argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Let me once again take the opportunity to commend my hon. Friend for all the work that he has done, in this House and beyond, to combat homelessness, including with the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, which he championed. He is right to highlight the new funding that has been provided: £28 million for the three Housing First projects, and an additional £20 million to help to prevent people in the private rented sector from getting to homelessness in the first place. We will be looking carefully at, and talking widely about, how best to make use of that money.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: One million pounds is about to be cut from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s homelessness budget by the Conservative and Independent Alliance that runs the authority. That will push the job of supporting homeless people on to excellent organisations such as the YMCA, which is run, in my constituency, by Danny Flynn. If those organisations cannot count on support from local authorities, what help will the Minister give direct from central Government to make sure that voluntary organisations that help homeless people get the resources that they need?
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is right to ask what central Government can do to help. One of the ways we are helping is by providing the resources nationally—over £1 billion of funding to 2020, which is the highest budget that has ever been dedicated to combating homelessness.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: One million pounds is about to be cut from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s homelessness budget by the Conservative and Independent Alliance that runs the authority. That will push the job of supporting homeless people on to excellent organisations such as the YMCA, which is run, in my constituency, by Danny Flynn. If those organisations cannot count on support from local authorities, what help will the Minister give direct from central Government to make sure that voluntary organisations that help homeless people get the resources that they need?
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I take this opportunity to thank my hon. Friend for the work that he has done in this area since long before he came into the House; I know that he continues to champion such work. I will very happily join him in his constituency. I hear that the work the YMCA has done throughout the country, including in his constituency, has been exemplary.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: One million pounds is about to be cut from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s homelessness budget by the Conservative and Independent Alliance that runs the authority. That will push the job of supporting homeless people on to excellent organisations such as the YMCA, which is run, in my constituency, by Danny Flynn. If those organisations cannot count on support from local authorities, what help will the Minister give direct from central Government to make sure that voluntary organisations that help homeless people get the resources that they need?; Over 120,000 children are set to be without a home and living in temporary accommodation this Christmas—an increase of 66% since 2010. Why does the Secretary of State think that the number of homeless children fell under Labour but has risen under the Conservatives?
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Every homeless person is vulnerable, but children are particularly so. That is why we must work together to do all that we can. The funding of over £400 million for the flexible grant that is provided through local authorities can help, but the new taskforce will also take on that work to see what more we can do across Government.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: One million pounds is about to be cut from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s homelessness budget by the Conservative and Independent Alliance that runs the authority. That will push the job of supporting homeless people on to excellent organisations such as the YMCA, which is run, in my constituency, by Danny Flynn. If those organisations cannot count on support from local authorities, what help will the Minister give direct from central Government to make sure that voluntary organisations that help homeless people get the resources that they need?; Over 120,000 children are set to be without a home and living in temporary accommodation this Christmas—an increase of 66% since 2010. Why does the Secretary of State think that the number of homeless children fell under Labour but has risen under the Conservatives?
David Thomas Morris (Conservative, Centre-right): Homelessness is a very complex issue, and I am sure that everyone in the House agrees that it is something that we should not be facing. What discussions has my right hon. Friend had across Government Departments on, for instance, mental health, which is always identified as an issue in homelessness?
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: One million pounds is about to be cut from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s homelessness budget by the Conservative and Independent Alliance that runs the authority. That will push the job of supporting homeless people on to excellent organisations such as the YMCA, which is run, in my constituency, by Danny Flynn. If those organisations cannot count on support from local authorities, what help will the Minister give direct from central Government to make sure that voluntary organisations that help homeless people get the resources that they need?; Over 120,000 children are set to be without a home and living in temporary accommodation this Christmas—an increase of 66% since 2010. Why does the Secretary of State think that the number of homeless children fell under Labour but has risen under the Conservatives?
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to say that the causes of homelessness and rough sleeping are very complex, and not just economic. He is right to emphasise that mental health issues sometimes play a part. My right hon. Friends the Health and Education Secretaries have announced a Green Paper on the mental health needs of children and young people, and this is an appropriate time to make sure that we are doing everything we can as a Government.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: One million pounds is about to be cut from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s homelessness budget by the Conservative and Independent Alliance that runs the authority. That will push the job of supporting homeless people on to excellent organisations such as the YMCA, which is run, in my constituency, by Danny Flynn. If those organisations cannot count on support from local authorities, what help will the Minister give direct from central Government to make sure that voluntary organisations that help homeless people get the resources that they need?; Over 120,000 children are set to be without a home and living in temporary accommodation this Christmas—an increase of 66% since 2010. Why does the Secretary of State think that the number of homeless children fell under Labour but has risen under the Conservatives?
