Lord Stunell Portrait

Lord Stunell

Liberal Democrat - Life peer

Became Member: 26th October 2015


Built Environment Committee
14th Apr 2021 - 31st Jan 2023
Bribery Act 2010 Committee
17th May 2018 - 4th Mar 2019
Draft Modern Slavery Bill
9th Jan 2014 - 3rd Apr 2014
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Communities and Local Government)
12th May 2010 - 6th Sep 2012
International Development Committee
19th Jan 2009 - 6th May 2010
Committees on Arms Export Controls
1st Jun 2009 - 6th May 2010
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Communities and Local Government)
5th May 2006 - 20th Dec 2007
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)
10th Mar 2006 - 5th May 2006
Finance and Services Committee
17th Jul 2005 - 24th Apr 2006
Liberal Democrat Chief Whip
10th Jun 2001 - 10th Mar 2006
Finance and Services Committee
19th Nov 2001 - 19th Jul 2005
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
1st Jun 1997 - 1st Jun 2005
Procedure Committee
31st Jul 1997 - 11th May 2001


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Stunell has voted in 522 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

16 Mar 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Stunell voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 18 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 33 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 145 Noes - 179
View All Lord Stunell Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
(46 debate interactions)
Lord Greenhalgh (Conservative)
(21 debate interactions)
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour)
Opposition Whip (Lords)
(19 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(49 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(31 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023
(32,287 words contributed)
Elections Act 2022
(17,984 words contributed)
Building Safety Act 2022
(11,110 words contributed)
Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022
(8,241 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Lord Stunell's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Stunell, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Lord Stunell has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Lord Stunell has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 44 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
29th Nov 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government which Government-funded construction projects had been awarded to Caledonian Modular prior to its collapse in March, including, for each project, the awarding department, the contract value, and the anticipated costs of remediation of defective work.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally hold commercial information on Government-funded construction projects. Individual departments manage and procure their own contracts. The Cabinet Office can confirm that no contracts with Caledonian Modular were held with the Cabinet Office prior to its collapse in March 2022.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
17th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Freedom of Information requests were considered by the Cabinet Office's Clearing House in each of the last ten years; and how many of these were (1) answered in full, (2) answered in part, and (3) refused, broken down by the statutory grounds for refusal.

The Clearing House function does not have full time members of staff, and its work is done by a small team of people in the FOI team, including the Deputy Director of Freedom of Information and Transparency, alongside their other day to day responsibilities. There is no separate budget for the Clearing House.

The Cabinet Office does not routinely capture data on the number of requests which are referred to the Clearing House. However, in 2020, Clearing House gave advice on 516 aggregated ‘round robins’ (requests made to more than one department and that have repeat characteristics); a small proportion of over 30,000 requests received by government departments in the same time period.

The Cabinet Office has referred requests to the Clearing House where appropriate and in line with the published criteria, which is available on gov.uk here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information.

Information on Freedom of Information statistics is also published on gov.uk here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
20th Nov 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the departmental budget for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for the current financial year is allocated to supporting, promoting and delivering (1) energy demand reduction measures, and (2) zero and low carbon energy generation measures; and what changes in the departmental budget and headcount for those tasks are planned for the 2024–25 financial year.

The Government published how the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s current year budget has been allocated in the 2023-24 Main Estimate. The Government will publish the equivalent information for the 2024-25 financial year in the forthcoming 2024-25 Main Estimate. Departmental headcount figures are published each year in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
17th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to instruct the Office of Nuclear Regulation to investigate the recent problems at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong, China, in order to inform the commissioning of any similar plants in the United Kingdom.

Nuclear power stations in Great Britain must comply with our stringent nuclear safety laws, overseen by a robust and independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). The ONR would not allow a reactor to be built or to operate if it judged that it was not safe to do so.

The ONR are already engaged with relevant contacts, including its international regulatory partners, to fully understand the issues at Taishan, and any associated learning will form part of their ongoing scrutiny of the Hinkley Point C (HPC) project.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the projected total spend of the Green Homes Grant fund for the current financial year.

