Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what data his Department holds on the use of multi-storey car park buildings for suicide attempts in each of the last 10 years; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to reduce the risk of such buildings being used for suicide.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government is in the process of setting up a new Building Safety Regulator, one of whose duties will be to keep under review the safety of all buildings, including those containing car parks.
The Department is aware of a number of very sad cases of falling from multi story car parks but does not have historic statistics. I would be happy to receive further information or representations from honourable Members on this matter to pass to the Building Safety Regulator to consider in more detail.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
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 considered the potential merits of taking steps to improve the safety of multi-storey car parks.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government is in the process of setting up a new Building Safety Regulator, one of whose duties will be to keep under review the safety of all buildings, including those containing car parks.
The Department is aware of a number of very sad cases of falling from multi story car parks but does not have historic statistics. I would be happy to receive further information or representations from honourable Members on this matter to pass to the Building Safety Regulator to consider in more detail.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase the public land available for community gardening projects in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Wirral and (d) Wallasey.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is taking a number of steps to ensure land is available for community needs such as community gardens. The National Planning Policy Framework already makes clear that planning policies and decisions should aim to achieve healthy, inclusive and safe places which enable and support healthy lifestyles, especially where this would address identified health and wellbeing needs, for example through the provision of safe and accessible green infrastructure. The Government has also recently sought views on the draft the National Model Design Code, and supporting Guidance Notes which sets out how local design codes may specify levels of green infrastructure provision, including allotments and community gardens.
In addition to this, land can also be designated as Local Green Space through local and neighbourhood plans which allows communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them. Designating land is a matter for local discretion, but the Government has set out in guidance that this could include green areas such as allotments.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase the public land available for community gardening projects in (a) England, (b) the North West, (c) Wirral and (d) Wallasey.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.