:00:00. > :00:00.communities and local governments, and later the matter of transfer to
:00:00. > :00:25.deal with later in the chamber. In order, order! The title for
:00:26. > :00:29.private bill, set down for this day. Further consideration for the bill
:00:30. > :00:41.as amended. For the consideration, what date? Tuesday, the 12th of
:00:42. > :00:47.April at 4pm. Order. Questions for communities and local governments.
:00:48. > :00:56.Good afternoon, thank you Mr Speaker. One please. LAUGHTER I
:00:57. > :01:02.would like to answer question one and four together. Consuls retained
:01:03. > :01:10.till billion pounds of the rates they collect. As a result of reforms
:01:11. > :01:14.we estimate that consuls will retain ?26 billion raised by business
:01:15. > :01:23.rates. I thank him for his response. Local confidence is rock-bottom in
:01:24. > :01:30.the budget setting. It shows a huge funding gap. Doesn't the Minister
:01:31. > :01:38.agree that this budget will help consuls take control of their
:01:39. > :01:43.finances, and help local business? I do agree, and I enjoyed meeting with
:01:44. > :01:47.a number of counsellors from my friend's constituency. I've seen the
:01:48. > :01:51.excellent work being done to attract businesses to the local enterprise
:01:52. > :01:57.partnership, and the investor meant in beastly college.
:01:58. > :02:10.the prospect of more business rates will be a great help to her counsel.
:02:11. > :02:16.Chamber of Commerce has declared delight at the announcement that a
:02:17. > :02:18.small business rate will be doubled. Any Secretary of State confirm that
:02:19. > :02:23.the budget measures ensure that rural areas in East Sussex who
:02:24. > :02:29.aren't not receivers of business rates will not be worse off as a
:02:30. > :02:34.result of this change? By friend can have that reassurance. The package
:02:35. > :02:36.that was in the budget for small businesses has been warmly received
:02:37. > :02:43.by small businesses across the country. It must to reduction of
:02:44. > :02:56.nearly ?7 billion over four years. Every penny of that will be made up.
:02:57. > :03:02.Can he explain precisely how that is going to happen? The Institute for
:03:03. > :03:08.Fiscal Studies said that was perfectly possible to commentate for
:03:09. > :03:12.changes or there is great in play. They said it would be nearly
:03:13. > :03:18.impossible to do it after 2020, when there is no grant for the government
:03:19. > :03:24.to use. Also, how precisely with the comments the change from RPI to CGI,
:03:25. > :03:31.given that is a variable that changes year-to-year. How will work?
:03:32. > :03:34.The the compensation will be made in the way that it always has been when
:03:35. > :03:39.we have reduced business rates. Will be paid as a section 31 grant from
:03:40. > :03:45.to local authorities that is tried and tested, and that is the way that
:03:46. > :03:50.these sums are always paid. He will also know that when it comes to the
:03:51. > :03:59.full retention of business rates by 2020, the forecast is that there is
:04:00. > :04:02.26 billion revenue. Consuls retained 13, so there are transfers that need
:04:03. > :04:06.to be made in which will be taken into account by the end of the
:04:07. > :04:14.process. I know that his committee, as with local government generally
:04:15. > :04:17.will want to revise it. As the secretary of state scenic, any
:04:18. > :04:21.weekend in the Sunday papers that poorer areas of the country are
:04:22. > :04:24.going to be doubly disadvantaged? What is the point of mucking around
:04:25. > :04:33.with the finance of local governments if we continue to rob
:04:34. > :04:42.them of powers and taking away the responsibility for education. --?
:04:43. > :04:49.For generations local governments have said that they should be
:04:50. > :04:55.financed by their local funds. We have said that every amount of money
:04:56. > :05:00.raised by local government should be used by local government. He will
:05:01. > :05:05.know, and many members of his party have welcomed devolution of powers
:05:06. > :05:12.that this government has given to local government, and it is
:05:13. > :05:17.something that I am very proud of. The Secretary of State has reflected
:05:18. > :05:22.on the importance of protecting local authorities from the garage of
:05:23. > :05:26.the tax base. With the setting the baseline for business reproduction,
:05:27. > :05:32.measures are included so that there is incentives to encourage local
:05:33. > :05:39.authorities? Small businesses just as much as large ones, to ensure a
:05:40. > :05:43.mixed? That is one of the reasons for the retention, 100% retention of
:05:44. > :05:50.business rates. There is a connection between them, and the
:05:51. > :05:54.best authorities have always seen as their duty and responsibility to
:05:55. > :06:03.promote and attract businesses. In this way, they will get their reward
:06:04. > :06:09.for it. Karim thank you Mr Speaker. Will the former cabinet minister
:06:10. > :06:14.openly admit that the government is -- now that he has admitted the
:06:15. > :06:17.government is dividing us, will they admit that this will hit the poorer
:06:18. > :06:27.councils for the Times harder than the richest? He is wrong on this.
