Session 2010 - 11
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57

 

House of Commons

 
 

Thursday 3 March 2011

 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings

 

Localism Bill


 

[nineteenth and twentieth sittings]


 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Withdrawn  223

 

Clause  122,  page  106,  line  40,  after ‘may’, insert ‘after a consultation of not less

 

than 12 weeks with local housing authorities, registered providers of social housing,

 

tenants and other such persons or organisations as the Secretary of State considers

 

appropriate,’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Withdrawn  224

 

Clause  122,  page  107,  line  10,  at end insert ‘and the applicant has previously been

 

informed that the notice will be available and how it can be collected.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 


 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Withdrawn  225

 

Clause  123,  page  109,  leave out lines 1 to 3.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 



 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 3 March 2011            

58

 

Localism Bill, continued

 
 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Negatived on division  226

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  19,  after ‘suitability’, insert ‘and affordability’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  230

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  23,  leave out ‘ a private rented sector offer’ and insert

 

‘an accredited private rented sector offer as specified in section [Private rented sector

 

accreditation schemes] of the Localism Act 2011’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  227

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  leave out line 28.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  231

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  30,  leave out ‘private rented sector offer’ and insert

 

‘accredited private rented sector offer as specified in section [Private rented sector

 

accreditation schemes] of the Localism Act 2011’.

 

Greg Clark

 

Agreed to  168

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  35,  after ‘(c)’ insert ‘in a case which is not a restricted

 

case,’.

 

Greg Clark

 

Agreed to  169

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  36,  leave out first ‘the’ and insert ‘a local housing’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  232

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  38,  leave out ‘private rented sector offer’ and insert

 

‘accredited private rented sector offer as specified in section [Private rented sector

 

accreditation schemes] of the Localism Act 2011’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  229

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  39,  at end insert ‘and

 


 

               (b)      at the end of paragraph (c) insert—


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 3 March 2011            

59

 

Localism Bill, continued

 
 

“(d)    

the cost of the tenancy to the applicant is not in excess of the Local

 

Housing Allowance for the broad rental market area in which the private

 

rented sector offer is located.

 

(e)    

the authority is satisfied that the private rented sector offer meets the

 

Decent Homes standard.”.’.

 

Stephen Gilbert

 

Mr David Ward

 

Not called  218

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  40,  leave out subsection (8) and insert—

 

‘(8)    

In subsection (7D) after “end;”, insert—

 

“(ab)    

the landlord is a member of an accreditation scheme for private

 

sector landlords operated or approved by the authority;”’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  228

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  40,  leave out subsection (8).

 

Stephen Gilbert

 

Mr David Ward

 

Not called  216

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  40,  leave out ‘(7B) to’ and insert ‘(7C) and’.

 

Stephen Gilbert

 

Mr David Ward

 

Not called  217

 

Clause  124,  page  110,  line  40,  at end insert—

 

‘(8A)    

In subsection (7D) at end insert—“ or,

 

(d)    

 

(i)    

an assured shorthold tenancy of a minimum duration of

 

12 months is available to the applicant;

 

(ii)    

the applicant has previously been placed in an assured

 

shorthold tenancy of a duration of greater than six

 

months and less than 12 months between the date of the

 

application being made and the date of the tenancy

 

mentioned in sub-paragraph (i) becoming available;

 

(iii)    

the local authority considers that the tenancy available

 

can be afforded by the applicant;

 

(iv)    

a housing support services assessment for the applicant

 

has concluded that any support needs of the household to

 

which the applicant belongs can be met within the

 

accommodation provided under the tenancy that is

 

available;

 

(v)    

the support to meet the support needs of the household is

 

available; and

 

(vi)    

the local authority has advised the applicant of tenants’

 

and landlords’ rights and obligations under an assured

 

shorthold tenancy and has directed the applicant to

 

sources of independent advice and information.”.’.


