Topical Questions 2020-02-24
2020-02-24
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Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
Andy Carter
QT1
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The question pertains to the urgent need for private sector building owners to address dangerous aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding on their buildings.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that private sector building owners need to act more quickly to remediate dangerous aluminium composite material cladding on their buildings?
I agree entirely with my hon. Friend on that. Work by building owners in the private sector to ensure the safety of residents living in tower blocks has been unacceptably slow, and I have been consistently clear with them that there is no excuse for their lack of progress. Today I am publishing a list of building owners who do not yet have a clear plan in place to remediate all their buildings. I will not hesitate in future to name others if they fail to demonstrate progress.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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The question addresses the Secretary of State's failure to meet his promise regarding the removal of dangerous cladding from social sector blocks.
It is good to see the Secretary of State still in his place after the Cabinet reshuffle. He is serious about the job, and he certainly has a serious job to do, given that hundreds of thousands of people are living with the mental and financial burden of having unsafe cladding on their home, nearly three years after the terrible Grenfell Tower fire.
We have taken decisive action to address the challenge of ACM cladding; we banned combustible cladding on buildings, and we have also brought forward the £600 million scheme, for both the social sector and the private sector. I am frustrated that some, particularly in the private sector but also in the social sector, have taken so long to do this.
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Q3
Direct Answer
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The question concerns the Secretary of State's response to Labour's plan for legislation compelling private block owners to remediate dangerous cladding.
We have heard this before, and frustration and exhortation simply are not sufficient. Social sector blocks are just the tip of the iceberg, and the Secretary of State still has not got a grip on those. Four months ago, he promised action against private block owners who are not removing unsafe Grenfell-style ACM cladding, but his own departmental figures show that 43 block owners—one in four—do not even have a plan in place.
The right hon. Gentleman is behind the curve on this one; he is behind the action we are taking as a Government. We have already said that we are going to bring forward the fire safety Bill, which was in the Queen's Speech and which will give fire and rescue services the powers that he wishes—I hope that means he will be supporting that Bill when it comes forward in the coming months.
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Q4
Direct Answer
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The question seeks details about the timeline for the introduction of the shared prosperity fund to replace EU funding.
When?
We will be doing that, as we have already said, before the summer recess.
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Q5
Direct Answer
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The question addresses the delay in the consultation on the shared prosperity fund and seeks clarity on its release.
On infrastructure and community projects all across Scotland there are EU flags that proudly show where European funding has benefited those organisations. Now that Scotland has been dragged out of the EU against our will, we will no longer benefit from that funding.
There was meant to be a consultation on it in 2018 but that did not materialise, so will the Secretary of State update the House on when the shared prosperity fund will come forward, to give clarity and certainty to communities?
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Q6
Direct Answer
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Four communities in County Durham benefited from the high streets fund, but none of them were supported by Labour-run Durham County Council.
Will my hon. Friend investigate the possibility of reopening the fund so that Consett and the three-town area of Tow Law, Crook and Willington can access that vital source of funding?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question; it is great to have an MP for North West Durham who is committed to fighting hard for his community rather than grandstanding. Our £1 billion future high streets fund is key to levelling up the economy of all parts of the country. There will be a second phase of the fund and we will bring forward further details in due course.
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Q7
Direct Answer
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The area has faced severe flooding over the past seven and a half years.
After our third one-in-100-years flood in Calder Valley, can my right hon. Friend confirm whether the match funding for charity foundations is included as it was last time, and will it be available to South Yorkshire before Christmas?
May I praise my hon. Friend for the hard work that he has done on behalf of his communities who have faced severe flooding over the past two weeks? We have worked together and brought forward a significant financial package that is comparable to that provided in 2015. I do not believe that anyone has yet approached the Government to ask for match funding for a charity foundation, as happened in 2015, but I would be happy to consider that if it was suggested.
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Q8
Direct Answer
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UK government commitment to invest in social care, aiming for cross-party consensus on long-term plan.
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that, on top of putting £1 billion a year into social care, we will be bringing forward that long-term plan this year. We of course look forward to those discussions in the weeks and months ahead. I very much hope that a true cross-party consensus can be reached, because we need to resolve this so that everyone has the dignity and security they deserve.
We of course look forward to those discussions in the weeks and months ahead. I very much hope that a true cross-party consensus can be reached, because we need to resolve this so that everyone has the dignity and security they deserve.
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