argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
House Building — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Time and again, the right hon. Gentleman gets up at the Dispatch Box and talks about the failure to build homes when the evidence is very different. He never refers to his own track record: we saw housing starts fall to their lowest peacetime level since the 1920s. The right hon. Gentleman asked me about the White Paper and its reception, so let me share with him some responses to the White Paper. The National Housing Federation called it a "positive step in the right direction" The Royal Town Planning Institute said that it welcomed the measures, which it had "long campaigned for". Another one—perhaps he can guess where this came from—is that "yesterday’s housing white paper points us in a better direction… the proposals…show some promising signs for Londoners." Where did that come from? The Mayor of London.
House Building — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman will know that we have taken a number of actions since July to boost home building in this country—not just the action outlined in the White Paper, but the £1.7 billion accelerated construction programme, the £3 billion home building fund, the £2.3 billion for the housing infrastructure fund and £1.4 billion extra for affordable homes. The right hon. Gentleman raises the issue of home ownership. As a former housing Minister, he should know that home ownership rates under Labour fell from a peak of 71% to 64%. I have another quote—from him—about the decline in home ownership which, word for word, is that "I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing".
Green Belt: Bury — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): Our recent housing White Paper underlines the Government’s continuing commitment to the green belt. Local councils should remove land only in exceptional circumstances, and the White Paper clarifies what that means: when they can demonstrate that they have fully examined all other reasonable options for meeting housing need.
Green Belt: Bury — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
David Nuttall (Conservative, Centre-right): When a plan proposes large-scale development on the green belt, as in the case of the Greater Manchester spatial framework, will my hon. Friend assure me that he will carefully assess how realistic the various projections and assumptions are for things such as population growth and household size?
Green Belt: Bury — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): I assure my hon. Friend that the approach that is taken will be robustly tested by a planning inspector in public, and that he will be able to give evidence. My hon. Friend is right that before councils think about releasing green-belt land, they should consider brownfield land, surplus Government land, density and how their neighbours can help to meet housing need.
Green Belt: Bury — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much agree with hon. Lady. The White Paper sets out clearly what "exceptional circumstances" means. It is a phrase in the national planning policy framework that has not been defined previously. This is about looking at brownfield land, surplus public sector land, density and what neighbouring areas can do before precious green-belt land is released.
Smaller Builders — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): Small builders tell us that the two key constraints that they face are access to land and finance. Our home building fund includes £1 billion of short-term loan funding for small builders, and our recent White Paper will ensure that councils make small sites available.
Smaller Builders — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Mark Julian Francis Pawsey (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for that answer, because the time it takes to get a site through the planning process is often a challenge for small builders, who are less able to bear the risk involved and the funding required. Will he continue with the reforms he is making to the planning system to ensure that local planning authorities can deal speedily with small sites?
Smaller Builders — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to raise the challenges that small builders face. We plan to boost the capacity of planning authorities by allowing them to increase planning fees. With regard to the designation regime, the Government will take action when councils are not taking sufficient decisions within a certain timescale. I also draw the House’s attention to the new permission in principle regime, which is a way for small builders to find out the planning certainty for a site without their having to do the full preparation work.
Smaller Builders — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): The White Paper is very clear on this point—we absolutely want councils to get back into the business of building homes. There is a huge need for more housing and the more people who are involved in the building of homes the happier the Government will be.
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): Our recent housing White Paper sets out measures to increase the use of modern methods of construction in housebuilding. The key is to provide a pipeline of work to encourage suppliers to invest in new plant. We will do that through our accelerated construction and home building fund, and through the growing build-to-rent and custom build markets.
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Robert Alexander Courts (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Minister not agree that custom built homes, which can often be built more quickly and cheaply, and often to a higher standard than other types of housing, have a real part to play in solving housing supply issues?
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Not only can homes be built more quickly and with a better environmental performance, which means that they are cheaper for people to live in when they move there but, in terms of the real skills challenge we face if we are going to build many more homes, that is a way of getting new people involved in the building of homes.
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): It is absolutely on our agenda. The term "modern methods of construction" covers a wide range of different techniques. The key policy area is our home building fund, which provides £1 billion of loan funding for people who are innovating. Too many homes are still built in exactly the same way as they were 100 years ago. We are determined to change that, and I am very happy to hear about the example provided by the hon. Lady.
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Questions: A number of constituents have recently contacted me to express their concern about the quality of new-build homes that are under construction. What encouragement can the Department give to builders to ensure that these homes are robust for many years in the future?
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to say that it is not good enough just to get new homes built. They need to be built well and to stand the test of time. Building inspectors check to ensure that building regulation requirements are met, but we are also considering the recommendations in the report of the all-party group on excellence in the built environment.
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Questions: A number of constituents have recently contacted me to express their concern about the quality of new-build homes that are under construction. What encouragement can the Department give to builders to ensure that these homes are robust for many years in the future?
