Vote Bundle Text (940224-04)

Amendments proposed to the Housing Bill - continued	House of Commons

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Regulations for Park Homes

Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Mark Field

NC19

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Democratically constituted residents' associations should be recognised by landlords.

(2) The procurement of new homes, supply of energy and capital items associated with individual homes, should be available on open market terms and home owners should not be required to purchase solely from the park owner.

(3) The appropriate national authority may, through secondary legislation, add to the terms of the Mobile Homes Act issuing extra items to the implied terms of the agreement.

(4) The Caravan Sites Act 1968 should be amended to follow the terms of legislation giving protection against harassment and illegal eviction to private rented tenants.

(5) The licensee of the site should meet the relevant fitness standards as set out in section 76.

(6) The relevant local authority sites should should be subject to licence conditions where they are currently exempt.'.

Accessible housing registers for the disabled

Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Mark Field

NC20

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Each local housing authority must maintain an "accessible housing register".

(2) The housing register must outline—

(a)	Current and proposed accessible residential properties in the local authority area (whether purpose-built or adapted) with details of the access features relating to each property; and

(b)	The provisions available for disabled people who require accessible housing.

(3) For the purpose of this section "accessible residential properties" means dwellings, flats and HMOs which provide a reasonable means of access and ease of use for disabled people, or which may be easily adapted to provide such access and ease of use.

(4) The appropriate national authority may give guidance to local housing authorities about exercising their functions under this section.'.

Warm homes

Mr John Hayes
Mr Robert Syms [R]
Mr Mark Field

NC21

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) The appropriate national authority should issue guidance for the improvement (where appropriate) of existing HMOs and the implementation in future housing stock (where possible) of—

(a)	installation of products manufactured for cavity walls, loft or underfloor installation, external and internal wall cladding and draft proofing

(b)	Greater control of domestic heating systems, low emissivity glazing and efficient fitting of pipes and plumbing.

(2) The local housing authority should seek to act in accordance with subsection 1 and with the Sustainable Energy Act 2003.'.

Obligation to provide and facilitate provision of caravan sites

Ms Karen Buck
Dr Brian Iddon

NC22

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Each local planning authority shall make provision in local development documents for adequate and suitable accommodation to meet the needs of all Gypsies and Travellers residing in or resorting to their area, having regard to the Regional Spatial Strategy (Spatial Development Strategy for planning authorities in Greater London).

(2) Without prejudice to their obligations to discharge any of their functions, every local authority, being a district council, the council of a metropolitan district or London Borough, or unitary authority shall—

(a)	facilitate the provision of, and

(b)	if necessary secure the provision of,

adequate and suitable accommodation to meet the needs of all Gypsies and Travellers residing in or resorting to their area.

(3) In exercising the above, such authorities shall have particular regard to—

(a)	the requirements of children,

(b)	the health and safety of the community,

(c)	access to services.

(4) The Secretary of State shall provide such guidance as he considers appropriate for the purpose of ensuring the better performance by those persons of their duties under subsections (1), (2) and (3). This shall include, but not be restricted to guidance on—

(a)	Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs assessment,

(b)	consultation with Gypsies and Travellers on site location and design.'.

Amendment of the Housing Act 1996

Ms Karen Buck
Dr Brian Iddon

NC23

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) The Housing Act 1996 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 18(1) after "housing" there is inserted "or caravan site management and provision activities".

(3) In section 2(2), after paragraph (c) there is inserted—

"(d)	caravan sites for Gypsies and Travellers as defined by section 24(8) of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 as amended.".'.

Definitions

Ms Karen Buck
Dr Brian Iddon

NC24

To move the following Clause:—

"In this Part—

"Accommodation" includes temporary stopping places as well as permanent accommodation.

