17/07/2017 House of Commons

House of Commons. First we will start with questions to said Javad

and his ministerial team. -- Sajid Javed. Before we come to

questions for the Secretary of State for communities I am sure that the

whole House will join me in offering our congratulations to offering our

congratulations to Jimmy Murray and others in their respective successes

at Wimbledon. I am sure that colleagues will also join the in

offering warmest our warmest congratulations to Roger Federer.

The first person, the oldest person to win at grand slam singles title

Ken Rosewall won the 1972 and the first man to win a Wimbledon title

without dropping a set sense Bjorn Borg in 1976. We are celebrating the

achievements of our very great man indeed. Mr Alex Chock.

No one should find themselves without a roof over their heads.

That is why they've committed to eliminating it altogether by 2027.

We are ensuring that more people get the help they need before they face

homelessness. I'm grateful to the Right Honourable gentleman. I

manifesto makes it clear that rough sleeping is unacceptable and I'm

delighted he my view we should demand nothing less than complete

eradication. Kenny Spain what is being done in England and in

Cheltenham to end this? -- can he explain? I know he has done a lot in

his own constituency. As shares concerns and that is one of the

reasons why in our recent manifesto we announced we would be piloting

the concept of housing first that has worked well elsewhere. He will

also note that in Cheltenham the time will be receiving ?1 million of

our ?10 million social impact bond money which will help the most

vulnerable rough sleepers get the help they need. The Secretary of

State spoke about homelessness in the third World people living on the

street. In my constituency the council is spending ?35 million a

year on people living in hostels and temporary accommodation and there

are many living in households with another family because they cannot

afford a roof over their head. His ambitious plans do not tell people

here and now. What is the doing now to make sure the people in Hackney

South and Shoreditch and across the country can get a roof over their

heads? The honourable lady reminds us all that homelessness is much

more than people living on the streets. There are many more

families and people affected across the country including of course in

London. One of the things we're doing I'm sure she will welcome is

the announcement in the recent budget that we will be putting ?100

million into low-cost and move on accommodation which will provide at

least 2000 places. The first point, in my constituency many hundreds of

my constituents could be at the risk of homelessness. Does he think that

housing associations should be doing more to refer individuals to support

farriers arise? This sometimes happens with larger housing

associations but often smaller ones fall short when it comes to

referring constituents for support. She refers to how we can try and

prevent homelessness to a car in the first place. She is right to say

some housing associations do a much better job in these types of rebels

when arrears to take place. There is also a better role for local

authorities and the recent homelessness reduction Bill will

help to achieve that. Surely the Secretary of State must give some

hope of oppression that this Government believes in something. If

he believes in one thing it must be sorting out the social housing

market, building homes for people at an affordable rent and good quality

ones, too. I know he cares passionately about this but it is

worth reminding him that statutory homelessness reached its peak in

2003 and since then it is half that number. Of course more needs to be

done and social homes, the right time of social homes in the right

places have big role to play. Will he join me in commending the work of

YMCA black country and excellent chief executive as they want to

persuade through the open programme more private individuals to open

their homes to young people? I will very much commend the work they do

in his constituency and throughout the Black Country and throughout the

country. It is exactly the kind of thing you want to look and see if it

can do more. There was a programme on TV where they said if he can play

we will take it away. Those who do not understand the High Court

process and who the High Court are not aware of them paying the money,

how will they help those people at the last minute before the midnight

hour? I agree that there are very difficult cases and more should be

done to help those vulnerable people. I know that examples of

councils to a much better job than others and I hope through the

workroom murdering because of the Homelessness Reduction Act we can

spread that good practice to more councils. -- I hope that through the

work we're doing with the Homelessness Reduction Act.

Landlords can check the safety of their buildings and take the

necessary action and reassure residents they are safe in their

homes. The residential landlords Association based in my constituency

has raised concerns about the complexity and sometimes

contradictory guidance from various bodies including Government on fire

safety to private landlords. What plans does he have two addresses?

The honourable gentleman will understand in the wake of the

tragedy at grand full tower -- Grenfell Tower the Government had to

provide guidance in a manner of days and had to update that guidance. I

met with representatives in my constituency on the 6th of July.