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): Despite what the hon. Lady says, there has been a very warm reaction to the housing White Paper from right across the housing sector. I have spent the past week travelling around the country and holding meetings with housing professionals, including, interestingly, Labour councillors, who are very keen to get behind the Government’s agenda to build the homes that Governments of both colours, over 30 or 40 years, have failed to build.
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Questions: A number of constituents have recently contacted me to express their concern about the quality of new-build homes that are under construction. What encouragement can the Department give to builders to ensure that these homes are robust for many years in the future?
Stewart Jackson (Conservative, Centre-right): For reasons best known to themselves, about two years ago Reading Borough Council and West Berkshire Council challenged the Government’s policy of assisting brownfield development via vacant building credit. Will the Minister update us on whether the Government are still committed to vacant building credit to release more residential homes on brownfield land?
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Questions: A number of constituents have recently contacted me to express their concern about the quality of new-build homes that are under construction. What encouragement can the Department give to builders to ensure that these homes are robust for many years in the future?
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): We are certainly absolutely committed to trying to get a greater proportion of the homes we need built on brownfield land. The White Paper sets out a huge range of different things that we will do to achieve that, but I will happily write to my hon. Friend about the details of the issue he raises.
Construction Industry — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Questions: A number of constituents have recently contacted me to express their concern about the quality of new-build homes that are under construction. What encouragement can the Department give to builders to ensure that these homes are robust for many years in the future?
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. Starter homes are an important part of the way in which the Government are going to try to help people to get into home ownership. There are a number of different schemes—[Interruption.] We are not proceeding with a statutory obligation because that reflects the view expressed to us by large numbers of people. Starter homes go alongside shared ownership and the Help to Buy scheme. None of these schemes existed when the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) was housing Minister and did nothing to reverse to the decline in home ownership.
Northern Powerhouse — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Mixed Topics
Andrew George Stephenson (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for his recent visit to Pendle and the Government for the £4 million investment that will create more than 1,100 new full-time jobs on the Lomeshaye industrial estate. We have seen strong growth in small and medium-sized enterprises across the north of England in recent years, but what more can we do to help them to grow?
Northern Powerhouse — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): It was a delight to visit the Lomeshaye industrial estate on a wet Lancashire day—is there any other kind?—only the other week, and I thank my hon. Friend for his support for that. On his specific interest in small and medium-sized businesses, just last week I joined other funding partners in launching a £400 million investment fund for northern powerhouse businesses. This will provide loans to businesses of between £25,000 and £2 million, and support our wonderful small and medium-sized businesses across the north.
Northern Powerhouse — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): I was in York just last Friday to speak to Make It York and celebrate our funding for the York Central enterprise zones. As the hon. Lady will be aware, business rates bills across the north will be falling, but as the Chancellor and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State have made absolutely clear, we are committed to supporting further those businesses that are hardest impacted by rises. Across the north more generally, however, we will see falls in business rates.
Northern Powerhouse — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Martin John Vickers (Conservative, Centre-right): As the Minister knows, the Humber local enterprise partnership was recently allocated £27 million under the growth fund. The two local authorities that serve the Cleethorpes constituency are also members of the Lincolnshire LEP. Will he enlighten us on when their settlement is due?
Business Rates Revaluation: Dover — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Mixed Topics
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Business rates are based on valuations carried out independently of Ministers by the Valuation Office Agency. My hon. Friend may be reassured to know that the change in average business rates in Dover is largely a consequence of the significant increase in the rateable value of the English side of the channel tunnel.
Business Rates Revaluation: Dover — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Mixed Topics
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I can tell my hon. Friend that as a result of the recent revaluation, the English side of the channel tunnel has seen its rateable value more than double to £35 million, which accounts for roughly a third of the local ratings list. If this were excluded, average rateable values in my hon. Friend’s local authority would fall in line with those in the rest of Kent.
Business Rates Revaluation: Dover — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Mixed Topics
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I think the hon. Lady deserves an answer to that, Mr Speaker. First, transitional relief is in place—it is worth some £3.6 billion—to help businesses across the board, including smaller businesses. Secondly, the extension of small business rate relief will mean that 600,000 companies will pay zero in business rates from April this year. I am sure that the hon. Lady would join me in welcoming that.
Local Housing Provision — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): As we set out in the recent housing White Paper, we will consult on options for introducing a standardised approach to assessing housing requirements. We will do this at the earliest opportunity, and the outcome will be reflected in changes to the national planning policy framework.
Local Housing Provision — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Public Lands
Henry Bellingham (Conservative, Centre-right): Can my right hon. Friend confirm that now that the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk has an excellent local plan in place, it will not be overruled on appeal, so long as that plan is followed? Can he also confirm that the White Paper means that inspectors will now apply uniform criteria when calculating five-year land supply?
Local Housing Provision — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): It would be inappropriate for me to comment on any particular plan that is in front of the inspectors, but we do want local authorities to put in place up-to-date robust plans, and we want to incentivise them to do so. Once adopted, we want plans to be respected and adhered to. My hon. Friend will know that having that five-year supply in place enables local authorities to protect their areas against unwanted development.
