Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish in full the statistical and management information his Department used to inform the decision to lay SI 2022 No. 521, The Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (Amendment) (England) Order 2022; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We are collecting information on homelessness duties accepted in respect of Ukrainian households, including those who have arrived under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, and will publish data in due course.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his timeline is for publishing his Department’s response to the consultation on the Vagrancy Act 1824.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The consultation closed on 5 May and we are working to analyse these responses to inform replacement legislation. A Government response will be issued in due course.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 5 January 2022 to Question 94508 on Local Government: Remote Meetings, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on virtual council meetings.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Department has considered the responses to the consultation and the Government will respond shortly.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the funding for the local authority discretionary fund for those not eligible for the council tax rebate will be allocated.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government confirmed allocations for both the core and discretionary elements of the council tax rebate scheme in guidance published on 23 February. The funding for those allocations will be paid to councils on 30 March.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 allow local councils to hold meetings virtually.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
We launched a call for evidence on 25 March to gather views and inform a longer-term decision about whether to make express provision for councils to meet remotely on a permanent basis. The call for evidence closed on 17 June.
The Department has considered the responses to the consultation and the Government will respond shortly.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 implications for his policies of the findings in the Local Government Association's report, entitled A vision for urban growth and recovery, on the impact of the overrepresentation of low earners in economically vulnerable sectors on the ability of urban areas to economically recover from the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
We appreciate the Local Government Association's detailed and insightful 'Vision for Urban Growth and Recovery' report and value the recommendations made. We also welcome the continued engagement with the sector as we progress our levelling up agenda. In this respect, we share the view expressed in the Report on the importance of continued partnership between Government and key stakeholder groups.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the number of homeless night shelter beds that will be available in winter 2021-22.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government has committed over £750 million this year to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.
This includes over £202 million across England for the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI), which is more than an 80% increase from the £112 million provided last year. The funding will provide up to 14,500 bed spaces and 2,700 support staff. Within this year's RSI, local authorities were asked to plan for winter and any other surge capacity throughout the year.
We recognise that winter brings with it extra pressures especially with the on-going risk of COVID-19. For this reason, we are we are supporting the voluntary and community sector with the £3.8 million Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund. This funding will help provide safe accommodation that creates a sustained route of the streets by supporting investment in improved accommodation and of self-contained bed spaces over winter 21/22.
Night Shelters that are considering opening this winter should consult their local authorities and consider the COVID-19: provision of night shelters guidance on gov.uk, which was drafted with advice from the UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England).
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to allocate funding for covid-19 secure accommodation for street homeless people in winter 2021-22; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government has committed over £750 million this year to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.
This includes over £202 million across England for the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI), which is more than an 80% increase from the £112 million provided last year. The funding will provide up to 14,500 bed spaces and 2,700 support staff. Within this year's RSI, local authorities were asked to plan for winter and any other surge capacity throughout the year.
We recognise that winter brings with it extra pressures especially with the on-going risk of COVID-19. For this reason, we are we are supporting the voluntary and community sector with the £3.8 million Homelessness Winter Transformation Fund. This funding will help provide safe accommodation that creates a sustained route of the streets by supporting investment in improved accommodation and of self-contained bed spaces over winter 21/22.
Night Shelters that are considering opening this winter should consult their local authorities and consider the COVID-19: provision of night shelters guidance on gov.uk, which was drafted with advice from the UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England).