Formal Minutes Tuesday 21 November 2006 The Committee met concurrently with the International Development Committee Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Dr Phyllis Starkey John Cummings Emily Thornberry Martin Horwood The following members of the International Development Committee were also present, in accordance with Standing Order No. 137A. John Battle Mr Quentin Davies John Barrett Ann McKechin Malcolm Bruce John Battle was called to the Chair in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 137A (1). World Urban Forum III The Committee considered this matter, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. 137 (1). Mrs Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director, UN Habitat and Baroness Andrews, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Monday 27 November at 4.20 p.m. Monday 27 November 2006 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Martin Horwood Mr Clive Betts Anne Main Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry 1. Declaration of Interests Emily Thornberry declared her interests, in accordance with the resolution of the House of 13 July 1992, as follows: Land and Property Two-third interest in flat in Guildford, Surrey. One-fifth interest in flat in South London. Miscellaneous and unremunerated interests: Non-practising member of the chambers of Mike Mansfield QC. 2. Winter Supplementary Estimates Ordered, That the explanatory memorandum on the Winter Supplementary Estimates, 2006-07, submitted by the Department for Communities and Local Government be reported to the House for publication on the internet. 3. DCLG Annual Report 2006 The Committee considered this matter. Peter Housden, Permanent Secretary; Peter Unwin, Director General, Corporate Delivery; Joe Montgomery, Director General, Places and Communities; and Christina Bienkowska, Director General, Strategy and Performance; Department for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Monday 4 December at 4.20 p.m. Monday 4 December 2006 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Bill Olner Mr Greg Hands Dr John Pugh Martin Horwood Emily Thornberry 1. Winter Supplementary Estimates Ordered, That the revised explanatory memorandum on the Winter Supplementary Estimates, 2006-07 submitted by the Department for Communities and Local Government be reported to the House for publication on the internet. 2. DCLG Annual Report 2006 The Committee considered this matter. Rt Hon. Ruth Kelly MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Minister for Women; Peter Unwin, Director General, Corporate Delivery; and Richard McCarthy, Director General, Policy, Performance and Innovation; Department for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 5 December at 4.20 p.m. Tuesday 5 December 2006 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Mr Clive Betts Anne Main John Cummings Dr John Pugh Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry 1. Committee meeting times Resolved, That unless otherwise decided, the Committee meet on Mondays at twenty past Four o’clock and on Tuesdays at Ten o’clock. 2. The Committee’s programme of work The Committee considered this matter. [Adjourned till Tuesday 12 December at 4.20 p.m. Tuesday 12 December 2006 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Dr John Pugh Mr Clive Betts Emily Thornberry Mr Greg Hands 1. The Committee’s programme of work Resolved, That the Committee inquire into refuse collection. Resolved, That the Committee inquire into local government finance. Resolved, That the Committee inquire into preventing extremism. Resolved, That the Committee inquire into housing and climate change. Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence on issues affecting leaseholders. Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence on planning. Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence on equality. 2. Supply of Rented Housing The Committee considered this matter. Adam Sampson, Director, and Mark Thomas, Head of Policy Unit, Shelter; Lord Best, Director, and Andrew Barnett, Director of Policy Development and Communications, Joseph Rowntree Foundation; and Ms Terrie Alafat, Director of Homelessness and Housing Support, Mr Andrew Wells, Director of New Homes and Sustainable Development, and Mr John Daniels, Policy Adviser, Private Rented Sector Housing, Department for Communities and Local Government, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 9 January at 10 a.m. Tuesday 9 January 2007 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Dr John Pugh Mr Clive Betts Emily Thornberry John Cummings 1. Supply of Rented Housing Resolved, That the Committee visit Kensington and Chelsea. Resolved, That the Committee visit Manchester. Resolved, That the Committee visit the Netherlands, and that the Chairman seek the approval of the Liaison Committee for expenditure in connection with the said visit. 