:06:28. > :06:32.The decision that we have made to reduce spending would have been made
:06:33. > :06:37.by any party they came into party at -- power after the election. The
:06:38. > :06:41.difference between this party is that we have devolved the powers so
:06:42. > :06:44.that local authorities can have a greater concern for their own
:06:45. > :06:48.future. In terms of the change in the methodology that we have made,
:06:49. > :06:52.this is something that the Institute of fiscal studies has said is an
:06:53. > :07:02.improvement and a fairer system that took place in previous years. The
:07:03. > :07:06.local government financial settlement reflects a detailed
:07:07. > :07:12.assessment of the need to challenge -- and challenges of each area. We
:07:13. > :07:22.have really save you, and will work with government to move toward 100%
:07:23. > :07:35.as its retention by 2020. Did he want to meet that question with a
:07:36. > :07:40.question 17? Yes, I will. Funds for local governments are going to
:07:41. > :07:47.conservative governments. We agree that it doesn't matter, because
:07:48. > :07:52.those areas don't vote for us? IMs prize to hear this question from
:07:53. > :07:59.him, given that his county of Norfolk has benefited from 14 6
:08:00. > :08:03.million. -- 1.6 million. I would have thought that in terms of
:08:04. > :08:09.reflecting on his party colleagues, he should take advice from dairy
:08:10. > :08:15.Council, who said that the methodology is a welcome improvement
:08:16. > :08:28.for allocating RSD reductions and goes toward some reductions of
:08:29. > :08:33.unequal funding. They can't have escaped the secretary of state's
:08:34. > :08:39.attention that towns have been hit, those that have been hit hardest
:08:40. > :08:41.haven't had a penny from the local transitional fund. This government
:08:42. > :08:46.feels it's duty is only toward wealthier governments that only
:08:47. > :08:51.voted Tory. Is he ashamed of his callous and unfair treatment of his
:08:52. > :08:58.hometown? He should inform himself better as to what is happening in
:08:59. > :09:04.the Middlesboro local authority. For a start, as a result of the change
:09:05. > :09:11.of methodology, Middlesboro gets an improvement of nearly ?4 million in
:09:12. > :09:14.resources. If I quote from the response to the consultation that
:09:15. > :09:18.had from the council that I thought he might have read before, it says
:09:19. > :09:24."Do you agree with the proposed methodology for the calculation?" It
:09:25. > :09:28.says yes, on the basis that it does not have a disproportionate impact
:09:29. > :09:36.across local authorities. He should inform himself before he comes to
:09:37. > :09:39.the house and asks questions. Our city Council have been proactive to
:09:40. > :09:41.attracting new business and are looking forward to a greater
:09:42. > :09:49.retention and business rates, but one of the things they lack is
:09:50. > :09:55.certainty. Will there be an additional relief on business rates,
:09:56. > :10:01.can he clarify the compensation available to local authorities that
:10:02. > :10:05.would lead to that happening? He is corrected to raise the transition to
:10:06. > :10:09.100% retention needs to have in place checks and balances that would
:10:10. > :10:14.assure that no authority loses out. The government, with the local
:10:15. > :10:19.Government Association, has agreed to work together to design the
:10:20. > :10:21.system. I look forward to the responses to the consultation,
:10:22. > :10:27.including taking advice from members of this house the select committee,
:10:28. > :10:32.and other bodies. The government has cut millions upon millions of pounds
:10:33. > :10:41.from consuls yet dropped asylum-seekers in our town. Globals
:10:42. > :10:47.are not happy. What is he going to do in terms of funding us? They have
:10:48. > :10:52.benefited from the change to the methodology that we put in place,
:10:53. > :10:54.and the representative organisation for the Metropolitan authorities
:10:55. > :11:00.have welcomed the change. I would say to them that the council has
:11:01. > :11:06.benefited from the local government settlement, and he should be
:11:07. > :11:09.welcoming that. Following this week's revelation that the
:11:10. > :11:14.government has targeted the working poor because they do not vote Tory,
:11:15. > :11:31.will the secretary of state admit that the same thinking I -- funds
:11:32. > :11:37.were channeled into wealthier for he voted constituents these? One of the
:11:38. > :11:43.consuls that she mentioned have benefited from the change in
:11:44. > :11:50.methodology. The Council that her colleague used specifically, Labour
:11:51. > :11:54.last time I checked, called for this transitional measure. What they said
:11:55. > :11:58.was that the measures are usually employed when a new methodology is
:11:59. > :12:01.introduced to ensure that significant shifts are not
:12:02. > :12:06.experienced. The Council believes this is a sensible on the basis that
:12:07. > :12:15.those benefiting are not adversely affected. That is what we have done.
:12:16. > :12:18.Thank you Mr Speaker. I am pleased that we were able to finish the last
:12:19. > :12:24.parliament with more affordable housing than when we finished. We
:12:25. > :12:31.did a bit beyond our target with 276,000 affordable homes which
:12:32. > :12:35.80,000 of were believed shared ownership. Homeownership among young
:12:36. > :12:43.people under the age of 35 is down by over a fifth by 21%. What will
:12:44. > :12:46.every definition of affordable housing to under ?450,000 due to
:12:47. > :12:50.address that problem? I would say that if he looks at some of the
:12:51. > :12:54.papers published over the last couple of weeks, he will see that
:12:55. > :13:00.having had a false since 2003 in homeownership, that has now stalled,
:13:01. > :13:04.and it is our fear determination to increase homeownership. That is what
:13:05. > :13:16.this is about, so I would rather he would help and support us to deliver
:13:17. > :13:19.those homes. One of the keys to the government policy is neighbourhood
:13:20. > :13:25.planning. The Minister will be pleased to hear that an Oakley in my
:13:26. > :13:28.constituency, if then went to referendum and received 95%
:13:29. > :13:34.approval. Given that, does he agree that it is an outrage, therefore,
:13:35. > :13:37.that seven days before the referendum, the planning Inspector
:13:38. > :13:43.allowed an appeal which largely rendered the planet pointless after
:13:44. > :13:46.two years of work? What he going to do about the inspector bulldozing
:13:47. > :13:59.government policy in my constituency? This is a matter I
:14:00. > :14:03.feel -- I think it is important that a verbal homes are delivered in
:14:04. > :14:12.areas that plans have been worked out. I would inspect the inspector
:14:13. > :14:24.to respect the plan. I think the Minister for his response. North
:14:25. > :14:27.Irish households are in need. We need to build 11,000 a year, can I
:14:28. > :14:33.ask the Minister what help will there be to help us purchase even
:14:34. > :14:44.more? He raises a good point, and we are clear that we want to deliver
:14:45. > :14:48.400,000 affordable homes, and a in co-ownership, a fantastic model that
:14:49. > :14:54.allows people for affordability to access the home affordability model.
