Housebuilding: Urban Densification
(Weston-super-Mare) (Con)
1. What steps his Department is taking to increase housebuilding
through densification of urban areas using local
authority-approved building codes that pre-approve buildings.
The Minister for Housing ()
We want to build good-quality homes in the right places, and to
give communities a greater say in the planning process. The
Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill includes provision for new
“street vote” powers which will allow residents to come together
and bring forward the development that they want to see on their
streets, in line with their design preferences. That will
incentivise communities to consider the potential for
development, especially in areas of high demand, and will support
a gentle increase in density through well-considered,
well-designed and locally supported proposals.
I thank the Minister for that reply, and agree with him that the
“street votes” idea—which the Secretary of State described as “a
cracking idea” a few months ago from that very Dispatch Box—is
extremely welcome and at the core of the Bill. Will he consider
applying the same principles of local consent and design codes on
a slightly larger scale to increase supply and create wealth
across whole neighbourhoods rather than just single streets, as
outlined in chapter 4 of my recent paper “Poverty Trapped”?
My hon. Friend never misses an opportunity to promote his paper,
and I commend him for it. Of course we want to ensure that every
community has an opportunity to build the houses that it needs
within the local plan that it is developing. I welcome many of
the points that my hon. Friend raised in his paper, and look
forward to working with him in future to see how we can develop
them further.
(Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)
Does the Minister agree that high density does not equate to high
rise? In the light of tragedies such as Grenfell Tower, Ronan
Point and others, will he look less than kindly on applications
for high-rise developments?
The hon. Gentleman will understand that I am not able, in a
quasi-judicial role, to comment on individual planning
applications. It is for local authorities to make those
decisions. Density can come in a range of different ways, and it
is for local communities to decide what housing they want built
in their area.
Brownfield Development
(Keighley) (Con)
2. What progress his Department has made on promoting responsible
development on brownfield sites.
The Minister for Housing ()
The Government strongly encourage the use of brownfield land and
we have introduced new planning measures to make the best use of
previously developed land while also boosting the delivery of new
homes. A total of £550 million has now been allocated to the
seven mayoral combined authorities in the north and midlands for
brownfield development, including £120 million announced in the
levelling-up White Paper.
In the heart of Keighley we have a unique open area known as the
green space, and the town council, local residents and I are all
determined to keep it green. However, despite there being many
other brownfield options, Labour-run Bradford Council is
determined to build on this green space and we will now have a
public referendum on the issue. Does my right hon. Friend agree
that responsible brownfield development involves local
authorities listening to what local people want, and that
Labour-run Bradford Council should not ignore my constituents?
My hon. Friend will know that, due to the quasi-judicial role, I
cannot say too much about individual plans or proposals, but I
know that he fights incredibly hard for his constituents in
Keighley. What I can say is that when a planning application
comes forward, there is a period for local consultation. That
consultation needs to be local, and the council should listen to
the concerns. Much of what we are introducing in the Levelling-up
and Regeneration Bill will make it easier for the development of
local plans and easier for people to engage so that they can
decide what is built where in their communities.
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
Will the Secretary of State and his gang be honest with the
British public? All the time I hear people on the Government
Benches saying that we have to build on brownfield land, but if
it is brownfield land that can be built on and it is where people
want to live, it has usually been built on already. The fact is
that if this Government want to build houses, they will sometimes
have to build them on green-belt land and other sites, and they
will have to be imaginative about it. Do not con the British
people. Brownfield land building will not meet the needs.
I completely disagree with the hon. Gentleman. The fact is that
we have run a national register and it has identified more than
28,000 hectares of developable land, which is enough for 1
million homes. I make no apology for wanting regeneration, and I
make no apology for wanting brownfield before green belt.
(North Wiltshire) (Con)
At this moment there are 20 million tonnes of wheat locked up in
Ukraine and we are facing a significant food shortage across the
world in the years to come. Does the Minister agree that, at a
time like this, using good productive land in the UK for solar
farms is disgraceful and that the forthcoming national planning
policy framework ought to discourage the use of agricultural land
for solar farms rather than encourage it?
I know that my hon. Friend has recently secured a Westminster
Hall debate on this issue. Where agricultural land is needed, we
always suggest it should be the less good agricultural land, but
we also need to ensure that we are producing our own energy for
this country. That is a balance that needs to be struck locally.
Spatial Disparities: Annual Reporting
(Blackburn) (Lab)
3. If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of
requiring Government Departments to report annually on the impact
of spatial disparities across the UK on targeted outcomes.
The Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities ()
The Government will publish an annual report on progress towards
delivering the 12 levelling-up missions designed to address the
UK’s spatial disparities. The obligation to publish the report
will be established in statute, creating a regular point for
Parliament and the public to scrutinise progress towards
levelling up.
The levelling-up missions fall far short of what we really need
to make progress in this country. They are nothing more than the
Government marking their own homework. Communities desperately
need a cross-Government approach that focuses on the different
outcomes for people and places in health, education and so many
other areas. Will the Minister consider working with colleagues
to set clearer lines of accountability on levelling up across
Government Departments so that they can be assessed on their
effectiveness and on real outcomes for people?
The hon. Lady will find that the levelling-up White Paper and the
Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill do the very things she is
asking. On marking our own homework, she misunderstands the
point. The fact is that these missions should not be set in
stone. As the economy adapts, so might the missions to reflect
the changing environment and the lessons learned from past
interventions. Some targets cut across spending review periods,
for example, and it would make sense to be able to review them
before the next period begins.
