Contributions
829 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q God bless the Secretary of State! So we are waiting to see whether the Secretary of State introduces the word “reasonable”—or would it not be better to have the word on the face…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Halima and then Cathy, let me pick up this business of the fleecehold estates, as you refer to them. They are a relatively new thing in leasehold; they were not there in the…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q I understand what you are saying, but I am referring specifically to when a council makes available land that has been publicly owned by it to developers for development and…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Mr Scoffin, you talked about this issue having wasted six years of your life; I think it has only wasted about 25 years of mine, since before the 2002 Act. You spoke about…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Was forfeiture not part of the 2002 Act? Harry Scoffin: Yes. They draw it out. There is a process now in the courts, where you can go, “Oh, I forgot to pay it” or “Here’s the…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Sorry, can I just ask you to amplify what you were saying about the 50%? I understand the difficulty, if you have 900 people in a high-rise block, to co-ordinate to get 450 plus…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Ms Ali wants to come in. Halima Ali: I just want to make this specific point. It is clear that rules and regulations regarding leasehold and RTM are not working. It is very—what…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q Unfair? Unjust? Inequitable? Halima Ali: It is very unfair and inadequate, and it makes no logical sense for freeholders on a private estate to be given the same rules and…16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Thank you. I make it 296.91, actually, but please correct me if Google thinks I am wrong. Professor Leunig: May I ask whether you used a calculator to work that out?16 Jan 2024HANSARDLeasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (Second sitting)Q You can throw somebody out of the institute, can you not? Mr Andrew Bulmer: And we have done so. We can raise standards by pulling firms and members along. We can have…16 Jan 2024HANSARDHorizon: Compensation and ConvictionsThe Minister said that this was about not just compensation but restoration. That is true, but is it not also about misfeasance in public office? Will the Minister confirm that…08 Jan 2024HANSARDDraft Biodiversity Gain (Town and Country Planning) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2024
Draft Biodiversity Gain Site Register (Financial Penalties and Fees) Regulations 2024I appreciate the way in which the Minister is trying to set out the process, but there is a real concern among local authorities, only a third of which have a competent ecological…08 Jan 2024HANSARD COP28There is much in the Minister’s statement that I commend and agree with, and in particular I reinforce his praise to our officials who played such a significant part in the…14 Dec 2023HANSARD Business of the HouseI am sure the Leader of the House will join me in my praise and thanks to London’s Community Kitchen and the Sufra food bank, which do such wonderful work in my constituency, but…14 Dec 2023HANSARD Leasehold and Freehold Reform BillI appreciate everything that my right hon. Friend is saying. He will be aware, though, that many companies holding freeholds will also set up an arm’s-length company that is the…11 Dec 2023HANSARD Leasehold and Freehold Reform BillThe hon. Lady may not remember—but I do—that before the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 was passed, a great deal of pressure had been applied since 1999. At that stage,…11 Dec 2023HANSARD Leasehold and Freehold Reform BillMy hon. Friend will remember that when the Labour Government overturned the case of Custins v. Hearts of Oak in 1967, they used exactly those grounds to justify doing so.11 Dec 2023HANSARD Leasehold and Freehold Reform BillI thank my constituency neighbour for giving way; if he is fortunate at the next election, he may inherit some more leasehold flats. As he will know, in this country a freeholder…11 Dec 2023HANSARD Leasehold and Freehold Reform BillThe hon. Gentleman is making some excellent points. Is he aware that some companies managing residential properties for the elderly charge 10% of the property’s sale price, which…11 Dec 2023HANSARDMaking Britain a Clean Energy SuperpowerI draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. It is often said that it is a great pleasure to follow the previous speaker, and it could…09 Nov 2023