🏡 Oral Answers to Questions

• Access to Health Services in New Housing Developments:
  • The Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, emphasized that through the revised national planning policy framework, the government is ensuring new housing developments include necessary infrastructure like health services. Developers will be held accountable to meet these obligations.
  • Chris Coghlan, MP for Dorking and Horley, highlighted a specific case where a new development has been waiting seven years for a GP surgery. He requested a meeting to discuss solutions.
  • Ben Maguire, MP for North Cornwall, pointed out the strain on existing GP services due to new housing without adequate primary care infrastructure, urging for mandatory pre-development infrastructure.
• Housing Targets and New Towns Taskforce:
  • Matthew Pennycook, Minister for Housing and Planning, clarified that houses recommended by the new towns taskforce will be in addition to existing targets.
  • Blake Stephenson, MP for Mid Bedfordshire, expressed concerns about the impact of additional housing on countryside and historic towns, seeking assurance that new housing won’t overburden their area.
• Penistone Line Project:
  • Alex Norris, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, discussed ongoing dialogues with the Department for Transport regarding the Penistone line project, which aims to improve connectivity.
  • Paul Davies, MP for Colne Valley, highlighted the line’s issues and requested a meeting to discuss project advancement.
• Levelling-Up Projects:
  • Alex Norris outlined plans to continue support for levelling-up projects, shifting from competitive funding to a more locally-driven model.
  • Harriet Cross, MP for Gordon and Buchan, raised concerns about funding for rural and coastal communities, seeking clarity on the new funding criteria.
• Leasehold Costs and Reform:
  • Matthew Pennycook discussed government plans to tackle increases in leaseholders’ costs and to transition to a more fair commonhold system, addressing high service charges and ground rents.
  • Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, and others stressed the urgent need for leasehold reform and protection for existing leaseholders against high fees and poor management.
• Non-Domestic Rates for Pubs:
  • Jim McMahon, Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, noted ongoing discussions with the Chancellor about non-domestic rates for pubs, mentioning relief schemes in place and future planned reductions.
• Energy Efficiency Standards:
  • Rushanara Ali is consulting on new energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector, aiming to reduce fuel poverty while supporting landlords in meeting these standards.
  • Greg Smith, MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, raised concerns about the financial burden on landlords and the potential loss of rental properties due to these new standards.
• Building More Social Housing:
  • Matthew Pennycook confirmed government commitment to building more social and affordable housing, with new funding allocated to deliver thousands of new homes.
  • MPs including John Slinger for Rugby, Mike Tapp for Dover and Deal, and Steve Witherden for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, sought measures to ensure increased social housing construction and adequate infrastructure.
• Local Government Funding:
  • Jim McMahon discussed increased funding for local government in England, ensuring higher allocations for deprived areas, with decisions for future years to be outlined in upcoming reviews.
• Fire Safety and Local Planning:
  • Alex Norris outlined the government’s approach to ensuring fire safety in new developments through regulations and planning requirements.
  • Dave Doogan, MP for Angus and Perthshire Glens, called for stronger regulations to ensure local authorities prioritize serious fire safety concerns raised by fire brigades.
• Town Centre Regeneration:
  • Alex Norris spoke about government support for town centre regeneration, including plans and funding aimed at revitalizing community spaces.
  • Paul Kohler, MP for Wimbledon, and Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, discussed the need for and impact of regeneration efforts in their constituencies.
• Housing in Protected Landscapes:
  • Matthew Pennycook reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting landscapes while allowing limited development where necessary.
  • Edward Morello, MP for West Dorset, discussed the tension between housing needs and protecting national landscapes, asking for balanced policy adjustments.
• Building Safety Documentation:
  • Alex Norris addressed issues with the EWS1 fire safety certificates, indicating government measures to work with industry and ensure safe and valid assessments.
• General Housing Policies:
  • Angela Rayner outlined plans to build 1.5 million homes and introduce mortgage guarantee schemes to help people access housing, responding to criticisms and clarifying policy on green belt usage.
• Homelessness and Vagrancy Act:
  • Rushanara Ali mentioned ongoing efforts to tackle homelessness, including financial allocations to address winter pressures, but could not provide a timeline for repealing the Vagrancy Act.
• Renters’ Rights and Housing Quality:
  • Matthew Pennycook emphasized government strides in improving renters’ rights, with legislation aimed at abolishing no-fault evictions and challenging unreasonable rent hikes, alongside plans to boost housing supply.

The session displays a moderate level of disagreement, primarily centered around housing policies, leasehold reforms, and local government funding. While the disagreements in the session are not overly contentious, they are significant in their impact on policy implementation and local communities. Here are the key examples of disagreements observed in the transcript:

1. Housing and Infrastructure: There is a clear disagreement between MPs and the Secretary of State regarding the provision of adequate infrastructure alongside new housing developments. For instance, Chris Coghlan and Ben Maguire both highlight the issue of delayed GP surgeries in new housing estates (Westvale Park and towns like Bodmin). Angela Rayner acknowledges the issue but stresses the government’s commitment to infrastructure through revised national planning policies.

2. Leasehold Reforms: The session shows significant disagreement on the pace and effectiveness of leasehold reforms. Several MPs, such as Rachael Maskell, Lee Dillon, and Joshua Reynolds, express frustration over the lack of tangible progress and the financial burden on leaseholders due to high service charges and ground rents. Minister Matthew Pennycook outlines government plans but does not address all concerns, leading to visible dissatisfaction among the MPs.

3. Local Government Funding and Reorganisation: There is a clear disagreement regarding local government funding and the proposed reorganization. Andrew George criticizes the financial mismanagement of Cornwall council under Conservative leadership, while Jim McMahon reassures that funding will be revised to consider rural and urban deprivation factors. Furthermore, Kevin Hollinrake challenges the government’s decision on postponing local elections for reorganization purposes, indicating a disagreement on the timeline and communication from the government.

4. Housing Targets and Protected Landscapes: Edward Morello raises concerns about the impact of housing targets on protected landscapes in West Dorset. The disagreement here is between the local need for affordable housing and the protection of national landscapes. Matthew Pennycook responds by reaffirming government policies and commits to exploring all options, but the tension between housing needs and environmental protection is evident.

5. Leasehold Managing Agents: Several MPs criticize the performance of leasehold managing agents, such as FirstPort, for poor service and high fees, leading to disagreements over the accountability and regulation of these agents. The government’s response, delivered by Matthew Pennycook, acknowledges these issues but lacks detailed solutions, creating discontent among the MPs.

Overall, the disagreements discussed are policy-focused and reflect challenges in implementation and local impacts, rather than personal attacks or ideological divides. The session’s rating of 3 out of 5 indicates a moderate level of disagreement, significant enough to be noted but not escalating to severe conflict.