argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Local Government Finance — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Immigration
Mark Gino Francois (Conservative, Centre-right): First, I am joined on the Front Bench by my hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Richard Harrington), whom the Prime Minister today appointed Minister for Refugees. He will sit on the Cabinet Sub-Committee looking to address these issues. I am sure the whole House will welcome his appointment Secondly, the hon. Gentleman attacked us over resources. I have a question to ask him about resources.
Neighbourhood Planning and Community Rights — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): Up to March 2015, we provided nearly £50 million to help communities undertake neighbourhood planning and to access community rights and associated initiatives. We are going further and invested another £32 million in April to help even more communities take up their rights.
Neighbourhood Planning and Community Rights — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Mark Andrew Menzies (Conservative, Centre-right): Fylde communities such as Warton and Wrea Green in my constituency have submitted comprehensive local plans to the council. Does the Minister agree that it is important that when the council is finalising the local plan, it takes into account the neighbourhood plans and the wishes of my constituents?
Neighbourhood Planning and Community Rights — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): I concur completely with my hon. Friend’s view. Our planning guidance is clear that local authorities should work in collaboration with neighbourhood planning groups when neighbourhood and local plans are being developed at the same time. Local plans are also subject to at least two opportunities for comment by any interested party.
Neighbourhood Planning and Community Rights — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the right hon. Lady for her question. She will be a loss to the shadow Front Bench. Local authorities already have significant powers to bring empty properties back into use. They are incentivised by receiving the new homes bonus to get long-term empty properties back into use. They also have the power to change the council tax regime to charge more council tax on properties that stand empty for a long period. I suggest that she contact her local authority and ask what it is doing about this.
Neighbourhood Planning and Community Rights — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Following a passionate local campaign, planning permission was recently rejected that would have seen the Ascot Tavern, a local pub in Cannock, demolished and replaced by yet another new supermarket. Local campaigners are looking at registering the pub as a community asset. What measures are the Government taking to assist and support communities who find themselves in that situation and similar ones?
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome my hon. Friend’s interest in this important subject. We have removed permitted development rights from pubs that are listed as assets of community value. As was promised in our manifesto, we are committing £1.5 million to a pub loan fund to support community groups in taking ownership of their local pub. The My Community advice service also offers important advice and support to local groups that are looking to take on their local.
Disabled Facilities Grant — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Given the Government’s dismal record of selling off council housing and extending it to housing associations, what steps is the Minister taking to ensure that our remaining council housing stock has adequate disabled provision and access for those who need it?
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): You are right, Mr Speaker—it is a rather tenuous link but I will do my best. As I have said, the Government are providing significant funding to local authorities to provide disabled facilities grants, and there is no reason why they cannot use that for current council housing stock, or support housing associations with their stock.
Affordable Homes — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): The national planning policy framework requires local planning authorities to meet their affordable housing needs for their area, and we are committed to delivering some 275,000 new affordable homes through to the end of this Parliament.
Affordable Homes — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman might wish to take up with his local authority the issue of the power to negotiate locally. We are delivering affordable homes at the fastest rate in just over two decades, and in his constituency the number of homes going forward has increased by 124% since 2010. He should be thanking the Government for the work we have done to support that industry.
Affordable Homes — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend makes a good point, and one key focus of our manifesto this year was the starter homes project. I am proud that the Government will take forward the delivery of some 200,000 starter homes for first-time buyers at a 20% discount.
Affordable Homes — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): For good quality homes in the rental and ownership sectors the key is an increase in supply. I am pleased that in the hon. Lady’s constituency the number of starter homes has increased by 45% since 2010, and completions are up by 100% since 2010. We must build more homes—it is a shame that the previous Labour Government did not build them and that we started in 2010 with the lowest rate of house building since about 1923, which is what Labour left.
Affordable Homes — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, my hon. Friend makes a very good point. The need for starter homes and affordable homes for people to purchase is as important in rural areas as it is in urban areas, and I am delighted that we will be able to take that project forward and see 200,000 starter homes delivered for first-time buyers across the country.
Affordable Housing — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: What steps his Department has taken to stimulate the building of affordable housing; and what steps he is taking to help young people buy a home for the first time.
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): We have already allocated £1 billion to our commitment to deliver a further 275,000 affordable homes by 2020. Since 2010, Government schemes such as Help to Buy and the right to buy have helped more than 230,000 people buy a home. As my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning said, we will build 200,000 starter homes exclusively for first-time buyers.
Affordable Housing — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: What steps his Department has taken to stimulate the building of affordable housing; and what steps he is taking to help young people buy a home for the first time.
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): The residents of Scotland have the same aspirations as the residents in all parts of the United Kingdom. They want to own their own home, and the Government are committed to giving them the chance to realise that aspiration. We are doing that by extending the right to buy, and it is a matter of regret that in Scotland they are going the other way.
