House of Commons Public Bill Committee Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2007 - 08
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Other Bills before Parliament

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 29th January 2008
87

Housing and Regeneration Bill, continued

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

New Clauses relating to part 2

Transfer schemes

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC34

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
The Secretary of State may make one or more schemes for the transfer of the

Housing Corporation’s property, rights or liabilities to—

(a)
the regulator,

(b)
the HCA, or

(c)
the Secretary of State.

(2)
On the transfer date, the designated property, rights or liabilities are transferred

and vest in accordance with the scheme.

(3)
Schedule 6 applies to a scheme under this section.

(4)
In this section—

“designated”, in relation to a scheme, means specified in or determined in

accordance with the scheme;

“the transfer date” means the date specified by a scheme as the date on

which the scheme is to have effect.’.

Interim arrangements

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC35

To move the following Clause:—

‘The Secretary of State may by notice require the Housing Corporation to provide

staff, premises, facilities or other assistance to—

(a)
the regulator, or

(b)
the HCA.’.

Seal

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC36

To move the following Clause:—

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 29th January 2008
88

Housing and Regeneration Bill, continued

‘(1)
The application of the regulator’s seal shall be authenticated by a member or by

some other person authorised (generally or specially) for that purpose.

(2)
A document purporting to be duly executed under the seal—

(a)
shall be received in evidence, and

(b)
shall be treated as so executed unless the contrary is shown.’.

Information, advice &c.

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC37

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
The regulator may for the purpose of advancing its fundamental objectives—

(a)
publish ideas or information;

(b)
undertake research in relation to social housing;

(c)
provide guidance, advice, education or training.

(2)
The regulator may for that purpose—

(a)
arrange for another person to do anything within subsection (1)(a) to (c);

(b)
act jointly with, cooperate with or assist another person doing anything

within subsection (1)(a) to (c).

(3)
The persons to whom advice may be given under subsection (1) include—

(a)
unregistered housing associations (as defined by section 2B of the

Housing Associations Act 1985 (c. 69)), and

(b)
persons who may be forming a housing association (within the meaning

of section 1(1) of that Act).’.

Consent to disposals under other legislation

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC38

To move the following Clause:—

‘The Secretary of State’s functions under the following provisions are transferred

to the regulator in so far as they relate to disposals by registered providers—

(a)
section 171D of the Housing Act 1985 (c. 68) (consent to certain

disposals of housing subject to the preserved right to buy), and

(b)
section 81 and 133 of the Housing Act 1988 (c. 50) (consent to certain

disposals of housing obtained from housing action trusts or local

authorities).’.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 29th January 2008
89

Housing and Regeneration Bill, continued

Section (consent to disposals under other legislation): consequential amendments

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC39

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
In section 171D of the Housing Act 1985 (consent to certain disposals of housing

obtained subject to the preserved right to buy)—

(a)
in subsection (2) (consent) for “Secretary of State” substitute

“appropriate authority”, and

(b)
after that subsection insert—

“(2A)
“The appropriate authority” means—

(a)
in relation to a disposal of land in England by a

registered provider of social housing, the Regulator of

Social Housing,

(b)
in relation to any other disposal of land in England, the

Secretary of State, and

(c)
in relation to a disposal of land in Wales, the Welsh

Ministers.”

(2)
In section 81 of the Housing Act 1988 (consent to certain disposals of housing

obtained from housing action trusts)—

(a)
in subsection (3) (consent) for “Secretary of State” substitute

“appropriate authority”,

(b)
after that subsection insert—

“(3A)
In this section “the appropriate authority” means—

(a)
in relation to a disposal of land in England by a

registered provider of social housing, the Regulator of

Social Housing,

(b)
in relation to any other disposal of land in England, the

Secretary of State, and

(c)
in relation to a disposal of land in Wales, the Welsh

Ministers.”,

(c)
in subsection (5) (consultation of tenants) for “Secretary of State”

substitute “appropriate authority”,

(d)
in subsection (5)(a) for “himself” substitute “itself”, and

(e)
omit subsection (6) (consultation of Housing Corporation).

(3)
In section 133 of that Act (consent to certain disposals of housing obtained from

local authorities)—

(a)
in subsection (1) (consent) for “Secretary of State” substitute

“appropriate authority”,

(b)
after that subsection insert—

“(1ZA)
In this section “the appropriate authority” means—

(a)
in relation to a disposal of land in England by a

registered provider of social housing, the Regulator of

Social Housing,

(b)
in relation to any other disposal of land in England, the

Secretary of State, and

(c)
in relation to a disposal of land in Wales, the Welsh

Ministers.”,

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 29th January 2008
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Housing and Regeneration Bill, continued

(c)
in subsection (3)(c) (modification of certain provisions applied for the

purposes of section 133) after “this section,” insert “any reference to the

appropriate national body shall be construed as a reference to the

appropriate authority and”,

(d)
in subsection (5) (consultation of tenants) for “Secretary of State”

substitute “appropriate authority”,

(e)
in subsection (5)(a) for “himself” substitute “itself”, and

(f)
omit subsection (6) (consultation of Housing Corporation).’.

