Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Economics Statistics Centre of Excellence Estimating the UK population during the pandemic, published on 14 January, what plans they have to adjust their plans for housing provision as a result of population changes following (1) the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the UK’s departure from the EU.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Following consultation in August 2020 on proposed changes to the standard method for assessing local housing need, it was apparent that certainty and stability are important for our local communities, local authorities, and developers, especially in light of the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In December, we therefore changed the method to focus greater need into authorities containing the largest proportion of the 20 most populated cities and urban centres in England, while other authorities saw no change compared to the previous method.
It is not yet clear what impact COVID-19 or our departure from the European Union will have on population estimates, if any. However, while we expect local authorities to plan, for a minimum period of 15 years, they can review their plans for housing during this period and must do so at least once every five years. This enables them to take into account changes in circumstances and to ensure policies remain effective.
As with all policies we will monitor the impact of the new standard method, including as any longer-term impact from changes to the way we live and work become clear. Our December announcement enables local areas to get on and plan based on a method and level of ambition that they are familiar with. This ensures that the planning system keeps moving, so it can play its full part in the economic recovery to come.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how much money has been allocated in total to the COVID-19 Secure Marshal programme, (2) how many marshals have been employed, (3) for how long such marshals have been contracted to work, (4) in which local authorities those marshals are located, and (5) what assessment they have made of the impact of such marshals on the level of adherence to social distancing rules.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
In October last year, the Government announced £30 million of ringfenced grant funding to unitary and lower tier authorities to support COVID-19 compliance and enforcement activity. The funding can be used for a range of activity to encourage business, individual and community adherence to COVID-19 rules. It is ringfenced for any activity which will support compliance and enforcement of COVID-19 regulations guidance, including funding for COVID-19 Marshals or their equivalents such as stewards or ambassadors, thereby helping to control the spread of COVID-19 across individuals, businesses and in the community.
Local authorities are best placed to determine how best to use their grant allocations to encourage adherence to COVID-19 rules. To date, authorities have reported grant allocations have been used to recruit COVID-19 Marshals or their equivalents and for overtime costs of existing staff, staff training to work on COVID-19 compliance and communications activity to promote understanding of COVID-19 regulatory and guidance requirements. The Department has issued a request for all local authorities in receipt of the grant to report the activity funded and its impact.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Building Safety Fund imposes restrictions on recipients communicating with journalists about repairs without prior written approval; and, if so, why.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The building safety fund does not impose restrictions on leaseholders or residents in their private capacity as individual flat owners commenting on remediation projects or government policy. Funding agreements for the fund include a clause which is standard in commercial agreements between building owners and funders of construction of work which applies to communication with the media about the individual construction project. The clause applies to applicants to the fund who we expect to discuss with delivery partners in the first instance any queries about the remediation project or the funding agreement. We want a constructive working relationship with building owners who apply to the fund, which ensures that the Government’s provision of £1.6 billion of funding will make buildings safe for residents as swiftly as possible.