Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Monday 17 October 2022 · 20 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 5 Partly answered 11 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Labour) asked about the effectiveness of levelling up policies in her constituency, criticising the lack of transparency and clarity in initiatives.
  • The Government's response stated that levelling up is central to their mission to deliver economic growth and make every part of the country more prosperous, and highlighted the launch of investment zones.
  • Patricia Gibson raised concerns about fracking being imposed on Scotland using the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020; the Government responded that fracking will take place only where there is community consent.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Emma Lewell Lab South Shields
Economy Democracy & Elections Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The government's mission to deliver economic growth and level up across the country has been met with skepticism.

Question

If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. The questioner expresses concern over the effectiveness of levelling up policies in her constituency and criticises the lack of transparency and clarity around these initiatives.

Answer from Simon Clarke

This Government's mission is to deliver economic growth to make every part of our country more prosperous and successful. Levelling up is central to that mission, and our commitment to delivering on that promise and objective is stronger than ever. We have launched our investment zones which elicited a huge response from local government.

Partly answered

How: Under Review, Central Mission

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Q2 Emma Lewell Lab South Shields
Standards & Ethics Local Government
Context

A recent report and freedom of information requests have found that levelling up is failing the north-east.

Question

A recent report and freedom of information requests have found that levelling up is failing the north-east. Our councils are forced to spend millions on preparing bids, there remains a lack of transparency in the Department's decision-making processes, and it is still completely unclear what levelling up means. It has always been an empty slogan, hasn't it?

Answer from Simon Clarke

Fond as I am of the hon. Lady, who is an excellent parliamentarian, I am afraid that she is wrong on this point. The report in question set out that councils across the north-east had spent £4 million applying for the levelling-up fund and had received more than £360 million in return.

Partly answered

How: Wrong On This Point

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Q3 Mark Eastwood
Context

Mirfield has won regional and national Britain in Bloom awards, as well as the Queen's award for voluntary service.

Question

It has been an exception year for Mirfield in Bloom, winning regional and national Britain in Bloom awards as well as being presented with the Queen's award for voluntary service. Will my hon. Friend join me in congratulating Christine Sykes, Ruth Edwards and the Mirfield in Bloom team on receiving recognition for their amazing work and does she agree that Britain in Bloom competitions are vital in transforming the visual appearance of our towns?

Answer from Dehenna Davison

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing the issue to the attention of the House. I join him in congratulating Christine, Ruth and the Mirfield in Bloom team. The Britain in Bloom competition is a fantastic way to bring communities together.

Answered
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Q4 Lisa Nandy Lab Wigan
Economy Business & Trade
Context

The Budget has added £26 billion to people's mortgages.

Question

I welcome the Secretary of State to his place. He is the third Secretary of State I have had the pleasure of shadowing in the past 10 months and I wish him well for however long he remains in office. In an hour's time, it looks like his investment zones will be the only thing left of this bin fire of a Budget. Can he tell us what assessment he has made of the amount of growth they will generate by the end of 2024 and will it be enough to offset the £26 billion he and his friends have just added to people's mortgages?

Answer from Simon Clarke

I thank the hon. Lady for her welcome to the Dispatch Box. I am really proud, as someone who represents a classic community that needs to benefit from levelling up, to be in this post. On her point about investment zones, we are clear and, more importantly, local councils are clear that this is a transformational programme and we are evaluating the bids that have come forward so that we can give her an estimate of the numbers that will be unlocked by the bids that have been received.

Partly answered

How: Under Evaluation

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Q5 Lisa Nandy Lab Wigan
Economy
Context

The Secretary of State has not done an assessment of the impact of investment zones.

Question

Oh my word, the Secretary of State has not done an assessment, has he? This is literally the only policy that the Government have left and he has not checked whether it will work. He said a moment ago that this is the Treasury's money. It is not the Treasury's money that he is using for this experiment; it is our money, and they have not checked whether it will work.

Answer from Simon Clarke

The hon. Lady is asking me to evaluate the impact of bids that we received only on Friday, so I am afraid that her logic is back to front. We are proposing investment zones because they are needed to drive jobs, growth and opportunity. Councils can recognise that even if, sadly, the Labour Front-Bench team cannot.

Not addressed: assessment of impact

How: Back To Front, Logic Is Wrong

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Q6 Greg Clark Con
Scotland Wales Local Government
Context

Negotiations for devolution deals with Suffolk and north-east England have been ongoing.

Question

Like the hon. Member for Wigan (Lisa Nandy), I wish my right hon. Friend longevity in his vital position. When will he announce the devolution deals with Suffolk and north-east England that were negotiated this summer?

