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Written Question
Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to implement section 113 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 relating to the power for local authorities to take into account a developer's previous performance when determining planning applications.

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

Section 113 of the Levelling up and Regeneration Act 2013 gives local planning authorities the power to decline to consider planning applications from developers who have not completed or have been to slow completing earlier residential development in their area. It is an important part of the wider package of reforms in the Act to support the faster build out of residential development. We will be consulting on the detailed implementation of this package of reforms in due course.


Written Question
Water: Pollution Control
Monday 11th September 2023

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that his proposals to reform the nutrient neutrality regime accommodate schemes already agreed with (a) Natural England and (b) local planning authorities.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Government is acting to unblock 100,000 homes and to address the underlying sources of nutrient pollution. The Government has made £280 million funding available to Natural England to enable the current approach to mitigation schemes and associated credit markets to evolve

Under the new arrangements, Natural England, DEFRA, and DLUHC will work with local authorities and third parties to deliver strategic interventions which can reduce excess nutrients and support the recovery of protected sites. This will build on current mitigation schemes and engage with the future pipeline of potential schemes, across the public, private and conservation sectors.

Our ambition is to move as quickly as possible to ensure real world environmental benefits are secured alongside new housing delivery. This means establishing a strategic approach for catchments that offsets the limited nutrients outflow from new housing at the same time as starting to restore Habitats Sites which are in a poor condition due to excess nutrients.

The expertise of local authorities and Natural England will be hugely valuable in targeting interventions to the right places, thereby maximising benefits for water quality, people, and nature.


Written Question
Shorthold Tenancies
Wednesday 24th May 2023

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Renters (Reform Bill) on assured shorthold tenancies.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

The Renters (Reform) Bill had its First Reading in the House of Commons on 17 May. I refer my Rt. Hon. Friend to the Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS778) and to the published guide to the Bill.

We have submitted our Impact Assessment for review by the Regulatory Policy Committee. This is a significant document and they now need time to scrutinise it. We will publish it once that process has finished. I look forward to discussing these issues during the passage of the Bill.


Written Question
Local Government Finance
Wednesday 16th November 2022

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the timetable is for the Government's local government Fair Funding Review.

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

The Local Government Finance Settlement makes available funding for local authorities in England. On wider potential reform, The Government will bring forward its plan for the year ahead in the usual way through the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.

The Government will notify and work with local partners before consulting on any potential funding changes.


Written Question
Refugees: Ukraine
Monday 21st March 2022

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether the Government plans to make assistance with travel to UK available for refugees from Ukraine who successfully acquire a visa and match with a host under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

Ukrainian beneficiaries will be eligible for a single onward journey via national rail, light rail, bus and coach, free of charge to their final destination in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).


Written Question
Park Homes: Fees and Charges
Tuesday 14th December 2021

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to link park home pitch fee increases to CPI.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

The Government remains committed to improving protections for park home residents and this includes changing the pitch fee review inflationary index from the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). We will introduce the required legislation when the parliamentary timetable allows


Written Question
Park Homes: Rents
Monday 1st November 2021

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to alter the basis upon which annual rent increases are calculated for park home pitches.

Answered by Eddie Hughes

In our response to the review of park homes legislation, we made a commitment to change the pitch fee review inflationary index from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). We remain committed to improving the lives of park home residents and will introduce the required legislation when the parliamentary timetable allows.


Written Question
Platinum Jubilee 2022
Thursday 23rd September 2021

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to issue instructions to local authorities on easements and waivers to enable street parties to mark HM The Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade

Street parties guidance is currently available on the government website. The 'how to' guide outlining how best to prepare for street parties and other public events related to Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee will shortly be updated. My department will be writing to councils in due course to highlight some of the opportunities for councils and their communities to take part in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. In the letter we will include further details and advice on road closures.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Disease Control
Tuesday 18th May 2021

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to discontinue funding for the provision of covid marshals.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Government is working closely with local partners to minimise risks arising from easing of restrictions at each stage of the roadmap. This may include managing the impacts of increased footfall on beaches and in tourist hotspots, as well as helping shops and businesses to operate in a COVID-secure way. COVID-19 Secure Marshals or their equivalents are employed by local authorities as a result of the £400 million funding from Government through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund, and have played an important role in meeting the challenges of the pandemic at the local level.

Government will continue to keep its response under review to ensure local areas are equipped to meet the demands of the pandemic.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Disease Control
Tuesday 29th September 2020

Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will revise the covid-19 lockdown restrictions for weddings to increase the number of people permitted to attend services in churches.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

From 28 September no more than 15 people can legally attend a marriage or civil partnership, even where a larger number could be safely accommodated with social distancing in a large COVID-19 secure venue. Those who are working at the ceremony are not included as part of this legal limit.

We recognise that this rule will be disappointing for those planning such events. By their nature, marriage and civil partnership ceremonies are events that bring families and friends together, making them particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19.

We do not wish to keep this restriction in place for any longer than we?have to, and?it will be kept under review in line with the changing situation.