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Written Question
Constituencies
Wednesday 19th July 2023

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the Order determining the new parliamentary constituency boundaries will be laid.

Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government plans to submit to His Majesty an Order in Council giving effect to the recommendations in the final reports of the Boundary Commissions as soon as reasonably practicable within four months, as required. The Order is not required to be laid before Parliament. Once the Order is made by His Majesty, the new constituencies will take effect at the next UK Parliamentary general election.


Written Question
Leasehold
Thursday 17th March 2022

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to require the sales and promotional material for individual leasehold properties to include (1) copies of the legislation relating to leasehold properties, and (2) any legislative proposals Her Majesty’s Government have published on (a) lease extensions, and (b) freehold rights to buy.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Government is committed to promoting fairness and transparency for homeowners and ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service. We have already committed to setting a maximum fee and timescale for the provision of leasehold information when a home is being sold. This will require freeholders, or managing agents acting on their behalf, to provide relevant information including details of service charges. We will bring forward these proposals as soon as parliamentary time allows and will publicise changes widely so that leaseholders are aware of the maximum fee they should pay.

Furthermore, as set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, the UK Government and the industry will work together to ensure the critical material information buyers of leasehold and freehold properties need to know - like tenure type, lease length and any service charges - are available digitally wherever possible from trusted and authenticated sources, and provided only once.


Written Question
Council Tax: 10 Downing Street and 11 Downing Street
Friday 17th December 2021

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the band for council tax payable for the apartments occupied by (1) the Prime Minister, and (2) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in Downing Street; and what are the council tax charges payable for each apartment.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Valuation Office Agency's "Check your council tax band" online service shows that there are two properties liable for council tax on Downing Street. Both properties are in band H. Council tax decisions are taken by local authorities, but information published by Westminster City Council shows that the band H charge for 2021-22 is £1655.12, including the precept for the Greater London Authority.


Written Question
Planning Permission: Air Pollution
Friday 29th January 2021

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they give to air pollution levels when making ministerial decisions on whether to call-in a planning application.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

Decisions on calling in applications are made in line with published call-in policy as set out in a Written Ministerial Statement by Nick Boles on 26 October 2012. The policy makes it clear that the power to call in a case will only be used very selectively. Air pollution levels are a potential consideration when considering whether to call in an application.


Written Question
Housing: Canterbury
Friday 29th January 2021

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Canterbury urban extension on air pollution levels; and what affect the categorisation of Canterbury as an air quality management area has had on their decision on whether to call-in the planning application of the Canterbury urban extension.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

In December 2016, the Secretary of State declined to call in this application for his own determination. Following the categorisation of Canterbury as an air quality management area, he received requests to reconsider that decision. These requests were carefully considered having regard to his policy on calling in planning applications. The Secretary of State decided that his original decision, not to call in this application, should stand, and that the application should remain to be determined by the local planning authority.


Written Question
Air Pollution: Canterbury
Friday 29th January 2021

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of air pollution resulting from the Canterbury urban extension on morbidity rates.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

Decisions on calling in applications are made in line with published call-in policy as set out in a Written Ministerial Statement by Nick Boles on 26 October 2012. The policy makes it clear that the power to call in a case will only be used very selectively. Air pollution levels are a potential consideration when considering whether to call in an application.


Written Question
National Parks Authorities
Monday 6th July 2020

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether members of national park planning boards are bound by collective responsibility under rules approved by a Secretary of State.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Local Government Act 1972 allows local planning authorities (including National Parks) to arrange for the discharge of any of its functions by a committee, sub-committee, or an officer. The operation of such committees, including which applications are considered by members and the procedure by which they are governed, are administrative matters for the National Park Authority.

Like other planning committees, where a decision is made by a National Park planning committee, members should carefully consider all the evidence before them and must be prepared to modify or change their initial view in light of the arguments and evidence presented to them. They must make their final decision at the meeting with an open mind based on this evidence. The law requires that planning decisions are made in accordance with the local development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

National Park authorities must also promote and maintain high standards of conduct by their members. Members have to abide by their authorities’ code of conduct and this must be consistent with the seven ‘Nolan’ principles of standards in public life. National Park Authorities are responsible for ensuring members observe their codes of conduct and maintain high standards.


Written Question
National Parks Authorities
Monday 6th July 2020

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the rules on the role, responsibilities, and accountability of members of national park planning boards within the UK follow a national model rule book, consistent across national park authorities; and whether applications to vary such rules have to be approved by a Secretary of State.

Answered by Lord Greenhalgh

The Local Government Act 1972 allows local planning authorities (including National Parks) to arrange for the discharge of any of its functions by a committee, sub-committee, or an officer. The operation of such committees, including which applications are considered by members and the procedure by which they are governed, are administrative matters for the National Park Authority.

Like other planning committees, where a decision is made by a National Park planning committee, members should carefully consider all the evidence before them and must be prepared to modify or change their initial view in light of the arguments and evidence presented to them. They must make their final decision at the meeting with an open mind based on this evidence. The law requires that planning decisions are made in accordance with the local development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

National Park authorities must also promote and maintain high standards of conduct by their members. Members have to abide by their authorities’ code of conduct and this must be consistent with the seven ‘Nolan’ principles of standards in public life. National Park Authorities are responsible for ensuring members observe their codes of conduct and maintain high standards.


Written Question
High Rise Flats: Insulation
Wednesday 26th June 2019

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government to list the trade descriptions, names, and specifications of those forms of building external cladding material which should be removed for reasons of home security and safety in the case of buildings meeting minimum height requirements and at potential risk of fire.

Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

On the advice of the Independent Expert Advisory Panel the Department has published a number of advice notes for building owners or anyone responsible for, or advising on, the fire safety of external wall systems of residential buildings 18m or above in height. These are available (attached) at : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-building-safety-programme#advice-notes


Written Question
Non-domestic Rates
Monday 7th January 2019

Asked by: Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total paid in business rates in the UK in respect of (1) offices, (2) retail units including shops, stores and warehouses not engaged in wholesale trade, (3) hotels and restaurants, (4) other leisure and entertainment facilities, (5) commercial car parking facilities, and (6) other VAT taxable activities, in (a) 2016–17, and (b) 2017–18.

Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

Business rates are a locally collected tax and the Government does not hold data on the split of business rates paid by sector. Since 2016, the Government has introduced a range of business rates reforms and measures to support business worth over £13 billion in England over the next five years. This includes reducing business rates bills by a third for two years for eligible retail businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000, as announced at Budget.