Answer from Simon Clarke

I am very fortunate to have had two such able predecessors in my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells (Greg Clark), to whose work at the Department I pay tribute. As he knows, we are bringing forward devolution deals at pace—I believe in them passionately—and I hope that there will be good news to announce on both those deals very shortly.

Partly answered

How: At Pace, Good News

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Q7 Patricia Gibson SNP
Scotland Energy
Context

The UK Internal Market Act has been criticised for imposing fracking on communities in Scotland.

Question

Recently, I raised concerns about fracking being imposed on Scotland using the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. The Business Secretary replied that that Act is the Koh-i-Noor jewel in the crown of the UK constitution—an unfortunate comparison given that the Koh-i-Noor was pillaged from India by the British. Then we heard a Tory MP suggest that fracking should go ahead in Scotland, instead of in her constituency. As the Secretary of State for Communities, will he make it clear to his Cabinet colleagues that there must be no move to impose fracking on communities in Scotland?

Answer from Simon Clarke

Fracking will take place only where there is community consent.

Answered
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Q8 Nickie Aiken
Crime & Law Enforcement Housing
Context

Some elements in Government may insist that more powers are needed to deal with aggressive beggars.

Question

I appreciate that some elements in Government may insist that we need more powers to deal with aggressive beggars, but I gently suggest that we have such legislation, including the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Does the new Secretary of State therefore agree that we do not need clause 187, a placeholder clause, in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, and will he scrap it immediately?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend's tireless efforts to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in Westminster, and to her successful campaign to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824. My ministerial colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Dehenna Davison), and I are keen to continue to work with her to ensure that we get the balance right.

Not addressed: clause 187

How: Pay Tribute, Work Together

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Q9 Wendy Chamberlain Lib Dem North East Fife
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

Representatives of food poverty charities delivered a petition to Downing Street calling for urgent steps to stop families having to rely on charitable food aid to survive. The all-party parliamentary group on ending the need for food banks has its own inquiry.

Question

Today, representatives of food poverty charities have delivered a petition to Downing Street. They are asking for urgent steps to prevent families from relying on charitable food aid to survive. I would like to meet the Minister to discuss our report and its recommendations with him.

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

I would be very happy to meet the hon. Lady.

Answered
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Q10 Ian Levy
Education Climate Energy
Context

Work is about to start on an £11 million STEM training centre at the Port of Blyth, which will give young people the skills and education that they need to move forward in the world of work.

Question

As Blyth Valley is now at the heart of the renewable energy sector, I am pleased to inform the House that an £11 million STEM training centre is about to start construction. Does my hon. Friend agree that this has been achieved by having a Conservative Government, a Conservative-led county council and a local Conservative Member of Parliament?

Answer from Dehenna Davison

My hon. Friend is an incredibly passionate campaigner for Blyth. I am glad to hear that construction will soon begin on the £20.9 million town deal's Energy Central learning hub, which will provide a range of state-of-the-art industrial training.

Answered
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Q11 Kim Johnson Lab Liverpool Riverside
Housing Women & Equalities
Context

In Liverpool, 12% of all homelessness applications are a result of domestic abuse. Our self-contained apartments for women and children are constantly at capacity.

Question

Twelve percent of all homelessness applications in Liverpool stem from domestic abuse. Our self-contained apartments for women and children are always full, and plans to double their number will barely address the issue. What measures will the Minister take to protect survivors of domestic abuse from becoming homeless?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

My Department is committed to delivering safe accommodation with support for all victims of domestic abuse. This is part of the Government's strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was not directly addressed, as no concrete measures or timeline were provided

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Q12 David Johnston
Housing Energy
Context

I have been campaigning for new homes to be built to the latest environmental standards.

Question

My hon. Friend will know that I have been advocating for new homes to be constructed according to the latest environmental standards, with which I have met previous Ministers in his Department. Will he meet me to ensure that houses are not just started but completed to these standards?

Answer from Paul Scully

In June, an uplift in energy efficiency standards for new homes came into force. There is a transitional period of one year to minimise disruption to projects that are already under way.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was not directly addressed; only a general statement on building regulations was provided without commitment to the meeting request or ensuring completion to standards.

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Q13 Ruth Cadbury Lab Brentford and Isleworth
Asylum & Refugees
Context

Local councils such as Hounslow have a statutory duty to assess and care for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children placed in local hotels by the Home Office.

Question

My hon. Friend will know that local councils like Hounslow have a statutory duty to assess and provide support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. On one day alone, 72 such children arrived in hotel accommodation in my borough. What discussions has the Department had with affected boroughs about the additional support they need to fulfill their statutory duty?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

We are working closely with local councils to understand where the pressures are, and actively exploring options to find suitable long-term accommodation for a range of different asylum-seeker cohorts.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was not directly addressed. The answer provided general information but no concrete commitments or discussions mentioned.

