Chris Pincher Appointed As 10th Housing Minister In 10 Years

Esther McVey lasted less than a year in the job. Unceremoniously booted through the perpetually revolving door of No.10, Esther's departure may be cause for celebration for some, but after a rough couple of years, the housing market needs stability more than ever. 50-year-old Tamworth MP, Chris Pincher was previously minister of state for Europe and the Americas in the Foreign Office and before that in the Whips' Office. He becomes the tenth housing minister since the Conservatives came to power in 2010. Read more on the Property Reporter website.

https://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/chris-pincher-appointed-as-10th-housing-minister-in-10-years.html

Help to Buy Scheme – Parliamentary Written Answer

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of Help to Buy, Equity Loan customers are in arrears.

Esther McVey: At end November 2019 1,983 Help to Buy customers or 5.8 per cent of the total due to be paying interest fees, were in arrears. The large majority of customers in arrears are only one or two payments behind and this debt very largely reflects short-term administrative issues with direct debit set-up at the start of the interest fee paying period. Total interest fee arrears of £189,000 at end of November 2019 represent 2.7 per cent of total amounts charged to customer accounts.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-02-03/11448

Reshuffle ‘Evicts’ McVey From MHCLG

Esther McVey has been served a ‘Section 21’ by Downing Street – her short term tenure as housing minister is over. But Robert Jenrick is staying on as Housing Secretary offering the sector some much-needed continuity. McVey confirmed her sacking on her twitter account having been one of the first ministers ‘reshuffled’ by the PM. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/reshuffle-evicts-mcvey-from-mhclg/

High Rise Flats: Insulation – Parliamentary Written Answer

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2020 to Question 7630 on High Rise Flats: Insulation, what steps his Department will take to reduce the time period between the removal of combustible cladding and the installation of replacement non-combustible cladding.

Esther McVey: We have regular engagement with a named contact from each high-rise residential building with unsafe ACM cladding to ensure progress with remediation is being made. Where building owners are failing to make acceptable progress towards completing remediation, further action will be taken. Building safety is the responsibility of the building owner.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-01-30/10388

Help to Buy Scheme – Parliamentary Written Answer

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of Help to Buy, Equity Loan customers are in arrears.

Esther McVey: At end November 2019 1,983 Help to Buy customers or 5.8 per cent of the total due to be paying interest fees, were in arrears. The large majority of customers in arrears are only one or two payments behind and this debt very largely reflects short-term administrative issues with direct debit set-up at the start of the interest fee paying period. Total interest fee arrears of £189,000 at end of November 2019 represent 2.7 per cent of total amounts charged to customer accounts.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-02-03/11448

Social Rented Housing: White Papers – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his timescale is for publishing a social housing White Paper; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: We will bring forward a Social Housing White Paper, which will set out further measures to empower tenants and support the continued supply of social homes. This will include measures to provide greater redress, better regulation and improve the quality of social housing. We are working to bring forward the White Paper as quickly as possible.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-01-16/4299

Private Rented Housing: Tenancy Agreements – Parliamentary Written Answer

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to (a) review the national model tenancy agreement and (b) publish the reviewed national model tenancy agreement.

Esther McVey: We will shortly publish a revised and updated Model Tenancy Agreement on the Gov.uk website to assist tenants and landlords of assured shorthold tenancies in the private rented sector. While we will continue to update this document as required, we do not intend to conduct a fuller review, as the Government is planning a fuller overhaul of the assured shorthold tenancy framework through the Renters’ Reform Bill.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-01-14/3195

McVey Warns Councils Against ‘Frustrating’ Right To Buy

Reinforcing the government’s commitment to Right To Buy, Housing Minister Esther McVey told the Commons MHCLG would “look closely” at councils accused of frustrating home ownership initiatives. The accusation was made by fellow Tory Bob Blackman during a debate on council housing.  Blackman said many councils that have built council housing deliberately set up housing companies to frustrate the right to buy and urged an outlawing of the practice. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/mcvey-warns-councils-against-frustrating-right-to-buy/

Jenrick And Mcvey Clash Over Use Of Government Grant

A new report has claimed that there is tension between housing secretary Robert Jenrick and housing minister Esther McVey over the use of government grant. The row, which has been penned as a ‘class war’, emphasises Jenrick’s focus on first-time buyers, while McVey – described as “blue collar”– wants to spend the cash on council housing, particularly for new Conservative voters who switched from Labour in the last election. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/jenrick-and-mcvey-clash-over-use-of-government-grant/

Right to Buy Scheme: Housing Associations – Parliamentary Written Answer

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to enable tenants of Housing Associations in England to have a Right to Buy; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Voluntary Right to Buy for housing association tenants is currently being piloted in the Midlands, which is giving thousands of tenants in the East and West Midlands the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of home ownership. The demand for the pilot was high. Over 9,000 households registered for the ballot in August 2018, with 6,000 tenants being given the opportunity to apply to their housing association. The pilot will be fully evaluated after its completion. As set out in the 2019 manifesto, we will be evaluating new pilot areas. We will announce more details on this in due course.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-12-20/260

Help to Buy Scheme – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the investigation into Persimmon new build properties, which found thousands of homes did not comply with building regulations and many of which were bought under the Help to Buy scheme, what plans he has to ensure that properties sold by other developers under that scheme conform to (a) building regulations and (b) other requirements.