Publication of performance information

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC40

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
The regulator shall publish, at least once a year, information about the

performance of registered providers.

(2)
In particular, the regulator shall include information likely to be useful to—

(a)
tenants,

(b)
potential tenants, and

(c)
local authorities.’.

Inspector’s powers

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC41

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
An inspector appointed under section 181 may by notice require a person to

provide specified documents or information.

(2)
The power under subsection (1) may be exercised only in relation to documents

and information of a kind in respect of which the regulator can impose a

requirement under section 104.

(3)
Sections 104(3) to (7) and 105 apply for the purposes of subsection (1) (with any

necessary modifications).

(4)
An inspector may at any reasonable time—

(a)
enter premises occupied by the registered provider which is being

inspected, and

(b)
inspect, copy or take away documents found there.

(5)
An inspector may require any person on the premises to provide such facilities or

assistance as the inspector reasonably requests.

(6)
It is an offence for a person without reasonable excuse to obstruct an inspector

exercising the powers conferred by subsection (4) or (5).

(7)
A person guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not

exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 29th January 2008
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Housing and Regeneration Bill, continued

(8)
Proceedings for an offence may be brought only by or with the consent of—

(a)
the regulator, or

(b)
the Director of Public Prosecutions.’.

Inquiry: charities

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC42

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
An inquiry may be held in relation to a registered charity only if it has received

public assistance.

(2)
An inquiry in relation to a registered charity may only relate to its activities

relating to housing.

(3)
If an inquiry is held in relation to a registered charity the regulator shall notify the

Charity Commission.’.

Use of proceeds

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC43

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
Sums in a registered provider’s disposal proceeds fund may be used or allocated

only in accordance with a direction by the regulator.

(2)
If at the end of a period specified by the regulator the disposal proceeds fund

includes sums which have not been allocated in accordance with subsection (1),

the regulator may require the registered provider to pay the sums to the HCA.’.

Notifying HCA

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC44

To move the following Clause:—

‘If the regulator gives an enforcement notice it must send a copy to the HCA.’.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 29th January 2008
92

Housing and Regeneration Bill, continued

Notifying HCA (No.2)

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC45

To move the following Clause:—

‘If the regulator imposes a penalty it must send a copy of the penalty notice to the

HCA.’.

Impact

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC46

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
This section applies when the regulator is considering—

(a)
whether to award compensation, or

(b)
the amount of compensation to award.

(2)
The regulator must take account of any information available to it about the

financial situation of the registered provider.

(3)
The regulator must consider the likely impact of the compensation on the

registered provider’s ability to provide services.

(4)
In particular, the regulator must aim to avoid—

(a)
jeopardising the financial viability of the registered provider,

(b)
preventing the registered provider from honouring financial

commitments, or

(c)
preventing the registered provider from taking action to remedy the

matters on the grounds of which the compensation might be awarded.’.

Suspension during inquiry

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC47

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
The regulator may make an order under this section if—

(a)
an inquiry under section 183 is in progress in respect of a non-profit

registered provider, and

(b)
either of the following cases applies.

(2)
Case 1 applies if the regulator has reasonable grounds for believing—

(a)
that the registered provider has failed to meet a standard under section

173 or 174 or that its affairs have been mismanaged, and

(b)
that the interests of tenants of the registered provider, or its assets, require

protection.

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 29th January 2008
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Housing and Regeneration Bill, continued

(3)
Case 2 applies if as a result of an inquirer’s interim report under section 184 the

regulator is satisfied—

(a)
that the registered provider has failed to meet a standard under section

173 or 174, or

(b)
that its affairs have been mismanaged.

(4)
The regulator may by order suspend any officer, employee or agent of the

registered provider who it thinks has contributed to the failure or

mismanagement.

(5)
The regulator may suspend an officer, employee or agent of a registered charity

only if the charity has received public assistance.

(6)
An order ceases to have effect at the end of the period of 6 months beginning with

the day on which the inquirer’s final report under section 184 is made.

(7)
But the regulator may revoke an order before the end of that period.

(8)
The regulator shall notify the Charity Commission if it suspends an officer,

employee or agent of a registered charity.’.

Removal or suspension following inquiry

Mr Iain Wright

Added  NC48

To move the following Clause:—

‘(1)
This section applies if as a result of an inquiry under section 183 or an audit under

section 186 the regulator is satisfied—

(a)
that a non-profit registered provider has failed to meet a standard under

section 173 or 174, or

(b)
that the affairs of a non-profit registered provider have been mismanaged.

(2)
The regulator may by order remove any officer, employee or agent of the

registered provider who it thinks has contributed to the failure or

mismanagement.

(3)
Pending a decision whether to remove an officer, employee or agent, the regulator

may by order suspend the person for a specified period of up to 6 months.

(4)
The regulator may remove or suspend an officer, employee or agent of a

registered charity only if the charity has received public assistance.

(5)
Before making an order the regulator must take all reasonable steps to give at least

14 days’ notice to—

(a)
the person, and

(b)
the registered provider.

(6)
The regulator shall notify the Charity Commission if it removes or suspends an

officer, employee or agent of a registered charity.’.

Suspension under section (suspension during inquiry) or (removal or suspension