:00:16. > :00:25.Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Communities
:00:26. > :00:30.and Local Government. Thank you, Mr Speaker. One person
:00:31. > :00:36.sleeping on the streets is one too many. That is why we commit to
:00:37. > :00:39.spending over ?550 million to tackle homelessness and Ross living in
:00:40. > :00:43.England. This includes supporting projects through our homelessness
:00:44. > :00:51.prevention programme and tackling homelessness and Ross living. --
:00:52. > :00:55.rough sleeping. Since joining this House and do those I have seen with
:00:56. > :01:01.my own eyes the incredible increase in the rate of people sleeping
:01:02. > :01:04.roughly on our streets. I have seen it in my constituency, in the
:01:05. > :01:08.country and on the doorsteps of Westminster itself were me, only
:01:09. > :01:17.four votes. Kenny Cameron what changed in 2010? -- can he tell me
:01:18. > :01:23.what changed? He will know that statutory homeless accesses his are
:01:24. > :01:31.much lower than their peak in 2003. But there is much more to be done
:01:32. > :01:35.when it comes to rough sleeping. I have seen it here in Westminster as
:01:36. > :01:44.well. The honourable gentleman might know that I said a lot about this at
:01:45. > :01:48.the 50th anniversary conference of Prices last week. I said it is
:01:49. > :01:55.something we must work on much more and it is something we will be
:01:56. > :01:57.doing. Many people are concerned that the general election might
:01:58. > :02:02.result in the delay of implementing the homelessness reduction Bill.
:02:03. > :02:05.Perhaps the Secretary of State can say what progress has been made so
:02:06. > :02:10.far. Given that this is a bill that has cross-party support, can this
:02:11. > :02:18.work not continue during the election period? I would like to
:02:19. > :02:20.assure the honourable gentleman... Firstly, I want to congratulate my
:02:21. > :02:25.honourable friend, the member for Harrow East, for the work he did to
:02:26. > :02:31.bring the bill forward and get it through Parliament. There are still
:02:32. > :02:33.a couple of stages in the Parliamentary process, which we are
:02:34. > :02:36.confident about, but we have already started work with local authorities
:02:37. > :02:43.to make sure that Bill comes into force straightaway. In my home
:02:44. > :02:49.borough of Westminster, including Westminster station, where we see
:02:50. > :02:56.Roth 's the -- rough sleepers, the figure has soared. West Mr Council
:02:57. > :03:03.has cut and slashed the rough sleeping budget. -- Westminster
:03:04. > :03:10.council. Does he believe this will hinder the efforts with rough
:03:11. > :03:15.sleeping? For example, we have delivered 100 million pounds for
:03:16. > :03:21.independent housing units and a grant for rough sleepers. This
:03:22. > :03:24.Government is determined to do more. A few weeks ago, I went to Finland
:03:25. > :03:28.to see what they have done for themselves. The housing bust
:03:29. > :03:33.project. I want to make sure we do more at home.
:03:34. > :03:40.Since 2016, I have led a range of different homelessness foundations
:03:41. > :03:43.which have all received Government funding. Does my honourable friend
:03:44. > :03:49.agree that integration of services are critical in solving this problem
:03:50. > :03:53.and we need backing to solve this problem?
:03:54. > :03:57.I very much agree with my honourable friend. Let me commend the work he
:03:58. > :04:03.is done locally, which is very well-known, to try and bring
:04:04. > :04:09.services together. With Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Somerset, they
:04:10. > :04:14.will benefit to the tune of ?259,000 from the rough sleeping fund to
:04:15. > :04:20.promote integration. The scale of rough sleeping homelessness in
:04:21. > :04:27.Britain today shames us all. In a country as decent as -- and well off
:04:28. > :04:31.as ours, it is not inevitable. The figure has more than doubled since
:04:32. > :04:37.2010, directly as a result of the decision is conservative ministers
:04:38. > :04:41.have made since then. There are a few simple rules in politics but
:04:42. > :04:47.this is one. With a Labour Government, homelessness falls.
:04:48. > :04:51.Under the Tories, it goes up. And on June eight, people will ask
:04:52. > :04:57.themselves, do we really want more of the same? I say to the Secretary
:04:58. > :05:02.of State, with a new national mission, he need not go to Finland.
:05:03. > :05:07.Before the election, will he commit his party to match our labour
:05:08. > :05:13.commitment and back our Labour plans to end rough sleeping by the end of
:05:14. > :05:17.the next Parliament? Mr Speaker, I know the honourable gentleman and
:05:18. > :05:24.details deeply on this issue, as we do. He should not be playing party
:05:25. > :05:27.politics with it. This, Mr Speaker, is a very serious issue that unites
:05:28. > :05:31.everyone in this House. We all want to see an end to rough sleeping but
:05:32. > :05:35.the honourable gentleman knows as well as I do that the causes of
:05:36. > :05:38.rough sleeping are complex. They are not just economic. There are mental
:05:39. > :05:43.health problems, which in problems and he knows that. We do have
:05:44. > :05:47.lessons to learn but I am sure that if he works with us and we work
:05:48. > :05:55.together, we can all unite in helping rough sleeping for good.
:05:56. > :05:58.This is precisely about politics. This is precisely about the
:05:59. > :06:02.political decisions made in the last seven years. It makes the causes of
:06:03. > :06:08.homelessness or much worse. Rapidly rising homelessness is just the tip
:06:09. > :06:13.of the iceberg on seven years of failure on housing. Rough sleeping
:06:14. > :06:16.doubled. Home ownership down. House-building bowling. Private
:06:17. > :06:22.renters ignored. Housing benefit bills ballooning. Now the lowest
:06:23. > :06:26.number of affordable homes to rent and buy for 24 years. No wonder the
:06:27. > :06:35.Labour Party is ahead in the polls on housing. After seven years of
:06:36. > :06:38.failure, the Tories have no plan to fix the housing crisis. Isn't that
:06:39. > :06:48.why, Mr Speaker, people now desperately need a new deal on
:06:49. > :06:51.housing led by a new Labour Government? I do think if anyone was
:06:52. > :06:56.going to raise the opinion polls today, it would not come from this
:06:57. > :07:01.side of the House. The honourable gentleman continues to surprise us
:07:02. > :07:04.all. I say again to him, let's work together on rough sleeping. It is
:07:05. > :07:07.very easy for the Labour Party to make a commitment to end rough
:07:08. > :07:10.sleeping without having any plans or initiatives, anything and to show
:07:11. > :07:17.what they would actually do about it. We have new ideas, especially
:07:18. > :07:24.when it comes to, for example, the Housing First concept, which we are
:07:25. > :07:29.trialling in Liverpool. He has the opportunity to work with us, if he
:07:30. > :07:38.really means it. We have double the level of small
:07:39. > :07:45.business release to hundreds amid a person -- 100% and made permanent.
:07:46. > :07:51.Councils can provide additional support to businesses facing
:07:52. > :08:00.increased bills. Your's economy is being damaged by
:08:01. > :08:09.the re-evaluations. There has been a rise from 12,000 to 12,500... This
:08:10. > :08:13.is an advertisement businesses previously exempt and now desperate
:08:14. > :08:19.in the city. Some face 600% increases in rateable value. No-one
:08:20. > :08:24.knows how the new relief funds will even be distributed. Total chaos.
:08:25. > :08:28.Can the Secretary of State say why the business rate burden is falling
:08:29. > :08:35.harder on smaller businesses and if he will urgently review the
:08:36. > :08:37.exception level? Mr Speaker, overall, businesses in the North has
:08:38. > :08:46.seen an average fall through the revaluation process. Talking about
:08:47. > :08:52.yorked, since 2010, there has been a 74% fall in unemployment. A 74% fall
:08:53. > :08:55.in unemployment. That is because you have a Conservative yorked lead
:08:56. > :08:59.counsel working with the conservative Government. --
:09:00. > :09:11.York-led. Is the Minister aware that many
:09:12. > :09:15.Labour-controlled councils are still per serving anti-car policies? Will
:09:16. > :09:18.he remind them of recommendation number nine of the retail review
:09:19. > :09:22.from Mary Portas, which stated that the end available parking,
:09:23. > :09:29.controlled parking, should be made available to high street shoppers?