Will he confirm that it was this Government that introduced the

requirement for private landlords to smoke detectors and carbon monoxide

detectors in private homes and will introduce safety checks by later

this year. Also there is an overriding responsibility for all

our lives to make their properties saved by their tenants. -- for all

landlords to make their properties saved for their tenants. It is their

responsibility to make sure whether in the private or public sector that

those properties are safe for the tenants. In the wake of the tragedy

at Grenfell Tower we should be looking to see what more can be

done. I am concerned that a survey of social landlords find there was

little confidence they would be able to take enforcement action to make

sure that leaseholders also comply with fire safety regulations

including fitting fire detectors which is essential to keeping

alternate saved. Will he response to the request from Nottingham City

Council seeking additional powers for them to do so? I can tell her

that that is a very important issue and I will certainly look carefully

at that request. It is important that all leaseholders recognise the

responsibilities and legal owners of those properties and resell Risley

in the case of Camden for a number of towers were evacuated that there

was a lot wrong in terms of fire safety in the building including

fibre that been there and simply not. I have pointed out to the Mayor

of Birmingham that the home in which he lives is also applied. -- is also

clad in a block. Is there a register where they can push out information

to private landlords to let them know what they should be looking for

in regards to cladding? You will know as the legal owners of

buildings will they be private landlords or others they would have

the best information on what kind of cladding may not exist. Grenfell

Tower What we did soon after that tragedy is making sure we got better

guidance on how to handle that identification process. Harriet

Harman. Could you be more specific about what he will make available in

guidance for Tarbox. -- tower blocks. He spoke of the legal duty

to keep tenants saved by the also the responsibility to keep a

balanced budget and since they have been in Government since 2010 budget

has merely have in Southwark. I don't think improvements such as

sprinklers should be at expense of improvements tenants are wearing in

other areas. Will he come up with our ?100 million needed in

Southwark? We have been very clear in the wake of the Grenfell Tower

tragedy they should carry out checks and rigidly. -- immediately. Where

local authorities cannot afford it we're very happy to talk to them and

provide the support they need. In the five weeks since the Grenfell

Walk tragedy, there has been contradictory advice. They do look

to the DC LG for real advice about what they will pay for. When is the

Secretary of State going to make it clear what is the right thing for

those in tower blocks to do and how they will pay for the improvements

necessary? -- Grenfell Tower. We have set up an expert panel to

provide more advice that can be relied on. In terms of funding, the

government has made its position clear. There was no need to wait. If

any work is necessary and has been identified, local authorities must

get on with it and where they cannot afford it, they must approach us.

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer this question with

question number 11. Radical reform is needed to build new homes now and

in the future. Our housing White Paper sets out how we will do that.

I think the honourable gentleman meant to be other way round. Supply

has not matched the demand. I beg your pardon, Mr Speaker. The

secretary of state will be aware that Cornwall recently received by

the million pounds for self build housing. Does he support

neighbourhood plans who are looking at providing that facility instead

of providing registered social landlord properties said that we

over this side of the house can not only give people the ladder, but

also the spade, spirit level and the trowl as well? As you say, supply

has not met demand and one of the ways to get this right is to have

more self build homes and I understand in Cornwall Council some

255 people have registered and the HCA is working to deliver 54 plots

in the heartlands in Cornwall. Our recent announcement of the

house-building funds will help with this. Telford is playing its part in

tackling the national shortage of housing. Can the Minister confirm

that this fund will also accept bids for the purpose of regeneration and

renewal of Newtown infrastructure? What I can tell my honourable friend

is that as we have shown through the prospectus of the housing

infrastructure, we have given a broad definition of infrastructure,

so we would welcome bids that would support regeneration. She is

absolutely right to highlight this issue where we do need new homes.

Often infrastructure is the missing bits and that is exactly why we have

launched this fund. Numbers matter, but so does the quality of new

homes. I'm sure the Secretary of State has seen the awful stories in

the press. Why is it that you can buy something in the shop and you

have the powers of redress, but you spend hundreds of thousands on a new

home and you struggle to get what you paid for? The honourable

gentleman is right to highlight this issue of making sure that when

people buy new homes, if things go wrong, they do get proper redress.