:14:55. > :14:58.Can he outlined what a couple living in Cornwall below the age of 40 can
:14:59. > :15:02.expect to borrow under the new initiative that this government has
:15:03. > :15:08.implemented for a family home of around ?200,000 a year? I think he
:15:09. > :15:15.makes a good point about how starter homes can help people get onto the
:15:16. > :15:19.housing market in terms of ownership. When you take the money
:15:20. > :15:25.home, apply the discount of at least 20% a break at 260,000 with a 5%
:15:26. > :15:28.deposit, a gift accessibility to a whole new age of people who have
:15:29. > :15:41.been trapped out since Labour's great recession. We have provided up
:15:42. > :15:45.to the 5p of funding to meet the demographic pressures on social
:15:46. > :15:53.care. This is more than a to .9 billion that the local Government
:15:54. > :15:59.Association estimated. The budget reveals a black hole of four million
:16:00. > :16:06.deaths billion pounds of social care alone. What is this government make
:16:07. > :16:11.a priority of giving tax cuts to the wealthy and refuse to give tax cuts
:16:12. > :16:16.to disabled and elderly people? During the process of the spending
:16:17. > :16:21.review, we listen extremely carefully to local government, and
:16:22. > :16:24.they explained the priority that social care was. We responded to
:16:25. > :16:28.that by providing local authorities with up to three by 5 billion
:16:29. > :16:35.pounds, which was in excess of what they were asking for, to .9 billion.
:16:36. > :16:41.The honourable gentleman, I am sure, will acknowledge that the extra
:16:42. > :16:47.support is going well with the additional preset for adult social
:16:48. > :16:51.care. What discussions have taken place between communities and local
:16:52. > :16:56.governments and the department of health regarding the integration of
:16:57. > :17:00.health and social care? I can assure the honourable lady that we have
:17:01. > :17:08.significant and ongoing discussions with the department of health. We
:17:09. > :17:11.both share the same outlook, and we want to fully integrate health and
:17:12. > :17:20.social care by the end of this decade. That is what we are setting
:17:21. > :17:28.out to do with each department. Thank you. Reports that 300,000
:17:29. > :17:32.unruly people are suffering from chronic loneliness, which leads to
:17:33. > :17:38.early death. -- elderly. The that have been imposed are letting our
:17:39. > :17:48.utterly people die. Is the Minister Pranab this? I would say to her that
:17:49. > :17:54.we are doing a significant amount to support social care. We have put
:17:55. > :17:57.into a preset that has allowed councils to raise up to an
:17:58. > :18:02.additional ?2 billion. We have put in place additional funds into the
:18:03. > :18:07.better care fund, and we are committed to working with the NHS to
:18:08. > :18:11.make sure that health and social care is properly integrated. Part of
:18:12. > :18:15.that integration is making sure that the issues that she mentioned are
:18:16. > :18:23.properly dealt with. I can assure that that is happening. With
:18:24. > :18:26.permission, Mr Speaker, I will take this in conjunction with question
:18:27. > :18:31.seven and 19 following the devastating effects of storms
:18:32. > :18:44.Desmond and Eva. We made available over ?2 million to the areas
:18:45. > :18:51.affected. This government, from the first day of flooding, should have
:18:52. > :18:56.applied to the European fund, but it took the 25th of February to find
:18:57. > :19:01.out that they would apply. If the government so much fighting with
:19:02. > :19:07.itself that they held the process for so long, and why the delay? Is a
:19:08. > :19:11.complex fund, and the application process is complex. You need to
:19:12. > :19:16.determine eligibility and damage, and the process still ongoing as we
:19:17. > :19:20.inform the commission as to the extent of the damage taken place. We
:19:21. > :19:27.started early in January, applied by the deadline, and we are pursuing it
:19:28. > :19:33.now. The flooding was exceptional, and there was impact across the UK
:19:34. > :19:40.and Scotland. Will the Minister confirm that should the bid to the
:19:41. > :19:43.European Solidarity fund be successful, the Scottish Government
:19:44. > :19:49.will receive a fair and proper share of that funding? We do not yet know
:19:50. > :19:57.how long the process will take, ultimately what the quantum of any
:19:58. > :20:01.award might be. The government is already making available significant
:20:02. > :20:05.funds and we continue to work with local authorities and with devolved
:20:06. > :20:09.authorities and governments to assure that this is properly done.
:20:10. > :20:16.We'll make appropriate announcements when more information is available.
:20:17. > :20:22.Since 2002, EU Solidarity fund has helped communities and people from
:20:23. > :20:26.24 countries. I ensure the Minister agrees with me that that is it an
:20:27. > :20:33.excellent example of the positive affects by a membership of the EU.
:20:34. > :20:48.Can he confirm that those severely affected by flooding will receive a
:20:49. > :20:52.Fisher of support. As I have made it clear, we are pursuing this, and it
:20:53. > :20:56.will take some time to pay out. We are in discussion with the
:20:57. > :20:59.commission about the information that they needed to process the
:21:00. > :21:07.application. We will be any position to further announcements about what
:21:08. > :21:13.will be eligible for it to be used for, and we will keep the house
:21:14. > :21:20.updated. And I thank my honourable friend for the help that his
:21:21. > :21:22.department provided to our counsel under the no wind scheme that has
:21:23. > :21:29.been an assistant to my constituents. Can you confirm that
:21:30. > :21:32.his department will continue to provide help to consult to repair
:21:33. > :21:37.the damaged infrastructure which remained damaged to this day, such
:21:38. > :21:43.as roads and bridges? I thank him for his question. It is important
:21:44. > :21:47.that we are clear that although flooding happens over short periods
:21:48. > :21:52.of time, recovery is a longer process. The government is committed
:21:53. > :21:57.to support local authorities and it made available over ?200 million of.