As of 8th February, 22,165 vouchers have already been issued with more being issued each day.

The value of these vouchers is currently £94.1 million.

Official scheme statistics will be published in due course.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Green Home Grant vouchers have been issued to date in each Local Enterprise Partnership area.

As of 11 February, 22,953 vouchers have been issued under the scheme. These, given by region, are as follows (reporting 2.55pm, 11th February 2021):

  • North East: 979
  • Yorkshire and the Humber: 2,879
  • North West: 3,455
  • East Midlands: 2,273
  • West Midlands: 2,736
  • London: 2,358
  • East of England: 2,845
  • South East: 3,149
  • South West: 2,239

The overall number of vouchers issued (22,953) and the sum of the total number of vouchers by region above (22,913) differ by 40 vouchers. This is because these vouchers do not list an English region on their application.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of Green Home Grant vouchers that will be issued in the next financial year; and how will any applications over the total budget be assessed and dealt with.

As of 8th February, 22,165 vouchers have already been issued with more being issued each day.

Applications will continue to be processed by the scheme administrator in line with the rules of the scheme. Official scheme statistics will be published in due course.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Green Homes Grant vouchers have been (1) submitted to ICF for payment, and (2) paid out by ICF to contractors presenting vouchers, in each month since September 2020.

Official scheme statistics will be published in due course. BEIS will continue to monitor application data as the scheme progresses.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their home energy retrofit programme on (1) employment in each region of England, and (2) the annual carbon emission tonnage reduction when the programme is completed.

A good supply of skilled workers is essential in order to meet our aspiration for as many UK homes as possible to be Energy Performance Certificate band C by 2035, where practical, cost-effective and affordable.

In 2018, the domestic and non-domestic energy efficiency sectors employed 153,600 people, but more will be required. The new Green Homes Grant scheme could deliver over 100,000 green jobs throughout the many different regions of England.

The Government calculates greenhouse gas emissions savings for a range of different policies, and we will equally do so for the Green Homes Grant scheme.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 27 May (HL4211), what assessment they have made of the additional number of retrofit coordinators needed to deliver the £2 billion home energy retrofit programme announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 July; and what is their assessment of the number of retrofit coordinators who (1) have graduated, and (2) will have graduated, by 31 December.

There are currently 166 retrofit coordinators who have completed the training and over 250 more are undertaking it. Given the number of people completing the qualification is based on demand and individuals’ chosen speed of training, we have not estimated how many will complete it by 31 December 2020.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
13th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to continue the home energy retrofit programme to upgrade the 20 million existing homes remaining unimproved at the conclusion of the current scheme on 31 March 2021.

The Government remains committed to delivering the aspiration set out in the Clean Growth Strategy for as many homes as possible to be Energy Performance Certificate Band C by 2035, where practical, cost-effective and affordable.

We are planning to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy in due course, which will set out the immediate actions we will take for reducing emissions from buildings.

These actions include the deployment of energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating as part of an ambitious programme of work required to enable key strategic decisions that set us on a path to decarbonising all homes and buildings.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Court of Appeal judgement in C Spencer Ltd vs MW High Tech Projects Ltd, what plans they have to consult on bringing forward legislation to include all construction operations in connection with process industry operations within the ambit of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

The Government has no plans to consult on bringing forward legislation to include all construction operations in connection with process industry operations within the remit of Part 2 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
12th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of certified Retrofit Coordinators required under PAS2035:2019 that (1) will be required to support the delivery of the Retrofit Standards Framework at its commencement in June 2021, (2) are currently certified, and (3) are awaiting certification; and what assessment they have made of whether the number of certified Coordinators is sufficient to enable the planned Whole House Retrofit policy in England to be delivered to its original timescale.

We estimate that 250 – 1,000 retrofit coordinators will be required to meet the PAS2035:2019 requirements for the Energy Company Obligation, which is currently the only policy in which the Retrofit Standards Framework will have to be implemented from 1 July 2021. The number of retrofit coordinators required will depend on the number of projects and the number of measures per project.