There are mechanisms in place, both in the private sector and through

statutory means, but it is something that needs to be carefully looked

at. I will be grateful if the Minister could confirm why the

number of affordable homes built in the last year fell to the lowest

level in 24 years? Well, Mr Speaker, the first thing I will happily tell

the honourable lady is that the number of council houses that have

been built in the last six years is more than double what was built in

the previous 13 years. Council houses offer an important choice to

people in terms of affordability. We have seen over 900,000 homes built

in recent years and 300,000 of them are affordable. What more can he do

to encourage rural council to provide more homes in the market

towns and in the villages instead of plonking the developments on the

edge of cities like Exeter in unsustainable urban sprawl? I'd like

to see all councils playing an active role in getting more homes

built in the area, whether is the council working with private

partners, that is to be welcomed. To make sure homes are in the right

players, local people should be involved at a consultative level. To

get supply and demand imbalance it needs successful developers and

confident buyers. Will my honourable friend help people who are

leaseholders. I'd like to commend my honourable friend for the work he

has done in this area, showing up the leasehold abuses that do take

place, especially when it comes to buying new houses. In the White

Paper we said we will be bringing forward proposals and we will be

doing that very shortly. The Prime Minister has blamed weak housing

policy for doing so badly at the election and now a government

officials speak of the Secretary of State yesterday has said the same

thing, but blamed selfish Conservative councils who are not

telling the truth about housing needs in the area. Isn't the truth

that this is a desperate bid to shift the blame from the Secretary

of State who is failing on all fronts with regard to housing? With

affordable housing at a 24 year low, will he change tact and backed

Labour's proposal to build genuinely affordable homes? He can even offer

it to the Prime Minister and we will back into CO2 this house. The truth

is that when he was housing minister at the end of the last government

housing starts fell to the lowest level in almost 100 years. Since

then new-build housing is that a nine-year high and if he supports us

in implementing the housing White Paper then we can work together.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. All core cities have benefited from city

deals. Areas covering five course cities including Bristol have agreed

evolution deals which provide funding powers and support economic

growth will regeneration. The Department for exiting the EU

has not made any approach to discuss how cities can be represented during

the EU Brexit negotiations. Cranie have words with his colleagues in

that department and tell them that they really ought to be talking to

our cities? Looking at the list, I have lived in one of them so I know

a bit about them. All I can say is that the Secretary of State for

Exiting the European Union has written to all core cities that have

a mayor to say he will meet with them over the summer. Funding for

our core cities should be something we are proud of, but regeneration in

the North is relying on funding from non-core cities. Will my honourable

friend confirm that this government remains committed to coastal

communities funding moving forward? I can confirm to the honourable

gentleman that we will of course deliver on our general election

manifesto pledge to extend coastal communities funding, but I'd also

like to take the opportunity to thank him for the work he did when

he was doing this job. I'm all too aware that I am walking in the shoes

a giant. Devolution as promoted by the former Chancellor and Prime

Minister is no doubt dead in the water. Few real powers and even less

fiscal devolution has taken place and the only constant theme is year

on year cuts passed down to our local government base, the very base

that should be the foundation on which devolution is built upon. So

when will the Minister bring forward a meaningful plan for devolution and

secondly, what would they address continuous cuts to our local

government base. Devolution has been one of the great successes of this

government. In truth I have been delighted to welcome Conservative

colleagues as our new Metro Mayors. In truth the Labour Party talked

about devolution for years. What they do? Absolutely nothing. We are

getting longer devolution and we are delivering for every of this

country. I welcome the announcement from the Minister a moment ago about

the coastal communities fund. He will be aware there is a major

regeneration scheme being developed by North East Lincolnshire Council

which I wrote to the secretary of state a couple of weeks ago about.

Will the Minister agreed to meet me and other representatives from the

area so we can move this forward very quickly? Yes. Well done. Alan

Brown. Thank you, Mr Speaker. My right honourable friend the

Secretary of State for Scotland is leading on Scotland's city deals. He

spoke to the Scottish Government as recently as last Thursday. Direct

discussions have taken place between this department and the Minister.

It's interesting to note that the DUP got ?1 billion in a couple of

weeks, but the deals of Scotland are still on the table. Can I ask the

Minister to get his colleague to push these details along. There has

been a failure of meaningful talks. In relation to be issued great deal,

others than was a meeting in January and April to discuss priorities for

the deal. In truth, I would have thought that members of the Scottish

National Party would welcome the fact that they have a half ?1

billion upwards Glasgow, 53 million to Inverness in the Highlands and a

to Aberdeen. Why don't they get behind the own cities in the city

deals instead of sniping from the sidelines? Sorry, Mr Speaker. I was

rising 46. My constituency is being blighted by planning applications

that are inappropriate. Despite trying to... Perhaps it can offer me

some advice about the village that is caught between a rock and a hard

place. If he meets with the housing minister I'm sure there can be some

resolution. The honourable gentleman has plunged his feet into the water

with regards to city deals and we wish him well with further

contributions in the house. Mr Kevin Robinson. Not too far from the

Scottish city deals are the great prospects for Belfast. The Secretary

of State was kind enough to meet us prior to the election and since the

election we have the agreement that we will bring forward city deals in

Northern Ireland. Can I ask the Minister to engage ministerial aide

to make sure we get the best deal for Belfast and our city region? Mr

Speaker, we have already engaged with Belfast on the city deals on we

look forward to working with them to make sure we can deliver on the

promise. It is long overdue that Northern Ireland have some city

deals. They have succeeded in England and Wales and Scotland, now

it is Northern Ireland was matter. The reality is that Northern Ireland

deal with the DUP has the Northern Ireland get ?1 billion which is all

Scotland's two put together. The Edinburgh deal has been delayed and

the economic Secretary has had meetings cancelled at late notice by

the UK Government. Can he confirm whether the UK Government takes

Scottish city deals seriously and will they meet the ambition of the

esh a deal, the tea cities Deal and the sterling deal?

