Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent progress his Department has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to reduce ground rent to less than a peppercorn.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government has committed to making enfranchisement cheaper for leaseholders by reforming the process of valuation they must follow to calculate the cost of extending their lease or buying their freehold. We will abolish marriage value, cap ground rents in the calculation, prescribe the rates to be used and introduce an online calculator.
Leaseholders will be able to extend their lease with zero ground rent on payment of a premium. The length of a statutory lease extension will increase to 990 years, from 90 years (for flats) and 50 years (for houses).
The Government has already legislated via the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 to protect future leaseholders. The Act will mean that if any ground rent is demanded as part of a new residential long lease, it cannot be for more than one literal peppercorn per year.
We understand the difficulties some existing leaseholders face with high and escalating ground rents. This is why we asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate potential mis-selling of homes and unfair terms in the leasehold sector, which has resulted in commitments benefitting over 20,000 leaseholders. The CMA continue to engage with a number of firms and we urge other developers to follow suit.
We have been clear about our commitment to addressing the historic imbalance in the leasehold system. We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to allow leaseholders to extend their leases by 999 years.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government has committed to making enfranchisement cheaper for leaseholders by reforming the process of valuation they must follow to calculate the cost of extending their lease or buying their freehold. We will abolish marriage value, cap ground rents in the calculation, prescribe the rates to be used and introduce an online calculator.
Leaseholders will be able to extend their lease with zero ground rent on payment of a premium. The length of a statutory lease extension will increase to 990 years, from 90 years (for flats) and 50 years (for houses).
The Government has already legislated via the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 to protect future leaseholders. The Act will mean that if any ground rent is demanded as part of a new residential long lease, it cannot be for more than one literal peppercorn per year.
We understand the difficulties some existing leaseholders face with high and escalating ground rents. This is why we asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate potential mis-selling of homes and unfair terms in the leasehold sector, which has resulted in commitments benefitting over 20,000 leaseholders. The CMA continue to engage with a number of firms and we urge other developers to follow suit.
We have been clear about our commitment to addressing the historic imbalance in the leasehold system. We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent progress his Department has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to abolish marriage value.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government has committed to making enfranchisement cheaper for leaseholders by reforming the process of valuation they must follow to calculate the cost of extending their lease or buying their freehold. We will abolish marriage value, cap ground rents in the calculation, prescribe the rates to be used and introduce an online calculator.
Leaseholders will be able to extend their lease with zero ground rent on payment of a premium. The length of a statutory lease extension will increase to 990 years, from 90 years (for flats) and 50 years (for houses).
The Government has already legislated via the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 to protect future leaseholders. The Act will mean that if any ground rent is demanded as part of a new residential long lease, it cannot be for more than one literal peppercorn per year.
We understand the difficulties some existing leaseholders face with high and escalating ground rents. This is why we asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate potential mis-selling of homes and unfair terms in the leasehold sector, which has resulted in commitments benefitting over 20,000 leaseholders. The CMA continue to engage with a number of firms and we urge other developers to follow suit.
We have been clear about our commitment to addressing the historic imbalance in the leasehold system. We are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with Network Rail on restoring the passenger footbridge at Beckenham Junction station.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The footbridge at Beckenham junction is closed whilst Network Rail carry out a full refurbishment of it. My officials have been informed that the line possessions required to complete them are planned for the Christmas period, allowing the bridge to reopen in January 2023.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the OECD's global minimum corporation tax proposals on costs for UK businesses.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The OECD’s Two Pillar Solution to the process of digitalisation represents a major reform of the international tax framework and will help to ensure multinational businesses pay their fair share, with the right companies paying the right amount of tax in the right place.
Both Pillars 1 and 2 will be subject to the standard tax policymaking process, with their impacts formally assessed through the OBR forecast process.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the length of time sponsors of Ukrainian refugees can claim accommodation payments through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Lead sponsors are eligible for monthly payments for as long as the guest remains living in their accommodation for up to 12 months. Further information can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to provide (a) guidance and (b) support to Ukrainian refugees seeking new accommodation after living with a sponsor.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are actively exploring options to find suitable long-term accommodation for Ukrainians who stay in this country beyond their sponsorship.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on what date he expects to deliver the Government's commitment to withdraw the January 2020 consolidated advice note.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Consolidated Advice will shortly be retired. We are developing more risk-proportionate guidelines for fire risk assessors, including PAS 9980 and new statutory fire safety guidance which will be published as soon as possible.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the strength is of each (a) English, (b) Scottish, (c) Welsh, (d) Irish and (e) Gurkha battalion.
Answered by James Heappey
The table below shows the Trade Trained Regular strength of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish Infantry and Royal Armoured Corps regiments, and Infantry Gurkha strength as at 1 January 2021.
English | 10,440 |
Scottish | 3,060 |
Welsh | 1,540 |
Irish | 1,080 |
Royal Gurkha Rifles | 1,690 |
Table notes:
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Independent - Beckenham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will extend the date by which local authorities in England can hold their AGMs to 31 July 2021 so that they have the opportunity to hold those meetings in person after the proposed end of covid-19 lockdown restrictions in June 2021.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government keeps all policy under review. However, to extend the timeframe by which annual meetings are held would require primary legislation.
We have received representations from local authorities and sector representative organisations making the case for the continuation of remote meetings beyond 7 May 2021 and are carefully considering next steps in this area.