Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many Section 21 notices have been issued in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jacob Young
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 183090 on 9 May 2023.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many Section 21 notices have been issued in each month in 2023.
Answered by Jacob Young
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 183090 on 9 May 2023.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the average time was between initial contact and first payment from the Flood Recovery Framework in the latest period for which data is available.
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:
Local Authorities and Lead Local Flood Authorities are responsible for distributing funding to affected people. They are able to do as soon as their area becomes eligible. Government funding for eligible properties will be paid to Local Authorities retrospectively, based on the certified cost of providing relief.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Flood Recovery Framework for providing timely financial support to people affected by flooding.
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:
Local Authorities and Lead Local Flood Authorities are responsible for distributing funding to affected people. They are able to do as soon as their area becomes eligible. Government funding for eligible properties will be paid to Local Authorities retrospectively, based on the certified cost of providing relief.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much financial support was provided under the Flood Recovery Framework in the first two weeks following Storm Babet.
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:
Local Authorities and Lead Local Flood Authorities are responsible for distributing funding to affected people. They are able to do as soon as their area becomes eligible. Government funding for eligible properties will be paid to Local Authorities retrospectively, based on the certified cost of providing relief.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will undertake a review of the compulsory purchase rules for land identified as being suitable for house building.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
In October 2022 the Government invited the Law Commission to undertake a review of compulsory purchase aimed primarily at consolidating the law on compulsory purchase and compensation.
We are also bringing forward reforms in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill to streamline and modernise the compulsory purchase process to make it more efficient for all types of compulsory purchase orders including those facilitating residential development.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many planning applications refused by Durham County Council have been (a) referred and (b) overturned by the Planning Inspectorate in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Planning Inspectorate publishes data on planning decisions at the following link.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
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 has received a request from Homes England to run a redundancy scheme.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
The department has received and approved a business case from Homes England on a planned exit scheme. It is for Homes England to consult with affected staff and trade union representatives in the usual manner.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with Target on the payment of bonuses to its staff in relation to the operation of contracts for telephony services for his Department.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
As a regulated contracting Authority, all contracting decisions are made in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or other relevant regulations where applicable.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many people have applied in England for the Voter Authority Certificate as of 1 March 2023; how many applications have been rejected for a Certificate; and whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of voters that will need a certificate.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon. Member to the UQ response here, to the Cabinet Office published survey on levels of ownership of photographic identification, and to the New Burdens funding methodology for the Elections Act 2022 available here.
Information regarding applications for Voter Authority Certificates is published online. The rejection of an application is a matter for the relevant Electoral Registration Officer.