Currently, around 80 people have graduated from the training with around an additional 230 going through the process.

The training can be provided fully on-line and we are in regular contact with the training provider to monitor uptake as well as considering options to increase it should we deem it necessary.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
30th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the number of certified retrofit coordinators required under PAS2035:2019 that (1) will be required to support the delivery of the Retrofit Standards Framework at its commencement in June 2021; (2) are currently certified; and (3) are awaiting certification; and whether they are satisfied that there will be enough coordinators to enable the planned Whole House Retrofit policy in England to be delivered to the original timescale.

We estimate that 250 – 1,000 retrofit coordinators will be required to meet the PAS2035:2019 requirements for the Energy Company Obligation. The number of retrofit coordinators required will depend on the number of projects and the number of measures per project.

Currently, around 80 people have graduated from the training with around an additional 230 going through the process.

The training can be provided fully on-line and we are monitoring uptake as well as considering options to increase it should we deem it necessary.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
15th Dec 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the Department for Education complies with procurement guidelines by removing references to retention deductions from all future building work procurement contracts.

The department takes into account all legislation and government guidance in its construction procurements, including procurement policy notes and the Construction Playbook. Its approach to contractual payment mechanisms balances the efficient operation of its construction contracts and management of public money against the expectations of the construction sector. The use of retentions in construction contracts is subject to ongoing consultation across government, and the industry and the department are keen to be part of this debate.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
2nd Sep 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, as operator of last resort, to instruct Northern Rail to maintain passenger services in accordance with the franchise agreement; and, in particular, whether they intend to require Northern Rail to maintain a full timetable of services on the Manchester Piccadilly to Rose Hill Marple line.

Following the Minister of State for Rail’s meeting with the operator on 4 September, and after reviewing its options, Northern is introducing two trains in the morning, Monday to Friday, for Rose Hill-Marple from 14 September, which will help school children and morning commuters. There will be an additional afternoon service, arriving at Rose Hill-Marple at 1514 and arriving Manchester Piccadilly half an hour later. From the 26 October schools’ half-term, Northern will provide a regular service every 90 minutes during the day between Manchester Piccadilly and Rose Hill Marple.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
2nd Sep 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken since becoming operator of last resort of the Northern Rail franchise to increase the number of route-qualified drivers to enable a full timetable of passenger services to be delivered.

Northern Trains Ltd (NTL) had been rolling out a major driver training programme for its new trains prior to the Covid -19 lockdown, however in line with the rest of the rail industry, driver training was suspended due to the epidemic. The operator is trialling a process to ensure the safety of the driver and a trainer in a cab, and is using technology to support training outside of the cab including use of Virtual Reality simulations. NTL has also been working with health advisors to enable those previously classed as shielded or vulnerable to return to work where appropriate and it has put together a driver recruitment plan.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
15th Dec 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow jobseekers to establish their benefit status online rather than in person to reduce their risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Customers claiming Universal Credit, New Style JSA and ESA already do so online. Many parts of the verification process, which is essential to check an individual’s eligibility to claim, is also carried out online. To protect Universal Credit from the risk of fraud, in some cases we require face to face verification activity in a COVID secure environment.

Key workers will continue to deliver essential services, including in jobcentres, across the UK. Anyone who needs to get support or other vital services from our jobcentres will be able to continue to do so in an environment that is safe and compliant with COVID regulations. Telephone appointments can be arranged for customers who prefer to receive support virtually. We ask customers who do come in-person to take a lateral flow test and follow all the safety measures to help reduce the spread of COVID.

7th Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement on 17 November that the NHS will be given £3.3 billion additional funding, what proportion of that funding will be spent on rebuilding community NHS dentistry services in areas with (1) no, or (2) low, take-up of new adult NHS patients, such as Stockport.

NHS England will publish its planning guidance and funding allocations for 2023/24 in due course.

