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Select Committee · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee

Local government and the path to net zero

Status: Closed Opened: 10 Mar 2021 Closed: 24 Jan 2022 18 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

The aim of the inquiry is to scrutinise the government’s plans to make all new homes “zero carbon ready” by 2025, through the introduction of the Future Homes Standards, and to explore how local government can help the UK to reduce its carbon emissions to “net zero” by 2050, including by incentivising and decarbonising public … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Local government and the path to net zero HC 34 29 Oct 2021 26 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
9 Recommendation Fifth Report - Local government and the… Accepted in Part

Reaching net zero requires ensuring that new homes are designed and built in a way...

Reaching net zero requires ensuring that new homes are designed and built in a way that will avoid subsequent retrofitting and are built to net zero standards. This will also avoid the cost of ensuring higher standards being borne by the people living in the property, rather than being met … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states the Future Homes Standard will ensure new homes are 'zero carbon ready' by 2025, with a technical consultation in 2023 and legislation in 2024. It rejects the call for a 2022 consultation and does not address the request to consider a 2030 …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
13 Recommendation Fifth Report - Local government and the… Accepted in Part

The retrofitting of existing homes is essential for ensuring the UK reaches net zero by...

The retrofitting of existing homes is essential for ensuring the UK reaches net zero by 2050. Retrofitting will come at substantial cost and can only be achieved through a mix of both public and private funding. We welcome the additional £3.9 billion of funding being provided for retrofitting as outlined … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government commits to specific initiatives like a £10 million Green Home Finance Accelerator and will publish a response to a consultation on improving home energy performance through lenders. However, it explicitly rejects tax incentives for energy efficient homes and does not provide longer-term funding …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
15 Recommendation Fifth Report - Local government and the… Accepted in Part

Future retrofitting schemes will be needed to incentivise the public to switch to low carbon...

Future retrofitting schemes will be needed to incentivise the public to switch to low carbon heating. Such schemes should be put in place after a thorough consultation with stakeholders, including with the public. We believe the following five principles would provide a solid foundation for future schemes: • local authorities … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government outlines existing schemes like the Home Upgrade Grant, LAD, and SHDF which incorporate some recommended principles such as a major role for local authorities and adaptation to income groups. However, it maintains that competitive bidding processes are used for value for money and …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
19 Recommendation Fifth Report - Local government and the… Accepted in Part

As previously stated, we welcome the Government’s commitment to reviewing the National Planning Policy Framework...

As previously stated, we welcome the Government’s commitment to reviewing the National Planning Policy Framework to make sure it contributes to climate mitigation, but we are concerned that in the meantime some councils will continue to grant planning permission to development that locks people into car dependency. In the short … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government aims to promote sustainable transport in planning, citing existing policies and strategies. It commits to creating Active Travel England, which will serve as a statutory consultee to ensure adequate walking and cycling provision in new developments, but does not explicitly commit to amending …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
22 Recommendation Fifth Report - Local government and the… Accepted in Part

We are pleased the Government has promised to empower local authorities to take bold decisions...

We are pleased the Government has promised to empower local authorities to take bold decisions in this area and to publish a toolkit of guidance and information to help local authorities develop innovative and sustainable transport policies. We also welcome its commitment to investing £2 billion over five years in … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details significant investments in active travel, including £2 billion over five years, and plans to outline future funding beyond 2022 in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS 2) in Spring 2022.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
20 Sep 2021 Eddie Hughes · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Emma Fraser · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Emma Fraser · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ffiona Hesketh · Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Siobhan Jones · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, The Lord Callanan · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy View ↗
15 Sep 2021 The Rt Hon. the Lord Deben · Climate Change Committee View ↗
13 Sep 2021 Cllr Peter Schwier · Essex County Council, Cllr Sarah Rouse · District Councils Network, Nick Hibberd · Brighton & Hove City Council, Professor Janette Webb · University of Edinburgh, Richard Blyth · Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Xavier Brice · Sustrans View ↗
12 Jul 2021 Brian Robson · Northern Housing Consortium, Catherine Evans · Stonewater, John Alker · UK Green Building Council, Michael Lewis · E.ON UK, Nicola Pitts · Independent Networks Association, Richard Smith · National House Building Council (NHBC) View ↗
21 Jun 2021 Andrew Forth · Royal Institute of British Architects, Cllr Rachel Blake · Local Government Association, Colm Britchfield · E3G, Philippa Borrowman · Green Alliance, Polly Billington · UK100, Polly Cook · ADEPT View ↗

Who gave evidence

25 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Andrew Forth · Head of Policy and Public Affairs Royal Institute of British Architects 1
Brian Robson · Executive Director of Policy and Public Affairs Northern Housing Consortium 1
Catherine Evans · Director of Assets Operations Stonewater 1
Cllr Peter Schwier · Climate Czar Essex County Council 1
Cllr Rachel Blake · Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board Local Government Association 1
Cllr Sarah Rouse · Enhancing Quality of Life Board Member District Councils Network 1
Colm Britchfield · Researcher E3G 1
Eddie Hughes · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Emma Fraser · Director, Housing Markets and Strategy Team Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 1
Emma Fraser · Housing Markets and Strategy Director Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 1
Ffiona Hesketh · Deputy Director for Home Decarbonisation Policy a… Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy 1
John Alker · Director of Policy & Places UK Green Building Council 1
Michael Lewis · Chief Executive Officer E.ON UK 1
Nick Hibberd · Executive Director, Economy, Environment and Cult… Brighton & Hove City Council 1
Nicola Pitts · Executive Director Independent Networks Association 1
Philippa Borrowman · Policy Adviser Green Alliance 1
Polly Billington · Chief Executive Officer UK100 1
Polly Cook · Chief Officer Sustainable Energy and Air Quality … ADEPT 1
Professor Janette Webb · Professor of Sociology of Organisation University of Edinburgh 1
Richard Blyth · Head of Policy Practice and Research Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) 1
Richard Smith · Head of Standards, Innovation and Risk National House Building Council (NHBC) 1
Siobhan Jones · Director of Local Government and Communities Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 1
The Lord Callanan · Minister for Business, Energy and Corporate Respo… Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
The Rt Hon. the Lord Deben · Chair Climate Change Committee 1
Xavier Brice · CEO Sustrans 1