Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to amend the planning policy definition of Gypsies and Travellers in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2015; and whether he plans to revert to the definition used in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2012.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Secretary of State is carefully considering the policy contained in the Planning Policy Traveller Sites 2015 following the court judgment in Lisa Smith v SSLUHC [2022]
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to change the definition of Gypsies and Travellers in the document published by his Department entitled Planning policy for traveller sites in 2015 to that used in the 2012 version.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Secretary of State is carefully considering the policy contained in the Planning Policy Traveller Sites 2015 following the court judgment in Lisa Smith v SSLUHC [2022].
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to support the Housing Ombudsman to manage backlogs.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 190204 on 27 June 2023.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a blind bidding system for purchasing houses.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
In last year's Levelling Up White Paper, we committed to improving the availability of upfront property information in a digital format. We will set out further steps in due course.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to produce guidance on the forms of identification that will be accepted at polling stations following the coming into force of the Elections Act 2022; and whether provisional driving licences will be among the acceptable forms of identification.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Schedule 1 of the Elections Act 2022 sets out the forms of identification that will be accepted at polling stations in order to receive a ballot paper. Driving licences are an accepted form of identification, and this includes provisional driving licences.
Everyone who is eligible to vote will continue to have the opportunity to do so. Research has shown that the overwhelming majority of electors already have accepted identification. Any eligible voter who does not have one of the wide range of acceptable forms of photographic identification will be able to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate from their local authority.
The Electoral Commission will deliver a national communications campaign for voter identification. Funding will be provided to local authorities to cover additional costs as a result of the changes, in line with established government policy. Further information will be announced in due course in the appropriate way.
A range of security features will be present on both the Voter Authority Certificate and Anonymous Elector's Document and these have been developed in conjunction with suppliers and HM Passport Office.
There will be overt security measures present to allow quick and easy confirmation should a document's validity be in question. However, it is established good practice not to publish the full details of all security features, as doing so would expose them to those who may attempt to forge or tamper with them. Withholding a degree of information is essential to ensure these documents' security remains intact.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes for Ukraine scheme, whether he is providing additional funding to local authorities to carry out (a) initial and (b) rolling checks on the appropriateness of sponsors' accommodation.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the guidance for local authorities available online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what checks will be carried out on (a) sponsors and (b) sponsors housing children under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the guidance for local authorities available online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes for Ukrainians scheme, whether people who rent properties will be able to offer a spare room in that property as accommodation to Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the guidance for local authorities available online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what support the Government plans to provide to third party organisations providing support services to Ukrainian refugees under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, to account for the extra demand on their services.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the guidance for local authorities available online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in relation to the Homes for Ukraine, will the Minister consider a dedicated phoneline, or support service for Ukrainians who need assistance if their home placement fails.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the guidance for local authorities available online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.