Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
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 oral evidence taken by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on 18 November 2021 on Parking Code of Practice Enforcement Framework, HC 794, what assessment he made of the evidence given by representatives of the parking industry in that session on the impact of the Parking Code of Practice enforcement framework on that industry.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The Government is aware of the concerns raised by representatives of the parking industry in relation to the Code Enforcement Framework, including the proposed levels of private parking charges. My department has been engaging closely with the parking industry as part of the process to develop the Code. The parking industry also had the opportunity to comment on the proposals in the Private Parking Charges, Discount Rates, Debt Collection Fees and Appeals Charter: Further Technical Consultation, which closed on 27 August 2021.
We take the industry’s concerns seriously and are carefully considering all consultation responses and additional documentation provided, including the industry’s impact assessment, before making a final decision.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
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 will not release its response to the Parking Code of Practice Technical Consultation until (a) after the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee has published its report on his Department's handling of the process to date and (b) his Department has considered that report's recommendations.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The 'Private parking charges, discount rates, debt collection fees and appeals charter: further technical consultation' was published on 30 July. It contained proposals to bring private parking charges into closer alignment with Local Authority Penalty Charge Notices, along with a number of other measures to improve the private parking sector. The consultation closed on 27 August and the department is now analysing the responses. We will consider the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee hearings. However, our current intention is to publish the consultation response together with the new Code of Practice as soon as possible so that motorists can benefit and industry has time to adapt itself to the new requirements.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the potential response of managing agents’ professional indemnity insurers to building and fire safety works obligations under the Building Safety Bill.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government understands that those involved in the construction industry are struggling to obtain adequate professional indemnity insurance (PII) for fire safety work.
We have been engaging with industry to investigate these challenges and those arising from the increased obligations outlined in the Building Safety Bill. This includes developing an industry survey with the Construction Leadership Council to provide a robust evidence base on the construction PII market.
We are working across Government and with industry to find possible solutions that may improve the availability of PII for construction professionals.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
What steps he is taking to increase the supply of new homes.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
This Government cares deeply about building more homes. Since 2010, we have delivered over 1.8 million new homes, including 542,400 new affordable homes, so homes are there where people need them.
We are investing in supply, with over £12 billion in affordable housing over five years, the largest investment in a decade, and £7.1 billion in the National Home Building Fund, to unlock up to 860,000 homes over the lifetime of the projects, including much-needed new homes on brownfield land.
As set out in the Planning for the Future White Paper, the Government will speed up the planning system, enabling us to build homes more quickly.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the (a) cost to the public purse was of and (b) value of assets was in the Help to Buy scheme in each financial year since 2017-18.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Help to Buy expenditure (equity loans made), redemptions (equity loans repaid) and value of the loan portfolio (loan book) are published each year in Homes England's Annual Report & Financial Statements and are summarised below for the financial years 2017-18 through to 2019-20 expressed in £000’s:
2017/18
Expenditure: £3,048,679 Valuation of assets: £8,314,304
Redemptions: (£492,394)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-england-annual-report-and-financial-statements
2018/19
Expenditure: £3,530,582 Valuation of assets: £11,083,941
Redemptions: (£714,925)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-england-annual-report-financial-statements-201819
2019/20
Expenditure: £3,592,940 Valuation of assets: £14,016,314
Redemptions: (£919,840)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-england-annual-report-financial-statements-201920
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his timeframe is for the next stages of the public consultation for the Parking (Code of Conduct) Act 2019; and if he will he make a statement.
Answered by Luke Hall
We are working to improve the regulation of the private parking industry. This year we launched consultations on our proposals for the new Parking Code of Practice and Enforcement Framework, designed to crack down on rogue car parking firms. The consultations closed on 12 October. We are now considering the feedback and will publish our response in due course.