:21:58. > :22:04.We are making available support any of grants where if someone's
:22:05. > :22:09.property has been damaged they can claim. We work with local
:22:10. > :22:23.authorities to deliver assistance and help them recover. Thank you Mr
:22:24. > :22:29.Speaker. 21% terms of completion, the highest level we have seen since
:22:30. > :22:37.2007. There has been over 4000 new housing starts in Cheshire, housing
:22:38. > :22:45.starts are up 91% compared to 2009. To my honourable friend reminded the
:22:46. > :22:51.House who was housing minister when the numbers were so low? The right
:22:52. > :23:03.honourable gentleman, the current shadow Minister was the Minister. We
:23:04. > :23:07.have seen record numbers of housing starts and a large portion are
:23:08. > :23:10.affordable housing. What more can my honourable friend do to make sure
:23:11. > :23:23.that the strong recovery we have seen in housing that that continues,
:23:24. > :23:26.and he continues to deliver on that record? He gives an example of a
:23:27. > :23:33.something I hear time and time again. We are the party that has
:23:34. > :23:42.gotten us building moving again since 2010. I am proud to be housing
:23:43. > :23:47.minister, and it is thanks to the Chancellor. It is the opposite of
:23:48. > :24:01.what we inherited. You are an estate agent! Housing starts rely on
:24:02. > :24:04.housing need. There was an appealing one of my constituencies on the
:24:05. > :24:10.basis that the local authority could not demonstrate housing need --
:24:11. > :24:16.housing need -- supply for five years. There is an assessment by the
:24:17. > :24:25.local authority that shows an A+ supply. -- eight year. Is there more
:24:26. > :24:29.needed? It is important that local authorities are planning for the
:24:30. > :24:32.future of housing delivery. That is what the local plans are about, and
:24:33. > :24:36.I would encourage local authorities that are working to plans to make
:24:37. > :24:41.sure that they make that provision. He makes a good point around the
:24:42. > :24:47.confidence of having a five-year supply, and we will be responding to
:24:48. > :24:58.the evidence from the expert panel that reported last week. Question
:24:59. > :25:02.number nine. With permission I will answer questions nine and ten
:25:03. > :25:09.together. Since 2010 we have enabled local authorities to help prevent
:25:10. > :25:14.homelessness. One person without a home is too many. We have increased
:25:15. > :25:25.central funding 239 million over the next four years. -- 139 million. I
:25:26. > :25:30.would be grateful if the Minister could answer the question, and in
:25:31. > :25:35.particular why do we have a doubling of street homelessness since 2010,
:25:36. > :25:39.and there are currently 370,000 households with no permanent home?
:25:40. > :25:44.Does the Minister not see that these are a direct result of a series of
:25:45. > :25:50.government policies introduced in 2010, and it's sad to get worse. The
:25:51. > :25:55.removal of the funding, the bedroom tax, housing benefit tax, the kind
:25:56. > :25:59.funding for housing benefits for supportive housing, and a sale of
:26:00. > :26:05.hundred thousand councils? I would suggest that she seek an adjournment
:26:06. > :26:15.debate, but I realised she had just had it.
:26:16. > :26:22.This is an extremely important issue, this conservative party
:26:23. > :26:25.recognises that and we changed the methodology on the rough sleeping to
:26:26. > :26:28.give a more accurate picture of the challenges. The issues with from
:26:29. > :26:32.sleeping or not is about housing, they are about other things like
:26:33. > :26:39.mental health, and issues in relation to other matters, such as
:26:40. > :26:50.trade and drug dependency. What I can say is, the Chancellor work
:26:51. > :26:54.with... Confirmed an additional ?100 million to help move for sleepers
:26:55. > :26:58.out of hostels that they are put into into accommodation so that we
:26:59. > :27:05.can help even more rough sleepers get off of the streets. Thank you Mr
:27:06. > :27:15.Speaker, the Albert Kennedy present report found that 24% of homeless
:27:16. > :27:19.youth are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, abuses their primary
:27:20. > :27:22.reason for homelessness. That the Minister support their cause that
:27:23. > :27:28.vulnerable young people aged 18 to 21 face rejection and abuse at home
:27:29. > :27:35.should be treated as a group except from the housing benefit changes? I
:27:36. > :27:42.spoke to over 100 and people that have been through the problems
:27:43. > :27:47.caused by the issues that the Honorable Lady refers to. I spoke to
:27:48. > :27:52.them just last week, what I can assure her of, is that this
:27:53. > :27:56.government is committed to protecting the most vulnerable
:27:57. > :27:59.through the changes that she mentions, we are looking very
:28:00. > :28:03.carefully at how those changes take place to make sure that the most
:28:04. > :28:11.vulnerable are detected. The Minister as of right to say that the
:28:12. > :28:15.best way to tackle the whole of the people sleeping on our streets is
:28:16. > :28:20.about attacking the underlying causes that he mentions. Can I
:28:21. > :28:24.encourage them minister to use the new ?10 million social impact bond
:28:25. > :28:26.to specifically focus on the underlying causes, so that we don't
:28:27. > :28:32.to stop people going onto the streets we keep them off of the
:28:33. > :28:36.streets altogether. That is a sensible suggestion, I know that my
:28:37. > :28:40.Honorable friend has significant knowledge and expertise in this
:28:41. > :28:46.area. I would say to him that I am working across government, of cross
:28:47. > :28:49.departmental, working group where we are working through these issues to
:28:50. > :28:55.try to bring forward that social impact bond which will help get
:28:56. > :29:01.rough sleepers off of our streets. Can I welcome the hundred million
:29:02. > :29:04.and that the budget for the accommodations for rough sleepers
:29:05. > :29:09.and domestic abuse victims. What work can be done to encourage social
:29:10. > :29:13.and private landlords to take those who find themselves in the
:29:14. > :29:21.situation? Thank you, my Honorable friend makes a extremely important
:29:22. > :29:26.point. This department has supported organizations such as crisis, to
:29:27. > :29:31.deliver support to people to allow them to get into the private rented
:29:32. > :29:34.sector through things such as bond schemes and things such as deposit
:29:35. > :29:40.schemes so that people who otherwise would not be able to afford the
:29:41. > :29:45.deposit to get into private rented accommodation had been able to do
:29:46. > :29:48.so. Last week the communities and local Government committee took all
:29:49. > :29:52.evidence from the crisis would suggest that an estimated 3600
:29:53. > :30:00.people sleeping rough on a typical night in England. That figure is up
:30:01. > :30:03.in the last year. Why is that of rising so quickly in England and
:30:04. > :30:10.what is he doing to get a grip of this? We are taking serious
:30:11. > :30:13.consideration into making sure that we prevent homelessness before the
:30:14. > :30:18.happen. If homelessness that happen we have to help. As I said earlier
:30:19. > :30:23.we are taking significant steps to help rough sleepers off of the
:30:24. > :30:27.streets. Homeless prevention is key, we are looking at our options, we
:30:28. > :30:32.are looking at what goes on across the world in existence and in the
:30:33. > :30:36.devolved administrations. We are looking at all options working with
:30:37. > :30:40.homeless charities and as I've said before, cross ministerial working
:30:41. > :30:46.group to make sure that we tackle homelessness and because of it.
