Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
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 provide additional support to local authorities to help cover the increase in inflation and rising energy costs.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Local Government Finance Settlement makes available substantial funding in 2022/23 for local government in England. In addition, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme is providing a discount on energy prices this winter for local authorities whose bills have been significantly inflated by the global energy crisis.
We know that inflation forecasts are higher than they were at the Spending Review. We are working closely with councils and their representatives, as we always do, to monitor the impact on service delivery and budgets.
Local authorities in Wales are in the first instance a matter for the Welsh Government.
The department does not hold the information requested on warm banks and warm spaces.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the financial stability of local authorities in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
The Local Government Finance Settlement makes available substantial funding in 2022/23 for local government in England. In addition, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme is providing a discount on energy prices this winter for local authorities whose bills have been significantly inflated by the global energy crisis.
We know that inflation forecasts are higher than they were at the Spending Review. We are working closely with councils and their representatives, as we always do, to monitor the impact on service delivery and budgets.
Local authorities in Wales are in the first instance a matter for the Welsh Government.
The department does not hold the information requested on warm banks and warm spaces.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many beneficiaries of the Homes for Ukraine scheme have presented to their local authorities as homeless as of 14 October 2022.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Homelessness management information pertaining to Ukrainian nationals in England is updated on gov.uk every 4 weeks. The most recent update includes data up to 23 September 2022. A total of 1,915 Ukrainian households have been owed a homelessness prevention or relief duty, based on a response rate of 71% of local authorities. Of this figure, 850 households arrived under the Ukraine Family Scheme and 955 households via the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme. Further information can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-management-information-ukrainian-nationals-england.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the University of Birmingham's The Dinner Table Prejudice report, published in January 2022, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the rise in Islamophobia cited in that report; and what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on tackling Islamophobia.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
We live in an increasingly tolerant society and prejudice towards Muslims is unacceptable. Muslims in our country should be able to practice their faith in freedom. We have some of the strongest legislation in the world to tackle hate crime and, where groups incite racial hatred or are engaged in racially or religiously motivated criminal activity, we would expect them to be prosecuted. We also have funded Tell MAMA with over £4m between 2017 and 2022 to monitor anti-Muslim hate crimes and support victims.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many times he has spoken with representatives of the East and South East Asian community regarding the impact of covid-19 on Chinatown districts across the UK.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
We have put in place one of the world’s most comprehensive economic responses worth £400 billion – to protect jobs, businesses, and public services throughout and beyond this pandemic. On 21 December, the Chancellor announced a further £1 billion funding for hospitality and leisure businesses, including more than £100 million boost to the additional restrictions grant fund for local authorities in England to support other businesses impacted by the Omicron variant.
The Government has allocated over £13 billion directly to councils in England since the start of the pandemic to tackle the impacts of Covid-19. Over £6 billion is unringfenced in recognition that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major Covid-19 pressures in their local area.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that Chinatowns around the UK are able to recover from the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
We have put in place one of the world’s most comprehensive economic responses worth £400 billion – to protect jobs, businesses, and public services throughout and beyond this pandemic. On 21 December, the Chancellor announced a further £1 billion funding for hospitality and leisure businesses, including more than £100 million boost to the additional restrictions grant fund for local authorities in England to support other businesses impacted by the Omicron variant.
The Government has allocated over £13 billion directly to councils in England since the start of the pandemic to tackle the impacts of Covid-19. Over £6 billion is unringfenced in recognition that local authorities are best placed to decide how to meet the major Covid-19 pressures in their local area.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that employers are aware of the Hong Kong BNO visa scheme.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
On 8 April, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced a new UK-wide Welcome Programme to support Hong Kong BN(O) status holders with a package worth £43.1 million.
MHCLG has been working across departments to discuss ways to ensure BN(O) status holders are able to access appropriate employment and business opportunities, including the recognition of qualifications. The Secretaries of State for MHCLG and BEIS have written a joint letter to all the Chief Executives of UK regulators and professional bodies, encouraging a unified way of assessing qualifications from BN(O) status holders in the UK.
There is also advice for employers on employing those on LOTR and the BN(O) route available on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employing-bno-citizens-in-the-uk)
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2021 to Question 20548 on Counter-terrorism, for what reason his Department does not specifically engage communities to discuss their views on Prevent.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 20548 on 28 June 2021. Prevent is not within the policy remit of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what regular discussions his Department has with representatives of (a) local communities, (b) minority groups and (c) faith groups on the impact of the Prevent strategy.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Prevent is about safeguarding vulnerable people and stopping them being exploited by terrorist recruiters. This work is led by the Home Office which facilitates a comprehensive programme of engagement events aimed at local communities around the country, which invites the public to learn more about Prevent and discuss their views. The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government engages communities on a range of topics but does not do so specifically to discuss Prevent.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including Luton in the Cambridge-Oxford Arc.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Luton is indeed part of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. Luton’s strong automotive and engineering sectors, leading airport and links to the Central Area of the Arc make it a key part of Government’s plan to transform the Oxford-Cambridge Arc into one of the world’s premier economic growth corridors. The Government has been working closely with colleagues in Luton to shape the Spatial Framework as we plan for sustainable growth and levelling up in the Arc.