Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of planning applications without clear necessity on the boundaries of national parks on those areas.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has made no such assessment. Impacts of development on National Parks are assessed by local planning authorities.
National Park authorities are the local planning authority within the National Park and are a statutory consultee for planning applications where development comes forward which is likely to affect a National Park.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
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 make an assessment of the potential merits of including (a) ingress and (b) egress routes for water in new building developments.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government recognises the importance of development being resilient to flooding from all sources, including from surface water.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that developments of all sizes should use sustainable drainage techniques where the development could have drainage impacts.
These are designed to control surface water runoff and provide benefits for water quantity, water quality, biodiversity and amenity by lowering flow rates and increasing water storage capacity.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to address the failures in remedial work to combat mould in rented properties, in the context of the associated health risks.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to ensuring that rented homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould.
The Deputy Prime Minister made a Written Ministerial Statement on 6 February (HCWS423) confirming that the government will bring Awaab’s Law into force for damp and mould in social housing in October this year. The Renters’ Rights Bill, which is currently progressing through the House of Lords, will apply Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.
Social housing tenants who have already reported a problem to their landlord about damp and mould and who are dissatisfied with the response can make a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. Through the Renters’ Rights Bill, we are introducing a new Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman Service which will be mandatory for nearly all private landlords to join.
In addition, all tenants who think their house or flat is in a seriously dangerous condition can take their landlords to court under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
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 make an assessment of the adequacy of the resources available to local government for planning enforcement in (a) Devon and (b) Somerset.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In the answer to Question UIN 16501 on 5 December 2024 I set out the government’s investment to support capacity and capability in local authorities. This will be further underpinned by increases in planning fees that will help improve the resourcing of planning application services, so that local planning authorities can fund the skills they need.
It is for local planning authorities to ensure they have the resources in place to carry out their planning enforcement function.
The government have no plans to undertake an assessment of the adequacy of the resources available for such enforcement in Devon and Somerset.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
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 make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) support for homeless people and (b) the criteria by which those at risk of homelessness are deemed vulnerable.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
Homelessness levels are far too high and this Government is taking action to deliver long term solutions. As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25), bringing total spend to nearly £1 billion in 25/26.
We are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness, including:
Regarding the criteria by which those at risk of homelessness are deemed vulnerable, the Homelessness Reduction Act places duties on local housing authorities to take reasonable steps to try to prevent and relieve a person’s homelessness. If a housing authority is unable to prevent an applicant from becoming homeless, or to help them to secure accommodation within the ‘relief’ stage, they are required to reach a decision as to whether the applicant has a priority need for accommodation. Priority need primarily includes pregnant women or those with dependent children, people who are vulnerable due to old age, mental illness, physical disability or other special needs, people who are at risk of harm, such as those feeling domestic violence or other threats to their safety, people who are homeless due to an emergency, such as fire or flood and people who have been in care or under supervision (such as leaving the care of local authorities, prison, or other institutions).
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of regulation on the duty of care transfer of vulnerable tenants from housing associations to village agents.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Registered providers of social housing must ensure that the safety of tenants is considered in the design and delivery of landlord services and take reasonable steps to mitigate any identified risks to tenants.
In addition, registered providers must take action to deliver fair and equitable outcomes for tenants, including by understanding the diverse needs of tenants, including those arising from protected characteristics, language barriers, and additional support needs.
Housing associations may refer a tenant to a village agent but there is not a mechanism through which they can transfer the duty of care. In any situation where a village agent provides care or support for vulnerable tenants, a housing association remains responsible for considering the safety of tenants and their diverse needs.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of mechanical failure of Magna Air Source heat pumps in social housing on tenants.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Heat Pumps are often a highly effective low carbon alternative to a traditional gas boiler and can save families around £100 a year compared to a gas boiler through the effective use of a smart tariff. However, as with any repair, social housing providers like Magna should ensure any heat pumps installed are well maintained and fixed promptly in line with their regulatory standards when maintenance issues arise.
While Housing Associations are independent organisations and are responsible for their own performance and management, tenants can raise a formal complaint through their landlord’s complaint process and through the Housing Ombudsman if the landlord fails to take appropriate action.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
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 make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the occupancy rate for houses in Watchet in Tiverton and Minehead constituency.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years.
Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found here.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
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 expedite the establishment of the Supported Housing Advisory Panel.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The Government remains committed to implementing the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, including appointing members to a Supported Housing Advisory Panel.
The recruitment of Panel members has resumed and applications closed on 9 December. We will appoint the panel as soon as possible.
Asked by: Rachel Gilmour (Liberal Democrat - Tiverton and Minehead)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the council tax levy for second homes on the chalet industry; and whether chalets will qualify as second homes for the purpose of council tax.
Answered by Jim McMahon
From April 2025 councils will have the power to charge a discretionary premium of up to 100% on dwellings which are unoccupied and substantially furnished. The Government recognises there may be circumstances where it may not be appropriate for a premium to apply. That is why the Government is introducing exceptions to premiums from April 2025. Further information on these exceptions is available in: guidance.