"Gypsies and Travellers" means Gypsies, Irish Travellers and such other groups as are established to be racial groups under the Race Relations Act 1976 and all other people who are of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, but does not include members of an organised group of travelling showmen or persons engaged in travelling circuses, travelling together as such, but does include those who do not travel but retain nomadic character by reason of—

(a)	the person's history including family history;

(b)	the reasons for ceasing to travel;

(c)	the person's future wishes and intentions to resume travelling when or if the reasons for settling have ceased to apply; and

(d)	the person's attitude to living in a caravan rather than a conventional house.'.

Accessible housing registers

Mr David Kidney

NC25

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Each local housing authority shall maintain an accessible housing register.

(2) An accessible housing register means a register of—

(a)	existing or planned accessible residential properties in the local authority area, whether purpose-built or adapted, with details of the access features relating to each property, and

(b)	disabled people who require accessible housing,

and a service of matching disabled people to properties so recorded.

(3) For the purpose of this section "accessible residential properties" means dwellings, flats and houses in multiple occupation in England and Wales which provide a reasonable means of access and ease for use for disabled people or which may be easily adapted to provide such access and ease of use.

(4) The appropriate national authority may give guidance to local housing authorities about exercising their functions under this section.

(5) A local housing authority shall have regard to any guidance for the time being given under this section.'.

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

Mr Clive Betts
Ms Karen Buck
Dr Brian Iddon

NC26

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) Where a landlord requires payment of a deposit in relation to any premises occupied as a dwelling under a tenancy, the occupier must pay that deposit into the Deposit Scheme unless subsection (2) applies.

(2) Landlords, or their appointed agents, who are members of national self-regulated bodies that are bonded by insurance schemes approved by the appropriate national authority may request in writing the payment of any deposit lawfully demanded directly to themselves.

(3) Where subsection (2) applies, the occupier must pay the deposit directly to their landlord, upon which the landlord must provide a written receipt.

(4) Any dispute between the landlord and the occupier over the return of the deposit is to be resolved by independent adjudication.

(5) The appropriate national authority may by regulations specify—

(a)	The terms, conditions and management of the Deposit Scheme;

(b)	Approved bodies and schemes under subsection (2);

(c)	The mechanisms and procedures to be followed under subsection (A).

(6) The appropriate national authority may by regulations specify that a failure to adhere to such sections of this Part as it sees fit constitutes acts or omissions for the purposes of section 211(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002.'.

Amendment of Caravan Sites Act 1968

Mr Hilton Dawson
Mr Bob Blizzard
Mr Bill Olner
Andrew George
Mr Edward Davey
Matthew Green

Dr Brian Iddon

NC27

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) The Caravan Sites Act 1968 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 4, there is inserted—

"4A	Residents Associations

A Residents Association shall be recognised on each protected site to meet regularly with the licensee and management to review park standards and amenities and negotiate the pitch fee.".

(3) For section 5(5) there is substituted—

"(5)	The Protection from Eviction Act 1977 (c. 43) (protection against harassment and eviction without due process of law) shall apply to any premises being a caravan stationed on a protected site.".'.

Amendment of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960

Mr Hilton Dawson
Mr Bob Blizzard
Mr Bill Olner
Andrew George
Mr Edward Davey
Mr Harry Barnes

Dr Brian Iddon

NC28

To move the following Clause:—

'(1) The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 3(6), add—

"(7)	In deciding whether a person is a fit and proper person to be the licence holder or manager of a residential park the local housing authority must have regard to the criteria set out in section 55 of the Housing Act.".

(3) In section 9, leave out "level 4" and insert "£20,000".

(4) After section 10(1) there is inserted—

"(1A)

Where the holder of a site licence in respect of any land has or intends to transfer his interest in the land to which the licence relates he shall inform the local authority and provide them with the name and address of the transferee.".

(5) After section 10, there is inserted—

"10A

Licence conditions

A local authority which has issued a site licence shall be under a duty regularly to consider whether it is necessary or desirable to attach conditions to the licence or to alter or cancel existing conditions and to take all reasonable steps to ensure that such conditions as are attached to a site licence are being complied with.".'.