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Written Question
Refugees: Gaza
Monday 13th November 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

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 help support local authorities to find accommodation for UK citizens who have fled Gaza.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

On 27 October the Government introduced emergency legislation to ensure British citizens and those eligible for support fleeing the violence in the Gaza Strip will be exempt from the Habitual Residence Test. This legislation will ensure those fleeing the conflict are eligible for benefits, social housing and homelessness assistance, where needed, without delay.


Written Question
Urban Areas: Disability
Monday 13th November 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer to Question 189778 on 20 June 2023 on Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Disability, how many projects his Department have commissioned to increase high street accessibility for disabled people through local growth funding in the last three years by location.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

We have engaged extensively with stakeholders including local authority officers, the LGA, charities and networks representing disabled people and sector leads to develop the pavement licensing measures. Pavement licence provisions were amended to ensure that the impacts on disabled people are fully taken into consideration by local authorities when making decisions.

The needs of disabled persons must be taken into account by the authority when determining whether furniture put on the highway would be an unacceptable obstruction. In doing so, authorities are required to have regard to the needs of disabled people and the recommended distances required for access by disabled people, as set out in guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not centrally collect data on the number of projects delivered by local authorities which seek to increase high street accessibility.


Written Question
Pedestrian Areas: Disability
Monday 13th November 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of measures introduced to support outdoor dining during the covid-19 pandemic on disabled people and their access to pedestrian areas.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

We have engaged extensively with stakeholders including local authority officers, the LGA, charities and networks representing disabled people and sector leads to develop the pavement licensing measures. Pavement licence provisions were amended to ensure that the impacts on disabled people are fully taken into consideration by local authorities when making decisions.

The needs of disabled persons must be taken into account by the authority when determining whether furniture put on the highway would be an unacceptable obstruction. In doing so, authorities are required to have regard to the needs of disabled people and the recommended distances required for access by disabled people, as set out in guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not centrally collect data on the number of projects delivered by local authorities which seek to increase high street accessibility.


Written Question
Community Development: Buildings
Tuesday 12th September 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to support local communities who have a (a) village hall and (b) other community building impacted by Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 197493 on 11 September 2023.


Written Question
Housing: Disability
Monday 10th July 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 189778 on Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Disability, what research his Department has commissioned to develop the statutory guidance on meeting building regulations approved document M; and whether he plans to publish that research.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to the answer to Question UIN HL8422 on 26 June 2023 and the answer to Question UIN 191722 on 3 July 2023. The Government will consult further on those technical changes needed to mandate the higher accessibility standard in the Building Regulations, and in statutory guidance, in due course.


Written Question
Housing: Disability
Monday 10th July 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 189778 on Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Disability, what (a) steps his Department is taking to improve and (b) his planned timetable is for improving the framework to deliver accessible new homes.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to the answer to Question UIN HL8422 on 26 June 2023 and the answer to Question UIN 191722 on 3 July 2023. The Government will consult further on those technical changes needed to mandate the higher accessibility standard in the Building Regulations, and in statutory guidance, in due course.


Written Question
Housing: Disability
Monday 10th July 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 189778 on Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Disability, what his planned timetable is for the (a) research on statutory guidance for building regulations approved document M and (b) secondary consultation on building regulations announced by his Department in July 2022.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to the answer to Question UIN HL8422 on 26 June 2023 and the answer to Question UIN 191722 on 3 July 2023. The Government will consult further on those technical changes needed to mandate the higher accessibility standard in the Building Regulations, and in statutory guidance, in due course.


Written Question
Help to Buy Scheme: Hampshire
Thursday 6th July 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many Help to Buy homeowners are currently waiting for a decision on a loan redemption application in (a) Romsey and Southampton North constituency and (b) Hampshire.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not collect local level data on the number of homeowners who are currently waiting for a decision on a loan redemption application. We can confirm that between 1 April 2013 and 31 December 2022, 1,362 homes were purchased in East Hampshire, 1,086 in Southampton and 2,156 in the Test Valley area which covers Romsey using the Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme. Further data on the number of households in England which have benefitted from the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme can be found in the latest Help to buy Equity Loan scheme statistics.


