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Written Question
High Rise Flats: Insurance
Monday 15th March 2021

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department holds data on the number of blocks that are only able to obtain first loss buildings insurance policies that do not cover the full cost of major losses.

Answered by Christopher Pincher

The Department does not hold this information for all medium and high rise blocks in England.


Written Question
High Rise Flats: Insurance
Monday 15th March 2021

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of blocks which are (a) unable to obtain building cover via a single insurer or (b) are subject to insurance exclusions or excesses which would not have applied prior to the Grenfell tower fire.

Answered by Christopher Pincher

The Department does not hold this information for all medium and high rise blocks in England.


Written Question
High Rise Flats: Insurance
Monday 15th March 2021

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data his department holds on (a) the costs of buildings insurance in both medium and high rise blocks and (b) the extent to which those costs have increased since the Grenfell fire.

Answered by Christopher Pincher

The Department does not hold this information for all medium and high rise blocks in England.


Written Question
Planning Permission: Forests
Thursday 21st January 2021

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to include provisions to protect woodland in his proposals for planning reform.

Answered by Christopher Pincher

In Planning for the Future we proposed a quicker and simpler framework for assessing environmental effects: one which does not compromise on environmental standards, and indeed encourages opportunities for environmental enhancements to be identified and pursued early in the development process. Proposals will leave an inheritance of environmental improvements with environmental assets protected, more green spaces provided, more sustainable development supported and new homes that are more energy efficient


Though we are still considering the responses to the White Paper consultation, I can confirm that the protections for landscape, habitat and wildlife will remain in force, including ancient woodland, and ancient and veteran trees, and reforms will support the implementation of the proposals in the Environment Bill. Consultation on the White Paper closed on 29 October 2020. The Government will publish its response following consideration of all the feedback received.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Social Security Benefits
Friday 24th July 2020

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent landlords from refusing to accept tenants in receipt of benefit payments.

Answered by Christopher Pincher

We are clear that ‘No DSS’ -- or any blanket ban on tenants on the basis that they are in receipt of benefits -- has no place in a modern housing market.

We strongly encourage landlords and agents to look at all potential and existing tenants claiming housing benefit on an individual basis, and have worked with the sector to find ways to prevent the practice of 'No DSS'. Last year major lettings portals Zoopla and Rightmove agreed to stop use of 'No DSS' adverts on their websites, and several major lenders agreed to remove restrictions on mortgages which prevented landlords from letting to tenants on benefits.

We have no plans at present to introduce legislation on this issue but are committed to bringing forward a Renters Reform Bill in due course, to deliver a better deal for renters and a fairer and more effective rental market.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Evictions
Tuesday 7th July 2020

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many section 21 eviction notices have been issued in each month of 2020, by local authority.

Answered by Christopher Pincher

The Government does not collect information on the number of section 21 notices that landlords have served on their tenants indicating a desire to regain possession of their property.

Where a landlord serves a valid notice on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, the landlord can only lawfully regain possession by making a claim for possession in the county court unless the tenant chooses to vacate the property.

The Mortgage and Landlord Repossession Statistics record the number of claims for possession brought by landlords in the county court in each quarter. In addition, the latest statistics for the first quarter of 2020 indicate the number of claims for possession issued on a weekly basis from the week commencing 3 February until the end of the quarter. The quarterly data can be accessed to local authority level in the published data files. The statistics are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mortgage-and-landlord-possession-statistics-january-to-march-2020

All housing possession proceedings are suspended until 23 August 2020. In addition, the emergency measures in the Coronavirus Act 2020, which require landlords to give tenants at least 3 months' notice of their intention to regain possession of their property are in place until 30 September 2020.


Written Question
Energy Performance Certificates: Government Departments
Monday 6th July 2020

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many buildings (a) occupied and (b) used by government departments have a Display Energy Certificate.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

The Government does not routinely hold or collect data to identify public buildings that are frequently visited by the public and which require a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) under the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations. DECs are not required to record information that identifies a building as being occupied or used by a Government Department and frequently visited by the public. Therefore, this Department has not made an assessment of the number of buildings used or occupied by Government Departments that have a DEC.

Data on DECs for buildings occupied by public authorities over a certain size threshold and frequently visited by the public can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-energy-performance-of-buildings-certificates (Table DEC1).


Written Question
Social Services: Finance
Friday 3rd July 2020

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on the social care sector of local authority insolvency; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Simon Clarke

We have made £3.7 billion available to local authorities through an un-ringfenced grant so they can address pressures they are facing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including expenditure pressures from adult social care. This includes £500 million of additional funding announced by the Secretary of State on 2 July.

Over 90 per cent of the funding announced in March and April has been allocated to councils with responsibility for social care services; allocations of the latest tranche of £500 million will be shared in due course. Local authorities have also received £600 million through the Infection Control Fund to pass on to social care providers.

The Department recognises the additional costs and pressures on finances councils are facing as a result of the current Covid-19 crisis. We continue to engage regularly with the local government sector, which includes our ongoing financial monitoring survey and direct contact with councils and their representatives, local Leaders and Chief Executives. We have also worked closely with CIPFA who have temporarily amended their guidance on the use of section 114 notices to further encourage local authorities to make contact with the Department in the first instance to advise of any immediate financial concerns.


Written Question
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Renewable Energy
Friday 26th June 2020

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many (a) solar panels and (b) wind turbines his Department's buildings (a) have in 2020 and (b) had in each of the last five years.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

MHCLG offices are managed by the Government Property Agency with certain services, such as energy, managed by other government departments across all sites. MHCLG therefore does not hold this data.


Written Question
Religious Buildings: Coronavirus
Friday 26th June 2020

Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has he made of the economic effect of covid-19 on places of worship; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)

Faith communities have a long history of service supporting many of the most vulnerable members of our society. The rapid response during the current pandemic has been no different and I would like to reiterate how much the government values the work being done to support those in need. Responsibility for faith engagement is led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, who?continue to play a facilitative?role?in ensuring?Government?understands?the needs of faith communities and the challenges they?may be currently?facing?due to the pandemic.

We are working closely with a range of faith and community groups, including the Places of Worship Taskforce to better understand how Government can support them to respond to the pressures they face on sustaining their?organisations during this period of time.

The Government has announced a range of funds available to charities. Further information about what funding is available and how to apply can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19