Tag: Ben Howlett

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce a requirement that private landlords have a certificate confirming their accommodation has reached a minimum condition before it can be let.

Brandon Lewis

Local Authorities have powers under the Housing Act 2004 to assess the risks and hazards in properties, and to require landlords or owners to remove hazards, and to prosecute if they fail to do so. If a property is found to contain serious hazards, the local authority has a duty to take the most appropriate action in relation to the hazard. This could include serving a notice for the landlord to carry out improvements.

The Government wants to crack down further on the small minority of rogue and criminal landlords who exploit their tenants by renting out unsafe and substandard accommodation and are taking forward proposals through the Housing and Planning Bill. The legislation will enable local authorities to:

• access a database of rogue landlords and letting agents helping councils keep track of them and target enforcement action;
• seek banning orders for the most prolific and serious offenders;
• issue civil penalty notices of up to £5,000 for certain breaches of housing legislation, ring-fencing resources for housing compliance activity;
• extend Rent Repayment Orders to cover situations where a tenant has been illegally evicted, the landlord has failed to rectify a serious health and safety hazard in the property or has breached a banning order, allowing local authorities to retain the money for housing purposes.
• apply a more stringent ‘fit and proper’ person test for landlords letting out licensed properties.

The majority of landlords in the private rented sector provide decent accommodation with surveys showing that 84% of tenants are satisfied with their accommodation, and staying in their homes for an average of 3.5 years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve air quality in order to assist people with lung diseases.

Andrew Jones

Tackling poor air quality is a priority for this government. Our aim is for almost every car and van to be a zero emission vehicle by 2050.

The Department for Transport takes its environmental obligations seriously, and is committed to making journeys cleaner. £2 billion has been committed since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, support green transport initiatives and support local authorities to take action. These measures will help address both particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide roadside levels in pollution hotspots.

We also work closely with the Department for Health, Public Health England, and their advisors the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants.

Government is revising its Air Quality plans and launched a consultation on 12 September 2015 to seek views from local and transport authorities, businesses and members of the public on action that can be taken to improve air quality. The Department for Transport have been working with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on these plans, which set out a range of local, national and European actions to lower levels of harmful emissions. The consultation closes on 6 November 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-15.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance his Department gives to ensure that the implications of missing national insurance contributions are made clear to those concerned at the time they are missed.

Mr David Gauke

There is a range of guidance available to help a person understand the implications of not paying national insurance. A person’s record can be made up of national insurance contributions and credits from a variety of sources. When these are posted to the individual’s contributions record after the end of the tax year the individual may have insufficient contributions on their account for that year to qualify for certain benefits. These gaps in a person’s national insurance contributions record may be filled by the payment of voluntary Class 3 contributions.
HM Revenue and Customs has published guidance on GOV.UK that explains when the payment of voluntary Class 3 contributions may be beneficial, eligibility, rates and how and when to pay. This is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-insurance-contributions

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many responses have been received to his Department’s consultation on business rate relief for local newspapers; and if he will extend that relief to local magazine publishers.

Mr Edward Vaizey

We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation with the Department forCommunities and Local Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the potential effect of the European Commission’s Digital Single Market proposals on UK publishers; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Digital Single Market is a stated priority for the Juncker Commission, which could deliver significant gains for both consumers and businesses. As such, Ministers across Government regularly hold discussions in Europe and the UK with our European counterparts on the Digital Single Market including its potential effects on UK’s creative industries and publishers in particular.

Currently there are no Digital Single Market legislative proposals on the table, but we are encouraging the Commission to ensure that future proposals are carefully assessed to ensure that they do not damage incentives to invest in the production of creative content.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of universities on their local economy.

Joseph Johnson

Higher education institutions play an important role in their local areas. Several universities have undertaken individual studies of their impact on their local area, and such studies have generally found positive impacts. Universities UK and others have also assessed the important impact of universities on national growth.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to encourage collaboration between higher education institutions and the creative economy.

Joseph Johnson

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and supports collaboration between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the creative economy using a variety of mechanisms including knowledge exchange centres and collaborative doctoral studentships.

AHRC will invest £16m during the period 2012-16 in the Knowledge Exchange Hubs for the Creative Economy. These Hubs, based in Bristol, Dundee, London and Lancaster, have drawn over 350 businesses, 320 academics and 170 third sector organisations into new forms of collaboration.

Innovate UK encourages collaboration between HEIs and the creative economy through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (8 currently being supported in the Creative Industries) and through support of the creative industries council’s strategy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the proportion of VAT revenue accruing to the Exchequer which derives from businesses with an annual turnover under (a) £150,000 and (b) £250,000.

Mr David Gauke

HM Revenue and Customs does not routinely publish estimates of VAT revenue accruing to the Exchequer which derives from businesses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the level of existing VAT thresholds for small businesses.

Mr David Gauke

The UK has chosen to maintain a high VAT registration threshold, and it is currently the highest in the EU (at £82,000 from 1 April 2015). We believe that the UK’s current registration threshold achieves a reasonable balance between competing interests and reduces the administrative burden on the smallest businesses.

The Government may not increase this threshold further, aside from maintaining its value in line with inflation, without the consent of the European Commission and the unanimous agreement of all EU Member States.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ben Howlett on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will consider issuing guidance restricting the taking of photos and videos following the Shoreham air show crash.

James Wharton

This is not a matter for the Department for Communities and Local Government.