Local Housing Provision — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): We have put record amounts of investment into affordable homes, and we have listened to housing associations and asked them to clarify what will help them to deliver across the country, including in Lincolnshire. One thing they have asked for is more flexibility in the types of affordable homes that can be delivered, and we have provided just that.
Local Housing Provision — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with my right hon. Friend. When it comes to planning in this country, it is a very important principle that the key decisions around allocating land for development and making decisions on planning permissions should be led by local areas.
Local Housing Provision — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The Labour Government has form in this regard. The number of units available for social rent declined by 410,000 during their 13 years in office. Under this Government we have seen record levels of investment, including the £3.15 billion that was allocated to London alone in the last autumn statement.
Business Rates Revaluation: Pubs — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): Rateable values are, of course, set independently of Ministers. The approach to the valuation of pubs has been agreed with all five bodies representing the pub sector, including the British Beer & Pub Association and the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers.
Business Rates Revaluation: Pubs — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Richard Benyon (Conservative, Centre-right): Pubs appear to be the net losers from the revaluation in my constituency. The Government have done an awful lot to protect pubs in recent years. Is this not another example of the need to get a grip on the Valuation Office Agency? It seems to be defying what the Government are trying to do by carrying out rate revaluations which are driving important companies that we value out of business.
Business Rates Revaluation: Pubs — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said a moment ago, the guide for agreeing valuations—I have it in my hand—was agreed with all five groups representing pubs. The picture will vary across the country, with many pubs seeing a reduction in their rates. As I have said, however, we remain committed to trying to help further those on whom the impact has been heaviest.
Needs-based Funding Formula — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Mixed Topics
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): As it is nearly a decade since the current needs assessment formula was looked at thoroughly, we are currently undertaking a fair funding review to consider how to introduce a more up-to-date, more transparent and fairer formula.
Needs-based Funding Formula — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend will know, I was in Somerset only last week, helping to launch the excellent election manifesto for that great county, and fair funding was one of the issues that came up. Our plan is that the new formula will determine the baseline funding allocations as we implement the 100% business rates retention programme planned for 2019-20.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): We are investing nearly £250,000 in Colchester and Tendring to identify those at risk of rough sleeping and support them into accommodation. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester (Will Quince) for the role he played in the Homelessness Reduction Bill and join in his tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman).
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
William James Quince (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for that response. May I pay tribute to the work of my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman), whose Homelessness Reduction Bill will play such a large part in tackling homelessness? As the Minister said, from having sat on that Bill Committee and seen cross-party working in action, does he agree with me that it is by taking party politics out of this issue and working on a cross-party basis that we will tackle homelessness?
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right, and the Secretary of State said exactly that earlier in our questions. There is a real need not just to invest more money in this crucial area, but also to change the law, to ensure both that we have a full safety net and that we intervene earlier to prevent people from becoming homeless, rather than just at the point of crisis.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Other
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely agree with my right hon. Friend. I thank him for his personal commitment to this issue and say to him that the work that Chelmsford is doing is being supported by nearly £1 million from the £50 million that the Secretary of State referred to.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): This Government have increased discretionary housing payment to £870 million across this Parliament; that is a 55% increase, and thus far 60% of—[Interruption.] The hon. Lady says it is nowhere near enough; 60% of local councils have not taken up their full allocation.
Local Growth — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely, and I congratulate my hon. Friend on his work in securing the funding for the Havant business support fund. LEPs are playing an important role across the country; they are helping to drive economic growth, and they continue to have our support.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): In the past month the Local Government Finance Bill has passed its Report stage and the Neighbourhood Planning Bill has almost completed its passage through the Lords. Our housing White Paper has been published and my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning has been touring the country sharing its bold vision, and I am continuing to meet councillors and council leaders from across the political spectrum to see how we can work together to shape the future of local government.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Housing
Questions: With significant housing growth taking place, what steps are Ministers taking to ensure that, when developers run into financial difficulties, the necessary infrastructure is provided and the developments are completed?
Gavin Barwell (Conservative, Centre-right): The White Paper sets out a number of measures that we are taking to deal with that situation. First, we have the £2.3 billion infrastructure fund that the Chancellor announced in the autumn statement. Secondly, as I mentioned to the hon. Member for Bristol West (Thangam Debbonaire), we are giving local authorities real power to intervene to ensure that schemes get built out. We cannot just plan for the right number of homes; we need to ensure that they also get built.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Other
Questions: With significant housing growth taking place, what steps are Ministers taking to ensure that, when developers run into financial difficulties, the necessary infrastructure is provided and the developments are completed?
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I should like to assure the hon. Lady that we take this issue very seriously. It is a national issue. I have discussed it a number of times with my colleagues, and we want to see how we can take further action. I would be more than happy to write to her about this.