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): May I first associate myself with the hon. Lady’s comments about Jimmy Hood? He will be sorely missed by the House The hon. Lady made a point about the Scottish experience of combating homelessness. One thing we want to do is to look at best practice outside England. We want to look at whether there are some things to learn from Scotland, and some measures have been suggested by my Scottish friends. For example, we are looking further at the Housing First policy from Finland.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: One million pounds is about to be cut from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s homelessness budget by the Conservative and Independent Alliance that runs the authority. That will push the job of supporting homeless people on to excellent organisations such as the YMCA, which is run, in my constituency, by Danny Flynn. If those organisations cannot count on support from local authorities, what help will the Minister give direct from central Government to make sure that voluntary organisations that help homeless people get the resources that they need?; Over 120,000 children are set to be without a home and living in temporary accommodation this Christmas—an increase of 66% since 2010. Why does the Secretary of State think that the number of homeless children fell under Labour but has risen under the Conservatives?
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Last week, the right hon. Gentleman and I attended a parliamentary reception in the Commons for St Mungo’s, where he rightly talked about—we both talked about—how some issues are above politics and it is important for Members on both sides of the House to co-operate on them. Homelessness and rough sleeping is one of those issues, and I know that he meant what he said so I take his question seriously We have no plans to cut the funding, whether for women’s refuges or for other support we are providing in relation to homelessness. Indeed, in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor’s Budget just a couple of weeks ago, we saw an increase in spending and resources to fight homelessness.
Local and Regional Economies: Transport — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on investment to support the growth of local and regional economies.; Some £5.8 million has been invested, under the second devolution deal, to unlock congestion in the west midlands, and the west midlands tram network will be expanded to Dudley—or Dud-lie, which I believe is the correct pronunciation. Will my hon. Friend prevail on the Secretary of State to continue to liaise with the Mayor of the west midlands, Andy Street, so that that good work can continue?
James Jacob Gilchrist Berry (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sure that everyone in the House was delighted that in the Budget we agreed a second ambitious devolution deal with Andy Street. While my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, as the midlands engine champion, is the supercharger for the midlands engine, Andy Street is its turbocharger.
Local and Regional Economies: Transport — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on investment to support the growth of local and regional economies.; Some £5.8 million has been invested, under the second devolution deal, to unlock congestion in the west midlands, and the west midlands tram network will be expanded to Dudley—or Dud-lie, which I believe is the correct pronunciation. Will my hon. Friend prevail on the Secretary of State to continue to liaise with the Mayor of the west midlands, Andy Street, so that that good work can continue?
Justin Paul Tomlinson (Conservative, Centre-right): Swindon is building houses at roughly three times the rate of the national average and we wish to go further. Does the Minister support Swindon’s proposal to use the Transforming Cities fund to extend the Oxford and Cambridge rail link to Swindon, which would unlock further new homes in Swindon?
Local and Regional Economies: Transport — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on investment to support the growth of local and regional economies.; Some £5.8 million has been invested, under the second devolution deal, to unlock congestion in the west midlands, and the west midlands tram network will be expanded to Dudley—or Dud-lie, which I believe is the correct pronunciation. Will my hon. Friend prevail on the Secretary of State to continue to liaise with the Mayor of the west midlands, Andy Street, so that that good work can continue?
James Jacob Gilchrist Berry (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a tempting invitation to support a bid to the Transforming Cities fund. That is exactly what the fund is designed to do. When people make good, ground-up, locally supported proposals, the fund, on a competitive basis, should be there to support them.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): In the autumn Budget, we announced further reforms and financial support to increase housing supply in England. This includes more than £15 billion of new financial support, at least £44 billion of funding to 2022-23, and reforms to ensure that more land is available for housing.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Andrew Campbell Bowie (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. The work of his Department and the pledge in the Budget to build 300,000 new homes in England are very welcome, and will go some way to address growing intergenerational unfairness when it comes to getting on the housing ladder. Will he join me today in calling for the Scottish Government to match the Scottish Conservatives’ pledge to build 100,000 new homes north of the border so that young people in my constituency can have the same opportunities to buy as those in constituencies in England?
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely join my hon. Friend in doing that, and he is right to highlight this issue. The Scottish Government, even on their own targets, have been failing consistently on house building, especially affordable house building. I commend the ideas, energy and ambition shown by the Scottish Conservatives in challenging the Scottish National party to build more homes in Scotland.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady will know that the Government have invested huge amounts in the past few years to make sure that house building picks up. The rate was down to 100,000 homes a year when the Government took office in 2010, but the figure for the latest year is 217,000. There is a lot more to do, including in York. I have written to the council in York and we are considering with it what we can do to speed up its planned development.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Richard Michael Bacon (Conservative, Centre-right): In Berlin and elsewhere in Germany, architects, landowners, homeless people and local councils co-operate to bring forward thousands of new dwellings through mutual housing co-operatives. Will the Secretary of State encourage local councils here to consider that option as a way of bringing forward more dwellings more quickly?