Affordable Housing — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: What steps his Department has taken to stimulate the building of affordable housing; and what steps he is taking to help young people buy a home for the first time.
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): First, the funds that come with the new homes bonus allow the financing of some of the infrastructure that is required—reasonably—when homes are built. Secondly, because of that, the plans that are coming forward for adoption by authorities have a significantly higher level of house building than was the case before the reforms were introduced.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): One person without a home is one too many. That is why since 2010 we have invested more than £500 million in local authorities and the voluntary sector to prevent and tackle homelessness in their areas.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said earlier, this is an extremely important issue. Ministerial work is going on in relation to the military covenant, and my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning is part of that ministerial group. We are also supporting local authorities with programmes to help them with rough sleepers, both to help rough sleepers on the street so that they do not spend a second night out—that has been especially useful in London—and to work with other housing groups so that rough sleeping does not become entrenched. We are helping people to get off the streets, especially those with mental health issues.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Homeless people are 13 times more likely to be victims of crime than the general public and are more likely to suffer from serious health problems. Will the Minister explain his plans for the future of the homelessness prevention grant?
Marcus Charles Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the hon. Lady to the House. As she has identified, the homelessness prevention grant has been powerful in that councils have been able to use it to stop people becoming homeless. She will be glad to know that we are considering the future of the grant in the context of the upcoming spending review.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Homeless people are 13 times more likely to be victims of crime than the general public and are more likely to suffer from serious health problems. Will the Minister explain his plans for the future of the homelessness prevention grant?
Stephen William Hammond (Conservative, Centre-right): On 12 October, I and other Members will be taking part in sleep out night. The Government are rightly proud of the resources they put into such projects during the previous Parliament. Will the Minister confirm that to tackle rough sleeping he will be putting in money and continuing to support the Homelessness Change and No Second Night Out projects, which do a huge amount to prevent rough sleeping?
Urban and Rural Areas: Funding — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Mark Gino Francois (Conservative, Centre-right): Our reforms give all authorities substantial scope to increase revenues through promoting growth. I accept that most rural authorities face challenges in delivering services that other authorities do not. Consecutive local government finance settlements have delivered a steady reduction in the gap in spending power levels between urban and rural authorities.
Urban and Rural Areas: Funding — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Heidi-Suzanne Allen (Conservative, Centre-right): Still surprised, but delighted to be here. I thank the Minister for that answer. Cambridgeshire has a creative way for local authorities to look to bridge the funding gap. The level of economic growth is such that private investors now want to invest in our infrastructure and help us to build affordable housing. Will the Secretary of State or Minister meet me and business leaders from Cambridge to hear our case, because we have an innovative solution?
Urban and Rural Areas: Funding — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Graham Charles Stuart (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Government’s announcement of the rural productivity plan over the summer. In particular, I praise the identification of improved local government as important to the economic regeneration of rural areas. Does the Minister agree that closing that gap—the Government have set out on a path to do that, albeit at an incredibly slow pace—is an important part of improving local government in rural areas?
Urban and Rural Areas: Funding — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Mark Gino Francois (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has campaigned tirelessly on this issue for some time. As a result, he will know that the previous Government delivered a steady reduction in the so-called urban-rural gap in spending power levels. Consecutive settlements have helped to address the gap, and between 2012-13 and 2015-16 it has been reduced by £205 million. A great deal has been done, but there is still more to do.
Weedon Bec — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): Obviously, I cannot comment on specific planning appeals. However, the planning inspector will decide an appeal in accordance with the development plan and national planning policy, considering the evidence presented by all the parties in each specific case individually. The local decision is upheld in the majority of cases, with about two thirds of appeals being dismissed.
Weedon Bec — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): Although I understand that the Minister does not want to comment on the two planning appeals in Weedon, in which the same information was fed in only for there to be two different results, with one being allowed and one dismissed, will he let the Planning Inspectorate know that the people of Weedon in my constituency and the local council do not appreciate its varied decisions? They would also appreciate it if he could offer the Planning Inspectorate some strong guidance on implementing localism.
Weedon Bec — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): I appreciate my hon. Friend’s point on behalf of his community. There were two applications. I understand his point about their similarity, but every appeal has its own unique character, by definition. The planning inspectors need to consider them as individual cases. However, I appreciate his point about having consistent decisions.
Weedon Bec — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is fighting hard for his constituents and planning is an emotive issue that people care passionately about. It shapes the future of the environments in which we live. Every planning application, no matter how silly it might seem, will have unique characteristics and will therefore potentially lead to different decisions.
Rogue Landlords — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): We have provided £6.7 million thus far to crack down on rogue landlords and have legislated to protect tenants from retaliatory eviction. I am determined to go further. We have recently published plans to blacklist and ban rogue landlords and to enable councils to impose civil penalties and to seek rent repayment orders in more circumstances.
