Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to encourage registered social landlords to apply for the Affordable Homes Grant to build new sites for Travellers.
Answered by Dominic Raab
The Department published an addendum to the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 prospectus and supplementary information, which set out that funding is now available for new build traveller pitches within the Programme.
Local authorities and housing associations are invited to submit their bids which will be assessed based on the criteria set out in these documents.
The addendum to the prospectus and supplementary information are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/shared-ownership-and-affordable-homes-programme-2016-to-2021-guidance
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure local authorities allocate land in their local plans to meet their estimated need for new sites for Travellers.
Answered by Dominic Raab
As set out in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, the Government has asked local planning authorities, as part of their local plan, to identify and update annually a five year supply of specific, deliverable sites to meet local need for traveller sites. Local planning authorities should set pitch and plot targets to address the accommodation needs of travellers in their area.
The National Planning Policy Framework clarifies that local plans will be examined by an independent inspector whose role is to assess whether the plan has been prepared in accordance with the Duty to Cooperate, legal and procedural requirements, and whether it is sound. A local planning authority should submit a plan for examination which is consistent with national policy, including the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to allocate funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund to the (a) third sector (b) public sector and (c) academic sector in the UK after 2020.
Answered by Jake Berry
My Department continues to develop the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which aims to improve productivity and reduce economic inequalities across the country.
The new Fund affords a fresh opportunity to focus investment according to our own priorities. As announced in the Industrial Strategy, we will consult widely on the design of the new Fund later in the year. I would encourage organisations from the third sector, public sector and academic sector to make their views known.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of the affordable residential pitches (a) started and (b) completed on Traveller sites in each local authority area under the 2015 to 2018 Affordable Homes Programme represent additional pitch provision.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The table below shows the number of new affordable residential pitches (a) started and (b) completed on traveller sites in each local authority area under the 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme. All other local authority areas not listed in this table show a nil-return.
Local Authority | a) Started pitches | b) Completed pitches |
Central Bedfordshire | 2 | 2 |
Darlington | 22 | 22 |
Harlow | 12 | 12 |
Solihull | 7 | 0 |
Total | 43 | 36* |
*36 total relates to the total amount of completed pitches in the programme of the 2015-18 Affordable Homes programme.
However, the Government only collects information on new provisions and does not record net gain in new pitches.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of the affordable residential pitches (a) started and (b) completed on Traveller sites in each local authority area under the 2015 to 2018 Affordable Homes Programme represent additional pitch provision.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The table below shows the number of new affordable residential pitches (a) started and (b) completed on traveller sites in each local authority area under the 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme. All other local authority areas not listed in this table show a nil-return.
Local Authority | a) Started pitches | b) Completed pitches |
Central Bedfordshire | 2 | 2 |
Darlington | 22 | 22 |
Harlow | 12 | 12 |
Solihull | 7 | 0 |
Total | 43 | 36* |
*36 total relates to the total amount of completed pitches in the programme of the 2015-18 Affordable Homes programme.
However, the Government only collects information on new provisions and does not record net gain in new pitches.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with HM Treasury on funding for existing EU structural and investment projects; and if all such projects meet the criteria of providing strong value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
My Department is in regular contact with HM Treasury regarding funding for EU Structural and Investment Funds. All European Regional Development Fund projects signed to date deliver value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities. These will be guaranteed by the Government after the UK leaves the EU.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, with reference to the funding supported housing consultation published on 31 October 2017, what funding settlement will be in place for mental health supported housing schemes which fall into neither short-term nor long-term categories and combine individuals with a variety of different lengths of stay.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
Everyone who is eligible to have their housing costs met under the current system, will continue to have their housing costs met through the models announced on 31 October, whether they are staying in short-term accommodation, long term accommodation or in transition between the two.
We will continue to fund long-term supported accommodation through the welfare system, with 100 per cent of housing costs (rent and eligible service charges) normally being met (unless, exceptionally, other benefit restrictions may apply to the individual involved). This funding will be uncapped by Local Housing Allowance rates as these will no longer apply. For short-term accommodation all funding for rent and eligible service charges previously met from Housing Benefit will instead be allocated to local authorities through ring-fenced grants, to fund the commissioning of provision at a local level.
This will fund housing costs for provision rather than specific individuals. An individual’s entitlement for help with housing costs whilst staying in accommodation funded under each of our supported housing models, including the short-term model, will be exactly as it would have been through Housing Benefit or the housing cost element of Universal Credit.
Through our consultation, and otherwise, we will continue to engage with the sector and stakeholders to seek views on key system design elements of the reformed funding model to ensure it is responsive and will work for providers, tenants and clients, across such a diverse sector, including provision for those with mental ill health.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) starts and (b) completions have occurred for Gypsy and Traveller sites under the Affordable Homes Programme 2015-18 in each local authority area.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The table below shows the number of new affordable residential pitches (a) started and (b) completed on traveller sites in each local authority area under the 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme. All other local authority areas not listed in this table show a nil-return.
Local Authority | a) Started pitches | b) Completed pitches |
Central Bedfordshire | 2 | 2 |
Darlington | 22 | 22 |
Harlow | 12 | 12 |
Solihull | 7 | 0 |
Total | 43 | 36* |
*36 total relates to the total amount of completed pitches in the programme of the 2015-18 Affordable Homes programme.
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many affordable residential pitches have been (a) started and (b) completed in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The table below shows the number of new affordable residential traveller pitches (a) started and (b) completed in each of the last five financial years. Delivery during this period was recorded under the 2011-15 Traveller Pitch Funding programme and the 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme.
2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17
a - started pitches 112 240 196 9* 34*
b - completed pitches 4 39 420 52 36*
* Relate to 15-18 AHP
Asked by: Kate Green (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and which local authorities have met the requirement (a) in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2015 to identify and maintain a supply of specific deliverable sites, sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites, against their locally set target and (b) to include the same outcome for each of the next five, six and 10 years as set down in the Planning Policy for Travellers Sites document.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The Government has made no such estimates. It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess all local housing needs through their local plan.