Tag: building safety

Bishop of London responds to government statement on building safety

The Bishop of London asked for clarification on whether the government would bring forward legislation to ensure that polluters would pay for building issues, during a debate following a government statement on building safety on 11th January 2022:

The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, like many others, I welcome this Statement, because clearly, it is a move in the right direction. I too pay tribute to those who have campaigned with tenacity to try to resolve what is an awful situation for people’s lives. I may just be slow, but I would really appreciate the Minister clarifying whether the Government will bring forward legislation in the Building Safety Bill to ensure that the polluter pays, and not the taxpayer or the leaseholder.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about potential for government purchase of housing to mitigate low numbers of property sales

The Bishop of St Albans asked whether the government would consider a scheme to purchase property from those seeking to move and having difficulty selling their houses due to safety concerns on 5th January 2022, during a debate on building safety:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, one of the very serious results of this problem is that many people are desperate to move, but simply cannot sell their properties any longer. This is causing huge difficulties for people trying to get jobs in other parts of the country. What assessment have the Government made of the Welsh Government’s proposal to start buying some of the properties that cannot be sold for the moment and turn them into affordable housing and social housing and so on, as a way of trying to break the deadlock?

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Bishop of Durham asks about use of Napier Barracks to house people seeking asylum

The Bishop of Durham received the following written answer on 22nd November 2022:

The Lord Bishop of Durham asked Her Majesty’s Government whether they sought planning permission from Shepway District Council for the continued use of Napier Barracks to house people seeking asylum; and if not, why not.

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Bishop of Bristol asks about progress of schemes to protect leaseholders affected by defective cladding

The Bishop of Bristol asked a question on the progress of a low interest pilot scheme for leaseholders in buildings with defective cladding during a debate on building safety on 28th October 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: Can the Minister update the House on the progress of the capped low-interest scheme for buildings with defective cladding under 18 metres? Can he clarify whether a pilot scheme will, as previously hoped, be functional by the end of the year?

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Bishop of Durham asks about remediation strategies for building safety

The Bishop of Durham asked a question about strategies for payment of remediation in issues of building safety on 18th October 2021, during a debate on the costs associated with remedying safety defects:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, have the Government looked closely at the “polluter pays” principle as a way of recouping funds for remediation of building safety defects from those who were initially responsible? Will this, or something equivalent, form part of the Building Safety Bill?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about building safety costs affecting leaseholders

On 16th September 2021, during a debate on building safety regulations, the Bishop of St Albans asked a question on the “polluter pays” principle of building safety, which would ensure that leaseholders would not be financially burdened by building safety requirements:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, many people do not seem to realise that this is having a devastating effect on people of every social class. I was 10 minutes late coming in because I was hearing about a lawyer living in St Albans, where I live, who now faces bankruptcy and may no longer be able to practise if she is made bankrupt. If you buy a defective car it gets recalled and has to be sorted out. What attention and consideration are Her Majesty’s Government giving to the polluter pays principle, which we need to build into this issue if we are to address this devastating problem unfolding before our very eyes?

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Votes: Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill

On 20th July 2021, the House of Lords debated the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill in the first day of the report stage. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

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Bishop of St Albans asks about building insulation regulations

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 16th July 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Greenhalgh on 28 June (HL1204, HL1205), what assessment they have made of reports that leaseholders, despite having an EWS1 form certifying that their building’s external wall system has been assessed for safety by a suitable expert, are unable to sell their leases on account of lenders refusing to offer mortgages.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about fire safety and prevention in residential buildings

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 28th June 2021:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to give residents, tenants and leaseholders the right to access their building’s fire risk assessment.

Lord Greenhalgh (Con): The Building Safety Bill seeks to provide residents, tenants and leaseholders of high rise buildings with further and more detailed information about the safety measures in their building upon request. This information may include full, current and historical fire risk assessments: further detail will be set out in due course.

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Bishop of Manchester calls for clear timeline to resolve issues of building safety

The Bishop of Manchester asked a question on the government’s timetable for resolving issues of building safety for residents of buildings with unsafe cladding and other safety issues on 24th June 2021:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, four years on from Grenfell, one of the heaviest burdens being borne by those trapped living in unsafe buildings—whether due to cladding or otherwise—is simply not knowing when their plight will end. Will the Minister now urge Her Majesty’s Government to present this House with a clear timetable and deadline for resolving all outstanding issues, so that residents will know when they will be able to live in their homes safely and when they will be able to sell them for a proper price?

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