Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made recent progress on introducing a lifetime deposit for renters.
Answered by Jacob Young
As set out in our 2022 White Paper ‘A Fairer Private Rented Sector’, the market has responded to the ambition of our manifesto commitment for a ‘lifetime deposit’.
We continue to monitor the development of commercial lifetime deposit solutions, alongside keeping deposit protection and the broader deposit market under review.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the number of first time buyers in each of the last five years.
Answered by Lee Rowley
DLUHC publishes estimates of first-time buyer numbers as part of the English Housing Survey.
See Chapter 3 and Annex 3.2 in: English Housing Survey2022 to 2023: headline report - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
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 legal advice given to the Law Commission in December 2019, whether his Department has received any recent advice on the compatability of the marriage value element of leasehold enfranchisement with Article 1 of the First Protocol (A1P1) to the ECHR.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Our reforms seek to make it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to extend their lease or purchase their freehold. An Impact Assessment for the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill has been carried out and published on the Parliament website at: Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill as introduced on 27 November 2023 is considered compatible with the ECHR, as the section 19 statement on compatibility with Convention rights has been signed.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the potential cost to businesses of proposals to abolish the marriage value element of leasehold enfranchisement; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of those proposals on non-UK leaseholders.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Our reforms seek to make it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to extend their lease or purchase their freehold. An Impact Assessment for the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill has been carried out and published on the Parliament website at: Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill as introduced on 27 November 2023 is considered compatible with the ECHR, as the section 19 statement on compatibility with Convention rights has been signed.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the total cost to his Department has been of ministerial severance payments to outgoing Ministers of State for Housing since 13 May 2010.
Answered by Jacob Young
Details of such payments are published in departmental annual reports and accounts, and ministerial salaries are published here.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance his Department issues to social housing providers on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
Answered by Lee Rowley
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 197493 on 11 September 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the proportion of social housing stock that contains reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
Answered by Lee Rowley
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 197493 on 11 September 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
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 bring forward legislative proposals to outlaw blanket bans on private renters (a) with children and (b) in receipt of benefits.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 187385 on 7 June 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on when the Renters (Reform) Bill will receive its Second Reading.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 187383 on 7 June 2023.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
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 make an assessment of the potential impact of using permitted development powers for the installation of (a) fibre optic and (b) 5G (i) poles and (ii) other infrastructure in residential areas on those areas.
Answered by Lucy Frazer
We have set a mission that, by 2030, the UK will have nationwide gigabit-capable broadband and 4G coverage, with 5G coverage for the majority of the population. All four mobile network operators launched their 5G networks in 2019, and 5G is now available from at least one mobile network operator outside 77% of premises across the UK. 73% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband - a significant leap forward from January 2019, when coverage was just 6%.
Changes to permitted development rights were made in Spring 2022 to support the deployment of 5G and extend mobile coverage and will further support progress towards digital connectivity in every part of the country. We are keeping use and impact of the planning changes under review.