Sure we take the entirety of Scotland's ambitious plans very

seriously and the Secretary of State is leading on this very important

policy. If there is something else who thinks we can do she must let me

know. The city deals so far have seen all of the planned Scottish

cities are short-changed by the UK Government. The Scottish Government

has put in far more than this UK Government has sought to find. If

the Northern Ireland deal can be put through how long will Scottish

cities have to wait till they have the money? All of the Scottish

cities agreed mutually with the Government for city deals. With 53

million go to Glasgow and an hundred 20 million go to Aberdeen materials

for Edinburgh and other cities of the table I do not think she will

have to wait too long. -- 123 million go to Aberdeen. Nobody

should happen to sleep rough. A recent report shows how this

approach can enter work rough sleeping for those with the most

complex need. We considering how it can help our manifesto commitment to

end rough sleeping by 2027. Official figures continue to show

year-on-year increases in the number of rough sleepers since 2010

including a 3% increase in London and the last year. Rough sleeping is

often linked to mental health issues. What specific steps will his

Government has taken this Parliament to address the mental health crisis

in rough sleepers? I welcome to the House. There are a number of

underlying issues keeping people on the streets with our rough sleeping.

Mental health issues are certainly one of those underlying causes. To

give insight into what is happening in her own constituency, there is a

social impact a bond which is focusing very much on people being

taken off the streets who have is mental health issues. In my

constituency it is an issue that is raised regularly. I'm hoping he can

lay out progress in the homelessness reduction task force alike and away

some of their concerns. I thank him and welcome him to the House. He is

right to say this Government is setting up a homelessness reduction

task force in the addition to the homeless reduction act. What I can

say to him is that the culture is now starting to change and councils

are now starting to help people far more airily as a result to those

trailblazers taking place. Rough sleeping in Plymouth is on the

increase. Large numbers of those people sleeping rough and served our

country's in the Armed Forces and our veterans. What discussions has

he had with the Ministry of Defence to increase the money going into the

rough sleeping veterans report so we can give all our veterans decent

accommodation? He mentions about a lady and it is vital we support our

veterans who find themselves rough sleeping. I run a cross-party

working group attended by a number of ministers including one for the

Ministry of Defence and this is certainly one we are eagerly trying

to address. With the Minister agree with me that although we have had

about mental health issues and veteran issues another huge problem

is alcohol and drug addiction. What is he doing in that particular area?

She makes a very perceptive point. Drug use, particularly psychoactive

substances such as spies which seems to be prevalent amongst it in a

rough sleepers seems to have a detrimental effect of not getting

people off the street. She will have had at last week the drug strategy

the Government is launching, the Home Office. We're working very

closely with the Home Office in relation to that because we realise

how critical it is to deal with those underlying issues and making

sure we can help people off the streets. I can confirm to the

Honourable lady that the first new permanent homes will be available

very shortly and more will be secured either in Kensington and

Chelsea are nearby. Meantime good quality furnished temporary

accommodation in the area has been offered to every family.

Sorry, I'm not sure of the formalities of theirs. This is due

to a single and suitable offer. The fact people are refusing the storm

is that the non-suitable offer is being made to them. -- that people

are refusing these homes. I amazed that only 22 households have been

much with temporary accommodation. Four have been moved in. There are

empty homes all across the borough and they are still not being taken

up. Can so what is happening here? I can tell her that there are over 220

temporary homes that have been identified and inspected and are all

good quality and are all available within good cup accommodation. --

within good accommodation. She should bring the details to me and

we will look at it and taken very seriously. In terms of the families,

169 families have received offers. 31st of temporary accommodation have

been accepted and nine families have moved on. As she will know from

talking to her constituents many families do not feel ready to move

into temporary accommodation yet and we will absolutely their wishes. Can

any of the cost be met by the landlords insurance? That may well

be the case further down the line but right now the absolute priority

is to do whatever is necessary to help the victims of the Grenfell

Tower tragedy to get into these homes and all these costs will be

met by the Government when necessary. Is it not absolutely

crucial that we increase the number of social housing available in

Kensington and Chelsea? The Government has announced that 68

properties will be made available as social housing. It's not true that

negotiations were under way to provide these homes before the

Grenfell Tower fire? Where are the extra new from? First of all can I

welcome him on his real action as the chair of the select committee?

