Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Bosworth)
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 opportunities to install energy efficiency measures through Government schemes are compatible with regulations regarding (a) listed buildings and (b) buildings situated in conservation areas.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is fully committed to encouraging homeowners to incorporate energy efficiency measures in their properties in order to tackle climate change. As part of this, we recognise the need to ensure that more historic buildings have the right energy efficiency measures to support our zero carbon objectives. In our recently published British Energy Security Strategy, we have committed to reviewing the practical planning barriers that households can face when installing energy efficiency measures such as improved glazing, including in conservation areas and listed buildings. This review will be completed by the end of 2022 and ensure protection of local amenity and heritage, whilst making it easier to improve energy efficiency.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will list the assets and properties (a) seized and (b) frozen under sanctions regulations in 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK Sanctions List, published by the FCDO on GOV.UK, is the comprehensive list of persons or ships designated. Additionally, there are entities listed in Schedule 2 of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, which are covered by sectoral financial measures.
In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine we have announced an unprecedented package of sanctions to cut off the funding for Putin's war machine. We have now sanctioned over 1000 individuals and businesses since the invasion of Ukraine. Putin himself has acknowledged the "problems and difficulties" caused by sanctions. Our package of sanctions includes asset freezes on major banks, a prohibition on clearing for Sberbank, and the removal of selected banks from SWIFT.UK sanctions are strategically coordinated with allies to impose severe cost on Putin and his regime.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to assist homeowners in (a) grade two listed and (b) other protected properties to make upgrades to their homes to be more energy efficient.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There are a number of Government schemes to support low-income households improve the energy efficiency of their homes, including the £787 million Local Authority Delivery Scheme and the £1.1 billion Home Upgrade Grant.
Growing the market for Green Finance is a priority for Government to help support homeowners not eligible for grants with the upfront costs of improvement. The £1.8m Green Home Finance Innovation Fund, which will be completed by March 2022, is a key early step in supporting the lending community to design, develop and pilot green mortgage products for homeowners.
A follow-up £10 million Green Home Finance Accelerator programme will launch this summer with the aim of supporting lenders to develop a wider range of green lending products for homeowners. This could include products for owners of harder to treat properties, including historic buildings.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to financially assist those people living in listed and older properties to insulate their homes to be energy efficient.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy set out a comprehensive package of measures to retrofit the nation’s buildings. Alongside this the Government announced more than £3.9 billion of new funding for decarbonising heat and buildings, bringing the total commitment in this Parliament to £6.6billion.
As part of this, the Government has a number of grant schemes to support people on low incomes to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. These schemes include the Local Authority Delivery Scheme, the Home Upgrade Grant and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. In addition, the Government has committed to extending the Energy Company Obligation from 2022 to 2026, boosting its value from £640 million to £1 billion a year. This will help an extra 305,000 households with green measures such as insulation.
Measures delivered through Government schemes must meet independent installation standards; these standards ensure that measures are installed correctly in different types of homes.
Asked by: Cherilyn Mackrory (Conservative - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether Local Authorities have discretion not to award grants to (a) holiday lets and (b) other businesses that cannot explicitly prove that they have been directly financially impacted by the Omicron variant.
Answered by Paul Scully
Holiday accommodation businesses are eligible for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG) scheme provided they can evidence they are trading as a business and are listed on the business rates register. Second homeowners not trading as a business cannot claim a grant of any amount. Where a Local Authorities determines that a business is not trading they will not be eligible for a grant. This is consistent with steps announced by Government on 14 January 2022, which mean that owners of second homes who abuse a tax loophole by claiming their often-empty properties are holiday lets will be forced to pay their fair share of tax under tough new measures due to be introduced from April 2023.
Local Authorities have the discretion to use Additional Restrictions Grants (ARG) funding to support businesses in the way that best meets local economic need, in line with the scheme guidance. Local Authorities are encouraged to focus ARG support on businesses who have been severely impacted by reduced business activity due to the spread of the Omicron variant. The guidance does not mandate specific evidence to determine if a business has been severely impacted by Omicron. It is for Local Authorities to issue grants at their discretion, based on local decision making.
The guidance for both OHLG and ARG schemes can be found here.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what exemptions will be granted for listed accommodation unsuitable for updating to modern energy efficiency standards for (1) homes, and (2) rental properties, in England.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Privately rented listed buildings and those in conservation areas may apply for an exemption from the legal requirement for an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). In these cases, they would be out of scope of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Regulations.
The Department consulted last year on whether to require an EPC for listed buildings and those in a conservation area. A Government Response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in context of Taras Properties being listed as the sole shareholder of Reuben Brothers (Newcastle) Ltd listed with Companies House, what due diligence his Department carried out of (a) Taras Properties and (b) Reuben Brothers prior to moving 900 staff of his Department to a building owned by those organisations.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department has adhered to the Government’s property spend control policy and the transaction in question was subject to approval by National Property Control which was granted on 2 November 2021. The property leasing due diligence process was applied to Taras Properties and the Reuben Brothers as linked individuals. The due diligence process includes assessing any potential reputational risks to HMRC and considers both the corporate structures and the tax compliance of the entities involved.Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2021 to Question 44161, on DEFRA: Listed Buildings, if he will publish a list of the (a) properties classified as heritage assets owned by his Department, (b) most recent estimate of the value of those properties and (c) annual income derived from those properties as opposed to the details of the body responsible for advising him on the management of those properties.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
This information is set out in the table below.
(a) Site | (b) Value (Existing Use Value) | (c) Income |
Rhydymwyn, North Wales | £0 In accordance with accounting standards. | £0 |
Weybourne Building, Weybridge. One building on a large site, with many different specialist buildings. | Unable to identify the value of just the Weybourne building as it is value is a function of its role as part of a larger science campus. It cannot be segregated from the rest of the campus. | £0 |
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2021 to Question 43369 on Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Listed Buildings, if she will publish (a) a list of the properties classified as heritage assets owned by her Department, (b) the most recent estimate of the value of those properties and (c) the annual income derived from those properties.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport owns the freehold to the following Listed Buildings:
Property | Estimated value of freehold (2017) | Annual income |
22 Park Street, Windsor | £195,000 | £50 |
23 Park Street, Windsor | £210,000 | £120 |
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2021 to Question 43371 on Cabinet Office: Listed Buildings, if he will publish a list of the (a) properties classified as heritage assets owned by his Department, (b) the most recent estimate of the value of those properties and (c) the annual income derived from those properties as opposed to the details of the body responsible for advising him on those properties' management.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to PQ 43369 on 9 September 2021, and PQ 43371 on 10 September 2021.