:09:30. > :09:32.Mr Speaker, as always, my right honourable friend has made a very
:09:33. > :09:38.good point about anti-car policies coming from label councils. Where
:09:39. > :09:43.councils have worked with businesses and taking a pro-car policy,
:09:44. > :09:48.especially with parking, it has helped business and labour can learn
:09:49. > :09:51.a lesson from that. Given a very great concern expressed
:09:52. > :09:58.by small businesses up and down the country about their ability to pay
:09:59. > :10:02.business rate rises, I will give the secondary state -- Secretary of
:10:03. > :10:12.State another chance. What reassurances can he give small
:10:13. > :10:17.busily -- business owners trying to compete against the likes of large
:10:18. > :10:19.retailers like Sports Direct? Two things, I can point to the package
:10:20. > :10:27.my right honourable friend the Chancellor announced that the
:10:28. > :10:29.budget. ?435 million of additional help with rates, including the
:10:30. > :10:33.discretionary fund, for which there will be no delay because of the
:10:34. > :10:35.general election going ahead exactly as planned. The Government has
:10:36. > :10:40.already confirmed the final allocations for local authorities.
:10:41. > :10:44.Local authorities are free to start using the scheme to help local
:10:45. > :10:48.businesses. Secondly, I can point to what my veteran vendor Chancellor
:10:49. > :10:52.said in the budget. I quote, in the medium term, we have to find a
:10:53. > :10:55.better way to tax the digital part of the economy that does not use
:10:56. > :11:04.bricks and mortar. We have to look at the frequency of the revaluation
:11:05. > :11:09.process. Many small businesses in Bury will see a fall in business
:11:10. > :11:12.rates because of the re-evaluation. Because of phasing, it will be some
:11:13. > :11:16.years before they see little benefit. Can I asked my honourable
:11:17. > :11:22.friend to look again at what can be done to speed up the introduction,
:11:23. > :11:26.so they can feel the full benefit. What I can tell my friend is that we
:11:27. > :11:35.have also put in place the transitional relief scheme, worth
:11:36. > :11:37.over ?3 billion which will help businesses across the country,
:11:38. > :11:42.including in his constituency and will speed up the introduction.
:11:43. > :11:49.I Secretary of State engaged me and Belfast City Council is to how we
:11:50. > :11:54.can help business to the deal, he kindly agreed, but sadly events have
:11:55. > :11:58.overtaken our arrangements. Can I ask the secular state with the
:11:59. > :12:01.commitment he has shown to spend these deals to the devolved regions
:12:02. > :12:09.and at that age a continuing theme and something you would like to see
:12:10. > :12:13.continued? 'S Mr Speaker I would be happy to meet the honourable
:12:14. > :12:23.gentleman, I be happy to meet before Parliament breaks. In September 2016
:12:24. > :12:26.we announced the extension of the local housing allowance exemption
:12:27. > :12:30.for supported housing until April 20 19. We recently consulted on a
:12:31. > :12:33.reform funding model for supported housing, we're not doing this to
:12:34. > :12:41.save money. We want to get the right and improve quality going forward. I
:12:42. > :12:44.thought him for his reply. Telford has an excellent supported housing
:12:45. > :12:50.schemes, many of which I have planned to visit it including one in
:12:51. > :12:55.cake league and one and only. Supported housing costs can often be
:12:56. > :13:02.higher than local housing allowance rates. How would the Government's
:13:03. > :13:05.reforms address this concern? My honourable friend makes a very good
:13:06. > :13:10.point. Last September we announced that we would devolved funding to
:13:11. > :13:13.local authorities so that providers could reflect the higher average
:13:14. > :13:17.costs of supported accommodation. This would give local authorities
:13:18. > :13:24.and has role in commissioning, supported housing in the area. The
:13:25. > :13:28.Secretary of State is aware of the enquiry into funding proposals for
:13:29. > :13:32.supported housing, will he give an assurance that it will reflect very
:13:33. > :13:36.carefully on the overall -- overwhelming evidence we received
:13:37. > :13:39.that says the rates are not an appropriate basis on which to devise
:13:40. > :13:47.a funding scheme for supported housing? That Speaker, I can tell
:13:48. > :13:51.him the Government usually values the role of supported housing, what
:13:52. > :13:57.it plays in the lives of other people, I take very sleazy upon the
:13:58. > :14:00.select committee had to say, I know it might honourable friend gave
:14:01. > :14:04.evidence to it, Simon look at it carefully, I do want to make sure
:14:05. > :14:07.that whatever the final model is, in sense of eyes is and makes sure that
:14:08. > :14:16.providers continue providing this very important type of housing. I
:14:17. > :14:18.famous welcome the commitment to support housing and extra money is
:14:19. > :14:24.devolved to local authorities, but the local housing allowance cap
:14:25. > :14:28.significantly favours London over the regions, for example 99% of
:14:29. > :14:35.tenancies in my region will require top up finding, only 3% in London.
:14:36. > :14:39.Willie Secretary of State agreed to look at this again and make sure we
:14:40. > :14:45.have a system of supported housing that works for everyone? Mr Speaker,
:14:46. > :14:49.I know that my honourable friend takes a strong interest in this
:14:50. > :14:52.area, and does I know he has done so as a member of the department select
:14:53. > :14:57.committee, I have listened to him carefully, others have made similar
:14:58. > :15:01.points to to those he just made during the consultation process, but
:15:02. > :15:04.I can assure him is that we will look at all the responses carefully.
:15:05. > :15:10.I'll make sure the file system works for everyone. The select committee
:15:11. > :15:13.enquiry has received evidence that the Government's approach to
:15:14. > :15:19.supported housing is funny many providers to put new schemes on held
:15:20. > :15:22.and some to blood after -- providing supported housing. When you he
:15:23. > :15:25.accept the damage his policy is doing to the provision of housing
:15:26. > :15:30.for the most vulnerable residents and when will he commit to the
:15:31. > :15:35.funding and certainty to provide the supported homes that we need? Noes
:15:36. > :15:41.it is important that we take a careful look at this policy,
:15:42. > :15:44.precisely because we are one to see a sustainable model that Lisa
:15:45. > :15:47.providers providing enough of these types of homes. That is what this
:15:48. > :15:53.policy is designed to do and when we come out with a final policy, that
:15:54. > :16:01.is what it will achieve. On the 18th of April 20... Debased 50-year
:16:02. > :16:04.tenancies for rent developers, leading housing associations made a
:16:05. > :16:06.similar pledge, we hope this will encourage a shift in the market
:16:07. > :16:14.toward more landlords offering longer tenancies. Thousands of
:16:15. > :16:17.renters across the country will welcome back news. But does the
:16:18. > :16:23.minister agreed that landlords are only half the issue. Getting
:16:24. > :16:28.mortgage lenders 50% of which at the moment do not lend for more than a
:16:29. > :16:33.year AST, to change that policy will be the key to unlocking this and
:16:34. > :16:37.longer tenancies for the future? Years he is quite right to raise the
:16:38. > :16:40.age of security for people in the private sector and if I can identify
:16:41. > :16:46.the issue in relation to lending. Said the Government introduced its
:16:47. > :16:49.agreement with break clauses there is no longer any impediment
:16:50. > :16:53.committee longer tenancies for landlord customers and the majority
:16:54. > :16:58.now permit tenancies for up to two - three years. The minister had
:16:59. > :17:01.recently visited Cambridge, he would see the manifestation of the housing
:17:02. > :17:06.crisis and the number of people sleeping on the streets which so
:17:07. > :17:08.depresses residents. When I visited with the charities recently, later
:17:09. > :17:13.me that landlords are increasingly unwilling to let two people on
:17:14. > :17:17.housing benefit because of insecure employment. With me that cracking
:17:18. > :17:23.down on insecure employment would help us tackle the housing prices? I
:17:24. > :17:26.had the opportunity to visit Cambridge recently, I share his
:17:27. > :17:30.diagnosis of what the problem is. We need to build more homes in this
:17:31. > :17:34.country to give people more choice, and I think is right about our
:17:35. > :17:37.employment market, but I say it is the policies of this governments
:17:38. > :17:41.that have different level records of employment and the national minimum
:17:42. > :17:45.wage is increasing people's any power. Landlords and tenants often
:17:46. > :17:49.mistakenly believed that the Tennessee had to be six was a year
:17:50. > :17:53.renewable when there is no legal impediment to people having longer
:17:54. > :17:56.tenancies. In some cases they do. One of the reasons that doesn't
:17:57. > :17:59.happen as landlords find it difficult to take the position in
:18:00. > :18:05.the wider to buy the House themselves are the tenant fails to
:18:06. > :18:11.pay their rent. With the consider making easier for lasting ties...
