Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the distribution of flood relief grant-aid to (a) homes and (b) businesses affected by the flooding caused by Storm Babet in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency.
Answered by Jacob Young
I extend my sympathy to all those affected by the impacts of Storm Babet, flooding is a devastating experience for anyone. I also recognise the efforts of councils and emergency responders and thank them for their ongoing work in affected areas.
The Secretary of State activated the Flood Recovery Framework on Wednesday 25 October. The activation of the Storm Babet Flood Recovery Framework will be reviewed following implementation by local authorities.
For the Storm Babet Flood Recovery Framework activation, eligible areas are those upper and lower tier authority areas:
East Suffolk Council, Mid Suffolk Council and Ipswich Council are eligible for the Storm Babet Flood Recovery Framework and have until 25 January 2024 to provide information on impacts to my department to support payment processes.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
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 plans to re-introduce neighbourhood planning grants.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Policy announcements will be made in the usual way.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to change the Park Home Pitch Fee Inflationary Index from RPI to CPI.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
The Government recognises that park home residents are concerned about additional cost of living pressures. That is why we are supporting a Private Member's Bill by my Hon. Friend, the Member for Christchurch, to change the pitch fee review index from RPI to CPI.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has plans to help protect high quality agricultural land from housing development.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government already places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production. Within the National Planning Policy Framework, we set out that the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land should be reflected in planning policies and decisions. The Framework is also clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
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 offer financial assistance to Ukrainian families who travelled to the UK either on the (a) Homes for Ukraine Scheme or (b) Ukraine Family scheme; and what plans he has to lessen potential disparities between the two schemes.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
All Ukrainians arriving under either scheme have the right to work and access to benefits and services including Universal Credit. The Department for Levelling Up’s Homes for Ukraine scheme provides additional funding for local authorities. The Ukraine Family Scheme is administered by the Home Office.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to improve the energy efficiency of grade 1 listed homes.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government remains fully committed to meeting its climate change targets, alongside the protection of the historic environment, and recognises the important contribution that cost effective energy efficiency improvements to buildings can make in meeting these targets.
Approved Document L Volume 1 gives guidance on how to meet the energy efficiency requirements in homes. The guidance explains that when doing work on a listed building, dwellings do not need to comply fully with the energy efficiency requirements, where to do so would unacceptably alter their character or appearance. However, the work should comply with standards to the extent that it is reasonably practicable.