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Q14 Guy Opperman Con
Economy Housing Business & Trade
Context

Investment zones are being considered for the UK, similar to those seen in the Netherlands.

Question

On investment zones, can I urge the Secretary of State to consider mixed-use zones that feature housing and pension fund investments similar to what is seen in the Netherlands?

Answer from Simon Clarke

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. We believe that zones can support both housing and jobs, and clearly, in some cases, this could be on the same site.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask was not directly addressed; only a general response about mixed-use potential without concrete plans or commitments.

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Q15 Paul Blomfield Lab
Local Government
Context

Sheffield Council has seen its Government grant halved in real terms over the last 12 years.

Question

Contrary to last week's pledge by the Prime Minister, the latest Chancellor has said he will cut public spending. Sheffield Council has lost £2.1 billion and its annual grant is worth £288 million less than it was 12 years ago. Local services have been decimated as a result. Will the Secretary of State press the new Chancellor not to make any further cuts to council funding?

Answer from Paul Scully

I am sure the hon. Gentleman will be awaiting the local government finance settlement, but in the meantime Sheffield high street has received nearly £16 million from the future high streets fund and £8.2 million for three projects through the community renewal fund.

Not addressed: The specific ask was not directly addressed; only information about existing funding was provided without commitment to preventing further cuts.

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Q16 Andrew Jones Con
Economy Climate Environment
Context

A local council in Harrogate has asked for three sites to be considered as investment zones.

Question

In the Harrogate district, a local council has requested that three sites be considered as investment zones. All are existing commercial operations earmarked for future investment. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the understandable concerns about special protection landscape areas are not borne out by reality? Will he take this opportunity to reaffirm targets on biodiversity and net zero remain central to his Department?

Answer from Lee Rowley

I thank my hon. Friend for his question about investment zones. As we have said, strong environmental outcomes will be absolutely at the core of investment zones, and we welcome applications from his area and everywhere else in the United Kingdom.

Answered
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Q17 Toby Perkins Lab Chesterfield
Ukraine
Context

Many Ukrainian families hosted in the UK are facing homelessness as their arrangements come to an end, posing a significant risk of displacement this winter.

Question

Many families hosted a Ukrainian family nearly six months ago. Those arrangements are coming to an end, and there is a real danger that we are going to see a large number of Ukrainian families homeless this winter. The Government need to do far more than the response of the right hon. Member for Pendle (Andrew Stephenson) to a previous question. Can Ministers tell us what their strategic approach is to prevent us from having Ukrainian families on our streets this Christmas?

Answer from Andrew Stephenson

The hon. Gentleman makes a powerful point, and we are working across Government to ensure that we have a sustainable process for this.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Strategic approach to prevent homelessness of Ukrainian families

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Q18 Nicholas Fletcher
Economy Local Government
Context

Doncaster Council has proposed three sites for investment-zone status, including Unity at Thorne and Doncaster Sheffield airport.

Question

Doncaster Council has put forward three sites that will benefit from investment-zone status, with two in Don valley: Unity at Thorne and Doncaster Sheffield airport. Will the Minister meet me to discuss the merits of each of those proposals?

Answer from Simon Clarke

I thank my hon. Friend for alerting me to the applications from his authority area.

Not addressed: Meeting request to discuss investment zone proposals

How: Alerted Me

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Q19 Chris Bryant Lab Rhondda and Ogmore
Housing Benefits & Welfare Mental Health
Context

Research indicates that 48% of homeless people have experienced a major brain injury, which may be the cause of their homelessness.

Question

New research by the Disabilities Trust shows that 48% of homeless people have had a major brain injury, which may have led to their being homeless. Is it not time that we put to an end the situation where victims of crime or of a major accident end up losing everything? Will he answer that question and will he and his Department meet the Disabilities Trust and ensure that everything is done to bring that to an end?

Answer from Simon Clarke

The hon. Gentleman makes a powerful case on this issue and I commit the Department to meeting to discuss it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Meeting request with Disabilities Trust

How: Makes A Powerful Case

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Q20 Selaine Saxby
Housing Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

A proposed change in the size limit for developments from nine to over 40 units may impact affordable house building in rural areas.

Question

How will my right hon. Friend ensure that affordable houses are built in rural Britain if the development size limit moves from nine to over 40?

Answer from Simon Clarke

I thank my hon. Friend for her question. We are looking at all the measures that can be used to drive forward and accelerate housing growth, but as I said in response to the right hon. Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw), there are compelling reasons why this option has not been pursued before, and I hope that will give some comfort to my hon. Friend today.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures to ensure affordable housing construction

How: Not Been Pursued Before

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