:18:12. > :18:16.Encourage longer tenancies? We need to make sure that when a tenant pays
:18:17. > :18:22.anti-socially is behind in rent arrears that nylon can regain
:18:23. > :18:25.possession, but we face pressure in giving increasing number of families
:18:26. > :18:28.in the private rented sector the security they need and reforming our
:18:29. > :18:40.housing market, increasing supply, bringing an new Bill to rent schemes
:18:41. > :18:47.is a key reform. Labour councils like drainage and my own borough are
:18:48. > :18:51.doing fantastic jobs of cracking down on rogue landlords. If he acts
:18:52. > :18:56.the cares about Private tenants, why is this minister blocking borough
:18:57. > :19:08.wide private sector licensing schemes? Is his party still the slum
:19:09. > :19:11.landlords lend? The suggestion that members on the side of the House
:19:12. > :19:16.don't care about these issues is as ridiculous as it is insulting. The
:19:17. > :19:21.work of Labour councils that the shadow minister reversed had been
:19:22. > :19:25.funded this Government. He is factually wrong to suggest that the
:19:26. > :19:28.Government is blocking borough wide selection licenses, I can also point
:19:29. > :19:35.out to him that many reforms were introduced, banning letting agent
:19:36. > :19:46.fees, reform that when the shadow milling was running this department
:19:47. > :19:48.did not put in place. We're committed to protecting abused in
:19:49. > :19:53.the supply of supported housing and his 2011 and we have 1120 3000 user
:19:54. > :19:57.body homes in England. My honourable friend will know we recently
:19:58. > :20:02.consulted RF on funding model, we are keen to press on with its reform
:20:03. > :20:05.as soon as possible. I would like to probe further. An image as a
:20:06. > :20:09.short-term accommodation, such as women's refuges. Does he agree that
:20:10. > :20:13.a totally separate funding stream is essential to an ambition that no
:20:14. > :20:21.victims should be turned away from accessing critical support services
:20:22. > :20:24.by 2020? My honourable friend highlights a very important point.
:20:25. > :20:29.We had been working with this sector to develop options to ensure divider
:20:30. > :20:32.is a short-term accommodation continue to receive the appropriate
:20:33. > :20:35.funding. This may be to a different funding method that than what you
:20:36. > :20:42.have today, but I believe it is vital that this housing receives the
:20:43. > :20:47.protection it deserves and it well. The Secretary of State knows that he
:20:48. > :20:51.has let down elderly people in this country, it is not just supported
:20:52. > :20:56.housing or finding, it is the fact that any constituency like mine we
:20:57. > :21:02.have a magic wand where suddenly student accommodation rises like
:21:03. > :21:07.daisies in the spring. When it comes to accommodation for elderly people,
:21:08. > :21:15.who desperately need it, with an ageing population, he has been
:21:16. > :21:20.nowhere and what he has achieved. Mr Speaker, at the honourable gentleman
:21:21. > :21:24.just missed what I said. Since 2011, 20 3000 units of specialised and
:21:25. > :21:29.general housing have been delivered for vulnerable people. We provided
:21:30. > :21:34.another ?400 million for specialist homes throughout the country. That
:21:35. > :21:41.is the kind of action that takes -- makes results and he should welcome
:21:42. > :21:45.it. In evidence to the joint committee, the National Housing
:21:46. > :21:49.Federation says that LH A was not a competent starting point for a
:21:50. > :21:55.funding model. Izzy wedded to that as a starting point IT considering
:21:56. > :21:59.another option? I can tell me on the lady that when it comes to supported
:22:00. > :22:02.housing, we have just had a consultation which is now closed, we
:22:03. > :22:05.have the number of representations on that, and we want to consider
:22:06. > :22:10.them carefully, but whatever final model is, it will be one designed to
:22:11. > :22:13.make it sustainable for the long-term and provide supported
:22:14. > :22:17.housing that we need. Look forward to hearing the report's response on
:22:18. > :22:23.that and it would be useful to get dates. On the issue of the different
:22:24. > :22:27.types of supported accommodation, does the Secretary of State
:22:28. > :22:30.recognised that placing an arbitrary time at done the leather pants on is
:22:31. > :22:34.in short-term accommodation could have a detrimental effect on their
:22:35. > :22:39.live chances thereafter if they are forced to leave that supported
:22:40. > :22:44.accommodation too soon? Will he allow flexibility in the system for
:22:45. > :22:48.organisations lack like there was my constituency who keep your buffer as
:22:49. > :22:53.long as they need to be there? Mr Speaker, as part of the review and
:22:54. > :22:56.the response of the causal taking, we are considering exactly that
:22:57. > :23:08.point the honourable lady ladies, which is the terms of access to
:23:09. > :23:13.short-term accommodation. In 2015 and 2016, another sex at an 85,000
:23:14. > :23:17.socially renting households where is currently in arrears had been in a
:23:18. > :23:23.last 12 months, that represents 25% of households in the rented sector.
