Tag: Roberta Blackman-Woods

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what exemptions there will be from the Government’s proposed enforced sale of high-value council homes.

Brandon Lewis

Through regulations, government has the power to exclude categories of housing when calculating local authority’s payment in respect of their higher value vacant housing. During the passage of the Housing and Planning Act 2016, government committed to exclude housing that is in a National Park or an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and confirmed that it would consider other suggestions that had been made during the passage of the legislation and by stakeholders for excluding other categories of housing.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what criteria his Department plans to use in determining which council houses will be deemed to be higher value for the purposes of implementing the provisions of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 relating to the sale of such houses.

Brandon Lewis

Under the Housing and Planning Act, local authorities have a duty to consider selling vacant higher value housing and must, if the Secretary of State has made a determination under the Act, make a payment to government in respect of their higher value vacant housing. The definition of ‘higher value housing’ will be set out in regulations made under section 69(8) to (10) of the Act, and will be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-01-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will estimate what proportion of the cost of introducing the proposed Teaching Excellence Framework will fall to (a) central government and (b) universities.

Joseph Johnson

We recently published the Green Paper “Fulfilling our potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice,” which sets out our proposals for delivering the Teaching Excellence Framework and reducing the regulatory burden on the sector. The consultation period closed on 15 January 2016.

Once we have considered the consultation responses, and are in a position to publish our final proposals, we will publish a Regulatory Impact Assessment which will set out the costs of implementation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to apply the pay to stay provisions of the House and Planning Act 2016 in all areas regardless of the levels of market and social rents.

Brandon Lewis

My officials are considering how the policy should apply to properties where market and social rents are close and the cost of operating the policy may be greater than the additional rent collected. We will be setting out the approach in detail in the pay to stay regulations and guidance will be provided to local authorities to support them through the implementation of the policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to notify groups and organisations who may be affected by the potential closure of the Collective Passport Service.

James Brokenshire

The future use of the Collective Passport is under review in the light of changing demand for the product and the security of the document. We are engaging with staff and other stakeholders and expect to make an announcement shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which tenants will be exempt from the Government’s proposed phasing out of lifetime tenancies.

Brandon Lewis

The provisions restricting the use of lifetime tenancies are intended to ensure we get the best use out of our social housing stock – ensuring that social housing is focussed on those who need it the most for as long as they need it. This is essential with 1.24 million households on council waiting lists. The changes will apply to new tenants, but will not apply to existing lifetime tenants who remain in their own home.

If tenants are required to move home by their landlord, for example to allow demolition and regeneration work to take place, they will be granted a tenancy with no less security in their new home.

Where existing lifetime tenants seek to transfer, local authorities will retain a discretion – in limited circumstances – to offer the tenant a further lifetime tenancy in their new home. We will set out the circumstances in which local authorities may exercise this discretion in regulations. We expect these will include where tenants downsize into a smaller home, move for work or to escape violence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to close the Collective Passport Service by the end of February 2016; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The future use of the Collective Passport is under review in the light of changing demand for the product and the security of the document. We are engaging with staff and other stakeholders and expect to make an announcement shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his oral contribution of 20 July 2016, Official Report, column 849, when his Department will make an announcement on the exemption of specialist supported housing from changes to housing benefit.

Caroline Nokes

The Secretary of State has confirmed that the Government expects to make an announcement on the way forward for supported housing in early autumn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the proposed closure of the Collective Passport Office on the costs of obtaining passports for (a) school groups and (b) families.

James Brokenshire

The future use of the Collective Passport is under review in the light of changing demand for the product and the security of the document. We are engaging with staff and other stakeholders and expect to make an announcement shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roberta Blackman-Woods on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his oral contribution of 20 July 2016, Official Report, column 849, what (a) meetings and (b) discussions Ministers of his Department have had with stakeholders on the exemption of specialist supported housing from changes to housing benefit.

Caroline Nokes

Ministers in DWP and DCLG have met and continue to meet with stakeholders representing local authorities, supported accommodation, commissioners, and all categories of supported housing providers, be they charities, housing associations, voluntary organisations or from the commercial sector.