:30:47. > :30:50.Shelter also giving evidence last week that there have been a few
:30:51. > :30:55.hundred 50% increase in people becoming homeless over the past five
:30:56. > :30:57.years, as a result of their private tendencies pending. Discuss
:30:58. > :31:03.government left the proud when that pass the private... Will the
:31:04. > :31:08.Minister look at what Scotland has done to see what can be brought to
:31:09. > :31:14.benefit homeless people in England? As I said, and my previous answer,
:31:15. > :31:19.we will not ignore good practice for it is happening. We are looking very
:31:20. > :31:22.closely at how we can improve homelessness prevention. If the
:31:23. > :31:26.Honorable Lady would like to contact me with information I would be more
:31:27. > :31:35.than willing to see what they have done in Scotland. I welcome the
:31:36. > :31:40.announcement last the Chancellor of the million pound extra to help
:31:41. > :31:44.tackle from sleeping. It has been happening in my consistency due to
:31:45. > :31:48.high levels of tourist. How will my Honorable friend ensure that
:31:49. > :31:51.journeys to us his truck and Julian house was benefited under the last
:31:52. > :31:57.parliament will be able to benefit from this new fund? I think my
:31:58. > :32:03.Honorable friend and I am delighted to hear his welcome for the changes
:32:04. > :32:07.that have been made in the budget to support homelessness and rough
:32:08. > :32:11.sleeping. I was also pleased to hear from him about the work that Genesis
:32:12. > :32:15.trust has done and the Chilean house. We will be working with the
:32:16. > :32:19.home inspector and local authorities to design the fund to help people
:32:20. > :32:27.that are on the street come off of the street. Last Wednesday, the
:32:28. > :32:31.Chancellor announced money to support the homeless and reduce
:32:32. > :32:35.rough sleeping. But the treasury has indicated that the money announced
:32:36. > :32:41.at the budget is not extra money but comes from DC LGA existing budget
:32:42. > :32:50.amounts and the Autumn Statement. We have an ever-growing... No solution
:32:51. > :32:56.and no extra money. Is this another example of a unfair budget by a
:32:57. > :32:59.deeply flawed Chancellor. I think the Honorable Lady is misguided
:33:00. > :33:05.because some of this money is extra money that is coming in. What she
:33:06. > :33:07.does identify is that we are working very closely with my right
:33:08. > :33:11.honourable friend the Chancellor and the treasury to put right the mess
:33:12. > :33:22.that the auto related party left when they were in government. Number
:33:23. > :33:28.11 Mr Speaker. With permission I what answer questions 11 and 15
:33:29. > :33:42.together. Since 2010 we have delivered 270,000 affordable homes
:33:43. > :33:46.and 2000 rental homes. To respond specifically on new build social
:33:47. > :33:52.housing, my local authority and housing associations say that they
:33:53. > :33:58.cannot afford to develop social housing. They will develop up to
:33:59. > :34:02.2000 high-value units. We have a social housing crisis, how will the
:34:03. > :34:06.Minister and so that councils and housing associations can afford to
:34:07. > :34:13.build for social friend to match local needs? I would say to the
:34:14. > :34:18.Honorable Lady, and she looks back between 1997 and 2010 and compares
:34:19. > :34:23.it to our record we have seen double the number of council homes built
:34:24. > :34:28.under the conservative government. This is the fastest rate we have
:34:29. > :34:32.seen in 20 years. Housing a float is and is at 824 ?4 billion surplus and
:34:33. > :34:36.local authority has a very bland town. We are encouraging them to use
:34:37. > :34:45.the money to use the homes want to see built. And has been reported
:34:46. > :34:49.that private developers continued to hold many thousands of acres on
:34:50. > :34:54.which they refuse to build and sell housing prices rise to maximise
:34:55. > :34:58.their profits. Can I suggest that a sensible government would take
:34:59. > :35:01.public ownership allocated to local authorities and require and enable
:35:02. > :35:08.them to build the counsel homes to house those in desperate need of a
:35:09. > :35:11.home. I would say, we do want to see developers get on with building. We
:35:12. > :35:14.want to see build-up races and creeds and we want to see local
:35:15. > :35:19.authorities dealing with conditions so that they can get onside quickly
:35:20. > :35:29.and get building more quickly. We want to make that land agents are
:35:30. > :35:32.holding up. Question number 12. Thank you Mr Speaker, measures of
:35:33. > :35:43.the housing and bill to improve conditions. Our proposal includes a
:35:44. > :35:47.database of landlords, introducing orders for serious or repeat
:35:48. > :35:50.offenders and a tougher fit and proper person to extending payment
:35:51. > :36:01.orders and introducing new and higher civil penalties. The majority
:36:02. > :36:04.of the Grammys are in the private -- families renting sector and facing
:36:05. > :36:10.increased in rent every six months. If they complain about repairs and
:36:11. > :36:15.so on they often face eviction. I understand that that will be dealt
:36:16. > :36:20.on an future legislation but will not come into force until 2018, this
:36:21. > :36:23.is not a way to bring up a family, what does the government going to do
:36:24. > :36:29.to get more security to these families. I would say that she has
:36:30. > :36:39.her facts flatly wrong because the interest can buy an October 2000 15.