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 3 March 2011            

60

 

Localism Bill, continued

 
 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  233

 

Clause  124,  page  111,  line  2,  leave out ‘private rented sector offer’ and insert

 

‘accredited private rented sector offer as specified in section [Private rented sector

 

accreditation schemes] of the Localism Act 2011’.

 

Stephen Gilbert

 

Mr David Ward

 

Not called  219

 

Clause  124,  page  111,  line  12,  leave out subsection (11) and insert—

 

‘(11)    

Where an authority is under a duty to provide an applicant with advice and

 

assistance under section 190(2)(b), 192(2) or 195(5) of the Housing Act 1996, the

 

authority shall not procure or arrange a private rented sector offer to fhe benefit

 

of the applicant unless the landlord by whom the offer is made is a member of an

 

accreditation scheme for private sector landlords operated or approved by the

 

authority.’.

 

Clause, as amended, Agreed to on division.

 


 

Greg Clark

 

Agreed to  170

 

Clause  125,  page  111,  line  33,  at end insert ‘, and

 

(b)    

in subsection (4B) for “(3A) to” substitute “(4) and”.’.

 

Mr Nick Raynsford

 

Negatived on division  252

 

Clause  125,  page  112,  line  2,  at end insert—

 

‘(1A)    

For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), an applicant is not deemed to have become

 

homeless intentionally when the applicant has been required to leave

 

accommodation as a consequence of a reduction in housing benefit entitlement,

 

other than a reduction which is the result of an increase in the applicant’s

 

income.’.

 

Greg Clark

 

Agreed to  171

 

Clause  125,  page  112,  leave out lines 25 to 30 and insert—

 

‘(6)    

Subsection (1) or (3) does not apply to a re-application by an applicant for

 

accommodation, or for assistance in obtaining accommodation, if the

 

immediately preceding application made by that applicant was one to which

 

subsection (1) or (3) applied.”’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Withdrawn  234

 

Clause  125,  page  112,  line  30,  at end insert—

 

‘(4A)    

In section 192, leave out subsection (2) and insert—


 
 

Public Bill Committee Proceedings: 3 March 2011            

61

 

Localism Bill, continued

 
 

“(2)    

The authority shall provide the applicant with (or secure that he is

 

provided with) emergency accommodation where appropriate.

 

(2A)    

The authority shall provide advice and assistance such that the

 

homelessness of the applicant is resolved by—

 

(a)    

offering or securing a social tenancy,

 

(b)    

offering or securing a private rented sector tenancy,

 

(c)    

offering or securing supported or other appropriate

 

accommodation, or

 

(d)    

through mediation, relationship support or other advice and

 

assistance that leads to or prevents the loss of

 

accommodation.”.’.

 

Mr Nick Raynsford

 

Not called  253

 

Clause  125,  page  112,  line  44,  at end add—

 

‘(10)    

A person does not become homeless intentionally if he has left accommodation

 

as a consequence of a reduction in housing benefit entitlement, other than a

 

reduction which is the result of an increase in the applicant’s income.’.

 

Clause, as amended, Agreed to.

 


 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Withdrawn  255

 

Clause  126,  page  113,  line  16,  leave out subsection (2) and insert—

 

‘(2)    

The tenancy strategy must refer to the policies of registered providers and explain

 

where details of those policies can be found.’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  256

 

Clause  126,  page  113,  line  23,  leave out subsection (5) and insert—

 

‘(5)    

Except for the purposes of rectifying an error, an authority may not amend or

 

replace its tenancy strategy more frequently than every four years.’.

 

Barbara Keeley

 

Alison Seabeck

 

Jack Dromey

 

Not called  257

 

Clause  126,  page  113,  line  33,  at end insert—

 

‘(c)    

make a copy of everything published under this section available online

 

on the authority’s website.’.

 

Clause Agreed to.

 

[Adjourned until Tuesday 8 March at 10.30 am


 
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