On social homes I do agree that we want to see more social homes and

not just in Kensington and Chelsea. We want to make sure that choices

offered across the country. With regard to the 68 homes in the

Kensington role development that was originally planned to be affordable

homes and not social homes. But I agree that we should do more.

Developing a sustainable funding model for supported housing is a

priority. We welcome the input into a recent consultation. We are now

carefully taking stock of the joint select committee report on supported

housing. We will set out further details on our plans in the autumn.

There are 30 to half thousand people and supported housing accommodation

and Wales. Landlords say decisions about future developments have been

delayed due to uncertainty of future funding. Will he confirm that any

proposals confirmed are not will properly fund future needs and Wales

particularly given the ageing population? Nobody is under any

illusion in terms of how important supported housing and the provision

of it is to all our constituents. That is why we have confirmed we

will exempt supported housing from the cap until when we will come

through with a solution in 2019. We're taking our time to make sure

that those bands work and our right to make sure we do bring forward

that supply and supported housing and in England we are putting ?400

million of capital funding behind that to bring forward new units. Can

he please update the House and what more is being done to support

victims of domestic abuse and supported housing? I thank him.

Domestic abuse is a critical issue across the country and something we

want to eradicate. We need to provide safe refuge provision for

those people who do end up in that very difficult position. We

announced earlier this year we are supporting 76 projects to create

2200 bed spaces to support 19,000 victims across the country. The

Government is committed to delivering the manifesto pledge to

continue to give local authorities greater control over the money they

raise. We will open up a conversation with local Government

over the next few months about the best way to achieve this. Plans for

the 100% retention of business ladies at the general election were

not produced in the Queen's speech. Can he explain ever the Government

still plans to do this? And what will he do as a revenue support

grant is phased out? He makes a very good point. The Government is

committed to delivering on our manifesto pledge to give local

authorities greater control over the money they raise and to give

councils certainty we have given an unprecedented four-year settlement

of which 97% of local authorities have taken up. That does not end

told 2019 and 2020 during which time we will bring forward proposals

dealing with and working with local Government to achieve those. If

Barnett got the same Government support is scanned and it would be a

realistic option probably for Barnet to reduce council tax to zero. Will

he look at the allocation of funding within London between outer London

and in London to give buyers like Barnett a fairer share of resources?

She raises an important point. There are many areas across the country

that feel after over ten years without the funding formula being

looked at the lower number of challenges in relation to

demographic pressures and service pressures that are encountered more

in some places than others. I can assure her that through the fear

funding review we are undertaking we will look at these matters very

carefully. -- they are funding review. --Fair. We know our SG is

going on 2020. In the absence of legislation that Queen's speech I

have asked the Government five times how they will fill the black hole.

Can I assume from his answer that his previous measures in that the

local Government finance bill have now been ditched and that timetable

has been ditched? Can he now give absolute certainty to local councils

what precisely will be in place by 2020 when the RSG goes? I thank him.

I think this is the sixth time I have answered his question and each

time his question has been put with a considerable amount of foam and a

rage. It is an important issue and I would just say to him again that we

are absolutely committed to what we said in a manifesto that we will

give local authorities greater control over the money they raise

and in terms of the issue of certainty his Government when Npower

only ever gave one-year certainties, only a settlement to local

authorities. We have given a four-year settlement and 97% of

councils have taken that out. It gives us time to get a sensible

solution for local Government and we will work with them to do that. In

the housing White Paper in February the Government set out plans for

high-quality high-density housing. It plans to implement this later

this year. Our Conservative manifesto committed to supporting

new high-quality housing, mansion blocks, mews houses and terraced

streets. How is the Government planning to build housing that is

attractive and popular with the public?

We will bring forward changes set out in a housing White Paper. I

asked the former Housing Minister in April what the government was doing

to protect home owners following the bogus home scandal which saw people

spending significant sums to fine property was not finished. And it

was not a unique problem. Shelter has found half of all the buyers

report a major problem upon moving in. The minister said an

announcement was imminent but there was nothing in the Conservative

manifesto, Queen's Speech nor in the response earlier, so when will the

government act to protect buyers of new-build properties? Of course it

is important and we had a similar question to make sure when people

buy new properties they get what they believe they were purchasing

and where it is not the case, they receive help to put that right.