:36:40. > :36:47.We want to see attendance -- ten minutes, we should pay in mind that
:36:48. > :37:00.the average Tennessee is getting on. She is fried. People should not
:37:01. > :37:05.Thank you Mr Speaker, my Honorable friend is a passionate advocate when
:37:06. > :37:11.it comes to local government matters and took an active part in the
:37:12. > :37:18.devolution of Bill. I know he's Eagle to see things progress. We saw
:37:19. > :37:24.and the budget, announced three new devolution bills. That recruited the
:37:25. > :37:33.deal with better ligature, -- greater ligature. We want to do
:37:34. > :37:38.more. Will he note that six District councils have voted not to be part
:37:39. > :37:42.of the devolution deal. Would he confirmed that he would not impose a
:37:43. > :37:52.deal without their consent and what advice does the half-full. And
:37:53. > :37:56.devolution is to last and make a real solution, it must be done by
:37:57. > :38:00.agreements and a bottom-up process. That's what the legislation at this
:38:01. > :38:07.house past allows, that is what the government of Phils to do. Women are
:38:08. > :38:11.forcing this on any area. It is a welcome sign that so many more areas
:38:12. > :38:21.continues to sign up to continue to have those talks with government.
:38:22. > :38:25.Why is the Chancellor, insisting, that the price of devolution to
:38:26. > :38:31.Lincolnshire is an elected mayor which nobody asked for. Mayors are
:38:32. > :38:36.for a not for large rural areas Word District councils work perfectly
:38:37. > :38:45.well together. Let's have a true devolution and true choice. My right
:38:46. > :38:48.honourable friend is never backwards with coming forward and I have had
:38:49. > :38:52.many discussions with him about this deal. The government does not
:38:53. > :38:59.enforce deal and does not impose mayors. This is a matter of consent
:39:00. > :39:04.local areas. Powers are passed down from government to local areas to
:39:05. > :39:13.drive for the economy and improve life for that community. Question 14
:39:14. > :39:16.Mr Speaker. We are putting a further ?8.6 billion with investment for the
:39:17. > :39:22.ability for another hundred and 45,000 people to buy their own home
:39:23. > :39:27.by 2020 and 2021. This scheme has made sure that about 43% of the
:39:28. > :39:35.homes sold were built and they would have not been built but we are
:39:36. > :39:39.driving up housing supply. The great city of Lincoln is one of the most
:39:40. > :39:46.successful cities and our country. More people want to live and work
:39:47. > :39:53.there. With my Honorable friend like to remind Lincoln Council that they
:39:54. > :39:58.need to support private house building and public house building
:39:59. > :40:03.to ensure that residents have a choice? It is important that they
:40:04. > :40:07.look at their housing needs and plan to what they need to deliver. Eight
:40:08. > :40:11.is 6% of our population want the chance to own their own home. We
:40:12. > :40:21.encourage that they take on a work actively. They should have a 20%
:40:22. > :40:28.discount. Question number 16 Mr Speaker. Thank you Mr Speaker, and
:40:29. > :40:34.December 2015, the reform planning system has given permission for
:40:35. > :40:38.another 253,000 new homes. That is excellent news. There is a 53%
:40:39. > :40:47.increase on the year until December 2000 ten. -- 2010. What and the
:40:48. > :40:50.government do to ensure that houses that had been given planning
:40:51. > :40:55.permission are built out so that we do achieve our target of 1 million
:40:56. > :40:59.homes? There are a range of things we are doing, they are in the
:41:00. > :41:02.housing impending bill and we have had the winning and this is approved
:41:03. > :41:06.which will make it easier to get into finances. My Honorable friend
:41:07. > :41:09.will be aware that the budget last week, we outlined our plans to make
:41:10. > :41:16.sure that we are dealing with users around preconditions --
:41:17. > :41:19.precondition. We are speeding up the process and getting developers on
:41:20. > :41:33.site and getting them to build out the clerk -- quick learner --
:41:34. > :41:39.quicker. Thank you very much Mr Speaker. Before the recess I would
:41:40. > :41:45.like to update the house on the recovery from storm -- in an storm
:41:46. > :41:57.either. The government has restored 21,000 properties. There are hundred
:41:58. > :42:10.millions spent to prepare roads and bridges. Moore was built to announce
:42:11. > :42:17.future floods. The Chancellor offered to have a match funding, we
:42:18. > :42:20.are announcing a one for one match for every pound that has been raised
:42:21. > :42:26.by those community foundations during the floods. The local
:42:27. > :42:30.government pension scheme provides future security and retirement for
:42:31. > :42:35.millions of public service workers. It is funded and financed by the
:42:36. > :42:41.contributions of the workers. The government seems to interfere and
:42:42. > :42:46.the way those funds are invested. Mr Speaker, what legal powers of the
:42:47. > :42:50.government have to do this? Are they intending to invest and strategies
:42:51. > :42:54.of other UK pension funds and why treat them differently? What I would
:42:55. > :42:58.say is that there is a consultation that he knows, I'm not sure if he
:42:59. > :43:01.has contributed to it, that competition has closed. We are
:43:02. > :43:06.reflecting on the response and I will update the house and we have
:43:07. > :43:10.had a chance to do so. I have many towns and my constituency that are
:43:11. > :43:14.formally adopting the neighbourhood plans. They have had their plans in
:43:15. > :43:26.place for a long time and are constantly challenged by developers
:43:27. > :43:28.putting in applications Forsyth outside of their plan. Will the
