Kelly Tolhurst: Our veterans have played a vital role in keeping our country safe and we owe them a duty to ensure they are provided with all the support they need. The annual Statutory Homeless Release for April 2019 to March 2020 showed that, of the total number of households assessed as owed a homelessness duty, 0.7 per cent had a support need relating to having served in Her Majesty’s armed forces. The...
Kelly Tolhurst: High streets are critical to the economic recovery of our towns and cities and the £50 million Reopening High Streets Safely Fund (RHSSF) is playing an important role in getting people back to work, supporting high street businesses and helping to reinvigorate our local communities. The RHSSF is in addition to Government’s unprecedented package of support for business, including more than...
Kelly Tolhurst: A response to the hon. Member's letter was issued on 3 November 2020.
Kelly Tolhurst: We have worked extensively with Public Health England (PHE) to provide Operating Principles for the sector, to help them open shelters as safely as possible where necessary, when self-contained accommodation can’t be made available and when local partners agree that it’s the right thing to do. PHE were closely involved in the production of the Operating Principles and offered advice as...
Kelly Tolhurst: During the pandemic, we have worked closely with local authorities and the sector to offer vulnerable people safe accommodation and support. That work is ongoing and has not stopped. In September, we had successfully supported over 29,000 people, with 10,000 in emergency accommodation and nearly 19,000 provided with settled accommodation or move on support. We will continue to work with...
Kelly Tolhurst: We have worked extensively with Public Health England to provide Operating Principles for the sector to help them open shelters as safely as possible where necessary, when self-contained accommodation can’t be made available and when local partners agree that it is the right thing to do On 13 October, we announced further funding which will give local areas the tools they need to support...
Kelly Tolhurst: The Government recently announced a new £10 million Cold Weather Fund to support councils in helping rough sleepers off the streets during the winter by assisting them in providing more self-contained accommodation. This is alongside an additional?£2 million for faith and community groups to help them provide secure accommodation?for rough sleepers, and comprehensive guidance to the sector,...
Kelly Tolhurst: We have worked extensively with Public Health England (PHE) to provide Operating Principles for the sector to help them open shelters as safely as possible where necessary, when self-contained accommodation cannot be made available and when local partners agree that it is the right thing to do. The type of accommodation to which these principles refer is clearly set out within the guidance,...
Kelly Tolhurst: We recognise the pressures that the pandemic has placed on local authority finances, and are monitoring this closely through monthly financial returns. We are providing local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, including £4.6 billion of unringfenced grants. Local councils can use this funding to respond to pressures in their local area, including for respite services for...
Kelly Tolhurst: During the pandemic, we have worked closely with local authorities and the sector to offer vulnerable people safe accommodation and support. That work is ongoing and in September, we had successfully supported over 29,000 people, with 10,000 in emergency accommodation and nearly 19,000 provided with settled accommodation or move on support. On 13 October, we announced additional winter...
Kelly Tolhurst: I thank the hon. Member for Bradford West (Naz Shah) for her comments and congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) on securing this debate. I also thank him for his tireless work as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on park homes. He should not have admitted to being the chair for so long, but all Members of the House recognise his work in...
Kelly Tolhurst: I am willing to work with my hon. Friend and my officials over the coming weeks, so that we can bring something forward and support something, so that is entirely correct. But as I have said, there are certain parts of the Bill that at this point I am unable to support Bill. However, I hope he will take my assurances from the Dispatch Box as a commitment to do that because when I say things I...
Kelly Tolhurst: I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention. It is true that many owners and users of park home sites will be elderly and vulnerable. I have many in my constituency, so I am well aware of some of the challenges for the individuals living there. However, I will caveat that by saying that, although we are talking about malpractice today, a large proportion of park home operators operate their...
Kelly Tolhurst: I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention because that is exactly right: we do want transparency and we do want to work with the sector to remove those rogue traders from the environment in which we operate. One reason why the pitch fee part of the Bill needs further work is that there was no consensus on a proposal. We want to work with the sector. One of the most important points is...
Kelly Tolhurst: My hon. Friend raises an important point. He is right to say that we are living in unprecedented times with this coronavirus pandemic and many businesses are struggling. As a Government, we are working hard to support them. We want to carry out those impact assessments. On the pitch fees, that is why I said we need to consult the industry further to come up with a proposal that has consensus....
Kelly Tolhurst: On 13 October, the Government announced additional support for rough sleepers this winter, giving local areas the tools they need to protect people from cold weather and the risks posed by COVID-19. Building on the £6.4 billion already given to councils to help them manage the impacts of COVID-19, this announcement includes a new £10 million Cold Weather Fund for local areas to bring...
Kelly Tolhurst: On 17 September MHCLG announced that £91.5 million had been allocated to 274 councils in England for the short-term funding aspect of the Next Steps Accommodation Programme, to help vulnerable people housed during the pandemic, and throughout the winter period. On 13 October, we announced a further £10 million Cold Weather Fund for local areas to bring forward self-contained and COVID...
Kelly Tolhurst: On 13 October, the Government announced additional support for rough sleepers this winter, giving local areas the tools they need to protect people from cold weather and the risks posed by COVID-19. This builds on the existing package of support and funding and includes: a new £10 million Cold Weather Fund for local areas to bring forward self-contained and COVID-secure accommodation; and, a...
Kelly Tolhurst: The most recent national rough sleeping data is the 2019 annual statistics, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rough-sleeping-sn apshot-in-england-autumn-2019/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-eng land-autumn-2019. The most recent homelessness statistics cover the period from January to March 2020 and can be found at:...
Kelly Tolhurst: Our veterans have played a vital role in keeping our country safe and we owe them a duty to ensure they are provided with all the support they need to successfully adjust back into civilian life. The annual Statutory Homeless Release for April 2019 to March 2020 showed that of the total number of households assessed as owed a homelessness duty, 0.7 per cent had a support need relating to...