NHS England asked dental practices to return to full delivery of contracted activity from July 2022. In September, we announced how we will meet oral health needs and increase access to dental care. This includes improvements to ensure dentists are renumerated fairly for more complex work, allowing greater flexibility to reallocate resources and to utilise dentists with greater capacity to deliver National Health Service treatment, whilst enabling full use of the dental team. We will also streamline processes for overseas dentists and holding the local NHS to account for dentistry provision. In addition, Health Education England is also reforming dental education to improve the recruitment and retention of dental professionals.

Lord Markham
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the additional £3 billion funding for the NHS announced in the Spending Review will be earmarked for implementing integrated transport plans for District General Hospitals, including Stepping Hill Hospital, to mitigate the effect of street parking on the wellbeing of adjacent residential neighbourhoods.

In England, National Health Service organisations are locally responsible for planning their transport requirements for patients, visitors and staff. This includes working with their local authorities to promote sustainable transport and provide a safe and integrated transport network via identified initiatives.

Guidance on transport planning is provided to the NHS in Health Technical Memorandum 07-03 NHS car-parking management: environment and sustainability 2015 edition. A copy is attached. There are currently no plans to update this with regards to sustainability transport plans.

The additional £3 billion funding for the NHS next year, on top of the long-term settlement, will be used to support the NHS recovery from the impact of COVID-19. There are currently no plans to use this funding to support trusts with implementation of integrated transport plans.

30th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue guidance to NHS England on the rapid deployment and financing of integrated transport plans for District General Hospitals, including Stepping Hill in Stockport.

In England, National Health Service organisations are locally responsible for planning their transport requirements for patients, visitors and staff. This includes working with their local authorities to promote sustainable transport and provide a safe and integrated transport network via identified initiatives.

Guidance on transport planning is provided to the NHS in Health Technical Memorandum 07-03 NHS car-parking management: environment and sustainability 2015 edition. A copy is attached. There are currently no plans to update this with regards to sustainability transport plans.

The additional £3 billion funding for the NHS next year, on top of the long-term settlement, will be used to support the NHS recovery from the impact of COVID-19. There are currently no plans to use this funding to support trusts with implementation of integrated transport plans.

16th Oct 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK citizens taken prisoner while fighting in Ukraine are being treated in compliance with the provisions of the Geneva Convention.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
5th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the delivery of the banking hubs and delivery hubs recommended by Link for locations which have been identified as lacking in services, such as Marple in Greater Manchester; and what steps are they planning to ensure that delivery is accelerated.

Banking Hubs are a voluntary industry initiative, which enable customers of participating banks to access cash and banking services in shared facilities. To date, LINK has recommended over 100 Banking Hubs across the UK. Over 30 Banking Hubs have opened, with a further 70 expected to open by the end of the year. LINK has also recommended cash deposit services in another 90 communities, including Marple in Greater Manchester. While industry is responsible for delivering these services, the government is closely monitoring the rollout and hopes to see facilities open as soon as possible.

Separately, the government has legislated to protect access to cash specifically. The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 provides the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. Following the conclusion of its consultation on 8 February, the FCA expects to finalise its rules in Q3 2024.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
17th Jan 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the September 2021 report of the Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision, what plans, if any, they have to ensure that (1) the 80 per cent of bodies identified as having failed to implement an effective risk-based approach to anti-money laundering do so without delay; and (2) the 66 per cent of bodies identified as not having or having only ineffective systems for recording sector risk profiles, move swiftly to develop them.

Since 2018, the Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS) has worked with the accountancy and legal sector professional body anti-money laundering supervisors (PBSs) to increase the consistency of their anti-money laundering/counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) supervision and facilitate increased intelligence and information sharing. OPBAS has independently assessed how each PBS carries out their AML/CTF supervisory responsibilities.

In its third report, published in September 2021, OPBAS found that although PBS compliance with the Money Laundering Regulations continues to improve, there were some weaknesses in the effectiveness of their supervision, including risk assessment, governance and enforcement.

