Asked by: Louise Ellman (Independent - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of rent arrears accrued by each registered social landlord in (a) Liverpool and (b) Liverpool Riverside in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
The Global Accounts of Housing Providers, published by the Homes and Communities Agency, has estimated that rent arrears were 5.1% in 2009-10, 5.1% in 2010-11, 4.8% in 2011-12 and 4.8% in 2012-13. These figures are for private registered providers of social housing (primarily housing associations). Data for 2013-14 will be available in Spring 2015.
My Department does not centrally hold arrears information on individual housing associations. Figures on local authority social housing rent arrears can be found on my Department’s website at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-housing-data (for up to 2012-13).
The Homes and Communities Agency also publishes quarterly reports based on a survey of larger providers. This reported that rent arrears were 4% at the end of 2013-14. Their latest report states: “Most providers (91%) continue to report that the current level of arrears, rent collection and voids are within or outperforming their business plans” (Quarterly Survey of Private Registered Providers 2014-15, Quarter 1); the reports paint a broad picture of stability in income collection.
In this context, the claims previously made by HM Opposition about the effects of the removal of the spare room subsidy were unfounded. The removal of the spare room subsidy is estimated to save £490 million of taxpayers' money in Great Britain in 2013-14, reducing the housing benefit bill and helping pay off the budget deficit left by the last Administration. The measure also encourages the more effective use of social housing, by addressing the under-occupation of family homes.
Asked by: Louise Ellman (Independent - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to promote community cohesion following the recent anti-Semitic incidents; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Stephen Williams
The Government is in daily contact with the Jewish community and the police who are working closely with Jewish communities and organisations to monitor tensions and to provide reassurance, security measures and safety advice. We would urge anyone who is a victim of a hate crime to report the incident to the police.
Our relationship with the Jewish community has been built on the solid work of the Cross-Government working group on tackling anti-semitism which ensures that we are alive to any issues and concerns of the Jewish community and can respond quickly. This is a model of good practice cited around the world.
I met with the Community Security Trust to discuss the rise in anti-semitism in July and issued a statement which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/stephen-williams-meets-jewish-community-organisation-over-rise-in-anti-semitic-attacks
My rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State (Eric Pickles) met with the Chief Rabbi on Wednesday 3 September and repeated our continued commitment in tackling anti-semitism. This Department will be encouraging the community more generally to make Mitzvah Day an earnest event this year, and emphasise the importance of the Jewish community getting out and very visibly demonstrating once again their contribution to British life.
Those who commit hate crimes should expect to be punished with the full force of the law. Everyone who believes in British liberties should condemn anti-semitism and stand up for the Jewish community's right to practice their faith without fear or intimidation.