Written Question
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Disability
Tuesday 20th June 2023

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021, which of his Department’s commitments in that strategy that have not been paused as a result of legal action have (a) been fully, (b) been partially and (c) not been implemented.

Answered by Dehenna Davison

Please find below a table which sets out which of my department’s commitments in the National Disability Strategy published on 28 July 2021 have been fully and partially implemented. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) had no commitments in the Strategy paused as a result of legal action, and no commitments that have not been implemented.

DLUHC commitments in the National Disability Strategy (2021)

Status of commitment

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] will confirm plans to improve the framework to deliver accessible new homes by December 2021.

Fully implemented

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] is commissioning new research to develop the statutory guidance on meeting Building Regulations, covering access to and use of buildings (Approved Document M).

Fully implemented

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] has commissioned new research to develop robust evidence: - to inform building regulation guidance on the fire safety in new care homes and specialised housing. This will conclude by autumn 2021. - to inform policy in England on the means of escape for disabled people from new buildings. This will conclude by autumn 2021.

Partially implemented

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] has committed that 10% of the 180,000 homes built through the £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26 will be for supported housing.

Partially implemented

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] will make the new Shared Ownership model, including the reduced (10%) minimum initial stake, available to disabled people buying a home under the HOLD scheme.

Fully implemented

Following an independent review of the Disabled Facilities Grant published in December 2018, DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] and DHSC will jointly publish new government guidance for local authorities in England on effective delivery of the £573 million Disabled Facilities Grant during 2021.

Fully implemented

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] will consider how we can support projects that increase high street accessibility for disabled people in the design of any future local growth funding.

Fully implemented

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] will make £30 million available from summer 2021 to accelerate delivery of Changing Places toilets in existing buildings in England.

Fully implemented

DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] will publish a new National Model Design Code in the summer (2021), setting out design considerations for local planning authorities. The department will use guidance supporting the Code to stress the importance of providing accessible and inclusive play spaces and equipment for all.

Fully implemented

Building on the experience of the Access to Elected Office fund and the EnAble fund, DLUHC [formerly MHCLG] will support a new scheme from April 2022 to support those seeking to become candidates and - as importantly - once they have been elected to public office.

Fully implemented

The Cabinet Office (now DHLUC for Elections) has introduced the Elections Act which will improve the support provided to voters with disabilities who are voting in polling stations. Returning Officers will have a new responsibility to consider additional support for a range of disabled voters in the polling station. This includes meeting voters’ needs in a more tailored way, and providing equipment and resources that most support voters in their local area. The Act will also remove unnecessary barriers to voting including by widening the pool of people able to provide help to disabled people in casting their vote to any companion who is over the age of 18 in UK Parliamentary elections. The Elections Division also convenes the Access to Elections Working Group which meets with representatives of civil society organisations and charities and the elections sector across the UK to discuss and plan to improve accessibility for all disabled electors.

Fully implemented


Written Question
Buildings: Insulation
Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Asked by: Caroline Nokes (Conservative - Romsey and Southampton North)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance has been issued to mortgage lenders on the requirement for an external wall survey for blocks of flats under 18 metres.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

An EWS1 form is not a statutory or regulatory requirement nor ​a​ safety ‘test’. The measures in the January Statement, https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-sets-out-new-plan-to-protect-leaseholders-and-make-industry-pay-for-the-cladding-crisis, provide a clear framework for proportionate risk assessments whilst encouraging lenders to base their risk management on the presumption that medium risk buildings are safe, unless there is evidence to the contrary.

Government also supports the independent expert statement from July 2021 which was clear that there is no systemic risk of fire in residential buildings under 18 metres and that EWS1s should not be required by lenders on buildings under 18 metres.

We will continue to challenge industry on the use of the EWS1 process, as well as pressing for more data so that we can have greater assurance that EWS1 requests are proportionate, including in buildings under 18 metres.