Esther McVey: House builders are responsible for ensuring they build high quality homes which are fit for purpose. Persimmon’s independent review has identified serious failings and they will want to take immediate action to address the concerns raised. We will also create a New Homes Ombudsman to ensure homebuyers have a means of redress.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-12-20/266

Huge Losses At Modular Firm Handed £30m Of Public Cash

A modular homes specialist granted £30m of government funding this week racked-up a pre-tax loss of £7.7m in its latest published accounts. Yorkshire based ilke Homes was handed a £30m loan by Homes England earlier this week to ramp-up production at its Knaresborough factory which opened last year. The money was announced by Housing minister Esther McVey who hailed it as a “significant step” in the creation of a “Construction Corridor” in the north of England. It is the largest investment by Homes England in a modular housing business. Read more on the Construction Enquirer website.

https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2019/11/08/huge-losses-at-modular-firm-handed-30m-of-public-cash/

Community Housing Fund – Parliamentary Written Answer

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will extend the Community Housing Fund to beyond March 2020; and if he will make a statement. 

Esther McVey: The Community Housing Fund is currently scheduled to close in March 2020. Ministers are considering all budgets in the round and allocations will be announced following a business planning exercise later in the year.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-10-14/172

Mcvey Bats Off Building Safety Questions After Conference Embarrassment

After embarrassing herself at the Tory conference with dated observations on 3D, Housing Minister Esther McVey proved less effusive faced with written Commons questions on building safety. Labour’s Steve Reed asked why MHCLG has not issued a call for samples of building materials used in external wall materials and insulation of high-rise buildings as part of the recent data collection exercise on external wall systems in blocks. McVey’s reply: “The MHCLG has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.” Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/mcvey-bats-off-building-safety-questions-after-conference-embarrassment/

£2m For Councils To Address ‘Illegal’ Green Belt Development

Housing minister Esther McVey has committed £2 million to aid councils to ‘crack down on illegal developments’ in the green belt. Councils will be able to use the money to hire enforcement officers, use new technology and help to meet the legal costs of bringing rogue local developers to task for illegal developments.  McVey said 37 councils would be receiving a total of up to £50,000 each to help with the clampdown. Read more on the Planning Portal.

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/news/article/661/planning_news_-_18_september_2019?utm_source=PPQ+Newsletter&utm_campaign=8768da9dbc-Newsletter_18042019_HTML_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_734e0b63a9-8768da9dbc-7266185#one

Private Rented Housing: Tenancy Deposit Schemes – Parliamentary Written Answer

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to include deposits of lodgers in deposit insurance schemes.

Esther McVey: The requirement to hold a deposit in a recognised tenancy deposit scheme is restricted to landlords who let on assured shorthold tenancies. Most lodgers do not hold assured shorthold tenancies, but should they do so, their deposits would be covered by a recognised tenancy deposit scheme. The Government has no plans to extend the scope of tenancy deposit schemes.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2019-09-02/285028

McVey Hints At ‘Wriggle Room’ Over Cladding Work

Housing minister Esther McVey has seemingly hinted at ‘wriggle room’ for private sector building owners over ACM cladding replacement – with no blanket definition of what constitutes exceptional circumstances for work not being done to deadline. This comes just a month after the Commons MHCLG committee warned that the £200m currently set aside for the remediation of private sector residential buildings with ACM cladding will not be enough. Responding to a written Commons question, McVey minister said such circumstances would instead be considered on a case by case basis. McVey also ducked behind references to “responsible entities” in responding to other questions raised over remediation. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/mcvey-hints-at-wriggle-room-over-cladding-work/

High Profile Housing Minister Named

Esther McVey is to be the new housing minister - one of the most seasoned politicians to take the job in recent years, although with no obvious experience of housing. In her new housing brief McVey, who is 51, will be a junior minister to Robert Jenrick, the new (and relatively unknown) Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. McVey will be invited to attend Cabinet but will not be a full member. Read more on the Estate Agent Today website.

https://www.estateagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2019/7/revealed-local-housing-markets-to-be-hit-worst-when-help-to-buy-ends

Universal Credit CON: Millions Of Families Could Lose Up To £200-A-Month

Millions of families could lose as much as £200 each month under new Universal Credit changes. Work and Pensions Secretary, Esther McVey, reportedly told the Cabinet that millions of families, including half of all lone parents and two-thirds of working-age couples with children, will lose around £2,400 per year. Government ministers are said to be increasingly worried about the roll-out of the new system after Ms McVey voiced her concerns in private meetings with her Cabinet colleagues. Read more on the Daily Mail website.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6246775/Millions-British-families-lose-200-month-Universal-Credit-benefits-changes.html

Mcvey Admits Ongoing Problems With Universal Credit

The welfare secretary Esther McVey has admitted there are continuing problems with the much-criticised universal credit system and signalled that further changes are in the pipeline. She also said DWP ministers and officials needed to listen more carefully to claimants, campaigners and frontline workers when they reported problems and complaints. The DWP was heavily criticised for its “culture of indifference” in a scathing report by a cross-party group of MPs, which accused it of refusing to accept expert advice and slowness to act when policy errors were identified. The DWP needed to reach out to, and learn from, all organisations that could help officials design and implement a system that fully supported claimants, she said, such as the National Audit Office. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/19/esther-mcvey-admits-ongoing-problems-with-universal-credit