Contributions
2,495 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]I will first try to answer it, and then when I do not answer it very well, I will give way to my right hon. Friend to give a better answer. What I do know is that, unfortunately,…29 Nov 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]I am glad the right hon. Gentleman raises that point, because I am sure colleagues around the House will be keen to highlight—29 Nov 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]Absolutely. My hon. Friend makes a really good point. People are trapped in this situation, because we all know that when we look to buy a home, we look at the overheads, and the…29 Nov 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]My good and right hon. Friend makes an extremely well-made point. The practice of new homes being built as leasehold, and sold as leasehold—buyers often do not even know that at…29 Nov 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill sets ground rents on new leasehold homes to peppercorn levels. We welcome this very small step towards reform, and will not oppose the Bill…29 Nov 2021HANSARDHomes: Climate StandardsWith energy costs rising exponentially and the Government having scrapped Labour’s zero carbon homes policy months before it was due to come in, abandoned the green homes grant…29 Nov 2021HANSARDLeasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [Lords]My right hon. Friend is absolutely right and he gives good examples, some of which I was going to use later. He makes a very good point—some of these charges are outrageous. Will…29 Nov 2021HANSARDBudget ResolutionsI am afraid we have. We heard nothing in the Budget about stamp duty—perhaps because the last stamp duty cut drove house price inflation and volatility, according to the OBR. […01 Nov 2021HANSARDBudget ResolutionsIn the days since the Budget, we have seen it unravel. The Chancellor tried to bury the reality—or should I say Burnley?— [ Interruption. ] You will get that one in the end. It is…01 Nov 2021HANSARDBudget ResolutionsThe hon. Gentleman might groan, but he was not here for the better jokes at the beginning of my speech. In future, he needs to be here at the beginning of the wind-ups—that is one…01 Nov 2021HANSARDBuilding SafetyIt is good to hear that that is what we are working towards, but it has been some time now and this does need enacting in law as the only way to ensure protection. Can I give the…25 Oct 2021HANSARDBuilding SafetyFirst, let me pay my respects to Sir David Amess. He was a tireless campaigner for building and fire safety, chairing the exceptional all-party parliamentary group on the subject.…25 Oct 2021HANSARD High Rise Social Housing: Reducing Fire RiskAbsolutely. As I will come on to say, the Government’s handling of the crisis has been characterised by delay, a lack of clarity and uncertainty. I also want to put on the record…14 Sept 2021HANSARD High Rise Social Housing: Reducing Fire RiskAbsolutely. I was going to mention that later in my speech, but I will say it now. Evacuation plans for disabled people are pretty poor in most cases, leaving them especially…14 Sept 2021HANSARD High Rise Social Housing: Reducing Fire RiskIt is a real pleasure to serve under your chairpersonship today, Ms Rees. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith (Andy Slaughter) on securing this important and…14 Sept 2021HANSARD Building Safety BillOn a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I just wondered if I could get your advice. Is it normal practice that, moments before an important debate with dozens of Members down…21 Jul 2021HANSARD Building Safety BillWell, it is not actually legislation. The hon. Lady is wrong about that. Yes, of course, we would welcome that. The crucial words that she said there were “should not”, not would…21 Jul 2021HANSARD Building Safety BillI do not think the shambles lies with the House authorities. I am afraid the shambles lies with the Secretary of State. It is just not acceptable. I think it is a contempt of this…21 Jul 2021HANSARD Building Safety BillOn a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker—21 Jul 2021HANSARD Building Safety BillMy hon. Friend makes an excellent point. Leaseholders have very little recourse and, from the announcements today, their passage of recourse remains incredibly uncertain. Let me…21 Jul 2021