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with the direction my hon. Friend sets out. One issue highlighted in the housing White Paper, which we are tackling as we implement it, is how we make sure that we have more diversity of supply. That includes different types of supply, including custom-build and co-operatives. My hon. Friend is right to highlight that and I commend him for his work in this area.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Other
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I can confirm to the hon. Lady that we have just received the local council’s plan—I believe we received it five days ago, having waited five months. I am not sure why it took it so long, but now that we have received it, we will take a close look at it.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I can reassure my hon. Friend that no changes have been made to green-belt rules and that building on the green belt requires exceptional reasons. There were no changes in either the housing White Paper or the recent announcement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor. The change we did announce was for more funding to make sure, for example, that we get the right infrastructure in the right places to help us to build more homes.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): We will take no lectures from the SNP when it comes to housing. In Scotland, under the SNP’s leadership, the number of housing starts has declined by 40%, the number of housing completions has fallen, the rate of housing ownership has fallen, and all affordable housing targets are being missed. It is about time that the hon. Lady stopped lecturing and started listening to the Scottish Conservatives.
Home Building — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman talks about failure in the delivery of housing, but I think that he has got the wrong party. The track record of the Labour Government of whom he was a part included a massive fall in house building in this country—to its lowest level since the 1920s—a decline in social units for rent of 421,000, and almost a doubling of the waiting list for social housing. Their record on housing was one of the worst that this country has seen. If he wants to do something about it, he should support the policies of this Government.
Unauthorised Traveller Encampments — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend knows, the Government are concerned about unauthorised encampments and the effect they can have on settled communities. That is why we will be issuing a call for evidence on the effectiveness of enforcement against unauthorised developments and encampments. I will publish that call for evidence shortly.
Unauthorised Traveller Encampments — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Public Lands
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): On a daily basis, Central Bedfordshire Council is dealing with completely unacceptable numbers of unauthorised Traveller encampments. Many of those Travellers own land elsewhere, and many of their children are not in school, so when will the Government’s consultation lead to appropriate powers being made available to all local authorities, including my own?
Unauthorised Traveller Encampments — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Other
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course I will meet the all-party group, but the whole point of a call for evidence is to allow everyone to feed in their views, and it is precisely those views that we want to hear. Following that, we will, of course, set out plans to take this further.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are providing substantial support for the building of social homes. We recently announced an additional £2 billion of funding, which takes the figure for the affordable homes programme to more than £9 billion. We have provided rent certainty for social landlords, and we have announced that there will be a £1 billion lift in housing revenue account borrowing caps.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. That was far too long; absolutely hopeless. The hon. Lady’s questions will have to be much shorter in future. I am always keen to encourage her—she is a new Member, and a prodigious attender—but she needs to apply the blue pencil.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): Since 2010, nearly 128,000 homes for social rent have been built in England, and 118,000 have been built for affordable rent. The hon. Lady talks about the money available for housing. I can confirm that, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor said in his Budget statement, we are making at least £44 billion available over the next five years.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Public Lands
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. and learned Friend makes a very important point. I commend her for the work that she is doing in encouraging the development of community land trusts, for which I announced additional funds only last week.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): Since 2010, we have delivered 357,000 affordable homes including, as I said earlier, about 128,000 homes for social rent. As I also said previously, we are providing £9 billion for the affordable homes programme, a £1 billion lift in HRA borrowing caps, and rent certainty for social landlords. That will help the sector to build more affordable homes, including social rented homes.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): One of the key issues in our consultation on local housing needs, which closed on 9 November, was viability assessments. We will of course review what comes forward, but we have made it very clear that we want developers to build affordable homes.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: After 13 years of Labour MPs in Gloucester in which not a single new social housing unit was built, we now have built some new social housing, but we want to do much more through a master plan involving the Government’s estate regeneration programme. Will my hon. Friend confirm that money may be available through the new national productivity investment fund to help to bridge any potential funding gap caused by low values?
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend my hon. Friend for the work that he is doing in his constituency to encourage more building of homes, including social homes, and I am delighted by the progress that is being made in estate regeneration. My hon. Friend’s constituency has received £1.25 million of capacity funding. More detailed eligibility criteria for the national productivity investment fund will be announced in due course, and I shall be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss the matter further.
Social Housing — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Housing
Questions: After 13 years of Labour MPs in Gloucester in which not a single new social housing unit was built, we now have built some new social housing, but we want to do much more through a master plan involving the Government’s estate regeneration programme. Will my hon. Friend confirm that money may be available through the new national productivity investment fund to help to bridge any potential funding gap caused by low values?; There was much fanfare in the Budget about housing, but when will the Minister start to understand that if the Government are to tackle the social housing crisis, they must abolish the right to buy?
Alok Kumar Sharma (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course we support the right to buy. It has meant that people have been able to own homes, which I think is incredibly important. We are making more money available for affordable homes but, as I have said, there will be at least £44 billion over the next five years so that more homes can be built. We have a housing crisis now because not enough homes were built under the last Government.