There are procedures in place and we are looking to see what more can be

done. Licensing can be an effective tool when targeted delivering

improved standards and safety in the private rented sector and in April

2015 further conditions in respect of licensing were introduced. New

council introduced the first private rented sector licensing in 2013 and

last week the council applied to renew the scheme. It has been

successful, enabling the council to concentrate resources on the small

number of private landlords causing problems. 81% of residents say it is

effective. Can the minister reassure me renewal will get the go-ahead? I

can reassure him the scheme will be considered on its merits and in

accordance with meeting statutory requirements, which was reduced

under a Labour government. In path we have a high number of family

homes turned into student accommodation with often low

standards and that is why students take them up because they have no

choice. Will the minister ensure student safety is protected by

encouraging councils to include compulsory safety checks as part of

the licensing schemes? We want all landlords whether providing student

accommodation or otherwise to keep tenet safe and as the honourable

lady will know the Department for business is working on looking at

issues connected to electrical safety.

Private rented sector is the poorest quality housing in my constituency

in Manchester. It is not regulated and needs looking at. I would

welcome a borough wide licensing scheme like the one in the London

Borough of Newham in Manchester and can I ask ministers to take

seriously the issue before we see safety concerns in the private

sector as well? Can I say to her that if she wants Manchester to come

forward with these proposals they should make them known and we will

look at them on merit. There is close collaboration between my

department and ministers at Defra waste collection and it is for local

councils to determine when collections take place but I would

strongly urge councils to consider the wishes of local people. Before

local elections and against the wishes of local people, one county

council took the decision to reduce waste collection to three weekly.

Can I ask what more he can do to ensure local people'sviews are taken

into account on waste issues to prevent potential health hazards? I

know he has been a champion in this House on this issue as he knows it

is a devolved matter in Wales. This is for local councils to decide on

frequency of collections. In England we have done a lot to support

councils to respond to the wishes of people in this sense. I would say to

him that this is the one service people associate most with their

local council and the council should be mindful of the fact that local

people should be consulted before any changes are made. Rather than

lecturing councils about legislative requirements, would he like to come

to Barrow in Furness or many other councils, particularly in the North

of England, and see the scale of the cuts these councils are having to

implement? The near impossibility of being able to balance a budget in

these situations, and provide more help. The honourable gentleman

highlights the mess the public finances were left in when the

Labour Party left government in 2010, and that this government has

been picking up the pieces. What I would say is unlike Labour we have

given a four-year settlement to local authorities and most have

taken that up, to give them more time to change services to reflect

the change of financial environment. We are running late but I want one

last question from a new member. Darren Jones. Number 14, Mr Speaker.

I welcome him to this place. We have delivered nearly 330,000 affordable

homes including 120,000 for social rent and our priority is to build

more affordable homes to rent and buy. Tens of thousands of people in

Bristol are waiting for a council house and many are stuck in

expensive and inadequate private sector housing and many of these

tenants are young families who feel stuck in a system that does not

care. Will he visit my constituency in Bristol to see first-hand how his

supposedly radical reform is failing my constituency and often damp and

inadequate and insecure housing? We set out in the manifesto, and I

talked about it recently at the LGA conference, our ambition to help

local authorities that have ambitions to build more council

homes, so if that is what Bristol wants, the mayor of Bristol should

approach me. Order, topical questions. As you know, in

Lincolnshire we have... Number one. We will hear about Lincolnshire in

due course. The ongoing response to the grand full tragedy has dominated

my department's work and will remain a priority in the years ahead, but

we have not let up on wider work and have launched our housing

infrastructure fund and introduced a tell of the -- telecommunications

bill and we plan to get more homes built in the right places. The

honourable gentleman, I would have called him at topical questions if

you were standing, but I will not if he isn't. Anyway, he has got the

public information announcement for which he is duly grateful. We have

in Lincolnshire wonderful coastal resorts. They trip off the tongue as

a litany of sun and fun, Skegness, Cleethorpes. When you go one your

holidays, do not go to Italy, France, come to bracing Skegness.

Can he promise to use the coastal communities fund to promote tourism

and after Brexit the ?143 million we receive in European Regional

Development Fund is for these results? He rightly highlights the

importance of coastal communities and of course those in Lincolnshire.

