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Written Question
Antisemitism and Islamophobia
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

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 support victims of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism following the events since 7 October 2023 in Israel and Gaza.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I refer the Hon Member to my oral answer of 4 March 2024 (Official Report, HC Volume 746, Column 628).


Written Question
Antisemitism and Islamophobia
Wednesday 6th March 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

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 tackle the rise in islamophobia and antisemitism following the events since 7 October 2023 in Israel and Gaza.

Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

I refer the Hon Member to my oral answer of 4 March 2024 (Official Report, HC Volume 746, Column 628).


Written Question
High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers
Tuesday 13th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring sprinklers are retrofitted to high-risk buildings where deemed necessary by a risk assessment.

Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

Under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a designated Responsible Person has an obligation to ensure that existing residential buildings have appropriate fire safety measures. Retrofitting sprinklers may, but might not always, be the right option and other fire safety measures could be taken that may be appropriate for an individual building. When new building work is undertaken, the Building Regulations set out the levels of safety and performance that is required and are supported by statutory guidance in Approved Documents. The Government amended Approved Document B Fire Safety in May 2020, reducing the trigger height for provision of sprinklers in new tall buildings from 30m to 11m.


Written Question
Local Government Finance
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending local government funding settlements to increase the proportion of Services Grants provided.

Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25 was published on 5 February and confirmed that the Services Grant will continue in 2024-25 and will be worth £87 million. The Services Grant has increased by £10 million from the amount consulted on in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25.

We know that local authorities value multi-year certainty, as this allows them to plan spending over the longer term. It is the Government’s intention to return to multi-year settlements in the next Parliament, when circumstances allow.

In 2022, the Government confirmed reforms to the funding formula would not be implemented in this spending review after hearing calls from councils for stability. The Government remains committed to improving the local government finance landscape.


Written Question
Local Government Finance
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of determining the local government funding (a) formula and (b) settlements by an independent body.

Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25 was published on 5 February and confirmed that the Services Grant will continue in 2024-25 and will be worth £87 million. The Services Grant has increased by £10 million from the amount consulted on in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25.

We know that local authorities value multi-year certainty, as this allows them to plan spending over the longer term. It is the Government’s intention to return to multi-year settlements in the next Parliament, when circumstances allow.

In 2022, the Government confirmed reforms to the funding formula would not be implemented in this spending review after hearing calls from councils for stability. The Government remains committed to improving the local government finance landscape.


Written Question
Local Government Finance
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of multi-year funding settlements for local government.

Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25 was published on 5 February and confirmed that the Services Grant will continue in 2024-25 and will be worth £87 million. The Services Grant has increased by £10 million from the amount consulted on in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2024-25.

We know that local authorities value multi-year certainty, as this allows them to plan spending over the longer term. It is the Government’s intention to return to multi-year settlements in the next Parliament, when circumstances allow.

In 2022, the Government confirmed reforms to the funding formula would not be implemented in this spending review after hearing calls from councils for stability. The Government remains committed to improving the local government finance landscape.


Written Question
Local Government Finance
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending local government funding settlements to place greater weight on need than local tax raising ability.

Answered by Simon Hoare - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The local government finance system operates a needs-based approach. Funding allocations in the Local Government Finance Settlement reflect local circumstances, such as the demand for services from the local population and the cost of delivering those services in that authority. Funding allocations also take into account the differing ability for each council to raise revenue from council tax.

The Government committed to prioritise stability and certainty for local government when we published the local government finance policy statement on 12 December 2022.

However, the Government is committed to reforming the local government funding landscape in the next Parliament.


Written Question
Private Rented Housing: Mould
Monday 12th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to increase protections for tenants in the private rented sector who are affected by mould and damp.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

The Government is committed to halving the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030 and we are clear that everyone deserves to live in a home that is decent, safe and secure. We have tabled amendments to the Renters (Reform) Bill that will require private rented sector properties to meet a Decent Homes Standard for the first time. We are exploring the merits of a standalone damp and mould standard that all landlords, private and social, must meet.

More information on our work on damp and mould in the private rented sector can be found in the answer given to Question UIN 11180 on 30 January 2024.


Written Question
Levelling Up Fund
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has for future rounds of the Levelling Up Fund.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Policy announcements will be set out in the usual way.

I was delighted that Portsmouth City Council was successful in round one of the Levelling Up Fund, with their bid for a new passenger terminal at Portsmouth Port and I was delighted to visit the Port in October last year to see the new facilities.


Written Question
Pay: South East
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to help increase wage levels in the South East.

Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)

Getting more people into work and ensuring work pays is a priority for the Government. The Government is committed to greater economic opportunities in all parts of the country including the South East.

On 1 April 2024, the Government will increase the National Living Wage (NLW) for workers aged 21 years and over by 9.8% to £11.44 an hour.