Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of pet dog and cat ownership in rented housing.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
Pets can bring joy, happiness and comfort to their owners, supporting mental and physical wellbeing.
The Government has committed to giving the right to tenants to request a pet that the landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. We will amend the Tenant Fees Act 2019 so that landlords can require insurance to cover damage to their property caused by pets.
The Government has engaged a wide range of stakeholders from across the sector, including landlords, while developing these proposals and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that more tenants are able to have a (a) dog and (b) cat in their rented property.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
Pets can bring joy, happiness and comfort to their owners, supporting mental and physical wellbeing.
The Government has committed to giving the right to tenants to request a pet that the landlord must consider and cannot unreasonably refuse. We will amend the Tenant Fees Act 2019 so that landlords can require insurance to cover damage to their property caused by pets.
The Government has engaged a wide range of stakeholders from across the sector, including landlords, while developing these proposals and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with Ministers in the devolved Administrations on tackling Islamophobia on an all-nations basis.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The United Kingdom is an open, tolerant and welcoming country where people of all faiths practice in freedom. We have a proud tradition of religious tolerance, within the law. The Government remains committed to creating a strong and integrated society in which hatred and prejudice are not tolerated towards the Muslim, or any other, community. We recognise the huge contribution that people of all faiths, beliefs and none, bring to communities and public life, and we are committed to acknowledging and celebrating this.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to mark Islamophobia Awareness Week 2022.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The United Kingdom is an open, tolerant and welcoming country where people of all faiths practice in freedom. We have a proud tradition of religious tolerance, within the law. The Government remains committed to creating a strong and integrated society in which hatred and prejudice are not tolerated towards the Muslim, or any other, community. We recognise the huge contribution that people of all faiths, beliefs and none, bring to communities and public life, and we are committed to acknowledging and celebrating this.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 19 October 2022 to Question 62104 on Refugees: Ukraine, whether he plans to increase the level of the monthly £350 thank you payments to sponsors under the Homes for Ukraine scheme; and how many households have received thank you payments of £350 under the Homes for Ukraine scheme in each month since payments commenced.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
We recognise the growing pressure on family finances, and the challenges that households are facing with the rising costs of living. We are continuing to work with local councils and sponsors to support them with their hosting arrangements.
The data on the number of tariff and thank you payments made to all local authorities between March and May 2022 can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-for-ukraine-funding-march-to-may-2022/annex-a-homes-for-ukraine-local-authority-funding-allocations-march-to-may-2022-wales
Note: The number of thank you payments may be less than the number of sponsoring households due to delays in authorities making thank you payments, or sponsors not accepting thank you payments
There is flexibility for how councils can deliver the sponsor payments. Lead sponsors are not eligible for the £350 monthly payment if they are charging the guest rent. For the sponsor, the £350 payment is payable monthly in arrears backdated to the date the Ukrainian national commenced residence in the sponsor’s accommodation.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on support provided to the hosts of Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
UK Government ministers regularly engage with their Devolved Government counterparts at all levels on the design and implementation of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, to ensure we collectively deliver a scheme in the best interests of our Ukrainian guests.
That engagement is underpinned by regular Directors and Permanent Secretary-led meetings, alongside a dedicated team, and several working level groups focused on specific topics such as safeguarding, policy, guidance, and re-matching.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to increase the amount of support provided to the hosts of Ukrainian refugees in each of the four nations of the UK.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
We recognise the growing pressure on family finances, and the challenges that households are facing with the rising costs of living. We are continuing to work with local councils and sponsors to support them with their hosting arrangements.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the amount Wales will receive through the Shared Prosperity Fund in each of the next five years.
Answered by Lia Nici
Wales has been allocated a total of £585 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund over this Spending Review period. This equates to £89 million in 2022/23, £153 million in 2023/24 and £585 million in 2024/25. I am pleased to say that this provides Wales with a real-terms match of funding previously received from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund. We have published a full breakdown of the allocations on GOV.UK.
Funding after 2024/25 will be a matter for the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the first payments from the Shared Prosperity Fund will be made.
Answered by Lia Nici
Following the submission of UK Shared Prosperity Fund investment plans, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will lead the validation of these plans. Once validation is complete and those plans have been signed-off, we anticipate places will receive their first payment from October.