Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that leaseholders can sell flats where external fire risk assessments identify remedial works.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ten major banks and building societies have signed the lenders’ statement on cladding. These lenders have committed to consider mortgage applications for buildings over 11 metres tall, even if a property has building safety issues, provided either the building has funding for works from government or the developer, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, and the leaseholder has completed a ‘Leaseholder Deed of Certificate’ to evidence it.
Officials in my department engage with lenders individually should we receive evidence to suggest a signatory is not upholding the statement.
We are of the firm belief that mortgage lenders should not request an EWS1 form as a requirement to lend on buildings under 11 metres tall, but whether they do so remains their commercial decision and is subject to their individual lending criteria.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how his Department ensures lenders comply with guidance that EWS1 forms are not required for buildings under 11 metres.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ten major banks and building societies have signed the lenders’ statement on cladding. These lenders have committed to consider mortgage applications for buildings over 11 metres tall, even if a property has building safety issues, provided either the building has funding for works from government or the developer, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, and the leaseholder has completed a ‘Leaseholder Deed of Certificate’ to evidence it.
Officials in my department engage with lenders individually should we receive evidence to suggest a signatory is not upholding the statement.
We are of the firm belief that mortgage lenders should not request an EWS1 form as a requirement to lend on buildings under 11 metres tall, but whether they do so remains their commercial decision and is subject to their individual lending criteria.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support or enforcement the Department can provide where lenders block transactions contrary to fire safety guidance.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ten major banks and building societies have signed the lenders’ statement on cladding. These lenders have committed to consider mortgage applications for buildings over 11 metres tall, even if a property has building safety issues, provided either the building has funding for works from government or the developer, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, and the leaseholder has completed a ‘Leaseholder Deed of Certificate’ to evidence it.
Officials in my department engage with lenders individually should we receive evidence to suggest a signatory is not upholding the statement.
We are of the firm belief that mortgage lenders should not request an EWS1 form as a requirement to lend on buildings under 11 metres tall, but whether they do so remains their commercial decision and is subject to their individual lending criteria.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to prevent (a) parking debt collectors and (b) legal firms from adding £70 to existing parking charges of £100 per PCN; and whether she plans to ban debt recovery fees.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. We will announce our plans for the new Code, including the position on debt recovery fees, in due course.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding his Department has provided to tackle anti-semitism since 2010.
Answered by Lee Rowley
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Questions UIN 2961 on 29 November 2023, Question UIN 201247 on 23 October 2023 and Question UIN 117512 on 16 January 2023. As set out previously, antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred have no place in our society and we will continue to fund programmes that help tackle all forms of religious hatred.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities, how much funding his Department has provided to tackle islamophobia since 2010.
Answered by Lee Rowley
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Questions UIN 2961 on 29 November 2023, Question UIN 201247 on 23 October 2023 and Question UIN 117512 on 16 January 2023. As set out previously, antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred have no place in our society and we will continue to fund programmes that help tackle all forms of religious hatred.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
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 held discussions with relevant stakeholders on tackling Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred in the last 12 months.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Further to the answer given to 182937 on 9 May 2023, details of ministerial and senior official meetings are published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle Islamophobia.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Further to the answer given to 182937 on 9 May 2023, details of ministerial and senior official meetings are published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consultation took place with domestic abuse refuge providers before reforms were made to the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Under House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) legislation, rooms in licensable HMOs that are under 6.51 square metres cannot be used as sleeping accommodation by one person. Local housing authorities have discretion to consider local circumstances and require higher standards within HMO licence conditions, but must not set lower standards.
The purpose of this legislation is to reduce overcrowding in HMOs. The Government consulted extensively on the changes to HMO licensing at the time and there was broad support for the extension of scope of mandatory HMO licensing.
The Department does not hold information on the number of domestic abuse safe accommodation providers, including refuges, that own their own property.
My Department is working with local authorities to raise standards across the private rented sector, to protect vulnerable tenants, including those living in HMOs.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities can exercise discretion with regards to the maximum number of persons who are permitted to reside in rooms within refuge accommodation licensed as a House of Multiple Accommodation.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Under House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) legislation, rooms in licensable HMOs that are under 6.51 square metres cannot be used as sleeping accommodation by one person. Local housing authorities have discretion to consider local circumstances and require higher standards within HMO licence conditions, but must not set lower standards.
The purpose of this legislation is to reduce overcrowding in HMOs. The Government consulted extensively on the changes to HMO licensing at the time and there was broad support for the extension of scope of mandatory HMO licensing.
The Department does not hold information on the number of domestic abuse safe accommodation providers, including refuges, that own their own property.
My Department is working with local authorities to raise standards across the private rented sector, to protect vulnerable tenants, including those living in HMOs.