Many I have had the pleasure of visiting during the recent election

campaign and I assure him we will use the coastal communities fund and

whatever resources we have available to promote those areas. Does the

Secretary of State agree with the Conservative leader of Warwickshire

County Council who also leads on community welfare for the Local

Government Association that fining councils and withholding money for

delayed discharges will exacerbate the social care crisis, and has he

spoken to the Health Secretary about the plans? Of course I have spoken

to the Health Secretary and I have spoken to the leader of Warwickshire

County Council just last week. I think there is a broad understanding

when it comes to combating delayed transfers of care there is a role to

play for local authorities and the NHS. My honourable friend the member

of the Plymouth is leading the way in terms of innovation of the social

care and the work between the local authority and care provider has

broken new ground. What more can he do to support authorities working so

hard to meet social care needs? I'm pleased to hear the good work my

honourable friend highlights in Plymouth. My department works with

the Department for Health to promote joined up working across health and

social care, including good examples of innovation, through the better

care funds. The Secretary of State will be aware that a working group

was set up by his department in August last year to look at

electrical safety in the private rented sector. Does he agree with me

and others, such as London Fire Brigade, electrical safety first and

shelter, that it is time for more preventative approach on electrical

fires and mandatory five-year electrical safety tests in the

private rented sector should be introduced as a matter urgency?

There is a working group within the Department for business looking at

these matters. In the light of the grand full fire the Prime Minister

has said they should bring forward their work with recommendations. If

they conclude new sprinters are required, will the minister join me

in calling on private landlords to install those sprinters? Obviously

the Guinness partnership will need to determine with the Fire Service

what is needed to keep property is safe but as the Secretary of State

made clear, where work is necessary to ensure fire safety, a lack of

resources should not prevent it going ahead. When he joined me in

congratulating Nottingham community Housing association, who were

recognised for their refurbishment of a memorial homes on flexing my

constituency? Will he listen to NCH a and give them the certainty to

enable future investment by dropping plans to cut housing benefit for

shelter tenants? I will join her in commending the housing association

for the work they have done. The housing association sector would

welcome the fact the record funding we provided a new flexibility so

they can do more of what they do. What steps has the Secretary of

State taken to provide safe spaces for travellers to reside in instead

of them having to go on really nice green spaces in Derbyshire, where

they leave them in a terrible mess? I understand unauthorised

encampments can cause distress and I know that from my constituency. The

government is committed to reducing unauthorised sites by providing

affordable accommodation for travellers. The enquiry into

electoral conduct, noting the superb all-party report written by the past

Deputy Speaker, but sadly rebuffed by successive party leaders on all

sides. I can assure the honourable gentleman with regard to the enquiry

announced by the Prime Minister that will be led by the committee on

Public life, it should take account of all information and we have seen

that the debate in this House last week how many members and candidates

offered from racism and other forms of abuse. I suffered from that

during the general election and I am sure we all agree that racism has no

place in our society. What is the current status of the Devon and

Somerset devolution bid? Do they need a directly elected mayor to get

the full package? Will the minister meet with the leaders of Devon and

Somerset councils and myself to discuss the way forward? Our

manifesto makes clear there would be no requirement for the mayors of

rural counties. Devon and Somerset have not submitted any combined

authority proposals but I look forward to meeting with him and his

council leader. A growing number of grand full survivors are being

placed in budget hotels in my constituency as central London

hotels fill up the tourist season. Despite being unsuitable, they are

being booked by the month, which gives the lie to the fact government

has suitable accommodation ready, not temporary, not on suitable, but

permanent accommodation. Will he ask Kensington and Chelsea to take some

of the ?274 million and buy a couple of hundred homes and make sure these

people have decent housing? The honourable gentleman will know money

is not the issue. We have made it clear in terms of finding the

victims of Grenfell Tower permanent homes that we will do whatever it

takes and that is what we are doing. We will be led by them on what they

need, at their pace. Overton Oakley and Whitchurch in my constituency

have produced ambitious neighbourhood plans but the

communities are concerned about infrastructure investment required

to make them happen, how can he help?

