Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from small businesses and their trade bodies on the potential effect of business rates revaluation on their businesses.
Answered by Marcus Jones - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
In September 2016 we issued a consultation document on transitional relief for the 2017 revaluation. We received responses from ratepayers and organisations representing small businesses including the Federation of Small Businesses and the Association of Convenience Stores. A summary of responses is available on my Department's website at:
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/business-rates-revaluation-2017
Nearly three quarters of businesses will see no change or a fall in their bills from 1 April thanks to the business rates revaluation, with 600,000 businesses set to pay no business rates at all. A £3.6 billion transitional relief scheme will provide support for the minority who do face an increase.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on requiring areas which are bidding for devolved powers to introduce directly elected mayors.
Answered by Andrew Percy
The Government is clear that devolution deals are locally-led and bespoke - not one-size-fits-all. The Government has, however, been consistent in stating that the most ambitious deals in terms of the powers and funding devolved will be those that are the most ambitious in their governance proposals, for example those willing to offer a directly elected, single point of accountability by establishing mayoral combined authorities.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether it is his policy to continue the use of energy efficiency assessments when renting out or selling domestic properties; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Barwell
Energy performance certificates on sale, rent or build, are a requirement of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations, which implemented the Recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in England and Wales. Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. Therefore the requirement for energy performance certificates will continue to apply.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the number of properties available on the Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities scheme; what monitoring his Department has undertaken of the adequacy of supply of those properties; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Barwell
The HOLD scheme is designed to help people with long term disabilities, who cannot otherwise do so, access the Government’s affordable home ownership programme. It is a voluntary scheme for providers and is funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) according to demand. Data from the HCA indicates that 20 homes were sold under HOLD in 2015/16. However, due to the way sales are reported by providers this number may not include all such sales.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that there is a sufficient supply of single-storey housing for occupation by elderly people; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The National Planning Policy Framework and planning guidance requires local authorities to plan for a mix of housing based on current and future demographic trends, and the needs of different groups in their area. This includes housing suitable for occupation by elderly people.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on the priority that should be given to maintaining Green Belt land in Local Plans in areas where there is unmet housing need.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
Green Belt is protected by local authorities in line with national policy set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework states that permanence is an essential characteristic of Green Belt, and that a Green Belt boundary may be altered only in exceptional circumstances, using the Local Plan. Our supporting Guidance reminds local authorities that, in planning to meet their objectively assessed local housing needs, they must have due regard to national policies (including Green Belt policy) which indicate that development should be restricted and which may restrain the ability of an authority to meet all its needs. This applies even where there is no up-to-date Plan. It is for the Planning Inspector examining a revised Local Plan to determine whether it is based on sound evidence and in line with national policy.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Question 12052, for what reasons Part M building regulations do not apply to extensions to dwellings.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
When Part M was introduced in 1999 the then Government decided not to apply the requirements to extensions to dwellings. To do so would require alterations to the existing dwelling (or the approach to the dwelling or extension) in order to accommodate Part M requirements which are not considered to be reasonably practical for dwellings built before Part M was introduced.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will amend building regulations to ensure that building extensions are fully accessible for people with disabilities.
Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm
Part M of the Building Regulations requires that extensions to buildings other than dwellings provide suitable independent access to an extension where reasonably practicable. These requirements do not apply to extensions to dwellings, however. We have no plans to amend the Regulations but will keep this under review.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what restrictions apply to people who were recently employed as local planning officers working in the private sector on planning applications in the same local authority area in which they were previously employed.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The terms and conditions of employment for local authority officers are a matter for each local authority. It will be for local authorities to include in those terms and conditions such provisions about conflicts of interest as they consider appropriate. Local authority officers should also have regard to the probity guidance published by the Local Government Association and the Planning Advisory Service.
The consideration of any planning applications by a local authority should be undertaken with due process, a fair hearing and appropriate transparency. Planning applications are considered on their own merits and, by law, are determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
Asked by: Laurence Robertson (Conservative - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of planning applications which are determined under delegated authority by planning officers in (a) England and (b) each of the district authorities in Gloucestershire.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The proportions of planning decisions delegated to planning officers in England in July to September 2014 are recorded in the Planning Applications Statistics Live Table P133. This is available at www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-planning-application-statistics.
The exercise of the power to delegate planning functions is a matter for the local planning authority to decide, as set out in the council’s constitution. Unlike the last Administration, we have not imposed Whitehall targets on councils requiring the delegation of a specific percentage of planning decisions.
Councils will want to consider the best way of promptly processing uncontroversial planning applications, whilst ensuring elected councillors have the ability to scrutinise and debate contentious applications and applications with a significant impact.