OPBAS noted significant improvements in PBSs’ technical compliance, driven in part by PBSs’ positive response to action plans drawn up as a result of the first annual report. However, OPBAS will continue to work with individual PBSs to address issues identified in the third report.

In addition, HM Treasury is currently reviewing the UK’s AML/CFT regulatory and supervisory regimes.

Viscount Younger of Leckie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the insurance industry about flexibility in the provision of Employer Liability Insurance for businesses in the (1) hospitality, (2) adult, and (3) retail, sectors, to support such businesses to reopen when the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.

The Government recognises the essential role of the insurance industry in providing the cover businesses need to operate. We are working closely with the insurers, the trade bodies and regulators to understand what more the industry can do to help individuals and businesses as the economy reopens, and to monitor the availability of cover and the impact this is having on the sector.

As measures to control the virus change, it is right that government support should also evolve. Because of this, we continue to take a flexible approach and keep all impacts and policies under review.

1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the underwriting of insurance costs of care homes to businesses in the (1) hospitality, (2) adult, and (3) retail, sector to support the reopening of such businesses once restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.

The Government recognises the essential role of the insurance industry in providing the cover businesses need to operate. We are working closely with the insurers, the trade bodies and regulators to understand what more the industry can do to help individuals and businesses as the economy reopens, and to monitor the availability of cover and the impact this is having on the sector.

As measures to control the virus change, it is right that government support should also evolve. Because of this, we continue to take a flexible approach and keep all impacts and policies under review.

18th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 11 May (HL3390), what plans they have to include consideration of extending the current weekly validity of the Aspen card for asylum seekers alongside the quantum in the current review.

The asylum support cash payments are currently made on a weekly basis. There has been some suggestion that these payments should be made fortnightly, and we are currently seeking views on this issue.

We are currently reviewing the level of the cash payments, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers and will announce the outcome as soon as we can.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
18th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 11 May (HL3390), on what date the current review into the level of cash allowances for asylum seekers will be published.

The asylum support cash payments are currently made on a weekly basis. There has been some suggestion that these payments should be made fortnightly, and we are currently seeking views on this issue.

We are currently reviewing the level of the cash payments, as we do each year, to ensure that they remain capable of meeting the essential living needs of asylum seekers and will announce the outcome as soon as we can.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
30th Nov 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government which local authorities (1) made only bids to Levelling Up Fund Rounds 1 and 2 that were unsuccessful, and (2) made no bids to either round.

Over the lifetime of the Levelling Up Fund £4.8 billion has been invested into 271 projects across Great Britain.

For both rounds 1 and 2, all local authorities were eligible to bid for funding. We received 305 bids in round 1 of the Fund, and 529 in round 2. A list of successful bids has been published for each of the three rounds on gov.uk, as well as analysis on the geographic and thematic split of successful and unsuccessful bids in rounds 1 and 2.

Successful Round 1 bidders: Link

Successful Round 2 bidders: Link

Round’s 1 and 2 geographic and thematic analysis: Link

Further details of the objectives and decision-making process are set out in published methodology notes for each round.

Round 1 methodology note: Link

Round 2 methodology note: Link

Round 3 methodology note: Link

Baroness Penn
Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
7th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what factors have led to the delay in establishing the National Regulator for Construction Products since it was announced by the Office of Product Safety and Standards on 14 January 2022; and what steps they are taking to bring about its establishment.

As of April 2021, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is responsible for the regulation of construction products. The regulator is undertaking enforcement activity under the current Construction Products Regulations 2013, funded by the department. In July 2022, the department further extended existing enforcement powers, enabling OPSS to act on behalf of the Secretary of State as the national enforcement authority, overseeing compliance where there are existing designated standards.

The department is also looking to lay future secondary legislation (to be made under the Building Safety Act 2022) which will give OPSS access to broader powers to intervene in the sector.

