Tag: housing

Welfare Reform Bill: Bishop of Rochester backs amendment on supported housing

On 12th January 2016 the House of Lords considered the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill in its fifth and final day of Committee. 

The Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd James Langstaff, co-sponsored an amendment to clause 22 of the Bill, concerned with exceptions. The amendment, which was withdrawn after the debate, sought to exclude supported housing from the proposed 12% cuts in social housing rents.

Rochester

The Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, when I added my name to the amendment in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Best, I did so in the naive belief that we might be pushing at an open door. I still maintain that belief because I hope that the Minister will reassure us on some of these matters. I, too, cannot believe it was intentional that we would be threatening to undermine the housing provision for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The two noble Lords who have just spoken have made many of the points which I would have made, and others have been made earlier this evening. Continue reading “Welfare Reform Bill: Bishop of Rochester backs amendment on supported housing”

Bishop of Rochester raises work of churches with rough sleepers

On the 11th January 2016 Baroness Grender asked the Government “what steps they are taking to reduce the number of people who are sleeping rough”. Rt Revd James Langstaff, Bishop of Rochester, asked a supplementary question. 

RochesterThe Lord Bishop of Rochester: My Lords, in my capacity as chair of the charity Housing Justice, an interest that I declare, I am very aware of the work of church and community winter night shelters. Indeed, the organisation provides a charter mark for such initiatives. In the winter of 2014-15, these shelters used some 500 church and other buildings, including mosques and synagogues, to provide winter accommodation, along with tens of thousands of volunteers who welcomed several thousand guests. Sadly, this work is expanding, although I wish it were not. Perhaps I may invite the Minister to affirm the Government’s support for initiatives such as winter shelters not simply as places of temporary shelter but, more importantly, as places where homeless people can be assisted to find longer term, permanent solutions to their circumstances. Continue reading “Bishop of Rochester raises work of churches with rough sleepers”

Bishop of St Albans asks Government about postcode lottery in direct housing payments

StAlbans171115On the 22nd December 2015 Baroness Lister of Burtersett asked Her Majesty’s Government “how they propose to respond to the results of the Evaluation of Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy: Final Report.” The Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Alan Smith asked a supplementary question.

Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks Government about postcode lottery in direct housing payments”

Bishop of Portsmouth responds to Autumn Statement on the economy

On 3rd December 2015 the House of Lords debated the Chancellor’s Spending Review and Autumn Statement. The Bishop of Portsmouth, Rt Revd Christopher Foster, spoke in the debate.

 

14.04.09 Portsmouth maiden speech 2

The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: My Lords, the Chancellor in his Statement in the other place described this as a Government who do big things. I begin by acknowledging with gratitude the big decision to retract the proposals to alter the tax credit thresholds and taper rate. I spoke from these Benches not many weeks ago when we were assured that the Chancellor was listening. It would be possible to say more about that journey of listening leading to this big decision, but that might be churlish. I simply welcome the announcement. Continue reading “Bishop of Portsmouth responds to Autumn Statement on the economy”

Church Commissioners Written Answer on property development in Peterborough

On the 20th November 2015 the Second Church Estates Commissioner answered a written question about property development in Peterborough.

 

Caroline SpelmanMr Stewart Jackson (Peterborough): To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reason the Church Commissioners have not released land for the construction of a primary school, in accordance with previous legal undertakings, at the Paston Reserve urban extension in Peterborough; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs Caroline Spelman: The Church Commissioners are involved in the development of Paston Reserve in Peterborough. Within the development there is provision for a site and financial contributions towards the delivery of a primary school site as outlined within the agreed Section 106 legal agreement that accompanied the planning permission and that was varied by agreement with the Council in 2010. The Section 106 agreement provides that the primary school site must be delivered prior to any house occupation on the third phase of development on the site and also outlines the trigger points at which the financial contributions for the school will be provided. Continue reading “Church Commissioners Written Answer on property development in Peterborough”

Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of St Albans raises support for vulnerable adults

On 17th November 2015 the House of Lords debated at Second Reading the Government’s Welfare Reform and Work Bill. The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, raised concerns about potential impact on vulnerable adults, both in the proposals for supported housing and for those receiving the Employment Support Allowance. The Bishop of Durham also spoke in the debate.