:23:24. > :23:26.That he is a huge amount, that is nearly a quarter of people in social
:23:27. > :23:30.housing rent arrears. In my constituency in one ward alone, we
:23:31. > :23:36.have nearly half of our social housing tenants. 46% in rent
:23:37. > :23:42.arrears. One thing, of Sark have rise to ?70 because of the benefit
:23:43. > :23:47.cap. Isn't this a damning indictment of seven years of Tory assault on
:23:48. > :23:53.Britain balls struggling families? The first year in which the data was
:23:54. > :23:56.collected, 2011, it was 23.5%, figures are very similar to what
:23:57. > :23:59.they were when we inherited from the Labour Government. This side of the
:24:00. > :24:02.husband believed very clearly that it is completely wrong fork out of
:24:03. > :24:08.what households to receive a level of support far in excess than their
:24:09. > :24:10.working neighbour 's own vinegar to work. Discretionary housing papers
:24:11. > :24:17.are in order, and it would also set out that the level is falling. In
:24:18. > :24:24.2013-2014, Edmonds... The moving in the right direction and she is wrong
:24:25. > :24:27.to oppose the welfare reforms we need to implement. Those tenets any
:24:28. > :24:31.social housing sector don't keep up with their rents are in danger of
:24:32. > :24:36.becoming homeless. Will he paid tribute to councils like Kettering
:24:37. > :24:40.Borough Council who make an absolute priority to help people in those
:24:41. > :24:46.situations from becoming homeless in the first place and in the first
:24:47. > :24:50.five months of this year Kettering Borough Council helped 78 households
:24:51. > :24:53.stay in their present accommodation. I would be very happy to pay tribute
:24:54. > :24:57.to the work that Kettering Borough Council have done, and I also
:24:58. > :25:02.reassure my honourable friend that from the Government was my point of
:25:03. > :25:04.view the protocol for social landlords stresses the value of
:25:05. > :25:08.preventative measures in rent arrears and advises landlords to
:25:09. > :25:15.deploy alternative approaches to eviction where ever possible. Can I
:25:16. > :25:19.ask whether he has had discussions with his colleagues in the DWP have
:25:20. > :25:22.a universal credit and the impact of this is having on many of my
:25:23. > :25:25.constituents who are not being paid for weeks or months on end,
:25:26. > :25:32.therefore going into arrears? This is in addition to victim of bedroom
:25:33. > :25:39.tax. Had he had discussions will he have because it is disgraceful. We
:25:40. > :25:44.have had discussions with DWP colleagues, I make to very be poison
:25:45. > :25:49.the audible member. Universal credit advances are available for new
:25:50. > :25:52.claims. That should be taken up. DWP research shows that after four
:25:53. > :25:55.months, the proportion of universal credit claimants who are in arrears
:25:56. > :25:58.at the start of their claim have followed by a third, so there is an
:25:59. > :26:02.initial problem and the advance claims are there to cope with that,
:26:03. > :26:08.but over time the situation is improving. In Northern Ireland one
:26:09. > :26:11.in three people are just a paycheque away from homelessness, a lesser
:26:12. > :26:16.number than the UK mainland. What sets have been taken to help those
:26:17. > :26:21.on the cusp of homelessness duty the benefit system and hold onto their
:26:22. > :26:24.tennis is? The Government has greatly increased in the discussion
:26:25. > :26:27.housing payments that are available to local authorities to assist those
:26:28. > :26:31.who are affected by weather for reform changes to ensure that has
:26:32. > :26:36.happened, and a visit on the policy is to try and shift the approach to
:26:37. > :26:39.an emphasis on prevention so be prevent people coming statutory
:26:40. > :26:42.homeless in the first place rather than just abiding help at the point
:26:43. > :26:51.of prices. Thank you. This Government is
:26:52. > :26:57.committed to reforming unfair parking practices. We have taken
:26:58. > :27:05.steps to tackle rogue and unfair parking practices with the banning
:27:06. > :27:08.of wheel clamping and towing. We published a response to the
:27:09. > :27:14.discussion paper on private parking in 2016 and I am discovering the
:27:15. > :27:17.points raised. I thank him for as response. In my constituency, the
:27:18. > :27:22.discrepancy between parking on public and private land is causing
:27:23. > :27:24.huge problems for drivers in my constituency and hefty fines,
:27:25. > :27:28.particularly in the area behind Laura Ashley in a town centre.
:27:29. > :27:32.Stopping for two minutes will see you receive a ?60 penalty fine.
:27:33. > :27:37.Could the minister bring forward the recommendations of the consultation
:27:38. > :27:42.to end this unfair practice? My honourable friend is a strong
:27:43. > :27:51.campaigner for her constituents. She raises an important Poyet. -- point.
:27:52. > :27:55.We need clarity on where people can and cannot park. We will look
:27:56. > :28:02.carefully at what she says as we prepare a response to the
:28:03. > :28:07.consultation. Thank you Mr Speaker. 2000 pubs have been listed so far on
:28:08. > :28:12.the assets of community value. That provides communities with a time to
:28:13. > :28:16.bid when it comes onto the market. We are supporting that process
:28:17. > :28:23.further with ?3.6 million through the pub programme. I thank him for
:28:24. > :28:27.the reply. The Northumberland Arms is a much loved local pub in my
:28:28. > :28:30.constituency, which members of the local community hoped to reopen
:28:31. > :28:34.using the community right to bid scheme. Will my right honourable
:28:35. > :28:38.friend lent every possible support and consider joining us for a
:28:39. > :28:40.celebratory pint when it reopens? We could make the same double
:28:41. > :28:48.celebration should the good people of Marple Bridge see fit to return
:28:49. > :28:54.me to this House. It is unthinkable that the people in your constituency
:28:55. > :28:58.will not return my honourable friend.
:28:59. > :29:02.I would be delighted to join him, with a whole ministerial team, to
:29:03. > :29:15.celebrate the community pub that he mentioned, so long as he is buying
:29:16. > :29:18.the pants. -- pints. The Minister has not mentioned what my office has
:29:19. > :29:25.been told by his department, which is the planning Bill is set to fall
:29:26. > :29:28.and therefore the change to pubs protection would not happen. Could
:29:29. > :29:32.we have an assurance that this is not the case? After that wonderful
:29:33. > :29:38.decision support of across the House, we need to make sure this
:29:39. > :29:41.goes through. Mr Speaker, we're hoping to complete that legislation
:29:42. > :29:45.before the dissolution of parliament. That change that he
:29:46. > :29:48.mentions has been broadly welcomed by very many people, including
:29:49. > :29:58.himself, of course, who campaigned on it. Mr Speaker, since April 2010,
:29:59. > :30:02.we have delivered on average over 50,000 affordable homes per year.
:30:03. > :30:08.Many of which were affordable homes to rent. During the previous
:30:09. > :30:13.Government, the average was much less.
:30:14. > :30:21.I expect a number of Members of Parliament and ministers to visit my
:30:22. > :30:27.constituency and NXT weeks. Can I invite him to Flint? You will see a
:30:28. > :30:32.Labour Party Council building houses for rent. Why can't he match that in
:30:33. > :30:51.England? We want more homes of every kind. In
:30:52. > :30:53.Croydon, it was a conservative council started building council
:30:54. > :31:01.houses again after a Labour council failed to do full. -- do so. Will my
:31:02. > :31:06.honourable friend join with me in welcoming the almost 2000 new houses
:31:07. > :31:10.being built in trolley's forged will neighbourhood, including a complete
:31:11. > :31:15.mix of units including council and social rented, as well as low-cost
:31:16. > :31:21.housing? I normally welcome what my noble friend has to say in building
:31:22. > :31:26.homes we so dismally needing this country. Contrary to what we hear
:31:27. > :31:28.from the shadow front bench, there is a widespread consensus that we
:31:29. > :31:31.desperately need to build more homes of every kind to tackle the housing
:31:32. > :31:37.crisis that has been building in this country for the last 30-40
:31:38. > :31:40.years. The right to buy scheme has allowed a devastating erosion of
:31:41. > :31:48.social housing stock, with 40% of ex-council houses now in the hands
:31:49. > :31:51.of private landlords. With public money going straight into the
:31:52. > :31:55.pockets of these landlords, could be Secretary of State tell the House
:31:56. > :32:01.how much the right to buy scheme has cost the public purse? The right to
:32:02. > :32:05.buy has helped nearly 2 million hard-working people own their own
:32:06. > :32:11.home in this country. Since we reinvigorated the right to buy in
:32:12. > :32:14.2012, we have made a condition of the scheme that each homes sold,
:32:15. > :32:19.we're with a new, affordable home. That to my mind is the right policy,
:32:20. > :32:22.that we help people that have the aspiration to buy their home but
:32:23. > :32:28.also make sure rented homes are replaced. That is what people will
:32:29. > :32:31.get from a Conservative Government. Lytton's housing waiting list is
:32:32. > :32:34.three times higher than in the 1970s when I was vice-chairman of the
:32:35. > :32:39.housing council. The housing stock has been cut in half in that time
:32:40. > :32:43.from compulsory sales. Isn't it true that only a Labour Government, led
:32:44. > :32:50.by my right honourable friend from isn't in North, could ensure that
:32:51. > :32:53.people have a decent place to live? People can go back at the record of
:32:54. > :32:59.the last Labour Government from 1997 until 2010. How many council homes
:33:00. > :33:04.were built then? What level of house building that we inherit from the
:33:05. > :33:06.Labour Government in 2010? The truth is that he's building in this
:33:07. > :33:10.country has been increasing under this Government and are certainly
:33:11. > :33:14.still things to do. We're the party committed to building more homes for
:33:15. > :33:18.people to buy and rent privately, and more affordable homes for people
:33:19. > :33:26.to rent. If we want a solution to the housing crisis, it is this party
:33:27. > :33:29.that is offering it. Mr Speaker, my department regularly
:33:30. > :33:33.meets with housing associations to discuss how we can help keep the
:33:34. > :33:35.affordable and increase the supply of new homes. Our housing white
:33:36. > :33:42.paper has been welcomed by the sector and we look forward to many
:33:43. > :33:45.more productive discussions on this. Will he agree with me that the
:33:46. > :33:50.future rent policy should not only guarantee affordability but for
:33:51. > :33:54.long-term certainty for the housing associations so that they do deliver
:33:55. > :34:00.those new homes that we need? I do agree with my honourable friend. It
:34:01. > :34:02.is an excellent point. Housing Association is currently account for
:34:03. > :34:07.about one third of total housing supply. We want a situation where
:34:08. > :34:09.they can borrow even more against that future income to build even
:34:10. > :34:23.more homes. This is something in the housing white paper and we intend to
:34:24. > :34:33.build on it. Mr Williams? Not here. Number 12, please, Mr Speaker.