(Rossendale and Darwen)
(Con)
Does my hon. Friend accept that it is hard to deliver the
long-term, ambitious levelling-up plans set out in law without a
long-term mechanism for funding them? Will she agree to meet me
and members of the Northern Research Group, which has called for
a levelling-up formula to equalise Government spending across our
United Kingdom?
I am very happy to do so.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
Resolution Foundation research indicates that the true cost of
levelling up is billions higher than accounted for by Ministers,
owing to the continued investment in the south-east of England
offsetting the productivity boost in other regions. How will
Ministers look holistically at socioeconomic inequalities to
better understand how to close the gap?
The Resolution Foundation’s report raises some very interesting
findings, and it highlights the urgency of levelling up across
the UK and the fact that the cost of living crisis is making
levelling up more challenging and necessary. The UK shared
prosperity fund will help to unleash the creativity and talent of
communities that have been overlooked and undervalued. If the
hon. Lady would like to raise anything specific with me, I would
be happy to respond in writing.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund
(Bridgend) (Con)
4. What recent discussions he has had with representatives of
local and devolved government in Scotland and Wales on the UK
shared prosperity fund.
(Aberconwy) (Con)
7. What recent discussions he has had with representatives of
local and devolved government in Scotland and Wales on the UK
shared prosperity fund.
(Birkenhead) (Lab)
8. What assessment he has made of the impact of the allocation of
the UK shared prosperity fund on real-term funding levels for
communities.
(Cumbernauld, Kilsyth
and Kirkintilloch East) (SNP)
22. What recent discussions he has had with elected members in
the devolved Administrations on the (a) equity and (b)
transparency of the (i) levelling-up fund and (ii) UK shared
prosperity fund.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations ()
The UK shared prosperity fund will deliver funding to all parts
of our United Kingdom, and our allocation approach gives every
region and nation a real-terms match with EU funding. Details are
published on gov.uk. We have engaged with the devolved
Administrations at all levels on the design of the fund, and
their input has helped to inform the most appropriate mix of
interventions and local allocations for each part of the United
Kingdom.
Dr Wallis
Does my right hon. Friend agree that by directly investing in
local communities, such as my Bridgend constituency, levelling up
is extended so that all of Wales benefits?
My hon. Friend puts it very well. The UK shared prosperity fund,
the levelling-up fund and, indeed, the community ownership fund,
which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is
championing today, together help communities such as Bridgend,
which my hon. Friend represents so effectively, to provide more
opportunities to more citizens.
My right hon. Friend will share my surprise to hear that the
Welsh Labour Minister for the Economy wrote to all council
leaders in Wales on 14 June saying
“Welsh government will not help deliver UK government programmes
in Wales we consider to be flawed.”
Will my right hon. Friend assure the residents of Aberconwy that
such directions will not be allowed to frustrate the sharing of
prosperity in Wales?
My hon. Friend raises a very important point, and I am
disappointed. is a nice guy but it is a
mistake, when we are decentralising power and resources to local
government in Wales, for the Welsh Government and the Senedd to
take that position. It is vital that we work together in the
interest of the whole United Kingdom. This Parliament has been
clear about ensuring that funding is available to local
government and councillors in Wales of every party. The Welsh
Government’s approach does not serve Wales well.
This Government fought and won the last election with a
commitment to ensuring that post-Brexit funding will, at a
minimum, match European Union subsidies, but the shared
prosperity fund allocated to the Liverpool city region is £10
million a year less than we previously received from the EU. Will
the Secretary of State concede that this is the latest in a long
line of broken Tory promises? And will he commit to reforming an
out-of-date, inadequate and wholly arbitrary funding formula that
has seen some of the most deprived communities in the country
lose out on vital sources of funding?
I respectfully disagree with the hon. Gentleman. If we look at
not just the UK shared prosperity fund but the other investment
in the Liverpool city region, we will see that this Government
are absolutely committed not just to matching but to exceeding
the support that was given under the European Union. I am looking
forward to visiting the Liverpool city region later this week to
discuss with the combined authority Mayor and others how levelling up
is working on the ground.
The recent Public Accounts Committee report reminds us:
“Economic development is a devolved power”,
but decisions that would previously have been made according to
Scottish Government priorities are now
“based entirely on UK Government’s assessment of priorities.”
In short, that is not decentralisation; it is a power grab. What
will the Department do to address the PAC’s scepticism about how
closely devolved priorities have been accommodated within the
shared prosperity fund and other policies?
The hon. Gentleman will, I am sure, be aware that I had the
opportunity of speaking to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and
Public Administration Committee, which covers these questions. I
was struck by the fact that Scottish National party MSPs and,
indeed, a Green MSP were all eager for the UK Government to play
an even more assertive role in deploying the levelling-up and UK
shared prosperity funds. The rhetoric of a power grab 12 months
ago has been replaced by a desire to work constructively. I
should note, of course, that the Chairman of that Committee is
the partner of his party’s Front-Bench spokesperson here, the
hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (). Those MSPs are, I think,
closer to their communities than distant West—Westminster
figures.
(Glasgow Central)
(SNP)
That’s easy for you to say!
I know. Some politicians don’t eat their own words—I swallow mine
whole.
It is those MSPs who are closer to their communities, and unlike
the hon. Member for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
(), they want the UK
Government to work with them.
(Preseli Pembrokeshire)
(Con)
It has been very good to work closely with Pembrokeshire County
Council over the last 12 months on a successful bid to the
levelling-up fund to improve Haverfordwest town centre. Does my
right hon. Friend agree that when it comes to Wales, local
authorities really value the new direct relationship with the UK
Government, and that the levelling-up fund creates new
opportunities for partnership that do not exclude devolved
Government and provide more opportunities for local Members of
Parliament to get in and help their communities work on
solutions?
