Contributions
741 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDHousing AdaptationsI am delighted to announce that the Government are releasing an additional £68 million for the disabled facilities grant in England. This funding boost for 2020-21 will help local…03 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward. I congratulate the hon. Member for Westminster North (Ms Buck) on securing the debate on this important issue, which…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationThe hon. Gentleman makes an important point about social housing, but we must also accept that within the realm of affordable housing there are different categories: social…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationIf Members have particular concerns about local authorities, such as the concern the hon. Lady has mentioned, I am more than happy to meet them and to take those concerns up…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationI thank the hon. Lady for that intervention, and she is absolutely right. I am talking about enforcement on the ground. I appreciate and accept the issues that she is talking…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationI thank the hon. Lady for her intervention. We have spent an unprecedented amount of money, and we are continuing to invest in those pilots and schemes in order to tackle all…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Local Government Reorganisation: SomersetIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, Ms McVey. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater and West Somerset (Mr Liddell-Grainger) on…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationI will not give way now. I take issue with the hon. Member for Slough (Mr Dhesi) when he says that the Everyone In campaign has stopped—I do not recognise that. The ongoing…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationThank you, Sir Edward. I recognise that this Government are responsible for ensuring that we are able to develop policies and tackle some of the challenges this country faces.…02 Dec 2020HANSARD Homelessness and Temporary AccommodationAs I have outlined, we have a lot of opportunities to look at how much further we can go and for further intervention. As I have said many times since I have been in this role, I…02 Dec 2020HANSARDDomestic AbuseMy Department has engaged extensively across government in taking forward the new duty on local authorities to provide support in safe accommodation, as set out in the Domestic…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPlaces of Worship: Covid-19I do not underestimate the concern that this has caused for our religious communities, but the evidence from the scientific community, including SAGE, shows that the virus spreads…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPlaces of Worship: Covid-19We are grateful to our faith communities for their efforts in ensuring that their places of worship are as covid-secure as possible. However, the view of the scientific community,…16 Nov 2020HANSARDPlaces of Worship: Covid-19I have to disagree strongly with the hon. Lady’s assertion that the taskforce has not been consulted. It has been led by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the…16 Nov 2020HANSARDDomestic AbuseThe hon. Lady raises an important point. A home should be a place of safety, and for those in abusive relationships, the situation she outlines is not acceptable. Domestic abuse…16 Nov 2020HANSARDDomestic AbuseI thank the hon. Lady for her point. She is right that any victim of domestic abuse needs that support in place, and the new duty in part 4 of the Bill will ensure that support is…16 Nov 2020HANSARD Supported Accommodation: HMOsAbsolutely. I will be looking at all the options that are available. There is a fine balancing act when it comes to decisions or regulations that we make. However, the hon.…11 Nov 2020HANSARD Supported Accommodation: HMOsIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Efford. I thank the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Steve McCabe) for securing the debate; it has touched on issues…11 Nov 2020HANSARD Covid-19 Lockdown: Homelessness and Rough SleepersMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The investment we are making as a Government in long-term secure homes is so important. That is what the Secretary of State and I are driving…11 Nov 2020HANSARD Covid-19 Lockdown: Homelessness and Rough SleepersThe hon. Lady will know that part of our follow-on from the Everyone In programme—it is still ongoing and has not stopped—is the Next Steps funding, which delivers exactly what…11 Nov 2020