Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 effectiveness of the Leasehold Advisory Service’s support for (a) leaseholders and (b) freeholders.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) exists to provide leaseholders and park home owners with the advice and information they need to understand their rights and responsibilities and to engage confidently with third parties like freeholders, managing agents and site owners, including on fire safety issues like cladding. LEASE continues to receive positive feedback from customers who have received advice.
The department meets with LEASE regularly as part of sponsorship oversight and this includes scrutiny of performance and financial management of LEASE's £1.9 million annual budget.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Leasehold Advisory Service at protecting the rights of leaseholders.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) exists to provide leaseholders and park home owners with the advice and information they need to understand their rights and responsibilities and to engage confidently with third parties like freeholders, managing agents and site owners, including on fire safety issues like cladding. LEASE continues to receive positive feedback from customers who have received advice.
The department meets with LEASE regularly as part of sponsorship oversight and this includes scrutiny of performance and financial management of LEASE's £1.9 million annual budget.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the annual cost to the public purse is of Leasehold Advisory Service.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) exists to provide leaseholders and park home owners with the advice and information they need to understand their rights and responsibilities and to engage confidently with third parties like freeholders, managing agents and site owners, including on fire safety issues like cladding. LEASE continues to receive positive feedback from customers who have received advice.
The department meets with LEASE regularly as part of sponsorship oversight and this includes scrutiny of performance and financial management of LEASE's £1.9 million annual budget.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the sustainability of local government finances.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We continue to work closely with local government, as we always do, meeting regularly with sector representative bodies and councils to monitor budgets and service delivery.
The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available up to an additional £5 billion to councils, an increase of 9% in cash terms on 2022/23. We are consulting on these proposals until 16 January.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 merits of extending the thank you payment under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme past the 12 month time-limit.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
I refer the Hon Member to the Secretary of State’s statement, which announced precisely that policy.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 undertake an equality impact assessment of the legislation on occupants of leasehold properties.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
In line with usual practice, the Government's intention would be to publish a regulatory impact assessment for primary legislation.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the planned timetable is for the extension of the Right to Buy.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is considering the next steps on the proposed extension of the Right to Buy to housing association tenants. We will work closely with the housing association sector on the approach to a new scheme and will announce more details in due course.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 effect of trends in the levels of mortgage rates on average rental prices.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The department continues to monitor market research into the likely impact of interest rates on buy-to-let landlords and private rent levels.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment the Government has made of the potential effect of rising mortgage rates on trends in the level of home ownership in the next 3 years.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Department is monitoring closely the impact of rising interest rates on mortgages on levels of home ownership, addressing both current owners and prospective first-time buyers.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Neston)
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 for the implications of his policies of the report on the research study his Department commissioned from Liverpool and Sheffield Hallam Universities entitled the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The report into park homes highlighted the complex issues around the payment of commission on the sale of a park home, residents’ mobility and the financial viability of parks. We are grateful to the authors and are considering the report and the recommendations in more detail. We will publish a response in due course.