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. When I talk on calls to
local authorities in Scotland, as well as local authorities in
Wales, it is striking how grateful they are that the UK
Government are taking a pro-devolution, pro-decentralisation
approach. That is in stark contrast to the Welsh Assembly
Government and the Scottish Government, who are centralising
power in Cardiff and Edinburgh and not listening to the
communities so well represented on these Benches.
(Barnsley Central) (Lab)
Further to the question from my hon. Friend the Member for
Birkenhead (), South Yorkshire will also
be disadvantaged because of a miscalculation in the previous
round of funding that has been baked into the new allocation
process. This means that while Cornwall will get £229 per head,
South Yorkshire will get £33 per head. I do not begrudge Cornwall
a penny of that money, but I am sure that the Secretary of State
will understand why I want a fair deal for my constituents in
South Yorkshire. Will he help me get it?
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his point and for
reminding the House that we have stuck to our manifesto
commitment to ensure that, as well as Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland, Cornwall was absolutely protected. I take his
point about the calculations for South Yorkshire. I look forward
to working with him, South Yorkshire MPs and to ensure that appropriate
resource is provided. Just the other week, I had the opportunity
to see the great work that is being carried forward in both
Sheffield and Barnsley on his behalf.
(Weaver Vale) (Lab)
Despite a manifesto promise to
“at a minimum match the size”
of the EU structural funds, the shared prosperity fund means £371
million less a year for English regions, as illustrated by hon.
Members in the Chamber today. Of course, that cut comes at a time
when the Conservative-led Local Government Association rightfully
argues that the current council settlement falls £2 billion a
year short of what is needed because of sky-high inflation. How
does the Secretary of State plan to respond urgently to that
plea?
It is important that we fund local government appropriately, and
we can do so only because of the way in which our economy has
been well managed by the Chancellor of the
Exchequer—[Interruption.] I am afraid that every time we hear
from Labour Front Benchers, we hear another plea for more
spending, but never, ever do they give an explanation of where
the money will come from. The last time there was a Labour Chief
Secretary, he left a note saying that there was no money left.
Lord preserve us from another Labour Government, who would borrow
and spend and take this country back to bankruptcy.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson, .
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
Despite the Secretary of State’s bluster, he will be aware that
the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the
Economy has written to him—I have the letter right here—to
express her deep concerns about the UK Government’s lack of
engagement during the drafting of the Levelling-up and
Regeneration Bill and about how it cuts across devolved
responsibilities of the Scottish Parliament. Will the Secretary
of State meet representatives from the Scottish Parliament
specifically to discuss the democratic imperative of respect for
the powers of that Parliament? Or does he simply not recognise
the democratic legitimacy of the Scottish Parliament?
I love to visit the Scottish Parliament; all sorts of wonderful
folk serve in it, not least my hon. Friend the Member for Moray
(), and others who do such a
brilliant job in holding the Scottish Government to account—
He’s not here!
Well, he is holding the Scottish Government to account. Nobody
else is doing it.
I had the opportunity to appear in front of Mr Ken Gibson a few
months ago—what a pleasure it was. The Scottish Parliament and
the Scottish Government are our partners in making sure that we
can make levelling up a success. An example of that is the fact
that the Cabinet Secretary whose letter the hon. Lady so
elegantly holds has been working with the UK Government to
deliver two new freeports in Scotland that would not have been
possible if we were still in the European Union. I am glad to see
the Scottish Government embracing one of the benefits of Brexit.
Tower Block Remediation Deadline
(Battersea) (Lab)
5. If he will impose a legally binding deadline for remediation
works on tower blocks in England that are deemed unsafe as a
result of (a) cladding and (b) other associated fire risks.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations ()
The Government are providing funds to remediate unsafe cladding
in buildings above 11 metres and have secured unprecedented
pledges from developers to fix the buildings they constructed.
Today, I have written an open letter to all building owners of
properties with critical building safety defects to remind them
that we have taken powers, through the Building Safety Act 2022,
to compel them to fund and undertake the necessary work to make
all buildings safe.
We still have no legal deadline in place to fix cladding and fire
safety issues and no justice for Grenfell, and thousands of
buildings, including in my constituency, are still unsafe. The
Government have been dodging their responsibilities for more than
the past five years. In January, the Secretary of State said that
leaseholders are “blameless” and that it would be “morally wrong”
for them to pay. Why, then, does he think it is fair for so many
leaseholders, including in my Battersea constituency, to
potentially have to pay £15,000 for non-cladding costs to correct
problems that they did not cause?
The hon. Lady makes a number of important points. It is fair to
say, and most people in the House would acknowledge, that,
although progress over the past five years has not been
everything that it should be, in recent months we have succeeded
in securing commitments from developers to remediate the
buildings for which they are responsible. With the publication of
the open letter today and the passing of the Building Safety Act,
a requirement has been placed on freeholders to pay for the work
that is required. We have a cap on the commitments that any
leaseholder has to enter into and that cap is consistent with the
precedent in Florrie’s law. I look forward to working with the
hon. Lady, as an assiduous constituency Member of Parliament, to
make sure that those whom she serves are relieved of any
obligation beyond that which is fair to ensure that their
buildings are safe.
(North West Durham)
(Con)
Most of the new build properties built in North West Durham are
built to a high standard, but sadly some are not, and when they
are not, people get in touch with my constituency office. Will my
right hon. Friend confirm that by further extending the rights of
residents to seek compensation for issues arising from poor
workmanship during construction we will help millions of new
homeowners throughout the country to have the opportunity to
pursue developers for poor workmanship, so that no one is left in
substandard new housing?