:43:29. > :43:30.Minister uphold the status of neighbourhood plans of the planning
:43:31. > :43:32.process and return local democracy to villages and towns? My Honorable
:43:33. > :43:36.friend makes a good point, we do absolutely hold plants and portends
:43:37. > :43:40.and neighbourhoods. I would say, we are congratulating them for creating
:43:41. > :43:44.their plans. I know she appreciates, I cannot comment on a particular
:43:45. > :43:50.case but I want to stress that the national planning part of policy
:43:51. > :43:59.framing may conflict with what has been brought forward. Planning
:44:00. > :44:02.permission should not be granted. My question is for the Secretary of
:44:03. > :44:07.State who clearly lacks the clout to argue his Department case with the
:44:08. > :44:12.Chancellor, because there is nothing in the budget on housing. Nothing to
:44:13. > :44:17.reverse six years of failure to writhing homelessness and falling
:44:18. > :44:21.home on a ship. Despite the global banking collapse and the profession,
:44:22. > :44:23.we saw hundred 20,000 new homes built and the profession, we saw
:44:24. > :44:29.hundred 20,000 new homes built in this country, five years later, that
:44:30. > :44:36.total is only 5000 higher. At this rate, the Secretary of State will
:44:37. > :44:42.not hit his health target and 2079. Why so little in the budget on
:44:43. > :44:46.housing? Mr Speaker I would stay to the Honorable gentleman with great
:44:47. > :44:52.respect, he may want to have a look at the buds and it outlines a bunch
:44:53. > :44:58.of matches on planning. That's a it gives is the biggest building
:44:59. > :45:09.programme. That's a contrast of his own record. Joining government is
:45:10. > :45:21.the hundreds of thousands. I well thought through June 20, 2000 is a
:45:22. > :45:26.good news. That's 120,000. On the contrary, this brings the total tool
:45:27. > :45:29.around and about half that labor was investing when I was the last labor
:45:30. > :45:34.housing minister and building new homes in this country. The truth is
:45:35. > :45:37.there was little in the budget on housing, there was nothing in the
:45:38. > :45:42.budget that will deal with the causes of the housing crisis those
:45:43. > :45:49.six years of the year is that the stress to ten. Will the Minister now
:45:50. > :45:58.admit that on housing, the sensors credibility is an Saturday. --
:45:59. > :46:03.Saturday. He was the Minister that saw the lowest level of house
:46:04. > :46:06.building since 1993. I'm happy to work with the Chancellor who had
:46:07. > :46:17.given the country the biggest building of houses. It's the number
:46:18. > :46:20.of first-time buyers have doubled. We are delivering affordable housing
:46:21. > :46:26.at the fastest rate in over 20 years. We deliver doubled in number
:46:27. > :46:30.of council housing over the last five years. I'm proud of our track
:46:31. > :46:31.record and we continue in and to continue to deliver faster than
:46:32. > :46:48.labor ever did. My Honorable friend, would take time out of his very busy
:46:49. > :46:55.schedule to come and visit this outstanding counsel. I am very happy
:46:56. > :46:59.to join my Honorable friend on a visit. The last time I was visiting
:47:00. > :47:07.it was great to see the ambition and hard worker lab coat Lee Mack local
:47:08. > :47:16.pouncing is putting in. I will look forward to visiting very soon. Once
:47:17. > :47:20.I is that the final award under the EU Solidarity award has not been
:47:21. > :47:27.decided, can I nevertheless lacked the Minister to ensure that however
:47:28. > :47:31.it is a portion ensure that it reaches the community. A simple
:47:32. > :47:35.population share going to discover discover the mountains sure that
:47:36. > :47:38.enriches my constituency. Mr Speaker, the intention of the
:47:39. > :47:41.government is to support those communities affected by the terrible
:47:42. > :47:50.impact of storm that Desmond and Eva. We are talking about what we
:47:51. > :47:53.can do to help Scotland and what the impact is to inform the bit is that
:47:54. > :48:04.we are making for the Solidarity fund. Can the Minister of State the
:48:05. > :48:09.house on the future of the community fund and readers sure the future
:48:10. > :48:23.rounds will focus on the social problems? Thank you Mr Speaker. The
:48:24. > :48:30.hundred 19 coastal community teams across England are taking control of
:48:31. > :48:37.their own areas for generations. One team was earlier doctors of the CCT
:48:38. > :48:48.concept. They received ?2 million from the fund for a project that was
:48:49. > :48:51.successfully launched in 2015. In December 2015, they received ?50,000
:48:52. > :48:58.for coastal revival for emergency work in the... This is the first
:48:59. > :49:13.step and dreading a museum in popular culture. -- creating. I was
:49:14. > :49:20.the audible member good luck for any bits that may emanate from this
:49:21. > :49:22.constituency. Rather than cutting support for people with disabilities
:49:23. > :49:26.would it be better for the government to cut the housing
:49:27. > :49:32.benefit bill Woods is up by 4.4 billion over the last four years. Is
:49:33. > :49:36.it a failure of the government the build another house was his driving
:49:37. > :49:39.upgrades, heavy reliance on the private sector and isn't not a
:49:40. > :49:42.disgrace of the budgets do not put any money in the budgets do not put
:49:43. > :49:50.any money into building social housing? I would say that he wants
:49:51. > :49:55.to look back to the spending review. I would also just point out, the
:49:56. > :50:00.problem that we have had is that under Labour, one 870 homes were
:50:01. > :50:05.sold under Right to Buy they only built one. That's important that we
:50:06. > :50:09.build more homes, and London, which I know is dear to his heart we are