:34:34. > :34:39.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Adult social care funding is distributed
:34:40. > :34:45.according to the area is required with a well established formula. The
:34:46. > :34:50.budgets take into account the ability of a council to raise money
:34:51. > :34:56.through the social care preset. Thank you for that response but I am
:34:57. > :34:59.sorry, you're wrong. The formula is broken. South Tyneside Council are
:35:00. > :35:04.the third hardest-hit in the country. There is a higher than
:35:05. > :35:09.average demand for social care with hospital services under threat from
:35:10. > :35:12.this Government's plans. Isn't it simply true that this Government
:35:13. > :35:17.created the social care crisis, cannot solve it and our constituents
:35:18. > :35:20.are suffering? I can say to the honourable lady
:35:21. > :35:26.that her assessment is completely wrong. ?9.25 billion of extra
:35:27. > :35:36.funding councils will have access to over the next three years. In terms
:35:37. > :35:43.of money directly from the Government, areas like the Lady's
:35:44. > :35:47.will receive more money from the Government than other areas.
:35:48. > :35:52.Inhalation to council tax, I do not think the honourable lady has space
:35:53. > :35:56.to talk about that because council tax double during the time of the
:35:57. > :36:03.Labour Party and Government. Since 2010, it has gone down 9%.
:36:04. > :36:06.The answer in relation to the former is absolutely right. Will he also
:36:07. > :36:11.accept that another variable, perhaps of greater practical
:36:12. > :36:13.concern, is the variation and willingness of the Health Service to
:36:14. > :36:18.work jointly with local authorities to maximise the integration of the
:36:19. > :36:22.funds? Local authorities are well used to joint working and democratic
:36:23. > :36:27.accountability. There is not this in history am afraid in regards to CCGs
:36:28. > :36:31.and other health institutions. What will he do about that? I have great
:36:32. > :36:35.respect for my honourable friend, who has considerable knowledge in
:36:36. > :36:41.this area. He is absolutely right. We need to make sure that health and
:36:42. > :36:46.so the works far more collegiate lay -- closely and work harder to make
:36:47. > :36:55.sure services are integrated. In a today that an -- we a to do that at
:36:56. > :36:59.a national level and we want to see for local people.
:37:00. > :37:03.The social care preset means that funding available for social care is
:37:04. > :37:12.increasingly dependent on a local authority's tax base. In 2017 2018,
:37:13. > :37:14.there will be 9 million of additional funding in Sheffield,
:37:15. > :37:21.compared with over 31 million for Surrey. Does the Minister think that
:37:22. > :37:25.is fair? I would say to the honourable gentleman that he should
:37:26. > :37:29.look at the allocations for the ?4.5 billion social care funding that is
:37:30. > :37:34.coming to local authorities directly from Government. That absolutely
:37:35. > :37:41.takes into account the fact that certain places can raise far more in
:37:42. > :37:50.council to. And from the social care preset. I wish you would recognise
:37:51. > :37:53.that. Many care homes up and down the
:37:54. > :38:00.country are relying from care workers from the EU. Estimates show
:38:01. > :38:02.100,000 workers. What reassurances can be given that when Britain leads
:38:03. > :38:09.the EU, care homes will be adequately staffed and there will be
:38:10. > :38:14.appropriately trained care workers? I can reassure the honourable lady,
:38:15. > :38:21.who makes a very important point, that my honourable friend in the
:38:22. > :38:27.Department for health has met with those care providers. So has my
:38:28. > :38:30.writable friend met with care providers, as I have myself, because
:38:31. > :38:34.this is an extremely important situation. We have to make sure we
:38:35. > :38:38.have enough care workers going forward to support the most
:38:39. > :38:44.honourable people in our society. Question 13, please, Mr Speaker.
:38:45. > :38:48.The Northern Powerhouse is central to our plans for an economy that
:38:49. > :38:50.works for all. In these last few months, we have published the
:38:51. > :38:54.Northern Powerhouse strategy and launched the second Northern
:38:55. > :39:02.Powerhouse investment portfolio. We are validated over half ?1 billion
:39:03. > :39:05.in investment. -- allocated. Committed tens of millions to
:39:06. > :39:18.cultural investment in the North. And we have been providing funds...
:39:19. > :39:25.With Regional Growth Fund money and record levels of employment being
:39:26. > :39:28.achieved in my constituency, will the Minister ensure the Northern
:39:29. > :39:32.Powerhouse investment fund builds on the success and make sure the power
:39:33. > :39:36.of the powerhouse for years to come? Absolutely. I pay tribute to my
:39:37. > :39:43.honourable friend for the work he does with the local economy. There
:39:44. > :39:48.has been ?694 million of Government funding for local growth funds. The
:39:49. > :39:50.new ?400 million investment fund is there specifically to support
:39:51. > :40:01.smaller, medium-sized businesses across the North that want to grow
:40:02. > :40:05.and expand. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The north-east should be the
:40:06. > :40:08.powerhouse for our country's manufacturing and exporting
:40:09. > :40:12.Renaissance, with a workforce that takes pride in making and building
:40:13. > :40:18.things. Why is it then that the so-called industrial strategy and
:40:19. > :40:20.Northern Powerhouse, so-called, does so little to invest in the jobs and
:40:21. > :40:28.infrastructure that north-eastern needs? -- that the north-east. One
:40:29. > :40:32.of the reasons that people in the north-east has lost their faith in
:40:33. > :40:37.the Labour Party is that the never have anything Paul verse of --
:40:38. > :40:41.positive to say about the North. All they do is talk down the North and
:40:42. > :40:45.Northern people. Look what is happening. Millions of pounds of
:40:46. > :40:47.Government investment in the north-east. She might not want to
:40:48. > :40:52.talk about Newcastle but I will because it is leading this country's
:40:53. > :41:00.economic recovery. On that note, Mr Speaker, Lancashire
:41:01. > :41:08.County Council has continually blocked an enterprise zone in
:41:09. > :41:13.Morecambe and Lonsdale. With the Minister like to come to delight
:41:14. > :41:18.during this election and listen to the businesses who want the business
:41:19. > :41:21.park? I would be like to do that and I plan to visit 20 of constituencies
:41:22. > :41:27.during this election period. I will visitors. The Secretary of State has
:41:28. > :41:31.already visited. The enterprises are making a real difference to economy
:41:32. > :41:33.is in the north. 9000 jobs have been provided on them, so I will
:41:34. > :41:42.certainly visit. The Manchester evening News reported
:41:43. > :41:47.on a weekend the pressure from the Conservative backbenchers to scrap a
:41:48. > :41:52.two to fund the Brexit bell. Can you minister confirm that it will go
:41:53. > :41:58.ahead to the time and budget outline? Has been no change to
:41:59. > :42:03.discover and's policy on HS two, and I would remind him that in addition
:42:04. > :42:06.to that there is ?13 billion of other investment and we will see
:42:07. > :42:13.early two years in the current Pennine lying in particular new
:42:14. > :42:17.carriages, new services, held new passenger experience, over ?2
:42:18. > :42:20.billion of investment in that supported trans-Pennine route is
:42:21. > :42:23.happening under this Government. We'll also see the Northern Rail
:42:24. > :42:26.franchise operating on an improvement basis I like under the
:42:27. > :42:36.new improvement basis when it was run by the Labour Party. It is
:42:37. > :42:40.essential that local plans start from an honest assessment of housing
:42:41. > :42:48.needs, and as we set out housing white paper we introduce a standard
:42:49. > :42:55.to ensure that is the case. Queue is seeking to grab this question with
:42:56. > :43:02.16. He can? He well. He's doing it. Methodology used by the council has
:43:03. > :43:08.brought a housing target that has threatened to... If the tenders of
:43:09. > :43:12.method proves my community's suspicion that the target is
:43:13. > :43:17.excessive, Candace override the current target and help save this
:43:18. > :43:21.important green area in my constituency? The methodology will
:43:22. > :43:23.reveal what the real level of housing need is. There are local
:43:24. > :43:27.authorities across the country that used to build more than they need
:43:28. > :43:31.because their permission to grow, and that is a legitimate debate, but
:43:32. > :43:36.is consistency should be aware of what the level of leaders. The white