My hon. Friend is a brilliant campaigner not just for his
constituency but for those who are in poor housing. Although the
overwhelming number of new homes are built to very high
standards, some do not meet the quality and decency thresholds
that they should. I will work with my hon. Friend to achieve
precisely the goal that he outlined.
Housing Regeneration: Former Industrial Areas
(Easington) (Lab)
6. What support his Department is providing to deliver housing
regeneration in former industrial areas.
The Minister for Housing ()
Our levelling-up White Paper makes a new offer to support
transformational regeneration in towns and cities across the
country. We have already announced our support in Wolverhampton,
Sheffield and Blackpool We are providing billions of pounds to
support regeneration through our brownfield housing funds and
levelling-up fund.
Will the Minister and his colleagues look at the wider remit of
the Department, namely levelling up and communities, to deliver a
workable policy on private-sector housing regeneration? My
constituency suffers from a plethora of absentee landlord-owned
derelict properties that are often a focus for crime and
antisocial behaviour. Will the Secretary of State and the
Minister listen to communities in Blackhall, Horden, Dawdon and
Easington Colliery, which are in desperate need of levelling up
in the form of housing regeneration, and come forward with a
workable plan based on need rather than a beauty contest?
The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight that matter, and we do
take it incredibly seriously. Officials were up in his area not
so long ago looking at those very issues. We are proud of the
fact that we are getting a lot of support from political leaders
of all persuasions to work with us in our mission to level up and
address the very issues that he has just highlighted.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
We all know that Stoke-on-Trent was the beating heart of this
country’s industrial revolution. It is thanks to this Government
and their investment in brownfield sites that we are building, on
average, 1,000 new homes a year, of which 97% is on brownfield
land, such as the Royal Doulton site that the Secretary of State
recently visited. We have a game-changing agreement between
Stoke-on-Trent City Council, ably led by Abi Brown and Carl
Edwards, the portfolio holder, and Homes England to bring
transformative and quicker housing to the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
Will the Housing Minister welcome this landmark local council
agreement?
I can do nothing but welcome my hon. Friend’s enthusiasm for his
city and for the amazing work that has been going on there. The
collaboration between the Department, the Government and the city
council under Abi Brown’s excellent leadership, shows that there
is transformational change happening in Stoke-on-Trent, thanks to
the fact that it has Conservative representation.
Mr Speaker
I call the Chair of the Levelling up, Housing and Communities
Committee.
(Sheffield South East)
(Lab)
I welcome the initial support—it is initial I am sure—that the
Government are giving towards regeneration in my constituency.
However, there is a problem. Initially, Sheffield Council was
planning under the local plan to build around 40,000 homes in the
next 15 years. With the metropolitan uplift, that has increased
the number to more than 50,000. That will mean unnecessary
building on greenfield sites, which otherwise could have been
saved, and it will take the impetus away from building on
regeneration brownfield sites. Will the Minister agree to meet me
and representatives of the council to discuss how we can avoid
this double disaster from happening?
How could I possibly turn down an invitation to meet the Chair of
the Select Committee? On the uplift, we are clear that this
should be about the identification of existing sites and the
regeneration of brownfield sites to meet that uplift. I will of
course meet him to ensure that that happens. Regeneration is what
we want, and I am glad that we are helping out in Sheffield.
(Chipping Barnet)
(Con)
Will the Minister take action to remove the excessively high
housing targets that the Mayor of London has inflicted on the
London suburbs, because they are making it harder and harder to
turn down proposals that amount to overdevelopment?
My right hon. Friend has knocked on my door on many occasions to
raise many of the issues that she has highlighted in her
constituency. I would be happy to meet her again to talk about
exactly what she has just raised with me.
(Eltham) (Lab)
There are nearly 200,000 fewer council housing properties today
than there were in 2010. How have a Government who are committed
to levelling up allowed that to happen?
Because we have given people the opportunity to become home
owners for the first time in a generation. I am proud of the fact
that we have done that, but my right hon. Friend and I are
determined that we will do all we can with our £12 billion
affordable homes programme to create more homes in constituencies
such as that of the hon. Gentleman.
Mr (South West Hertfordshire)
(Con)
As the Minister will be aware, both my constituents and I are
deeply concerned that Three Rivers District Council continues to
delay publishing a local plan until at least 2025. Local Liberal
Democrat councillors are telling residents that it is Government
targets rather than the lack of a local plan that is destroying
our beautiful green spaces. Does my right hon. Friend agree that
councils such as Three Rivers District Council need to publish a
local plan as soon as possible to protect our beautiful
green-belt land rather than blaming Government housing targets?
What a surprise that the Liberal Democrats are trying to spell
out myths in my hon. Friend’s constituency. If they care so much
about this issue, it is a shame that not a single one of them is
in the Chamber for questions today. He is right that his council
needs to get on with the local plan, and I encourage it to do so,
because that will give the people in his community surety about
where houses will be built.
Housebuilding: Social Homes
(Edmonton) (Lab/Co-op)
10. What steps he is taking to increase the number of social
homes built each year.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The provision of affordable housing is a central pillar of this
Government’s plan to level up the country. We are investing £11.5
billion in affordable homes over the next five years. We
recognise that there is a significant need for social housing;
that is why our affordable homes programme will aim to deliver
32,000 social rent homes, double the figure of the previous
programme.
