Contributions
1,571 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLeasehold Reform: Forfeiture ProvisionsI thank my noble friend for once again underlining that, when we reform landlord and tenant law, we need get the balance of interests right. As a Government, we have committed to…20 Jun 2022HANSARDPrivate Rented SectorI can answer that very sincerely, having been a local authority leader in an area where one-third of the housing was social housing. It had very high levels of council and housing…20 Jun 2022HANSARDLeasehold Reform: Forfeiture ProvisionsMy Lords, I reassure the House that, as the Minister with responsibility for leaseholds, I engage regularly with campaign groups, including the National Leasehold Campaign, and,…20 Jun 2022HANSARDPrivate Rented SectorIt is fair to say that we raised the local housing allowance and maintained that raise. What the noble Baroness is saying is that we have not increased it further. Let us give the…20 Jun 2022HANSARDPrivate Rented SectorI am sure the Government are happy to look at ideas. We have had ideas from Wales, Scotland and Ireland that I am sure the policy officials can look at and advise Ministers on. We…20 Jun 2022HANSARDLeasehold Reform: Forfeiture ProvisionsOnce again, the noble Baroness is right that we need to sort out some of the practices that we see among managing agents. We are still considering how to take forward the…20 Jun 2022HANSARDSmoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 11 May be approved. Relevant document: 2nd Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee . Considered in Grand…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingMy understanding is that it is made clear that you cannot vote twice in a general election. Indeed, it carries a criminal offence. You now have to prove your residence as part of…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingI guess people can decide to vote where they want to if they are registered in two places, but in a general election they cannot vote twice. Whatever the system, I am sure that my…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingUnsurprisingly, I do not know the answer to that, but I am sure that he is able to vote because that is one of his current properties.14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingOf course; to make it absolutely clear, where you pay council tax on two properties, you can vote legally in their local elections. Approximately 495,000 households can…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingThis is something of a Groundhog Day Question, as we look back in time. As part of the Elections Act, we have introduced voter identification as a means of reducing electoral…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingThe purpose of the Elections Act was to ensure that we did not have this arbitrary cut-off point. Those living abroad have always been able to vote in elections for up to 15…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingThe point I was making in response to the noble Lord, Lord Reid, was that that is a battle that was lost. I am sure you can make the case for biometric voter ID, but the point is…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingAs part of the Elections Act, we have introduced a requirement that you have to present some form of ID in order to vote. That should give the public greater confidence, and we…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingI am sure that noble Lords will always return to fight these battles again and again. Obviously, we have set out our legislative priorities and we have introduced already some…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingI do not accept that, unsurprisingly. The Elections Act was guided by the Government’s determination to ensure that our democracy is secure and transparent, and we have sought to…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingTo be honest with your Lordships, when I joined this House, I was not entirely aware of that particular provision—it is a disappointment. However, obviously that is the…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingIf we look at the levels of allegations of electoral fraud in the first instance, which the police do in collaboration with the Electoral Commission, they are relatively low for a…14 Jun 2022HANSARDElections: Multiple VotingMy Lords, it is very important to mark the Grenfell tragedy in which 72 lives were lost—the largest loss of life in a residential fire since the Second World War. As the noble…14 Jun 2022