Nottinghamshire, including my
Bassetlaw constituents, are never forced against their will
to join the Sheffield city mayoral region, and that the
historical counties of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire will
be safe under a Conservative Government?
-
It is of course a matter for the Sheffield city region to
determine who it consults and what the proposals will be.
We obviously have to apply the statutory test, so I am
unable to say anything about that in detail, other than
that it is really important that residents in Bassetlaw and
Derbyshire make their views known as part of the
consultation undertaken by the city region.
-
(Congleton)
(Con)
rose—
-
(Rugby) (Con)
rose—
-
Mr Speaker
I am happy to take two further questions, if each of them
consists of only one sentence.
-
I thank the Secretary of State for his strong expression of
concern regarding unfair leasehold titles, which affect my
Congleton constituency; will he confirm that he is
addressing this issue for those who have already bought,
and, for the future buyer, will he look at imposing
requirements on the right-to-buy conditions so that such
properties can be bought only under freehold or fair
leasehold terms?
-
Mr Speaker
I am sure that there were a few commas and semicolons in
there.
-
My hon. Friend has done a great deal of work in this area.
She will know that it is a particular problem in the
north-west, and I can confirm that we are looking at all
the issues very carefully.
-
Will the Secretary of State consider imposing a requirement
on developers of large industrial sites to provide some units
for smaller businesses, to meet the shortage that currently
exists in my constituency?
-
I point my hon. Friend to some of the changes set out in our
recent White Paper. They are designed to make sure that local
plans take account of all needs, including the needs of
businesses.
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