I am inundated with casework on a daily basis from constituents
living in shocking conditions, facing problems with mould,
disrepair and overcrowding that are seriously impacting their
quality of life and mental health. There are more than 4,000
families on Enfield’s waiting list for social housing alone. How
can the Minister justify fewer than 7,000 social homes having
been built in England last year?
The hon. Lady highlights an equally important point about the
quality of the social homes we have. I hope she will welcome the
Social Housing (Regulation) Bill already making its way through
the other place, which is intended to reduce the number of
non-decent homes by 50% by 2030. We are doing that not just in
the social rented sector, but in the private rented sector.
(Bexhill and Battle) (Con)
I welcome more social housing, but in the rural parishes of east
Sussex the housing provider Optivo is selling off stock to the
private market, citing the cost of meeting rental requirements. I
have tried to reason with Optivo and suggest that it only do so
where it or other social housing providers are building more
housing in the same parish. Can I meet the Minister to discuss
that and to discuss accountability of social housing
organisations?
My hon. Friend makes an important point about the accountability
of housing associations. It is our drive, through the
Government’s work and the new Bill, to ensure that that
accountability is increased. I am assured that the Housing
Minister will meet my hon. Friend to discuss the issue with
Optivo.
Mr Speaker
I call the shadow Minister, .
(Greenwich and Woolwich)
(Lab)
Having overseen the net loss of a staggering 135,000 genuinely
affordable social homes over the past 12 years, the Conservative
party now seems to have conceded that the country does not have
enough and the Government need to do something about it. When it
comes to reversing 12 years of failure on social housing, it is
deeds, not words, that matter to the 1.2 million people now
languishing on waiting lists across England. Can the Minister
tell the House precisely how many extra homes for social rent the
Government now plan to deliver by the end of this Parliament?
It is slightly disappointing when the hon. Gentleman turns up
with a written question that I have already answered in the
response to the previous question. However, it is equally
important to note that during the 11 years where we had a Labour
Government, they built fewer affordable homes than the
Conservative Government have built subsequently, so I do not
think we are in a position to take lessons from the Opposition.
Mr Speaker
Now here is a lesson from .
Rough Sleepers: West Midlands
(Lichfield) (Con)
11. Whether he has had discussions with the Mayor of the West
Midlands on steps his Department is taking to help rough sleepers
into long-term accommodation.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The first thing did when he became Mayor of
the West Midlands was to convene a taskforce to tackle rough
sleeping in the west midlands. He is a valued member of the
Government’s rough sleeping advisory panel, where I welcome his
advice regularly, and the Government have supported the west
midlands with funding for a range of accommodation, including £1
million for new homes under the rough sleeping accommodation
programme.
I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning the Mayor of the West
Midlands—oh my gosh, I have forgotten his name; oh yes, it has
come back to me—Andy Street. How does the Minister assess the
effectiveness of the Housing First pilot that the Mayor has
initiated in addressing rough sleeping in the west midlands?
, the Mayor of the West
Midlands, has been a strong champion of the Housing First
programme and the pilots. That has already achieved 552
individuals securing a tenancy through the programme. They are
provided not just with accommodation but with the incredibly
vital support that is necessary to help people to sustain a
tenancy.
Mr Speaker
I call shadow Minister .
(Luton North) (Lab)
I read a rather lovely interview with the Minister in a recent
issue of The Big Issue where he reconfirmed the Government’s
commitment to end street homelessness by 2024. All Labour Members
want that to happen, and I actually think the Minister does too,
but can he honestly tell the House that this pledge has his whole
Department’s backing when the Secretary of State, sat next to
him, is seeking to bring back the universally hated, cruel and
antiquated Vagrancy Act 1824? If this Government really believe
their own promise that they can end rough sleeping within the
next two years, why are they seeking to recriminalise it now?
Our ambition to end rough sleeping in the lifetime of this
Parliament does not just require the wholehearted investment of
our Ministers but of Ministers right across the Government. We
are working incredibly closely with Ministers from the Department
of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and
Pensions to make sure that we do genuinely achieve that ambition.
I look forward to working with Opposition Members in order to
help us in that cause.
Digital Connectivity: Hardest-to-reach Premises
(Ceredigion) (PC)
13. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on
improving the digital connectivity of the hardest-to-reach
premises as referenced in the levelling-up White Paper.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities (Neil O’Brien)
I am in regular contact with other Ministers on this subject,
which is very important for rural areas. Through Project Gigabit
we are investing £5 billion in better broadband. At the start of
2019, just 7% of Welsh households could get gigabit internet; now
51% can. We are investing a further £1 billion in the shared
rural network, which will increase 4G coverage in mid and west
Wales from 86% to 97%.
The Minister will be aware that some 19% of properties in
Ceredigion currently receive broadband speeds of under 10
megabits per second. Although there are plans to improve
connectivity in a number of these areas, there are other
communities in villages such as Plwmp, Brynhoffnant, Blaenporth,
Penrhiwllan, Ffostrasol and Rhydlewis that are not currently
subject to any plans. How will the Government ensure that such
communities will benefit from improved connectivity even when
commercial companies have not thus far brought forward any plans?
Neil O’Brien
That is a very important observation. I mentioned some of the
huge investments that we are making and the pace that things are
moving, but we want them to happen even more quickly. I have a
lot of respect for the hon. Member, and if he would like to
discuss further how we can make the new roll-out go even faster,
I would love to do that.
Levelling-up Funds: Criteria
(Barnsley East) (Lab)
14. What recent assessment he has made of the impartiality of
criteria used to award levelling-up funds.
The Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities ()
The levelling-up fund targets money at those places that are most
in need, using an index that includes metrics such as
productivity, skills, unemployment and commercial vacancy rates.