To examine how the system for testing the safety of construction should be strengthened, the department commissioned an independent review into weaknesses in the existing testing regime. This report has recently been published, and the department is working with the two regulators (OPSS and HSE) to take its recommendations forward.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
7th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that construction product standards are upheld until the National Regulator for Construction Products is established; and what assessment they have made of progress in improving those standards in line with the recommendations of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.

As of April 2021, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is responsible for the regulation of construction products. The regulator is undertaking enforcement activity under the current Construction Products Regulations 2013, funded by the department. In July 2022, the department further extended existing enforcement powers, enabling OPSS to act on behalf of the Secretary of State as the national enforcement authority, overseeing compliance where there are existing designated standards.

The department is also looking to lay future secondary legislation (to be made under the Building Safety Act 2022) which will give OPSS access to broader powers to intervene in the sector.

To examine how the system for testing the safety of construction should be strengthened, the department commissioned an independent review into weaknesses in the existing testing regime. This report has recently been published, and the department is working with the two regulators (OPSS and HSE) to take its recommendations forward.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
7th Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to speed up the notification of the results of bids to the Levelling Up Fund; and what assessment they have made of the delay of the establishment of Marple Leisure and Community Hub in Stockport Borough.

All bids submitted to the second round of the Levelling Up Fund, including the Marple Leisure and Community Hub in Stockport Borough, have been assessed following the robust process set out in published guidance.

I appreciate that applicants, if successful, will want to begin work on their projects as soon as possible. We have notified applicants and MPs that having received such a high number of quality applications, the announcement has been delayed until the New Year to allow us to allocate additional funds - meaning up to £2.1 billion will be granted to successful bids in this round. We will therefore announce the results of the second round by the end of January 2023.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
21st Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the abolition of Harrogate Borough Council on 1 April 2023 and the related extension of existing councillors' terms, what plans they have, if any, to legislate to allow electors of Marston Moor Ward at Harrogate Borough Council to vote for a representative ahead of the North Yorkshire Unitary election.

We are aware that since the end of January there has been a vacancy in this ward.

The North Yorkshire (Structural Changes) Order 2022 cancelled the ordinary elections in May 2022 in Harrogate.

My officials are discussing with Harrogate’s officers what the implications are for representation in this ward for Harrogate Borough council.

6th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many neighbourhood plans are now in force; and where there are neighbourhood plans, how many additional homes in aggregate have been granted approval compared to the pre-existing local and district plans.

While we do not formally monitor the production of neighbourhood plans, our records suggest that over 1000 neighbourhood plans have been adopted (made) since 2011. We do not hold data on how many additional homes in aggregate have been granted approval compared to current local plans. A recent study by the University of Reading of 141 neighbourhood plans found that they allocated 18,000 additional homes above those already allocated in adopted or emerging local plans and on sites with planning permission.

6th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that local communities retain the ability to establish a new neighbourhood plan in accordance with the principles established in the Localism Act 2011.

The white paper “Planning for the Future” sets out a package of proposals to secure better outcomes in terms of land for homes, beauty, and environmental quality, as well as processes which give greater certainty and speed for communities, councils and developers. The Government remains committed to neighbourhood planning, and the white paper sets out our intention to retain neighbourhood plans as part of the planning system. The consultation on these proposals is now closed and we will be using the feedback we have received to develop future neighbourhood planning policy.

6th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their White Paper Planning for the Future: planning changes in England in 2020 and future reforms, published on 6 August 2020, what plans they have to safeguard the existing rights of neighbourhood plans to determine land use within their area.

The white paper “Planning for the Future” sets out a package of proposals to secure better outcomes in terms of land for homes, beauty, and environmental quality, as well as processes which give greater certainty and speed for communities, councils and developers. The Government remains committed to neighbourhood planning, and the white paper sets out our intention to retain neighbourhood plans as part of the planning system. The consultation on these proposals is now closed and we will be using the feedback we have received to develop future neighbourhood planning policy.

6th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their White Paper, Planning for the Future: planning changes in England in 2020 and future reforms, published on 6 August 2020, what assessment they have made of the impact of those changes on the viability of the neighbourhood plans process.