Rogue Landlords — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an important point. Last time the Opposition costed their plans for a national register, it was, I think, about £40 million a year, a cost that would fall on the tenants. More regulation in that sense is simply not the answer; it drives down supply and, as a result, quality for tenants.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I issued a written ministerial statement today to update the House on the main items of business undertaken by my Department over the summer. In the past eight weeks, we have introduced measures to boost house building and to support aspiring homeowners, including first-time buyers; our commitment to devolve powers from Whitehall to local people has prompted proposals across the country; and we have strengthened the planning system to tackle unauthorised development and ensure that all communities are treated equally. As the House has heard, the Home Secretary and I chaired a joint committee with local government to put in place the arrangements to settle Syrian refugees.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Residents in Barrowford and Colne are keen to create neighbourhood plans for their area. Will my right hon. Friend say more about the support the Government are providing to local communities to ensure that their voices are heard in the completion of neighbourhood and local plans?
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): Neighbourhood plans have been a huge success since they were introduced in the Localism Act 2011. They give local people more power to control the shape of development in their area but sometimes, across the country, local councils seem inclined to be tardy in giving the support that is required. In the forthcoming Bill, we will place a clearer responsibility on councils to support neighbourhoods in producing their plans.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Residents in Barrowford and Colne are keen to create neighbourhood plans for their area. Will my right hon. Friend say more about the support the Government are providing to local communities to ensure that their voices are heard in the completion of neighbourhood and local plans?
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the right hon. Gentleman to the Front Bench, but I have to say that I am very surprised to hear that line of questioning from him. In 2009, he said that "home ownership has been dropping…And I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing." For him to suggest to the House that his view is now the opposite is a turnaround. Since the coalition Government were elected, the number of first-time buyers has doubled—it collapsed under the Government of whom he was a member—but we want to go further, which is why we have extended right to buy and introduced Help to Buy. It is also why we are introducing the starter homes for first-time buyers.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Residents in Barrowford and Colne are keen to create neighbourhood plans for their area. Will my right hon. Friend say more about the support the Government are providing to local communities to ensure that their voices are heard in the completion of neighbourhood and local plans?
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman is not going to run away from his own record, because he was a Housing Minister in the last Government. In the manifesto on which he was elected in 2005, it said that his Government would "create a million more homeowners" That was the commitment given when he was the Housing Minister. During that Parliament, home ownership fell by a quarter of a million—it actually fell. Under this Government, the number of first-time buyers has doubled, and under Help to Buy the figures published at the end of last week show that 120,000 people have been helped. That is working people who are being helped by this Government to achieve their dream of having a home for the first time. He should be supporting that, and doing so around the country, rather than seeking to hark back to a failed policy over which he, I am afraid, presided.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Residents in Barrowford and Colne are keen to create neighbourhood plans for their area. Will my right hon. Friend say more about the support the Government are providing to local communities to ensure that their voices are heard in the completion of neighbourhood and local plans?; The new Leader of the Opposition is, I believe, a keen advocate of rent control—unlike some of his colleagues. Does the Secretary of State agree that every time we see rent controls introduced, all that happens is a fall in the supply of housing, making it harder for people to find homes?
Brandon Kenneth Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very good point. The reality is that the introduction of rent controls that the Labour party wants is another level of regulation. Evidence around the world shows that that drives prices up and supply down, which is bad for tenants. It is probably why the private rental sector dropped to just 9% of the market on the Labour Government’s watch. I am proud that we have rebuilt it to 19%, and it is important to see that grow further. What matters is the work we are doing to ensure that the quality of protection is there for tenants. It has been proven that rent controls do not work.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2015-09-14
Topic: Housing
Questions: Residents in Barrowford and Colne are keen to create neighbourhood plans for their area. Will my right hon. Friend say more about the support the Government are providing to local communities to ensure that their voices are heard in the completion of neighbourhood and local plans?; The new Leader of the Opposition is, I believe, a keen advocate of rent control—unlike some of his colleagues. Does the Secretary of State agree that every time we see rent controls introduced, all that happens is a fall in the supply of housing, making it harder for people to find homes?; Can the Secretary of State confirm the Government’s continuing support for city deals and that he, together with colleagues in the Treasury, recognise the substantial opportunities offered to Midlothian and the Edinburgh city region by the excellent collaborative work of the region’s six constituent councils? Will he make a statement on the progress of this city deal and produce a timetable for delivery?
James Wharton (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are indeed looking at the options for city deals, working with local representatives right across the country. I had a meeting with the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland only last week to talk about the progress being made. Where we can find the right deals that will deliver the right things for local areas, we are keen to pursue them in collaboration.