:50:10. > :50:16.look at two-for-one. That is good for delivering new homes. Thank you
:50:17. > :50:19.Mr Speaker, last exposes are welcome news for small businesses and
:50:20. > :50:23.perhaps across my constituency to form the Times is the business
:50:24. > :50:30.rates. What will my Honorable friend give Torbay Council sold my concern
:50:31. > :50:35.the benefits? I thank the Honorable friend, the government has announced
:50:36. > :50:42.the biggest cutting business rates were 61 ?7 billion over five years
:50:43. > :50:48.were prominently doubling and increasing thresholds. I'm sure that
:50:49. > :50:56.will help many of the small businesses that the honourable
:50:57. > :51:00.gentleman sets out to support. Thank you Mr Speaker, the financial cost
:51:01. > :51:06.of homelessness is going up to nearly ?1 billion. Research on the
:51:07. > :51:09.charity crisis is selling that tackling single homelessness early
:51:10. > :51:14.can save the government between PayPal from ?18,000 for each person
:51:15. > :51:18.that they help. I would like to ask the Minister what work the
:51:19. > :51:22.government is doing to work with charities? We are working with
:51:23. > :51:26.prizes and a number of other homeless charities, and local
:51:27. > :51:29.authorities and we are working across government because we
:51:30. > :51:35.absolutely recognise that prevented people from becoming homeless is the
:51:36. > :51:39.key to this issue and I hope that we come forth in the not-too-distant
:51:40. > :51:46.future with announcements to this important issue. Construction of the
:51:47. > :51:53.middle which is the bypass would open up substantial opportunities.
:51:54. > :51:58.Will the Minister meet with me to discuss how this can be progressed?
:51:59. > :52:03.My Honorable friend is one of the most passionate and committed
:52:04. > :52:08.advocate for her position that I haven't counsel. I know how much the
:52:09. > :52:12.investment that she craves matters to her. I will be delighted to meet
:52:13. > :52:20.her in any representatives that she wishes to bring to see what the
:52:21. > :52:23.government can do to help? The Secretary of State said he would
:52:24. > :52:30.re-examine the fact that these also care preset would help the areas
:52:31. > :52:34.that needed the most. The lease. Would he tell the House sticking has
:52:35. > :52:39.updated because the areas that have relied on the sum of the most are
:52:40. > :52:45.not giving what they need? I'm very happy to meet him because that is
:52:46. > :52:48.not true. The better care from goals provides to those authorities to
:52:49. > :52:55.have fewer resources through the present. I'm happy to meet him to
:52:56. > :52:59.update him. Thank you Mr Speaker, I welcome the Garda of Lincolnshire
:53:00. > :53:10.devolution deal that has been finalised. Can the Minister assured
:53:11. > :53:15.me that he will look at this and redesignate the whole of ligature to
:53:16. > :53:20.the Smolensk with clue what I would say to my Honorable friend is that I
:53:21. > :53:24.don't have any regard to these artificial previous expired
:53:25. > :53:36.administrative boundaries. The Lincoln share is proud, my Honorable
:53:37. > :53:40.friend is a big champion. And only six years the government has taken
:53:41. > :53:49.away many pounds from my counsel. How does the Minister think that
:53:50. > :53:57.this has existed? What I would say is that in representations, councils
:53:58. > :54:01.across the country including groups like physical studies have been
:54:02. > :54:07.selected of this is a better way to allocate resources and councils will
:54:08. > :54:14.this as a fairer means. My right honourable friend I have quite
:54:15. > :54:18.rightly been concerned about these effectiveness of local government in
:54:19. > :54:22.Birmingham, this is not a party political point because those
:54:23. > :54:25.concerns have extended under both conservative and Labour
:54:26. > :54:29.administrations and his negotiations, with the Birmingham
:54:30. > :54:32.improvement panel, under the excellent John Crabtree, what he
:54:33. > :54:37.bear in mind the importance of giving the new new Labour leader
:54:38. > :54:45.these days to implement the necessary reforms? I will, and I
:54:46. > :54:50.would like to pay to do to John Crabtree and his final panelist. I'm
:54:51. > :54:55.pleased that of the city Council has made progress on the
:54:56. > :55:00.recommendations, the panel has done a lot of work in helping the council
:55:01. > :55:04.to become more responsive, to a of towns at the council will have to
:55:05. > :55:09.overcome to overcome to translate his vision into reality. The
:55:10. > :55:15.palindromic today suggesting that they step back and return in the
:55:16. > :55:20.autumn report on how the Council has progressed. I'm very happy to accept
:55:21. > :55:26.that recommendation, and I was the well for the month ahead.
:55:27. > :55:33.With your permission, I am inquiring about the report of Islam's
:55:34. > :55:36.afternoon for a better devolution and the unit during the evidence
:55:37. > :55:42.session the Secretary of State was kind enough to send he would engage
:55:43. > :55:46.in a discussion for Belfast for a city deal. Can I ask them to
:55:47. > :55:50.reaffirm his commitment to engage in those discussions? I will do with
:55:51. > :56:03.great pleasure and I'll look forward Most common visitors, was pubs
:56:04. > :56:07.cannot be webs of as assets of community values because the wells
:56:08. > :56:09.Labour government opted out, what can Minister Tommy to do to help
:56:10. > :56:20.protect? Mamba friend is trying to get the
:56:21. > :56:25.same protections that we have been able to get an inkling. We can work
:56:26. > :56:27.together to convince the boss government that they should be
:56:28. > :56:45.protected in To ask the Chancellor of the
:56:46. > :56:46.Exchequer if you will make