Clause 47 - Designation needs confirmation or general approval to be effective
Housing Bill
11:15 am
Mr Keith Hill (Minister of State (Housing and Planning), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; Streatham, Labour)
I agree with the hon. Gentleman. If such consistency and clarity about the schemes were applied, that would pave the way to general
approval models being issued for certain kinds of scheme. The provision is potentially very important: it could be used to give general approval for local authorities to extend licensing to certain categories of HMOs. For example—I am sure that this will appeal at least to the hon. Member for Ludlow—it could be applied to properties of three storeys or five people, rather than those of three storeys and five people. It could be used to give general approval for certain local authorities to have additional flexibility to extend HMO licensing without having to apply for a specific consent. We must be sure that the schemes are applied appropriately and that we learn from that process before we consider the issuing of general approvals.
Amendment No. 256 would require the appropriate national authority to issue guidance on the factors and issues to which it would have regard when considering whether to confirm a designation. I am happy to confirm to the hon. Member for Ludlow that the Government fully intend to issue non-statutory guidance on the matter. He will accept, I hope, that that will offer local authorities the clarity that he seeks. However, it may be useful to remind members of the Committee of what we would broadly expect from local authorities before a confirmation could be made.
The Committee will recall that my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe pressed me on this point during last Thursday afternoon's sitting, and that I explained briefly how we envisage it working. As I said, we want local authorities to consider carefully their reasons for extending HMO licensing, and the nature and extent of their problem. They will need to consider how their proposals mesh with other policies, such as their general housing strategy or regeneration schemes, and whether alternative measures could deal with the problems that they have identified. Their own capacity to make licensing work is allied to that.
Many local authorities will face a considerable task in dealing with the HMOs that have to be licensed under the mandatory regime. A key consideration would therefore be the extent to which they fulfilled their obligations regarding the mandatory regime, both in the number of properties licensed and the process of ensuring that such properties are free from serious hazards under part 1. Above all, they will need to bring together all such considerations in making their case when they consult. Of course, they must listen to the feedback that they obtain from the people consulted and modify their proposals if necessary.
Those are the considerations that local authorities will be required to meet, and if the national authority is satisfied that those conditions have been met, approval can be given. As I was happy to confirm to my hon. Friend, we are not trying to say that the centre knows better or knows what is needed to address local problems. We are trying to ensure that licensing is used where it is really needed. I hope that I have explained the Government's position clearly and I implore the hon. Member for Ludlow to withdraw his amendment.