:43:37. > :43:39.paper makes it clear that green belt land should only be released under
:43:40. > :43:44.exceptional circumstances when all other options for meeting housing
:43:45. > :43:51.needs has been pursued. It has played here Brownfield sites and
:43:52. > :43:56.others not yet built, how can we ensure that low demand in areas like
:43:57. > :43:59.Pendle are better reflected in housing targets? That is exactly the
:44:00. > :44:03.purpose of the new methodology that we are planning to introduce. The
:44:04. > :44:06.level of housing need that we plan for should reflect what the real
:44:07. > :44:14.market demand for housing need is in an area. Mr Speaker, in the past
:44:15. > :44:20.year we received presentations from residents and the old party
:44:21. > :44:24.Parliamentary group,. Goes back and was published in the 20th of April
:44:25. > :44:28.at addressing the concerns include in charges, site management and
:44:29. > :44:33.harassment. Will he remove the temptation which prompt those park
:44:34. > :44:38.owners that have neither the social norm managerial skills to make a
:44:39. > :44:48.success of it to maximise their sales revenue commission by bullying
:44:49. > :44:52.residents so as to secure a higher turnover of such residents? Bullying
:44:53. > :44:56.and harassment is not acceptable in any form which is why we introduced
:44:57. > :45:01.the mobile homes act, which gives local authorities greater powers but
:45:02. > :45:09.we will busy listen to the to see further action is required to stop
:45:10. > :45:14.the kind of behaviour he describes. White paper sets our measures to
:45:15. > :45:18.increase moderate levels of construction and house-building,
:45:19. > :45:23.which will of a huge opportunities beat up our houses are built and
:45:24. > :45:31.improve the quality of the bills. The Castle recently approved buying
:45:32. > :45:34.permission... To have the highest court in sustainable homes built
:45:35. > :45:37.using modern construction methods. But the minister agree that it is
:45:38. > :45:41.vital that the developers of this site are held to this vision of
:45:42. > :45:47.what's a boy can he give to ensure that this happens? Honourable friend
:45:48. > :45:50.has -- an outstanding member of his community and I would be very happy
:45:51. > :45:53.to meet with him to talk about how the Government can persist both in
:45:54. > :45:57.terms of the infrastructure and the mix of housing and the proposed
:45:58. > :46:03.scheme goes through the planning process. The rusting Lake
:46:04. > :46:07.development in my constituency is having more than construction
:46:08. > :46:13.methods, creating hundreds of jobs, and it is an extension to this which
:46:14. > :46:15.has been approved unanimously by Northamptonshire Council which was
:46:16. > :46:19.submitted to the Secretary of State for approval on the 4th of April.
:46:20. > :46:22.The council's concern is that because the election this might not
:46:23. > :46:28.give enough time for it to go through. What is the position? The
:46:29. > :46:31.Government is now an purdah, so further decision cannot be taken but
:46:32. > :46:34.this is an issue that the new Government can look at straightaway,
:46:35. > :46:37.it is to my honourable friend's credit that they are one of the
:46:38. > :46:46.parts of the country that is determined to build the homes that
:46:47. > :46:49.we so desperately need. We are supporting our high streets to
:46:50. > :46:54.thrive as consumer habits change, we've introduced the biggest ever
:46:55. > :46:57.cut interest rates with six point billion... In Gloucestershire. We
:46:58. > :47:02.are also celebrating our high streets or the use that may choose a
:47:03. > :47:11.successful British ICI was which members of on all sides of this
:47:12. > :47:16.House supported. A treasured area high Street now independent shops
:47:17. > :47:19.are all losing customers to two loss killed regeneration was I in many
:47:20. > :47:25.others believe the evaluation of the student reduce business rates for
:47:26. > :47:28.these shops, and that their landlord should also discount their rent,
:47:29. > :47:31.especially as they have caused the shortfall. What does my right
:47:32. > :47:38.honourable friend that the evaluation office you do? And sure
:47:39. > :47:41.it is just a matter of time. Businesses are fully entitled to
:47:42. > :47:46.make the case for a temporary reduction in their rateable value, I
:47:47. > :47:51.do know since -- the area very well, but I would advise the businesses to
:47:52. > :47:56.do is contact the local evaluation offers and discuss their win in the
:47:57. > :48:01.rateable values can be amended. At the minister is well aware, there
:48:02. > :48:04.has been a cigarette increase in begging on Scunthorpe I stated last
:48:05. > :48:07.two years, and the police at local authority and the course between
:48:08. > :48:11.them don't seem to be held to roll up their sleeves and sort this
:48:12. > :48:14.problem out despite trying very hard in different ways. What is the
:48:15. > :48:20.Government going to do to make sure the right powers and the right place
:48:21. > :48:25.to tackle this issue? 'S I will begin by congratulating him on his
:48:26. > :48:31.marathon success yesterday. For such a young man, he did it in such a --
:48:32. > :48:35.an interesting time. He deserves full credit. It is a problem fully
:48:36. > :48:40.aware of on Scunthorpe which to town centre I think is on the way back,
:48:41. > :48:43.and having to discuss with him for that what we can do across
:48:44. > :48:48.Government to help deal with that particular problem. Traders in
:48:49. > :48:50.Cleethorpes high Street and elsewhere in the resort are
:48:51. > :48:56.particularly concerned following the decision by north east council which
:48:57. > :49:01.is Labour-controlled to close a number of public toilets and refuse
:49:02. > :49:04.to repair others. It is having a detrimental effect. I know that as
:49:05. > :49:09.the coastal communities minister he would want to look favourably on
:49:10. > :49:13.future request for finding, so that these amenities can be improved. It
:49:14. > :49:21.is a delight to get a question from other neighbour. It is the case that
:49:22. > :49:26.cross-linking's area it is bubbling public tiles. We really allocated
:49:27. > :49:31.?20 million to Northern Powerhouse projects and be a further round of
:49:32. > :49:39.bidding in it to work, and if the local coastal team want to come and
:49:40. > :49:44.propose that, we will look at it. Refugees provide vital support for
:49:45. > :49:51.victims of domestic abuse. Said 2014 we have invested over 30 the million
:49:52. > :49:55.powers to services including refugees. We expect local heirs to
:49:56. > :50:00.assess their needs and provide services and support to meet that
:50:01. > :50:07.need. I have one refuge for women in my area. With 17% of specialist
:50:08. > :50:10.refugees in including losses 2010, what is the Government doing to
:50:11. > :50:16.protect this vital lifeline for women and children? This is an issue
:50:17. > :50:21.that this Government takes extremely seriously. No person should be
:50:22. > :50:25.turned away from the support they need. In February we are announced
:50:26. > :50:29.that 76 projects across the country will receive a share of ?20 million
:50:30. > :50:36.to support victims of domestic abuse, creating 2000 that active has
:50:37. > :50:44.done to bed spaces giving supporter of 19,000 victims. Including
:50:45. > :50:51.additional funding to our own area. In the past few weeks we have set
:50:52. > :50:54.out plans to crack down on rogue landlords, we've unveiled a ?40
:50:55. > :50:58.million cash boost for Britain's hasn't really is. We listen to some
:50:59. > :51:03.of the concerns around business rates evaluation and responded with
:51:04. > :51:07.a package. However, contrary to previous promises, I can no longer
:51:08. > :51:10.expect to deliver 100% business rates retention by the end of this
:51:11. > :51:13.Parliament. That is simple and contained in this parliament will
:51:14. > :51:22.now be coming around rather sooner than I thought. We welcome the award
:51:23. > :51:26.of ?9.5 million, specifically for transport improvements and other
:51:27. > :51:32.priority for the council is to develop a back office hop to improve
:51:33. > :51:41.services and save cost. What more can the Government do to assist with
:51:42. > :51:47.that? I enjoyed my visit to his beautiful constituency last week. I
:51:48. > :51:52.think the idea of a bank offers Hub is a good one, and what it does is
:51:53. > :51:56.highlight the Conservative councils cost you less but the Livermore. If
:51:57. > :52:02.local people want to see this around the country, they should vote
:52:03. > :52:11.Conservative. The minister will know that since 2010, the Tories have
:52:12. > :52:18.stolen 40% of my cousin's ground and 40 the sex percent of another grand.
