Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what progress has been made in developing secondary legislation on overseas voting.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Elections Act gained Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. The necessary secondary legislation is currently being developed and will be brought forward in due course. Announcements will be made in the usual way.
Individuals applying to register as overseas electors are currently subject to identity checks.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
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 bring forward legislative proposals to regulate ID requirements for overseas voters.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Elections Act gained Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. The necessary secondary legislation is currently being developed and will be brought forward in due course. Announcements will be made in the usual way.
Individuals applying to register as overseas electors are currently subject to identity checks.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when his Department plans to have implemented secondary legislation on overseas voting.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Elections Act gained Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. The necessary secondary legislation is currently being developed and will be brought forward in due course. Announcements will be made in the usual way.
Individuals applying to register as overseas electors are currently subject to identity checks.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether hosts under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme who are employing their Ukranian sponsorees are permitted to charge the accommodation offset against the National Minimum Wage in addition to receiving the Government payment for hosting.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
No, lead sponsors are not eligible for the monthly thank you payment if they are charging rent from their guests.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what regulation is in place where hosts under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme are employing their Ukranian guests.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
Guests under the Ukraine schemes have the same rights and responsibilities as British employees at work for the duration of their permission to stay. The Department for Work and Pensions has a single point of contact for all businesses expressing an interest in employing people from Ukraine. Information is available here. Legislation is in place which exempts those arriving from Ukraine from the Habitual Residence Test and Past Presence Test, giving them immediate access to benefits and employment opportunities. The Homes for Ukraine guidance for sponsors can be accessed here.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much his Department spent on consultancy fees in the last five years.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Expenditure figures are included each year in the Department's annual report and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dluhc-departmental-spending-over-250
The corresponding figure for FY2021-22 is expected to be published by the end of July 2022.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
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 representatives of insurance companies on housing insurance of people who house (a) Ukrainian and (b) other refugees.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Further to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up on 14 March, guidance for local authorities has been published on Gov.uk at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils . There are also published FAQs available online at www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-scheme-frequently-asked-questions as well as information for sponsors at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-sponsor-guidance . Information is available on safeguarding checks at these links, as well as on eligibility for the scheme. Phase One of the Homes for Ukraine scheme opened for applications on 18 March and is accessible via links from homesforukraine.campaign.gov.uk . Those who had recorded their interest in the scheme were also contacted on that date. Details on future phases of the scheme will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
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 publish in full the Ministerial diary of the former Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for 20 May 2020.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Ministers regularly meet with departmental officials and external stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found on GOV.UK.