StAlbans171115

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I will pick up on some of the themes that have been raised by some of my noble friends who have spoken today, particularly on the area of vulnerable adults and those who are disabled. I invite the Government to think about two issues in particular. The first relates to the clause in the Bill legislating for a mandatory 1% annual reduction in social housing rents over the next four years. I, like other noble Lords, understand that the Government have their reasons for introducing this mandatory reduction, not least the considerable savings on housing benefits that such a rate reduction would deliver. I welcome the discretionary power that the Secretary of State will have to waive the requirement for rent reductions. This will go some way to protecting those housing associations which find themselves financially exposed due to circumstances outside their control. Continue reading “Welfare Reform Bill – Bishop of St Albans raises support for vulnerable adults”

Bishop of St Albans asks about rural exceptions from the under-occupancy charge

On 3rd November 2015 Baroness Quin asked Her Majesty’s Government “whether they have plans to undertake a regional study of the effects of the under-occupancy charge.” The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, asked about exemptions for those in social housing in rural areas.

Bishop of St AlbansThe Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, back in 2013 the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee urged that social housing in rural areas should be excluded from the underoccupancy charge, because of the near impossibility of finding alternative accommodation in many rural areas, where it is simply is not available for people to downsize. Already people in rural areas have higher social and housing costs, and there is some evidence that the underoccupancy charge is pushing some families further into debt. Will the Minister tell the House whether Her Majesty’s Government would be willing to undertake a reconsideration of their policy and exclude social housing in rural areas from this measure? Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans asks about rural exceptions from the under-occupancy charge”

Church Commissioners asked about land for housing

On 27th October 2015, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, answered a written question from the MP for Peterborough, Stewart Jackson, about land for housing development near Peterborough. Continue reading “Church Commissioners asked about land for housing”

Bishop of St Albans leads Lords debate on rural housing and Right to Buy

On 15th October 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt Revd Alan Smith, led a debate in the House of Lords to ask the Government “how they plan to deliver a sustainable supply of affordable housing in rural communities, particularly in the light of the planned extension of the Right to Buy scheme.” The full text of the Bishop’s speech is below, as is the response from the Minister.

Bishop of St Albans

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am very grateful to all those who have agreed to contribute to this debate, many of whom have huge experience in this area, and I am looking forward to what they have to say.

The provision of affordable housing is vital to the long-term sustainability of rural communities so that they continue to be places where a broad cross-section of people can live and work. It is all the more important, given that rural house prices are currently well beyond the means of many lower-income and middle-income people. Indeed, it is estimated that in 90% of rural authorities, the average home costs eight times the average salary. However, rural communities currently face a serious lack of affordable housing. Only 8% of rural housing stock is considered affordable, compared with 20% in urban areas. The amount of new affordable rural housing is also low. In 2013, only 2,886 affordable homes were built in rural areas out of nearly 40,000 affordable homes nationally. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans leads Lords debate on rural housing and Right to Buy”

Bishop of St Albans leads House of Lords debate on sustainability of rural communities

On 16th July 2015 the Bishop of St Albans, Rt revd Alan Smith, led Peers in a question for short debate “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure the sustainability of rural communities, in the light of the additional costs and challenges of service provision in rural areas.” His speech opening the debate is below. The full debate can be read here.

Rural Communities

Question for Short Debate

Bishop St Albans June 2015The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I am very grateful to all those who are going to contribute to this debate, which is an opportunity to highlight the importance of sustainable rural communities to the life of this country and to consider the challenges that exist in providing the services needed to support those communities so that they can continue to be engaging and vibrant places to live and work. Many definitions of vibrancy can, and indeed have been, applied to rural communities. Previously, these definitions have focused on the services available in the community—for example, a shop, a post office or a school. But in the final analysis it is the people who count and who make a rural community, indeed any community, what it is. A rural community becomes sustainable when people care about its future and have an opportunity to engage in that future, shaping it themselves for the common good. Continue reading “Bishop of St Albans leads House of Lords debate on sustainability of rural communities”