In round 1 of the fund, over half the money allocated went to the
20% most deprived local authorities.
I thank the Secretary of State for visiting Barnsley East to meet
the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to discuss its regeneration
proposals. He will have seen from his visit how, by every
measure, Barnsley is deserving of levelling-up funding, so
despite our previous two bids being rejected, will he consider
Barnsley in the upcoming round?
The hon. Lady will know that the allocation is a completely
transparent process. If she wants to find out more about the help
sessions for local authorities, we can provide information on how
they can improve their bids.
(Ipswich) (Con)
It is likely that Ipswich is going to be connected to two
levelling-up bids, one from the county council and one from the
borough council. Does the Minister agree that investing in sports
opportunities for young people, particularly in deprived areas,
can be transformative for levelling up, and will she therefore
welcome our plans to transform Gainsborough sports and community
centre? Will she confirm that the civil servants will work as
quickly as possible so that my constituents can see results on
the ground, like with the towns fund, where the civil servants
are currently reviewing the business cases?
I agree with both things, and we support all levelling-up bids.
Mr Speaker
We now come to shadow Minister .
(Nottingham North)
(Lab/Co-op)
The recent report from the Public Accounts Committee was a huge
blow to the way in which the Government are seeking to level up
and it exposed once again the debilitating impact of beauty
parades and unclear allocation criteria. If the Secretary of
State thinks that was praise, then goodness me! This can be
resolved in future by the Government accepting our calls for
proper, sustained funding that is targeted at need. Therefore, to
make sure that we are never in this situation again, will the
Minister commit to accepting amendment 13 to the Levelling Up and
Regeneration Bill, which will start this process?
No, I will not commit to that. While we hold the Public Accounts
Committee in high esteem, we reject much of the criticism and we
will publish our response to its report in the summer.
Development: Water Treatment Infrastructure
(Ludlow) (Con)
15. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the
development of homes and commercial buildings does not overload
existing water treatment infrastructure.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities ()
The national planning policy framework is clear that, through
their local plans, local authorities should make sufficient
provision for the development and infrastructure required in
their areas to help deliver sustainable development. Water
companies are expected to plan their future infrastructure
investment to accommodate future growth and ensure that adequate
infrastructure provision is not a limiting factor.
I am grateful to the Minister for that reply. Does he agree that
it would be appropriate for water companies to become statutory
consultees for local authorities and that their views on water
treatment capacity should be sought before local authorities
grant consent for significant developments?
There already is a statutory requirement in place for local
planning authorities to consult water and sewerage companies on
the preparation of local plans. Developer contributions can also
be used to secure infrastructure improvements, including for
wastewater. I understand that my right hon. Friend has already
been in touch with the office of the Minister for Housing, my
right hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (), on these matters and that
the Minister is happy to meet him to discuss this in greater
detail.
Topical Questions
(Southampton, Test)
(Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations ()
I had the enormous privilege on Wednesday last week of attending
the unveiling of the Windrush memorial, which marks the fantastic
contribution made to this country over more than 70 years by
migrants from the Caribbean and the wider Commonwealth. I wish to
place on the record my thanks not just to the Minister, my hon.
Friend the Member for Saffron Walden (), but to Baroness Floella
Benjamin for the fantastic work she undertook to ensure that that
fitting memorial could be unveiled.
Dr Whitehead
I welcome the proposals to extend the decent homes standard in
the private rented sector in the just published, “A fairer
private rented sector” White Paper. Is it the Government’s
intention to include their stated targets on private rented
sector energy efficiency in homes in the decent homes standard?
If they do that, what sanctions will the Government be proposing
for landlords who fail to make their properties energy-efficient?
The hon. Gentleman is right that energy efficiency is a critical
part of making sure that homes are decent, safe and warm, and we
will be considering what steps and what proposals we might be
able to put in place to ensure that landlords live up to their
responsibilities.
Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)
T3. Local authorities such as Suffolk County Council are facing
major challenges in recruiting social care staff. That is
cascading right through the health and social care system and
causing major difficulties for hospitals in discharging patients,
getting on top of the backlog of operations and getting
ambulances quickly back on the road. Can my right hon. Friend the
Secretary of State outline the discussions he has had with local
government to remove this logjam?
The Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities ()
Local authorities such as Suffolk County Council are facing major
challenges in recruiting social care staff; that is cascading
right through the health and social care system and causing major
difficulties for hospitals in discharging patients and getting on
top of the backlog of operations. I agree with my hon. Friend and
want him to know that I have been working on the issue very
closely with my counterpart in the Department of Health and
Social Care. We have provided £462.5 million to local authorities
to support them with those workforce pressures, and there is more
that we will continue to do.
(Wigan) (Lab)
We have had a week of travel chaos while the Transport Secretary
has sat idly by, and there is another crisis on the horizon: the
local government cleaners, social workers and refuse workers who
cannot afford to feed their families on the wages they are paid.
They need and deserve a pay rise. The Secretary of State for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities knows that workers and
council leaders struggling with record Tory inflation cannot
square the circle alone. Nobody wants rubbish piling up in the
streets, nobody wants older people left in their homes, and
nobody wants families left to break. Will he commit to making a
better fist of this than his hopeless colleague at the Department
for Transport? He should do as they ask and come to the table to
protect our vital workers, who kept this country going during the
pandemic, and the communities they serve so well.