:52:19. > :52:22.The victims of this crime was they the hard-working people in the area.
:52:23. > :52:29.With the minute I like to take this opportunity to apologise to them for
:52:30. > :52:34.this shabby Conservative prime? The honourable gentleman raises an
:52:35. > :52:38.interesting question seeing as his party said they would be not one
:52:39. > :52:43.more penny for local government. That said, has the audible gentleman
:52:44. > :52:47.has heard, we are putting additional access to ?9.25 billion for adult
:52:48. > :52:52.social care, during the next two years, as his area will benefit from
:52:53. > :53:01.that. Kettering is a wonderful place to live... Some rural parts of the
:53:02. > :53:04.borough are blighted by inappropriate and illegal
:53:05. > :53:07.development by Gypsies and Travellers. This is especially
:53:08. > :53:11.galling when many commuters in Kettering do far more travelling
:53:12. > :53:16.than so-called travellers ever do. If there were a planning policy for
:53:17. > :53:20.black people in planning policy for white people, they would rightly be
:53:21. > :53:29.outrage in this country. Why do we have special planning provisions for
:53:30. > :53:34.Gypsies and Travellers? Can I first say that Kettering is indeed a
:53:35. > :53:37.wonderful place. I understand that unauthorised encampments can cause
:53:38. > :53:40.distress for local communities and my honourable friend will know that
:53:41. > :53:45.since 2010 the Government has made a number of changes that are designed
:53:46. > :53:48.to help with illegal and are not writing tablets but I agree with him
:53:49. > :53:53.that more can be done and I'd be more than happy to sit down with him
:53:54. > :54:00.and listen to what ideas he has. He will be aware of the report into
:54:01. > :54:05.social care, a lot of attention given to finding. But also to the
:54:06. > :54:08.state of care workers who provide this important service. The
:54:09. > :54:13.committee heard that nearly half the workers leave within a year of
:54:14. > :54:16.getting a job, half on the row contracts, many don't get paid
:54:17. > :54:21.travelling time in contradiction to the minimum wage legislation and 27%
:54:22. > :54:25.don't get any training in dementia before the clout to deal with people
:54:26. > :54:32.with that condition. Isn't there a case for a developing well paid a
:54:33. > :54:40.well-trained workforce, utilising ethical care charter as a basis for
:54:41. > :54:43.that? I welcome the select committee's work in this important
:54:44. > :54:50.area and I will listen carefully to the final research that they come up
:54:51. > :54:55.with, the audible gentleman but know that more funding is helpful and the
:54:56. > :54:58.local governments to refer to that earlier, but they need to be some
:54:59. > :55:06.longer term changes that make the whole set more sustainable and that
:55:07. > :55:09.includes skills. I'm pleased that parishes and town councils in my
:55:10. > :55:12.constituency I getting on with their neighbourhood plans. Does my right
:55:13. > :55:17.honourable friend agree that Cornwall Council must address the
:55:18. > :55:23.community given priority is to open up more options for local people who
:55:24. > :55:28.are facing difficulties in finding suitable housing? I'm delighted to
:55:29. > :55:31.hear of the work that my honourable friend has been doing promoting
:55:32. > :55:35.neighbourhood planning. She is a powerful champion for South East
:55:36. > :55:39.Cornwall. She is right that Cornwall county council needs to work with
:55:40. > :55:46.these neighbourhood plans to help local communities deliver the
:55:47. > :55:48.visions they set out. Is icon the honourable member for listing, part
:55:49. > :55:52.I may congratulate the honourable lady as she is one of several
:55:53. > :55:58.members who magnificently ran the marathon yesterday. Maybe feeling a
:55:59. > :56:06.cation today, but not too tired to stand up and asked a question. We
:56:07. > :56:10.are grateful. Value, Mr Speaker. I have to say I'm eminently glad that
:56:11. > :56:15.I am here today and I don't have do Bob, because I think that might just
:56:16. > :56:18.be beyond me. That is bigger, the rise in hate crime follow the UK's
:56:19. > :56:23.vote to leave the EU has shocked us all. The rhetoric on this Tory
:56:24. > :56:28.Government on immigration will do nothing to assist integration and
:56:29. > :56:31.cohesion. What discussion at the UK Government had with ministers from
:56:32. > :56:36.the Scottish Government regarding the case in the door? Will he commit
:56:37. > :56:38.to make sure that the policies in his party's manifesto but not seek
:56:39. > :56:48.to divide people along those lines? I would also like to congratulate
:56:49. > :56:51.the honourable lady what she achieved yesterday. And all the
:56:52. > :56:55.people who raised so much money for so many good causes. The issue she
:56:56. > :57:01.raises is an important one. We are taking the Casey review seriously.
:57:02. > :57:05.It shows the need for a new integration strategy to make sure
:57:06. > :57:08.that we do everything we can to work together across this House,
:57:09. > :57:12.including with people in Scotland and other parts of the UK, to make
:57:13. > :57:21.sure that we bring this nation together and reduce those people
:57:22. > :57:28.that face isolation. With my right honourable friend confirmed that he
:57:29. > :57:31.intends to increase the weight given to certain neighbourhood plans, and
:57:32. > :57:38.though he indicate the same weight will also be given to an emerging
:57:39. > :57:42.five-year land supply? I am happy to confirm that the ministerial
:57:43. > :57:52.statement, and last upon in the white paper, means plans will not be
:57:53. > :57:54.overruled. I can also say that the white paper contains proposals to
:57:55. > :57:58.help councils demonstrate that they have a five-year land supply in
:57:59. > :58:03.order to uphold the plans they have worked on to produce. Sheffield City
:58:04. > :58:08.Council is leading the way in building much-needed affordable
:58:09. > :58:11.housing through its innovative Sheffield housing company
:58:12. > :58:19.partnership. But across the country, the number of affordable homes built
:58:20. > :58:22.last year fell to the lowest in 24 years. Sheffield is doing its bit.