The white paper “Planning for the Future” sets out a package of proposals to secure better outcomes in terms of land for homes, beauty, and environmental quality, as well as processes which give greater certainty and speed for communities, councils and developers. The Government remains committed to neighbourhood planning, and the white paper sets out our intention to retain neighbourhood plans as part of the planning system. The consultation on these proposals is now closed and we will be using the feedback we have received to develop future neighbourhood planning policy.

12th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reduction of National Non Domestic Rates receipts in 2020–21 consequent upon COVID19; and what discussions they have had with the Local Government Association and councils about the impact of that virus on the operation of the Business Rates Retention Scheme and local authority budgets in succeeding years.

The Government is in on-going discussions with local authorities and their representative bodies, including the Local Government Association, to understand the impact that Covid-19 is having on councils’ funding, including non-domestic rating income. As a result of those discussions, we have announced the suspension of the planned reforms to the local government finance system, including the Review of Relative Needs and Resources (the ‘Fair Funding Review’) and the increase to 75% business rates retention. These were due to be introduced in 2020-21 and would have complicated councils’ financial planning at a time when the impact of Covid-19 on present and future business rates income is still uncertain. We have also introduced measures worth over £5 billion to ease the immediate cashflow pressures caused by reductions in local authority revenues. We will continue to work with councils and their representative bodies to understand the on-going impact of the pandemic on councils’ finances and capacity.

12th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representations they have received about relaxing Permitted Development Rights to allow additional storeys to be built on existing residential buildings; and what is the timetable for any formal public consultation on such a change.

We announced in the policy paper ‘Planning for the Future’ published on 12 March that we will introduce new permitted development rights for building upwards on existing buildings by summer 2020, including to extend residential blocks by up to two storeys and to deliver new and bigger homes. Further information is (attached) available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-for-the-future


The proposals were consulted on as part of the consultation exercise on Planning Reform: supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes. A summary of the responses received and our response is (attached) available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-reform-supporting-the-high-street-and-increasing-the-delivery-of-new-homes

30th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the reduction of National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) receipts in 2020/21 as a result of COVID-19, and what discussions have they had with the Local Government Association and councils about its impact on the operation of the Business Rates Retention Scheme and local authority budgets in succeeding years.

The Government is working with local councils to understand the impact that Covid-19 is having on their finances and capacity. We have now made £3.2 billion available to local authorities so they can address any pressures they are facing. This is in addition to measures to ease cashflow pressures, including deferring £2.6 billion of payments to government.

30th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representation they have received on making further relaxations to permitted development rights to allow additional storeys to be built on existing residential buildings, and what is the timetable for any formal public consultation on such a change.

We announced in the policy paper ‘Planning for the Future’ published on 12 March that we will introduce new permitted development rights for building upwards on existing buildings by summer 2020, including to extend residential blocks by up to two storeys and to deliver new and bigger homes. Further information is (attached) available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-for-the-future


The proposals were consulted on as part of the consultation exercise on Planning Reform: supporting the high street and increasing the delivery of new homes. A summary of the responses received and our response is (attached) available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/planning-reform-supporting-the-high-street-and-increasing-the-delivery-of-new-homes

15th Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the number of homes in England that fall within each rating band of Energy Performance Certificates, and (2) the amount by which annual CO2 emissions would be reduced if every home within each rating band were to be improved to the next rating band level.

(1) The most recent analysis of the number of homes within each Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band that this Department has is the 2016 English Housing Survey which estimated that over 7 million dwellings in England had an energy efficiency rating of A to C, over 15.5 million dwellings were rated C to D and over 1.1 million dwellings were rated F to G.

(2) This Department does not hold any information on the amount by which annual CO2 emissions would be reduced if every home within each rating band were to be improved to the next rating band level. However, the Government’s Clean Growth Strategy estimated that upgrading energy efficiency from an EPC Band E to an EPC Band D reduces energy costs by £380 per year on average.

Viscount Younger of Leckie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)