I am surprised that the hon. Lady talks about “Tory
inflation”—presumably the inflation in Germany is Social
Democratic inflation, inflation in France is En Marche inflation,
and inflation in the United States is Democrat inflation. The
truth is that when it comes to dealing with the cost of living
crisis and ensuring that our economy is on the right track, she
and her colleagues would be better served by using their links
with the trade unions to get workers back to work, rather than
she and her colleagues supporting the RMT in strike action that
gets in the way of our economy moving forward.
It would be laughable if the Government’s failure to do their job
had not brought this country to a standstill and was not about to
get much worse. The Secretary of State talks about Labour Members
doing their jobs, but the last time we had strikes on this level
was under the Thatcher Government in 1989, and he was on a picket
line—I prefer his earlier approach. If he is serious about
getting the economy moving, why does he not do his job?
My hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham North () talked about the billions of
pounds that the Government have poured down the drain on
levelling up, because the Secretary of State does not have the
first clue how to spend it. He knows that the only way out of
this low growth, high tax spiral that his Government have created
is to get the economy firing on all cylinders. Can he remind me
again whose job that is? It is his. If he will not do it, why
will he not get out of the way and give that money to local
council leaders so that they can?
That was beautifully scripted. I offer my support to the hon.
Lady in her leadership bid; I am behind her 100% of the way, as,
I am sure, are her friends in the RMT and that other figure who
joined Labour MPs on the picket line last week: Arthur Scargill.
She talks about going back to the future, but she would take us
back to the future of the ’80s with strikes, inflation and
borrowing. She is the Marty McFly of politics: someone who lives
in the past, even as she aspires to greater things.
Mr Speaker
I say to both Front Benchers that it is totally unacceptable to
take that length of time in topical questions. Back Benchers are
the people who are meant to be asking topical questions, so
please consider the rest of the Chamber.
(Wrexham) (Con)
T6. Wrexham’s levelling-up gateway bid is supported by a
16,000-signature petition, which we will present to No. 10, to
redevelop the Kop stand at the racecourse and create an
international sporting stadium in north Wales for the first time.
Does the Minister agree that people are at the heart of the
Government’s levelling-up agenda and the amount of people who
have signed the petition shows its true value?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up,
Housing and Communities (Neil O'Brien)
My hon. Friend makes an important point. I pay tribute to her
leadership on this issue. We look forward to seeing the bid.
Mr Speaker
I call the SNP spokesperson.
(North Ayrshire and Arran)
(SNP)
Will the Secretary of State confirm his willingness to meet me,
North Ayrshire Council and key partners to discuss the robust
proposals for a fusion energy plant at Ardeer in my constituency?
Does he agree that a successful Ardeer bid would provide a step
change in local and regional economic prosperity, as well as
being a catalyst for long-term sustainable investment in North
Ayrshire?
Yes and yes. Even though they are not in my party, I must say
that North Ayrshire’s elected representatives in this House and
in Holyrood do a fantastic job for their constituents in
championing nuclear power.
(Liverpool, Walton) (Lab)
T2. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of
Members’ Financial Interests. There is an alcohol harm paradox,
whereby people in the most deprived communities drink less but
suffer larger consequences. In Liverpool, 88% of alcohol is sold
at below 50p a unit, and 24% of the population drink at high
risk. More and more premises are seeking to open. Will the
Secretary of State look again at making public health a licensing
objective and review the way that licensing fees are set
nationally so that they could be set at a local level?
I am sure the whole House knows of the hon. Gentleman’s courage
and principle in campaigning on such questions. He makes a valid
point. A health disparities White Paper is forthcoming soon and I
will discuss his precise point with my right hon. Friend the
Health and Social Care Secretary.
(Cleethorpes) (Con)
T9. Planning applications have a major impact on
communities, but too often communities feel excluded from the
decision-making process because they are unaware of the procedure
for the local plan. Could Ministers ensure that, in the planning
reforms they bring forward, they will make changes so that
communities can take an active part from the beginning?
The Minister for Housing ()
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and that is one of the key
ambitions of the measures being introduced in the Levelling-up
and Regeneration Bill. We want there to be opportunities for
communities to influence and comment on emerging local plans, and
we will make sure that those powers are enhanced and that the
planning system is digitised so that it is easier for people to
engage, because local people need to decide where the local
housing should be provided.
(Putney) (Lab)
T5. The Secretary of State promised an overhaul of the
building safety fund to put an end to the endless delays to the
funding that people in unsafe buildings desperately need, but the
delays continue. Three blocks in my constituency—the Swish
building, the Radial development and Percy Laurie House—have all
been pending for well over a year now, and they have heard
nothing from the fund. Will the Secretary of State meet me to
discuss these blocks, and stop these and many applications
getting stuck?
Absolutely. In the first instance, I will ask to investigate, and then
we will of course follow up with a meeting.
(Darlington) (Con)
Burtree in the north of Darlington has been granted garden
village status. However, the current difficulties posed by
nutrient neutrality guidance from Natural England are causing
delays not just for this developer, but others. What can my right
hon. Friend do to rectify this situation? Moreover, can I press
him to do all he can to unblock the bureaucratic backlog between
Homes England, the Treasury and his Department, to enable Burtree
to progress?
Absolutely. On nutrient neutrality, we are working with the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Natural
England to resolve this question. On the second point, I will
apply appropriate pressure to tender parts.
(Kingston upon Hull West and
Hessle) (Lab)
T7. The Secretary of State will be aware of my interest in
flood prevention from my ten-minute rule Bill—the Flooding
(Prevention and Insurance) Bill—and how important the issue is to
Hull and the East Riding. Will he be following the Labour
Government in Wales in enacting schedule 3 to the Flood and Water
Management Act 2010 for England, which would ensure minimum
standards of sustainable drainage systems on every new property?
