Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities,, what procedure is available for investigating conduct of court appointed managing agents.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government is committed to making sure that those living in the leasehold sector are protected from abuse and poor service. This commitment includes raising professionalism and standards amongst managing agents, protecting consumers while defending the reputation of good agents from the actions of rogue operatives. Property agents can play an important role in the management and upkeep of buildings and protect the value of people’s homes. Many take a professional approach, but others do not. We therefore welcome the ongoing work being undertaken by the industry itself to raise professionalism and standards across the sector.
Section 24 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 gives the First-tier Tribunal the power to appoint a manager to take over the landlord’s right to manage the building under specific circumstances. As part of the process leaseholders are expected to nominate a suggested manager (which may include a managing agent), and the First-tier Tribunal will seek assurances that the nominated person is capable of performing the role before issuing an Order.
Following appointment, leaseholders can access the Government-recognised redress scheme that the agent is obliged by law to belong to for the resolution of any conduct or behavioural issues that may arise. Where the agent is a voluntary member of an established trade association, leaseholders may make a complaint to that association where appropriate. Any party may also apply to the First-tier Tribunal to have the Section 24 Order varied or discharged.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on what date he was informed of the change in (a) policy or (b) practice of the Valuation Office relating to council tax for homes in multiple occupation and for bedsitting rooms.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Valuation Office Agency acts independently of Government and is responsible for the banding of dwellings for council tax purposes, including property which involves a degree of shared living space. Its listing officers make their decisions based on the facts of each individual property, with reference to legislation and case law.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 25 October 2021 to Question 56731 on the Holocaust Commission, what progress has been made to date in implementing the recommendation of the Holocaust Commission relating to an endowment fund to secure the long-term future of Holocaust education.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation has been established to advise the Government on all the recommendations made by the Holocaust Commission in their 2015 report. Good progress is being made with the implementation of that report and updates on specific elements will be provided at the appropriate time.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 25 October 2021 to Question 56728 on the National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service, what criteria will determine the appropriate time for providing more detailed figures; and for what reason those criteria are not currently met.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The timing of publication will depend on the chosen operating model.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 27 October 2021 to Question 56730 on the National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service, in what form the commitment to provide £25 million of private funding for that centre was made; and if he will publsh the wording used.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Foundation member, Gerald Ronson CBE, has set up an independent charity to raise the funding and has committed to securing pledges of at least £25 million.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 27 October 2021 to Question 56730 on the National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service, what assurances the Government has received on progress in raising the £25 million of private funding required for the National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the private funding required will be available before main construction begins.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government receives regular progress updates. Funding arrangements will be in place before main construction begins.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 25 October 2021 to Question 56726 on the cost of the National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service, on what dates the independent verification of the planned mitigation relating to optimum bias took place.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Independent verification is ongoing as part of the programme management arrangements.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 25 October 2021 to Question 56726 on the cost of the National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service, for what reason that answer did not provide the information requested about the (a) category of project, (b) mitigation factor and (c) optimism bias factor used.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Separately identifying elements of the project appraisal would risk a misleading answer. The HMT Green Book is the Government’s comprehensive guidance on project appraisal.
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 the specifications for the National Holocaust Memorial specified in September 2015 and how close proposed sites had to be to Parliament.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The site specification published on 7 September 2015 stipulated a prominent location in Central London (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/459046/National_Memorial_and_Learning_Centre..
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
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 25 October 2021 to Question 56727 on the National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service, whether the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation made approximate estimates of the cost of creating that centre on each of the three sites shortlisted in January 2016 by CBRE; and what the basis was for its conclusion that one of the sites was cost prohibitive.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Foundation's assessment of sites identified by CBRE, and all other alternatives considered, was set out in Volume 2 of the Environmental Statement submitted as part of the planning application and published on Westminster City Council's website.