Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent estimate he has made of the number of professionals who are qualified to undertake fire risk appraisals of external wall construction in accordance with the code of practice entitled PAS 9980:2022.
Answered by Paul Scully
We recognise the importance of an appropriately skilled workforce to assess the risk to life of fire in buildings, in line with the new British Institutions Standard PAS 9980. We are continuing to work with the fire safety sector to develop a sustainable, long-term workforce equipped with the necessary skills to assess the fire risk of external walls. This includes engagement with firms to establish existing market capacity as well as measures to invest in long-term training and improved career pathways for fire risk professionals.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the fund to mitigate against life safety fire risks associated with cladding on mid-rise residential buildings that are 11-18m in height in cases where a Responsible Entity can demonstrate that other options to cover costs are unavailable will be open for applications.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Government is launching a new 11-18m cladding remediation scheme to fund work on buildings where a responsible developer cannot be identified. We are planning to open the scheme on an interim basis, initially targeting a small number of high-risk buildings in interim measures. Details of the 11-18m Remediation Fund will be announced as soon as they are ready.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department intends to introduce legislation to enact the second phase of leasehold reform within this Parliament.
Answered by Lee Rowley
We are due to bring forward further Leasehold reforms later in this parliament.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's Remediation of non-ACM buildings publication, why the number of buildings where remediation had started on site fell from 282 to 245 between 1 August and 14 September.
Answered by Paul Scully
Between 31 July 2022 and 31 August 2022, there was an increase of seven buildings in the Building Safety Fund that started remediation, and six buildings that completed remediation works.
As at 31 July 2022, 282 buildings in the Building Safety Fund had started or completed remediation works. Of those 282 buildings, 44 buildings had completed remediation works.
As at 31 August 2022, 295 buildings in the Building Safety Fund had started or completed remediation works. Of those 295 buildings, 50 buildings had completed remediation works (and 245 buildings had started, but not completed remediation works).
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has plans to consult on his Department's white paper entitled A fairer private rented sector, published on 16 June 2022.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The plans set out in our White Paper were informed by extensive formal and informal consultation with stakeholders from across the Private Rented Sector (PRS). We have no further plans to formally consult on the White Paper but will continue to undertake wide-ranging engagement with tenants, landlords, local councils and interested groups in the sector
We know that these reforms cannot deliver the change needed without the input of those that live and work in the PRS.
The consultation responses that we published alongside the White Paper can be found at gov.uk
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to make the deed of certificate provided for by the Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2022 available to leaseholders.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The leaseholder deed of certificate sets out the information that building owners need for the purposes of applying the leaseholder protections. This is set out in the Schedule to the Building Safety (Leaseholder Protections) (Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2022. The certificate can be found here.
The certificate has also been uploaded to the GOV.UK website as part of the Building Safety Leaseholder Protections: Guidance for leaseholders and can be found here.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to publish the National Planning Policy Framework prospectus.
Answered by Marcus Jones
The timing and content of any consultation on possible changes to national planning policy will be considered once the new Prime Minister is in place and any new Ministerial appointments have been made.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to respond to the letter of 8 October 2021 from the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich on his constituent's application to the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
A reply was sent to the Hon. Member on 25 November 2021.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 27 May 2021 from the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich on ground rents on existing residential long leases.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
A response to the letter was sent on 29 June.
Asked by: Matthew Pennycook (Labour - Greenwich and Woolwich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 19 April 2021 from the hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich on his constituent's application to the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
My Noble Friend Lord Greenhalgh responded to the Hon Member's letter on 10 June.