:58:23. > :58:28.Why is the Government failing so badly to address the Government's
:58:29. > :58:33.housing crisis? Mr Speaker, we're investing record amounts in
:58:34. > :58:35.affordable housing. Since 2010, we have seen 310,000 units, more than
:58:36. > :58:42.that, created throughout the country. If he wants to know what a
:58:43. > :58:45.failure on affordable housing looks like, you need only look at the last
:58:46. > :58:53.Labour Government, which saw a fall of 410,000 units in social housing
:58:54. > :58:56.for rent. The housing white paper has greater expectations of local
:58:57. > :59:01.authorities. How can he keep them building? Mr Speaker, local
:59:02. > :59:06.authorities have a number of key roles. To produce a local plan based
:59:07. > :59:10.on an honest assessment of the level of need. Secondly, to deliver the
:59:11. > :59:18.plan. A new housing delivery test is key in that regard. Butler, local
:59:19. > :59:24.authorities play a crucial role in building themselves. We want to
:59:25. > :59:28.support them doing that, through schemes such as the honourable
:59:29. > :59:32.gentleman opposite referred to. Your Mac surely he is aware of the damage
:59:33. > :59:40.being done to local committees by the cuts in local Government
:59:41. > :59:44.spending. It has affected children centres, centres that had been
:59:45. > :59:53.closed down. They are part of our communities. What will he do to get
:59:54. > :59:56.a bite? -- get it right? Every council around the country has had
:59:57. > :00:01.to find efficiencies to balance the books of the country and build a
:00:02. > :00:07.stronger economy. Some have done that well, mainly Conservative led
:00:08. > :00:14.authorities, and Labour authorities have absolutely failed in that. If
:00:15. > :00:19.people want to see more things being delivered less, for Conservative at
:00:20. > :00:23.the election. Thousands of homes are being built across Northamptonshire.
:00:24. > :00:26.What commitment can he give to local people in my constituency that
:00:27. > :00:32.across-the-board, infrastructure and public services will keep up with
:00:33. > :00:38.new homes being built? Mr Speaker, my honourable friend
:00:39. > :00:41.makes an important point a bit infrastructure and how the right
:00:42. > :00:44.infrastructure can help local people accept more housing. You will know
:00:45. > :00:48.already that local councils can put obligations on developers to deliver
:00:49. > :00:50.certain infrastructure. He will moderate the committee
:00:51. > :00:55.infrastructure levy, which can also help. Teibert also like to highlight
:00:56. > :01:00.the housing infrastructure fund. -- but I would also like. He should
:01:01. > :01:07.make an application to use that fund for his local community. Despite a
:01:08. > :01:13.strong objection from historic England, who like me are worried
:01:14. > :01:17.about the impact on a judge in my local area, Labour councils voted
:01:18. > :01:20.for the controversial plan for 100 houses opposite. Will the Secretary
:01:21. > :01:26.of State not acknowledge the planning system does not allow local
:01:27. > :01:32.committees to have a say against unwanted development? The planning
:01:33. > :01:36.system is built on a high level of community involvement at every
:01:37. > :01:40.stage. Local councils should work with communities in developing
:01:41. > :01:47.plans. My honourable friend raised the issue in relation to councils,
:01:48. > :01:53.we're constituents can have representations on planning
:01:54. > :01:57.councils. In Derby, we're looking at
:01:58. > :02:02.alternative methods of giving help to people sleeping rough, such as an
:02:03. > :02:05.app which will direct and agencies like the Hadley Centre, which helps
:02:06. > :02:08.people who asked living rough. Does my right honourable friend agree to
:02:09. > :02:13.me that initiatives like this can help tackle issues of rough
:02:14. > :02:21.sleeping? Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with my honourable friend. We
:02:22. > :02:24.all want to end rough sleeping in our country and looking at these
:02:25. > :02:27.kinds of new ideas can make a real difference.
:02:28. > :02:33.Following the successful and important meeting last week of the
:02:34. > :02:40.all-party group about unfair, unreasonable abuses, can the
:02:41. > :02:46.honourable member say what plans are to do something about this? What I
:02:47. > :02:49.can tell my honourable friend... Firstly, I commend him for the wiki
:02:50. > :02:53.is done in this area to highlight the abuses that have taken place. I
:02:54. > :02:56.am particularly concerned, and another T-shirt is this concern,
:02:57. > :03:02.about where houses are sold on field. I think this is an
:03:03. > :03:07.unacceptable practice and we will do something about it. The leader of
:03:08. > :03:11.the Conservative group in Eastleigh has already questioned the
:03:12. > :03:13.methodology behind the need for the next 10,000 homes, which could lead
:03:14. > :03:19.to a threatening of 400-year-old ancient woodland. Could the minister
:03:20. > :03:23.outline how, without a local plan, when ancient woodland is under
:03:24. > :03:27.threat, housing numbers can be verified? I hope the housing white
:03:28. > :03:30.paper will help honourable friend into the gas. I know how passionate
:03:31. > :03:35.she is about protecting ancient woodland in her constituency. First,
:03:36. > :03:39.the new methodology will give a much clearer indication of what the real
:03:40. > :03:42.level of housing needed in her area is. Secondly, we propose to increase
:03:43. > :03:47.the protections of ancient woodland. It is a precious resource inherited
:03:48. > :03:49.from previous generations that cannot be easily replaced and that
:03:50. > :03:58.is right that we strengthen protection. Can I thank the Minister
:03:59. > :04:00.for the news that North Devon is to receive two coastal communities
:04:01. > :04:06.grants, totalling more than ?2 million. This was fantastic news.
:04:07. > :04:09.Half a million for the Museum in Barnstaple and 1.5 million for the
:04:10. > :04:14.new water sports centre in Ilfracombe. The Minister is
:04:15. > :04:16.currently coming to see it soon. We join me in congratulating those on
:04:17. > :04:22.the committee who helped to make this happen? And will he agree that
:04:23. > :04:25.North Devon only gets this sort of recognition when it has a
:04:26. > :04:28.Conservative Party MP and Conservative Government? I'll
:04:29. > :04:33.fiercely agree with the latter point, but I want to pay tribute to
:04:34. > :04:38.him for the work he has done in advocating both of those projects.
:04:39. > :04:41.-- I obviously agree. The grants funded a whole host of projects
:04:42. > :04:45.across the south-west and proved that if you want investment to
:04:46. > :04:51.continue, residents in the Southwest will have to vote Conservative in
:04:52. > :04:57.the election. Will my right honourable friend the Secretary of
:04:58. > :05:02.State be Nottingham's Robin Hood to Labour's King John, and ensure that
:05:03. > :05:07.those parts of Nottinghamshire and never forced against their will to
:05:08. > :05:12.join the Sheffield city Mayor roll region? Andy Storey County of
:05:13. > :05:16.Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire will be safe under a Conservative
:05:17. > :05:23.Government. It is a matter for the Sheffield region to consult on and
:05:24. > :05:27.what the proposals are. I am unable to say anything in detail on that
:05:28. > :05:32.other than it is really important that residents in areas like
:05:33. > :05:37.Derbyshire make their views known as part of the consultation undertaken
:05:38. > :05:42.by the city region. Happy to take to father questions if each consists of
:05:43. > :05:48.only one sentence. -- two more questions. Thank you for that strong
:05:49. > :05:53.concern regarding freehold titles, affecting my constituency. Would he
:05:54. > :05:55.confirmed he is addressed as for people have already bought, and for
:05:56. > :06:03.the future buyer, would he impose restrictions on the right to buy
:06:04. > :06:17.rules so that they can... ? I am sure that there were few: S colons
:06:18. > :06:18.in that sentence! We have been looking at this issue
:06:19. > :06:29.closely. What I will point my honourable
:06:30. > :06:32.friend to is in a recent white paper, some of the changes we have
:06:33. > :06:34.talked about is making sure local plants take account of all needs,
:06:35. > :06:35.including the needs