I commend his constituents published together the neighbourhood plans,

and there's a great innovation. Goals in terms of infrastructure, I

would encourage him to get to get the bid for inter-fund was my

honourable friend announced earlier this month. I had the security

growing up of a council flat over my head, so I wonder what the 60

statement dated the 11th year by Mike constituency who said to me

last week that he and his mother and his two siblings are living in one

room in a hostel and have been there for over a year. What message does

he have children like him in my constituency homolog have the

security had a decent place to live? My message is that we have not built

in our homes of all types in that country, and successive governments,

and every are going to do it we should all work together and reunite

under the Housing white paper. Will he join me in commending the Chatham

House charities, and early intervention which are tanning lives

around in my constituency? My honourable friend is absolutely

right to highlight the excellent work that is going on down by the

charities that he mentions in Cheltenham. Early intervention is

tactically critical, that is why to the Homelessness Reduction Act,

doing things earlier to stop people becoming homeless, that is the

absolute bedrock of that act. We are also seeing through the homelessness

prevention trailblazers are many forerunners to the act, that the

culture of the local authorities that are involved and that is

absolutely changing towards preventing. I regularly raise my

concerns over the safety of the rapid conversion of family homes to

houses of multiple occupation in my constituency. In view of the

Grenfell Tower disaster, does the Government have any plans to issue a

new guidance to local planning authorities, particularly about the

safety of these conversions Moores the honourable gentleman is right to

raise best, there are many lessons to learn from the Grenfell Tower

tragedy, and some of those will come from the public enquiry. There have

been recommendations from the expat panel on fire safety and affairs in

a thing they urgently recommend we will implement that. I am looking to

see what else we can do it in enforcement. What changes do the NPF

commitment to strengthen protection for ancient woodlands? I can tell my

honourable friend that we will be bringing forward proposals very

shortly that will implement what is any Housing white paper, which is

ancient woodland will receive the same protection as before. Can I

thank the minister for the Northern Powerhouse for visiting new ferry in

my constituency, when he has one remember there was recently a

terrible explosion. As a result of his meeting, the leader of the

council in has written to him, can I ask him to expedite a reply to that

letter? No one could visit the disaster in new ferry and talk to

the residents they are without realising the seriousness of the

explosion to place months ago. Following my meeting, I received a

meeting from Phil Davies, irresponsible began later today

dealing with the queries he raised. Canny Secretary of State tell me

what he will do to ensure that Bradford Council build on the

Brownfield sites it has identified before it starts concreting over and

building on greenfield sites in the green belt in my constituency? My

honourable friend makes a very important point, and as we have made

clear any Housing white paper, we expect Brownfield sites to always

been a priority to meet our housing need, and that is what I would

expect to see from Bradford. Is it entirely wisely minister of the

Northern Powerhouse to come across the Pennines from his Lancashire

constituency and tell the people of Yorkshire that they could not have

full Yorkshire demolition? Are these decisions are best made in God 's

own county, not in Whitehall, and not unlike a job and it's very

different geography. As a proud Lancastrian, it is not for me nor is

it for Government to tell Yorkshire what demolition deal it should have.

However, I would gently point out that in 2015, Bardsley, Doncaster,

rather and Sheffield asked for powers from Government, we gave them

to them. They asked the new money from Government, we gave it to them.

They also have an election next May, we gave it to them. When will the

people of South Yorkshire learn to take yes for an answer? Kettering

Borough Council, of which I am a member, provide specialist Housing

advice to those in financial difficulties, to prevent

homelessness in the first place and is working closely with local

housing associations to bring forward a recognisable of homes for

social rate. Isn't that exactly the right approach? I commend the work

that Kettering Borough Council are doing, in my experience where we are

seeing local authorities prevent homelessness, they are doing very

much those type of things, particularly in terms of helping

people deal with the financial challenges, things like budgeting,

and it is certainly good here that Kettering are also bringing forward

a significant number of affordable homes that residents can benefit

from. Goodes we heard from the minister earlier about causing

communities, Blackall and Horden in my constituency are also former

coalfield communities that have suffered terminal levels of

underinvestment says those bits where close. Under the previous Tory

Government. Will be missed the meet with me to see what can be done? It

isn't just for Government has bought our coastal communities, it would

encourage all members across this House to visit the fantastic great

British coastline. I will of course happily meet with the honourable

member and representatives from his constituency to work out what more

the fund can do for him. In magical constituency, they are drying up

their local plan, however there are concerns that the Greater Manchester

Police will override it. What assurances can he get neighbourhood

forums that their plans will be appropriately considered? As the

Secretary of State reiterated, we made a commitment to protecting the

green belt in the Housing white paper, and I cannot comment

specifically on the planet which he talks about, but I would emphasise

the PlanMaker is the consult with the community, especially

neighbourhood forums, and once that has been brought in force, it is

part of the statutory development plan of an area. I will come to

points of order, because I think there are a number today relating to

one matter, and it seems to me to contain a degree of urgency. I will

treat it very soon. Just before I do, I have a short statement myself

to make. On Thursday the 13th of July, the text colleagues of the

European Union withdrawal Bill was available through eight week, before

the Bill was presented in the House. Points of order will raised about

the Bill being available online for it was available to members. An

immediate investigation was carried out. A flaw in the publishing

process within the House of Commons service meant that the Bill text was

inadvertently available