Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, in reference to the upcoming technical consultation on the provision of toilets, whether his Department will consult on the implementation of incontinence bins in publicly accessible male toilets.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Building Regulations determine specifications for size, space and construction of a building but not for the equipment inside a building. The Government however encourages the provision of sanitary bins in all toilets.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2022 to Question 5468 on Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Children, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of awarding visas to minors travelling to the UK with the consent of parents who are remaining in Ukraine as a result of caring responsibilities.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by my Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State (HCWS123) on 22 June 2022.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2022 Question 5468 on Homes for Ukraine Scheme: Children, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of awarding visas to minors travelling to the UK from Ukraine with the consent of parents who are remaining in Ukraine to contribute to its defence against the Russian invasion.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by my Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State (HCWS123) on 22 June 2022.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to enable blind and partially sighted people to exercise their right to vote independently.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
It is integral to our democracy that everybody is able to make their voice heard and that elections are accessible for all those eligible to vote.
The Government works closely with charities representing individuals with disabilities such as those who are blind or partially-sighted, including the RNIB. We will continue to work with these organisations to help ensure effective communication and collaboration so that disabled electors get the right support. We have also worked with the RNIB to test potential ways to improve the voting process for blind and partially sighted people.
In addition, the Elections Bill will, for the first time in electoral law, put in place a requirement for Returning Officers to consider the needs of all disabled voters when providing equipment for polling stations. Returning Officers are best placed to respond to the needs of their local communities, and being able to respond to individual needs will help ensure that people are effectively supported to vote. Our new proposals will be supported by guidance from the Electoral Commission, and will involve a wide range of engagement with relevant stakeholders.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will create a covid rent debt fund to support people dealing with rent arrears built up during the pandemic.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
This Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support to protect renters whose income has been affected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notably, to help prevent people getting into financial hardship, we have increased the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate in 2020/21 to the 30th percentile of local market rents in each area. The increased LHA rates will be maintained at the current levels in cash terms in 2021/22, even in areas where the 30th percentile of local rents has gone down. We have boosted the welfare system by billions of pounds, including increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 for the year. In addition, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has offered support for businesses to pay staff salaries, enabling people to continue to pay their rent and has been extended until the end of April 2021.
For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. As announced at the spending round for 2020/21, there is already £180 million in DHPs for local authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housings costs in the private and social rented sectors. For 2021-22 the Government will make available £140 million in DHP funding, which takes account of the increased LHA rates.
The recently published English Housing Survey Household Resilience Study found that 93 per cent of private renters are up to date on their rent. This indicates our package of support is working, and has prevented widespread arrears.
We continue to closely monitor the ongoing effects of the pandemic on renters.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
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 tackle increases in the level of rent arrears in the private rented sector as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
This Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support to protect renters whose income has been affected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notably, to help prevent people getting into financial hardship, we have increased the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate in 2020/21 to the 30th percentile of local market rents in each area. The increased LHA rates will be maintained at the current levels in cash terms in 2021/22, even in areas where the 30th percentile of local rents has gone down. We have boosted the welfare system by billions of pounds, including increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 for the year. In addition, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has offered support for businesses to pay staff salaries, enabling people to continue to pay their rent and has been extended until the end of April 2021.
For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. As announced at the spending round for 2020/21, there is already £180 million in DHPs for local authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housings costs in the private and social rented sectors. For 2021-22 the Government will make available £140 million in DHP funding, which takes account of the increased LHA rates.
The recently published English Housing Survey Household Resilience Study found that 93 per cent of private renters are up to date on their rent. This indicates our package of support is working, and has prevented widespread arrears.
We continue to closely monitor the ongoing effects of the pandemic on renters.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January 2017.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The Department for Communities and Local Government funds the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust to deliver the United Kingdom's annual Holocaust Memorial Day. This year the commemorative ceremony will be taking place in London on 26 January. The Trust also supports thousands of local commemorative events across the country and devolved nations.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent steps he has taken to tackle anti-Semitism; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The Government recently published an update to the All-Party Parliamentary Group against Anti-Semitism detailing our progress in tackling anti-Semitism. Details can be found at:
The Government has recently adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism which is an important tool for criminal justice agencies and other public bodies to understand how anti-Semitism manifests itself in the 21st century. In addition, representatives from Jewish community organisations sit on the cross-Government Working Group on anti-Semitism which ensures that we remain alive to any issues of concern.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will require private car parking firms to join an accredited trade association.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
We have set out a clear manifesto commitment in England to tackle aggressive parking enforcement and excessive parking charges, and we are taking steps to tackle rogue and unfair practices by private parking operators. This Government has put in place a range of measures to deal with aggressive activities of private parking companies, including the banning of wheel clamping and towing. We are considering further reform.
Off-street parking policy is however a devolved matter to Scotland, and as such accreditation is a matter for the Scottish Government. Therefore, I can only comment on the accredited trade associations with respect to England.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
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 the DVLA on the implications of the Supreme Court case, Beavis vs ParkingEye.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
The Government is aware of the public concern at the way some private parking companies operate.
Whilst we have not held any specific discussions with the DVLA or representatives of the private parking companies, we are currently reviewing responses to the discussion paper, “Parking Reform: Tackling Unfair Practices”.
We will issue a response in due course.