Contributions
1,195 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (First sitting)Q You mentioned that you welcome the peppercorn ground rent. It has often been put to me by campaigners on the other side of this argument that leaseholders do not mind paying…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q One of the arguments against making commonhold mandatory now is that it would destabilise the existing leasehold system. There are many millions of leasehold properties, and it…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Do not worry: I know what to say to them. That is fine. Harry Scoffin: Yes, you know. Okay, good. The point is that we do not need forfeiture, but if you cannot abolish it, at…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q So you started your work in 2017. Professor Hopkins: Yes.16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Okay. You are very frank about that. I just thought that you might have some ideas, but let us move on to the point that you just made, which is that we do have leasehold; we…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q You had to go through a long process. When did you start your deliberations on the commonhold provisions? Professor Hopkins: We began it as a package of work that was being…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q It is nice to see you, Professor Leunig. Why do we have leasehold in this country when other countries do not have it? Professor Leunig: I think that is a question that people…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (First sitting)Q Have you ever acted for freeholders against leaseholders? Have you ever found that the leaseholders have been egregious, rather than the other way round? Amanda Gourlay: I…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Yes, because there are obviously egregious cases, and it is those that reach our attention. Thank you so much for that, and I will obviously scrutinise your evidence. Beth, it…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Thank you.16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q But it is my understanding that doing a consultation in and of itself is essential and helps to guard against the future risk of such claims being found successful. Has that…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)No. Professor Leunig: In that sense, it is obviously a step forward. I have not been here all day, but I am guessing that you have had a consensus on that throughout your evidence…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (First sitting)Q Mr Boyd, it is good to see you. You have talked about commonhold. Would you mind just being quite succinct and clear on your view about commonhold? There are proposals from…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)You are presuming what is on my Christmas list! Anyway, are you able to express a view on whether this Bill and what we are proposing is a proportionate interference in property…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (First sitting)Sorry, I was looking at Mr Spender and I misspoke. Liam Spender: I quite understand anyone being distracted by Mr O’Kelly. Thank you for the question. In our case to date, the…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (First sitting)Q Mr O’Kelly, you are one of a large number of leaseholders who has been adversely impacted by your personal situation. If I am correct, what has happened in your case is that…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Thank you. I will ask a second question, if I may. You mentioned the issue of the pump room. Can you explain very briefly what the issue of the pump room is? Is this for a…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Dr Maxwell, I understand you have written a book—oh, your thesis was on the proportionality of state interferences with possessions under article 1 of protocol 1 to the ECHR. Dr…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Thank you for that clarification. As a follow-up, if any Government adopted a policy on commonhold such as has been talked about sometimes, but without doing the legal fixes,…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)I am sorry, Dame Caroline. When you told me that there was not time, the question went out of my head. I apologise.16 Jan 2024