Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of Homes England’s role in delivering suitable homes for older people.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
We are investing £11.5 billion in the new Affordable Homes Programme, which includes the delivery of specialist or supported housing, including retirement housing. Homes England is our key delivery partner for the programme (outside of London, where the programme is delivered by the Greater London Authority).
More broadly, this government is committed to improving the supply and diversity of housing options available to older people. As set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, we intend to launch a new taskforce which will look at ways we can provide more choice, better quality and greater security of housing for older people. Further information on the remit, timing and membership of the taskforce will be announced shortly.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to hold a consultation on the forthcoming (a) White Paper and (b) draft Bill on Levelling-Up.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The UK Government will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and partners on the levelling up agenda after the White Paper has been published. Further details on any potential legislation will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a ministerial taskforce to support the creation of forms of retirement housing.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Both the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health and Social Care are committed to further improving the diversity of housing options available to older people. We are engaging closely with both the sector and a range of other stakeholders on this issue. This includes considering the merits of different engagement and delivery models including proposals from the sector for a cross-government taskforce.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will bring the Future Homes Standard forward to 2023.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The 2025 timeline delivers on our net zero commitments, while ensuring that new homes are delivered in sufficient numbers in the places that we need them, providing the good quality, warm homes that consumers expect, and continuing to keep energy bills low.
However, we are not waiting until 2025 to take action. In the short term, we will be implementing an interim 2021 Part L uplift for new homes as swiftly as possible. This is a key stepping stone that will enable us to successfully implement the Future Homes Standard.
We have also listened to calls for a swifter and more certain pathway to 2025 and our work on a full technical specification for the Future Homes Standard has been accelerated. We therefore intend to consult on this in 2023 and introduce the necessary legislation in 2024, ahead of full implementation of the Future Homes Standard in 2025.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will establish a ministerial taskforce to support the long-term viability of all types of housing and tenures in the retirement living sector.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Both the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department of Health and Social Care are committed to further improving the diversity of housing options available to older people. We are engaging closely with both the sector and a range of other stakeholders on this issue. This includes considering the merits of different engagement and delivery models including proposals from the sector for a cross-Government taskforce.