Sustainable drainage systems are a vital part of future
developments, so I will look closely at the recommendation the
hon. Member makes.
(Leigh) (Con)
While currently only local authorities can initiate levelling-up
fund bids, has my right hon. Friend given consideration to giving
other organisations, such as community interest companies or
charities, the ability to submit LUF bids, so long as they have
the backing of the local MP?
That is an intriguing idea, and it would be a significant
development. My hon. Friend is, I think, probably the most
effective Member of Parliament in the borough of Wigan, and can I
say that I look forward to working closely with him on that?
(Bedford) (Lab)
Since the Tories came into power, 800,000 fewer households aged
under 45 own their homes, nearly 1 million more people now
rent—often at a cost higher than a mortgage—and the number of
truly affordable homes and new social rented homes being built
has fallen by over 80%. Is the Secretary of State ashamed of this
record, which is failing a generation of young people?
No, but there is more to do.
(Cities of London and
Westminster) (Con)
I was very proud when this Government repealed the Vagrancy Act
1824 under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, and
the last thing we should do is demonise and criminalise people
who rough-sleep and beg. I absolutely appreciate that there can
be antisocial behaviour with aggressive begging, but we have
legislation —more robust and more modern legislation—that deals
with that. Therefore, I was concerned to see that clause 187 of
the new Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill disregards the repeal
of the Vagrancy Act. When is a repeal not a repeal?
Mr Speaker
Order. The question was too long.
There will be no return to the Vagrancy Act. We will work with
the Home Office to ensure that there are appropriate measures to
deal with any form of antisocial behaviour, but criminalising
rough-sleeping and begging is not on the agenda.
(Warwick and Leamington)
(Lab)
I have leaseholders in my constituency of Warwick and Leamington
who are unable to sell their properties because the properties
have not been painted for 40 years, despite the freeholder’s
obligations. Why have the Government actually postponed their
leasehold reforms from this Parliament?
They are coming: we are going to introduce those reforms in the
next Queen’s Speech.
(East Yorkshire) (Con)
Is the Secretary of State aware that in 2019 I took through
Parliament the Parking (Code of Practice) Act with all-party
support? This measure mandates the Government to introduce a code
to make parking fairer for motorists. In view of the overwhelming
support for this measure on both sides of the House, why are the
Government now dragging their feet on the matter?
There is a challenge to some of the proposals we are putting
forward, with which we have to deal in the courts.
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
Scotland receives 40% less money from levelling-up funding than
it received from the EU. When does the Secretary of State
estimate Scotland will get the same amount of funding as we had
as a member of the EU?
Scotland is just as generously funded as ever before, but it
would be even better for Scotland if the Scottish Government were
not spending £20 million on campaigning for independence, because
as we all know, breaking up the United Kingdom would be an
economic disaster for Scotland.
(East Worthing and Shoreham) (Con)
Ministers are aware of the long-standing limbo the learned
societies of Burlington House find themselves in because of the
proposed rent increases from the Government, and I declare an
interest as a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.
Apparently the Secretary of State has promised the hon. Member
for Rhondda () a meeting to get everybody
around the table to sort this out. May we urgently have that
meeting before the summer recess, and will he give us a date now?
My hon. Friend is a distinguished archaeologist and
antiquarian—although still a youthful-looking antiquarian. Yes,
we will have that meeting; it will happen before 22 July and I
will invite both my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Rhondda
().
(North Antrim) (DUP)
The Secretary of State has mentioned that there will be more
opportunities for all of the UK as a result of the levelling-up
programme, and of course we welcome that. He also knows there is
a subsidy control mechanism in operation in Northern Ireland that
prevents Northern Ireland from benefiting from levelling up and
other generous benefits that flow from this place. Will the
Secretary of State today ensure that everyone on his side of the
House—and I encourage Members on the Opposition side of the House
to do this too—votes for the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, in
which clause 12 will remove that impediment to progress?
The Foreign Secretary will open the Second Reading debate, and I
hope people will listen to everything that she and indeed the
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland say, in order to make
sure Northern Ireland can fully participate in all the benefits
of being part of the UK.
(Loughborough) (Con)
I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’
Financial Interests.
There are two villages in my local area that will essentially
become one due to a development that was granted approval on
appeal. How is the Secretary of State addressing the current
problem of the lack of a five-year land supply circumventing
local planning decisions?
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill and our forthcoming
national planning policy prospectus will address precisely that
question.
(Glenrothes) (SNP)
I welcome the Secretary of State’s new-found enthusiasm for the
Scottish Parliament. Does that enthusiasm extend to recognising
the mandate that Parliament has to honour the manifesto
commitments on which a clear majority of its Members have been
elected in 2021, 2016 and 2011?
In 2014 the people of Scotland voted to remain part of the United
Kingdom and were told at the time by the Scottish National party
that it was a once in a generation vote. Eight years on from that
vote it would be folly indeed, at a time when there is war on the
European continent, we face cost of living challenges and we are
all committed to working together to deal with the legacy of
covid, to spend even more money attempting to break up and smash
the United Kingdom instead of working to heal and unite.
(Eastleigh) (Con)
Eastleigh Borough Council is scheduled to have £670 million of
debt by 2025, with no sign of it reducing. Does the Secretary of
State think this is acceptable, and what plan does his Department
have to tackle such profligate councils?
As Eastleigh Borough Council is so profligate, I presume—I do not
know; I do not have the facts in front of me—it must be a Liberal
Democrat-controlled council, because profligacy and fiscal
incontinence on such a level could only be engineered by the
opportunistic gang that masquerades as the Liberal Democrat
party.