2. Work of the Committee 2005-06 Draft Report (The Work of the Committee in 2005-06), proposed by the Chairman, brought up and read. The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the First Report of the Committee, HC 198. [Adjourned till Monday 15 January at 4.20 p.m. Monday 15 January 2007 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: John Cummings Mr Bill Olner Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry 1. World Urban Forum III Ordered, That the memorandum relating to the World Urban Forum III submitted by the Department for Communities and Local Government be reported to the House for publication on the internet. 2. Supply of Rented Housing The Committee considered this matter. Blasé Lambert, Treasurer, and Nic Bliss, Chair; Confederation of Co-operative Housing; Michael Gelling, Chair, and Cora Carter MBE, Secretary; Tenants’ and Residents’ Organisations of England (TAROE); Terry Eddis, Chair, and Trevor Bell, NFTMO Co­ ordinator; National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations (NFTMO); Councillor Bob Copland, Housing Portfolio Holder; Alan Davies, Corporate Services Director; and Steve Clark, Assistant Director – Housing; Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council; Councillor Angela Harvey, Cabinet Member for Housing, and Rosemary Westbrook, Director of Housing; Westminster City Council; and Bernard Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer of Regenda Housing Group, and Deborah McLaughlin, Director of Housing at Manchester County Council; North West Housing Forum, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Monday 22 January at 4.20 p.m. Monday 22 January 2007 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Mr Bill Olner Mr Clive Betts Emily Thornberry Mr Greg Hands David Wright Martin Horwood 1. Declarations of Interest David Wright declared his interests, pursuant to the Resolution of the House of 13 July 1992, as follows: Membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing. 2. Supply of Rented Housing The Committee considered this matter. Mr Karl Tupling, Director of Housing, Sheffield City Council and Mr Peter Morton, Chief Executive, Sheffield Homes Ltd; Mr Peter Walls, Group Chief Executive and Mr John Craggs, Deputy Chief Executive, Sunderland Housing Group; Mr Chris Langstaff, Managing Director and Catherine Park, Director of Finance, Hounslow Homes; Mr Dennis Rees, NFA Chair and Chair of Derby Homes, Mr Mike Owen, NFA steering group co-ordinator, and Executive Director Carrick Housing and Gwyneth Taylor, NFA Policy Officer, National Federation of ALMOs; and Mr Mark Davies, Chief Executive, Connaught plc, gave oral evidence. [Adjourned till Tuesday 23 January at 10 a.m.. Tuesday 23 January 2007 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Mr Bill Olner Mr Clive Betts Emily Thornberry Martin Horwood Mr David Wright Anne Main 1. The Committee’s programme of work The Committee considered this matter. 2. Departmental Annual Report 2006 The Committee considered this matter. 3. Refuse Collection The Committee considered this matter. 4. Existing Housing and Climate Change The Committee considered this matter. [Adjourned till Monday 5 February at 4.20 p.m. Monday 5 February 2007 Dr Phyllis Starkey, in the Chair Members Present: Sir Paul Beresford Anne Main Mr Clive Betts Mr Bill Olner Mr Greg Hands Emily Thornberry Martin Horwood David Wright 1. Leasehold and Major Works Resolved, That the Committee take oral evidence from LEASE (the Leasehold Advisory Service), the Social Sector Working Party and the Department for Communities and Local Government. Resolved, That the Committee request memoranda from LEASE (the Leasehold Advisory Service), the Social Sector Working Party and the Department for Communities and Local Government. 2. Supply of Rented Housing The Committee considered this matter. Professor Michael Ball, and Adrian Turner, Chief Executive, Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA); Mr Mike Stimpson, a private sector landlord; Mr Rupert Dickinson, Chief Executive, Grainger Trust Plc, and Mr Andy Leahy, Managing Director, Bespoke Property Group, British Property Federation; Mr Matthew Gardiner, Board Member, National Housing Federation and Chief Executive, Trafford Housing Trust, and Mr Gavin Smart, Assistant Director of Research and Futures, Teresa Butchers, Chief Executive, Devon and Cornwall Housing Association, National Housing Federation; Mr David Cowans, Chief Executive, and Mr Richard Bayley, Group Head of Research, Planning and Performance, Places for People; Mr Peter