§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 9 February 2004,Official Report, column 1227W, on HMOs, if he will place copies of the responses to Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation in England, A Consultation Paper in the Library. [165708]
§ Keith HillFurther to the commitment I gave on 9 February in response to a question from the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton to make copies of the responses to the 1999 consultation on Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation in England in the Library, I can confirm that on 19 March 2004 these were made available in the Library of the Houses.
§ Matthew GreenTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reason his analysis of responses to the consultation paper on licensing houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in England and Wales did not include an analysis of the responses to the proposal to introduce a duty of care on the owners and managers of HMOs to ensure the health and safety of their tenants; and if he will publish an analysis of these responses. [166199]
§ Phil HopeThe analysis of the responses to the consultation paper on licensing of houses in multiple occupation, which was made available in the Library on 19 March 2004, was a summary analysis. A full analysis of the responses has now been made available in the Library, including that on the proposal to introduce a duty of care on owners and managers of HMOs to ensure the health and safety of their tenants.
§ Matthew GreenTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many respondents to the consultation paper on licensing houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)(a) supported, (b) opposed and (c) did not express an opinion about the proposal to introduce a duty of care on the owners and managers of all HMOs to ensure the health and safety of their tenants. [166200]
§ Phil HopeA total of 579 responses were received to the 1999 consultation paper on Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation in England.
A majority of the respondents—363 did not express any views on the proposal to introduce a duty of care on the owners and managers of HMOs. Five respondents were opposed to the proposal, 211 were in favour.
§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what research has been undertaken to assess bad management practices within houses of multiple occupation in areas of(a) high and (b) low demand since 2001; and what the results have been. [166283]
§ Keith HillThe Government has not undertaken any specific research into management practices within houses in multiple occupation since 2001.
351W
§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Government estimates will be the cost of an adequate monitoring scheme of licensing of houses of multiple occupation. [166286]
§ Phil HopeThe Government has undertaken to review the scope and operation of licensing of houses in multiple occupation within three years of its implementation. It will consult the Local Government Association and stakeholders (including landlord representative organisations) as to what tools for monitoring need to be in place, and the costs involved, to assist in carrying out the review.
§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what consultations he has had with landlords and landlords' representatives regarding licensing of houses of multiple occupation; and what the outcomes were. [166294]
§ Phil HopeLandlords and their representatives were consulted on the draft Housing Bill and were subsequently invited to present evidence to the Select Committee that scrutinised the Bill. Ministers and officials have had a number of meetings with landlords' representatives on the provisions of the Bill and its implementation. The views of landlords and their representatives (including the evidence given to the Select Committee) have been taken into consideration in developing the scheme for licensing of houses in multiple occupation in the Housing Bill. The Government is committed to continue consultation with stakeholders (including landlords) on the implementation of the licensing provisions in the Bill and it hopes to meet landlords' representatives as soon as possible to discuss this further.
A list of all individual consultations that have been carried out cannot be provided other than at disproportionate cost.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on affordable homes in the Vale of York. [166534]
§ Keith HillMy right hon. Friend has received three letters about affordable housing in the Vale of York from the hon. Member since November 2002. In addition, affordable housing features in discussions that the Government Office has with local authorities in the area, and appeared in their comments on the draft regional housing strategy last year. Local partnerships in the Vale of York are currently discussing three affordable housing proposals for Regional Housing Board funding in 2005–06 with the Board.
§ Matthew GreenTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the(a) number and (b) proportion of houses in multiple occupation with three or more storeys which have four or fewer occupants. [162718]
§ Keith HillAccording to the English House Condition Survey 1996, there are 622,000 buildings in England which can commonly be described as houses in multiple occupation and which are occupied by four or fewer persons. The Government have made no estimate as to the number of those HMOs that are three storeys or more.
352W
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how(a) the Starter Homes Initiative and (b) the Abandoned Homes Initiative have benefited the residents of Birkenhead. [166281]
§ Phil HopeSince September 2001, the Starter Home Initiative (SHI) has been helping key workers into home ownership in areas where the high cost of housing serves to undermine recruitment and retention of skilled staff in our key public services. It has not been available to key workers in the North West. The SHI was superseded from 1 April by a new key worker housing programme—Key Worker Living. This is also not available in the North West.
I am not aware of an Abandoned Homes Initiative. However, our Market Renewal Pathfinders are a comprehensive programme to tackle low demand and abandonment in nine areas of England. The area of the Merseyside Pathfinder includes parts of, Liverpool, Sefton and Wirral, including part of Birkenhead. The Pathfinder has been allocated a total £90 million of the Market Renewal Fund for the period up until March 2006. This includes £4 million for "early actions" announced on 3 April 2003, Official Report, column 65 Written Statements, and a further £86 million which was announced on 2 February in my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's publication 'Making it happen: The Northern Way', Official Report, column 26WS. It is for the Pathfinder to make decisions about how it spends this allocation in line with our aim to tackle low demand and abandonment.
§ Sue DoughtyTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the environmental sustainability requirements are for(a) new build housing and (b) major renovation of housing. [165266]
§ Phil HopeThe environmental requirements for both new and renovated housing are currently limited to the conservation of energy and water. Significant improvements in the energy performance of all building were made with the revision of Part L of the Building Regulations in 2002. Part L is now being reviewed to address the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the Energy White Paper. Water conservation is currently being evaluated to see how it can be incorporated in the Building Regulations.
In addition all new developments that are publicly funded through the Housing Corporation must comply with the Corporation's published Scheme Development Standards (April 2003).
