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Written Question
High Rise Flats: Insulation
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an estimate of the number of homes in England that have the same type of cladding installed as the residential building in the Campanar neighbourhood of València which was engulfed by fire on 22 February 2024.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The UK Government and Fire Services have offered our assistance to the Spanish authorities of the lessons we have learned from the Grenfell Tower fire and our subsequent work. It is our intention to work with them to understand the precise details of the fire in Valencia and to consider what lessons might be learned.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has been closely following the terrible event in Valencia. We understand that the investigations into the incident remain ongoing and BSR will continue to monitor any findings to ensure that any applicable learnings are made.


Written Question
Leasehold: Reform
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Leasehold reforms give more rights and protections to homeowners, published on 27 November 2023, when he plans to bring forward legislative measures to amend the Building Safety Act 2022 to make it easier to ensure that those who caused building-safety defects in enfranchised buildings are made to pay.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

Under Part 5 of the Building Safety Act 2022 leaseholders in enfranchised buildings, either individually or collectively, can pursue developers – and their associated companies – via a remediation contribution order, for funds they have spent or will spend remediating their buildings for relevant defects.

We are building on the legislation brought forward by the Act. The Government has tabled several amendments for the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill to clarify and extend the protections in some specific areas. These amendments will further prevent freeholders and developers from escaping their liabilities to fund building remediation work – protecting leaseholders by allowing the Building Safety Act 2022 to operate as intended, as well as adding further protections in some specific scenarios.

For example, we have made clear that a remediation contribution order can, among other things, order the landlord or developer to make payments for the costs of:

  • steps which reduce the risk of a relevant defect;
  • obtaining an expert report; and,
  • temporary alternative accommodation and associated costs in connection with a decant from a building in connection with a relevant defect.

Written Question
High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to undertake a lessons learned exercise from the residential building fire in Campanar, Valencia.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The UK Government and Fire Services have offered our assistance to the Spanish authorities of the lessons we have learned from the Grenfell Tower fire and our subsequent work. It is our intention to work with them to understand the precise details of the fire in Valencia and to consider what lessons might be learned.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has been closely following the terrible event in Valencia. We understand that the investigations into the incident remain ongoing and BSR will continue to monitor any findings to ensure that any applicable learnings are made.


Written Question
Buildings: Safety
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many residents have been displaced from their homes due to (a) building safety evacuations and (b) fires that have spread to more than one floor due to building safety defects since 15 June 2017.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

Major decants are a local operational matter, and decisions on enforcement action are made by local regulators, local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services.

Where there are major decants, the department does offer support where appropriate, such as pressing building owners and developers to fulfil their obligations. Since December 2023 the department has assisted local regulators in preventing at least 800 residents from being decanted by identifying mitigating measures (such as a waking watch), allowing these residents to remain safely in their homes.


Written Question
Buildings: Insurance
Thursday 28th March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Treasury on the potential merits of introducing a Government-sponsored building safety insurance pooling scheme.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The Government is very aware that leaseholders in some affected buildings have been burdened with paying extremely high premiums for too long. We have repeatedly called for an industry-led scheme.

It has taken far too long but the Fire Safety Reinsurance Facility is due to launch on 1 April and the Government will monitor the implementation and impact of the Facility and will remain engaged with industry regarding whether any further steps may be required.


Written Question
Construction: Warranties
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the buildings warranty market.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 11533 on 8 February 2024.


Written Question
First Homes Scheme
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his Department's eligibility criteria for a First Home scheme is.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

Eligibility criteria for the First Homes Scheme is publicly available and can be found here: First Homes scheme: first-time buyer's guide: Overview - GOV.UK.


Written Question
High Rise Flats: House Insurance
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Association of British Insurers plan to reduce insurance costs for leaseholders and residents in high rise buildings.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The Government is very aware that leaseholders in some affected buildings have been burdened with paying extremely high premiums for too long. The industry-led Fire Safety Reinsurance Facility will be launched on 1st April. We have repeatedly called for this to be launched and it has taken too long to do so, but now it is due to launch the Government will monitor the implementation and impact of the Facility and will remain engaged with industry regarding whether any further steps may be required.


Written Question
Social Rented Housing
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of homes available for social rent.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I give to Question UIN 17100 on 13 March 2024.


Written Question
Temporary Accommodation: Children
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children being housed in temporary accommodation.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 14761 on 26 February 2024.