Speeches by Amos.

“In the parishes of Ruishton, West Hatch, Staple Fitzpaine and Castle Neroche, the term “Connecting Devon and Somerset” is clearly understood as exactly what is not happening in the two counties, rather than a description of the so-called delivery agency. Cabinets and trunk cables are in place, but there is still no sig…”

“4. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that every property has access to either gigabit broadband or a 4G or 5G mobile signal.”

“Will my hon. Friend congratulate the Friends of French Weir Park in Taunton for helping to get bathing water status for the River Tone? Is it not a scandal that after £4.25 billion was paid by Wessex Water in dividends, the situation may arise whereby that status is removed because the Environment Agency and the water …”

“Will my hon. Friend give way?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. I congratulate the hon. Member for Ealing Southall (Deirdre Costigan) on bringing this very important debate to the Chamber. I also congratulate the hon. Members on both sides who have raised important examples of homelessness and the real individual t…”

“Q I have raised this already, but you seem to be suggesting that to extend the exemption you would have a special student tenancy. Is that right? Could you clarify if you would like to see that in the Bill? If not, if the Government were not willing to create a new tenancy, how would you draw the line in terms of bring…”

“Q You mentioned the planning system earlier. Do you see any risk, because of the perceived unattractiveness of the new system, that there will be an increase in short-term holiday letting? The Liberal Democrats want to see the use class brought forward for holiday lets. Would you support that in terms of controlling it…”

“Q We have the decent homes standard for social housing, and the Bill would introduce it for private housing. That seems to me to leave Ministry of Defence housing in the middle. Can you think of any other categories of housing that would not be covered by the decent homes standard? Liz Davies KC: Currently, Home Office…”

“Q You said earlier that the first-tier tribunal is working better, but did you really answer the question of whether you feel the Bill will increase pressure on the tribunal and the courts, and whether they are ready for it? Have you seen any evidence of an increase in funding, given this impending legislation? Justin …”

“rose—”

“It was about retaining the option of fixed-term tenancies to two or three years if it were agreed between landlord and tenant. Tarun Bhakta: No, we would not support that at all. It is an illusion that a fixed-term tenancy is a mutual agreement between tenant and landlord. Tenants expect that that is what they have to …”

“Q We seem to be talking about different decent homes standards. We have the social housing sector one, and we are talking about consulting on one for the private rented sector. Is it not the case that the MOD can have one suitable to its needs? Matthew Pennycook: If I have understood you correctly, you are putting to m…”

“Q I have two very brief questions. You will have heard the previous witnesses. Have you seen any evidence of an increase in section 21 evictions since the introduction of the Bill? You will have heard the discussion about fixed-term tenancies and whether they should still be available by agreement between landlord and …”

“Q You said the Bill will increase or reduce confidence, and you talked about the courts. You have not said much about the change to periodic tenancies. In your evidence, you talk about keeping fixed-term tenancies where tenant and landlord agree. What would stop landlords putting every tenancy on a fixed term, and what…”

“I am a landlord but only of registered social housing.”

“Q I want to ask about service personnel housing, which I raised in the debate on Second Reading. I will go on to ask about the danger of more properties becoming short-term holiday lets—Airbnb-type things; I have a genuinely open mind on that, and I am interested in the Minister’s views on it. On service personnel hous…”

“Q I was interested to hear the rest of your points. One area that is not regulated in the Act is the regulation of letting agents. Is that something that Acorn would like to see happen? Feel free to expand on your points. Anny Cullum: We would like to see letting agents regulated. Especially with the issues around bidd…”

“Q Of what length? Melanie Leech: Ideally, we would want a year—perhaps six months. On the impact, to answer the Minister’s point, it is not that families cannot stay for as long as they want to. This is a high-quality product—I am talking particularly about the build-to-rent sector. The risk for build-to-rent providers…”

“Q In response to the Minister, you did also mention the corporate sector—but it does not matter. My point is, can you comment on retaining that fixed-term option for the first tenancy in new build premises? Would that deliver some of the incentives that you want to see? Melanie Leech: A minimum tenancy would certainly …”

“With your permission, Sir Christopher, I want to come back on that point.”