From April 2003 all new homes funded by the Housing Corporation are required to achieve a BRE EcoHomes environmental assessment rating of "pass" as a minimum essential condition of grant. Registered Social Landlords are encouraged to aim for the higher 'good' rating and receive an increase of 1–2 per cent. in their Total Cost Indicator (TCI) where such certification is obtained in conjunction with 'Secured by Design' certification. From April 2005 "good" will be the minimum requirement, with "very good" becoming a recommended item.
§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his latest estimate is of the number of new housing units that will become available in the London Borough of Islington in(a) 2004–05 and (b) 2005–06, broken 353W down by (i) council, (ii) housing association and (iii) co-operatives; and what his estimate is of the number of private dwellings for sale that are likely to become available in the same period. [166358]
§ Keith HillProvisional information from the Housing Corporation states that the number of housing association dwellings to be provided in Islington in the two years 2004–06 is 1229. There will be no council houses built and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. does not have information on cooperatives.
As regards new private housing for sale, the Office of the Deputy Minister does not have precise estimates. The London Plan target for Islington is 900 new "homes" Annually, or 1800 over two years, including supply from all sources. New private housing for sale will be a major component, but the figure includes the housing association dwellings the Office of the Deputy Minister has just referred to, reduction in vacancies and additional non-self contained accommodation.
§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures are in place to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the Housing Act 1996; and what their findings are. [166336]
§ Keith HillThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister considers any relevant provisions of the Act as part of different aspects of housing policy, and has amended these where appropriate. Changes include:
- new provisions for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the current Housing Bill,
- which also amends Part 5 of the 1996 Act to allow introductory tenancies to be extended.
- Part 2 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 amended provisions made by the 1996 Act about service charges and leasehold enfranchisement.
- Part 2 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 has replaced the 1996 Act provisions about anti-social behaviour injunctions and made new provision (demoted tenancies) designed to control anti-social behaviour by tenants of social landlords.
- the Homelessness Act 2002 made substantial amendments to Parts 6 and 7 of the 1996 Bill.
§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures are in place to assess the impact of the Housing Act 1996 on the housing market; and what their findings have been. [166337]
§ Phil HopeThe Housing Act 1996 made a range of provisions concerning the social rented sector (including the role of the Housing Corporation and tackling antisocial behaviour). It also covered the private rented sector (including the registration of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and the creation of a system whereby Assured Shorthold Tenancies became the standard form of letting in the Private Rented Sector), leasehold reform and homelessness. No comprehensive assessment of the impact of the Act has been carried out. However its effects can be assessed from data provided by the Survey of English Housing. For example this has shown the proportion of households renting privately remaining static at around 10 per cent. of the housing market.
§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures are in place to assess the effectiveness of the registration schemes provided by the Housing Act 1996; and what their findings have been. [166338]
354W
§ Keith HillWhen the Housing Act 1996 was enacted, the previous administration did not put in place any measures to assess the effectiveness of its provisions for registration schemes for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). These provisions fell short of the present Government's commitment to introduce the mandatory licensing of HMOs and the repeal of the provisions of the 1996 Act. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is committed to reviewing the effectiveness and scope of licensing within three years of implementation.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the capacity of the labour market in the nine housing market renewal pathfinder areas to provide the skilled tradespeople needed to deliver the programmes. [165464]
§ Keith HillEach of the pathfinders, as part of their strategy for turning around areas of low demand, is looking at the skills and capacity requirements necessary to deliver their programmes.
More widely, the Government is firmly committed to supporting initiatives to improve recruitment and training and is:
- Funding the new Sector Skills Council, Construction Skills. This is the lead agency delivering recruitment and also addressing management issues.
- Funding the Ambition Construction programme aimed at training young people in the various construction trades.
- Working with the Strategic Forum and industry to encourage innovation to foster improvement and increased productivity, and supporting Constructing Excellence to encourage best practice in training and in engagement of supply chains by main contractors.
§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether registration schemes provided under the Housing Act 1996 will retain their legal status under the provisions of the Housing Bill. [166282]
§ Keith HillThe provisions in the Housing Act 1996 for registration schemes for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) will be repealed by the Housing Bill. Under the transitional arrangements for which the Bill provides, however, registered HMOs that meet the requirements of the new licensing arrangements will become licensed for the remaining term of their existing registration.
§ Mr. BettsTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what average annual real terms increase in the 2004–05 management and maintenance allowance would be required for the average allowance in England to reach, by the Decent Homes target year 2010–11, the real terms level of management and maintenance expenditure needed as set out in the Estimate of the Need to Spend on Maintenance and Management in Local Authority Housing published in June 2003. [166615]
§ Keith HillBased on the stock of English local authority housing at April 2003, an annual real increase of around 8.9 per cent. in management and maintenance allowances would be required for the six years 2005–06 to 2010–11 for allowances to reach the estimate of need.
§ Mr. BettsTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister by how(a) many percentage points and (b) much the average 2001–02 management and maintenance allowance would have had to increase to reach the level of the need to spend on management and maintenance indicated by 355W the findings in "Estimate of the Need to Spend on Maintenance and Management in Local Authority Housing", published in June 2003. [166636]
§ Keith HillThe average management and maintenance allowance per dwelling of English local authorities was £1,030.64 in 2001–02 (in 2001–02 prices) and is £1,316.35 for 2004–05 (in 2004–05 prices). The need to spend is estimated at £2,193.92 in 2004–05 prices. Hence the 2004–05 level of allowances would have to increase by about 67 per cent. in real terms to reach the estimated level of need.