Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 108300, when the rollout of the Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDAP) will be completed; and from what date Fire and Rescue Services will be required to record whether fires involve lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Fire and Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP) Version 1 was successfully rolled out to 48 Fire and Rescue Services in England, Scotland and Wales by 14 November 2025. At present, Fire and Rescue Services are not required to record whether fires involve lithium-ion batteries or electric vehicles in national incident data, and no date has been set for when such recording will become mandatory. However, work is underway on FaRDaP Version 2 to update the data collected, including the development of categories to capture incidents involving lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles (including e-bikes and e-scooters).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Government policies on rural economies and high streets on the social and community value of pubs.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Pubs are at the heart of rural communities, supporting the local economy, providing a space for people to come together, and offering essential services. The Government is investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify. Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we will also introduce a new community right to buy to empower communities to bring valued assets such as pubs into community ownership and protect them for future use.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce a statutory code of practice for private parking operators.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

This government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector.

In accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, the government has recently consulted on its proposals for a new code of practice for private parking operators to follow. The consultation closed on 26 September and the government will respond in due course.

This code will better protect and support motorists whilst balancing the legitimate needs of private parking operators.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the datasets and data sources that have been used to calculate the settlements for individual local authorities in the Local Government Finance Settlement.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Details on how funding allocations were calculated, including datasets and sources, were published in the Final Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-2027 to 2028-2029, under the methodology for the Fair Funding Review reforms section, linked here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30336 on Parking: Regulation, what steps he is taking to (a) consult and (b) assess the potential impact of the measures contained in the proposed Government code on standards of parking operator (i) practice and (ii) behaviour.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government consulted on its proposals to raise standards across the private parking industry between 11 July 2025 and 26 September 2025. All responses are now being analysed. The government’s response to the consultation, together with the impact assessment of the measures contained in the new Code on the industry, will be published in due course.

The consultation document can be accessed on gov.uk here.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure local authorities design local homelessness support services that meet the needs of older people when they experience homelessness.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness is far too high, including amongst people over the age of 65. The government publishes homelessness data, including the age of the main applicant owed a prevention and relief duty on gov.uk here.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out that councils should design accessible, inclusive and culturally-sensitive services, supported by targeted interventions, which meet the needs and experiences of all people who need their help, including older people.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether there is a plain English guide and formula for business owners to calculate if their premises is eligible for Supporting Small Business Relief.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are responsible for the administration of business rates, including decisions on the awarding of and eligibility for various reliefs. Guidance for local authorities on the administration of Supporting Small Business relief was published on 15 December on gov.uk here.

The government provides business-facing information on a range of business rates reliefs on gov.uk. Information on Supporting Small Business relief can be found here.

Ratepayers should contact their local authority if they have any questions about their business rates bill including reliefs they may be eligible for.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of trends in the number of people over 65 owed a statutory homelessness prevention and relief duty by local authorities in England since July 2024.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness is far too high, including amongst people over the age of 65. The government publishes homelessness data, including the age of the main applicant owed a prevention and relief duty on gov.uk here.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out that councils should design accessible, inclusive and culturally-sensitive services, supported by targeted interventions, which meet the needs and experiences of all people who need their help, including older people.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that an appeal against a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman decision not to investigate a case is not reviewed by the same person who made the original decision.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman operates independently of central Government. Decisions about how complaints are investigated and reviewed fall solely within the Ombudsman’s statutory powers. This independence rightly keeps ministers at arm’s length from the complaints service the Ombudsman provides; a service that is an important element of the overarching accountability system for local government.

The Government has no plans to take any steps to dictate how the Ombudsman investigates or reviews individual cases.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101747 on Business Rates: Tax Allowances, what estimate he has made of the number of hereditaments that claimed Retail, Hospitality and Leisure rate relief in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26; and whether that estimates includes data on herediatments (i) above and (ii) below the £110,000 cash cap.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 106116 on 23 January 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to provide local authorities with standards to help support the construction of flood resilient social homes.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 81948 on 21 October 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he had had with Birmingham City Council on their best value duty.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My department regularly engages with Birmingham City Council as is normal for all Councils under intervention.

The Secretary of State receives regular reports from Commissioners outlining the progress made by the Council in complying with the Best Value Duty. The most recent report was the third to be published and it was added to gov.uk on 1 December 2025 alongside a Written Ministerial Statement.

Commissioners were appointed on 5 October 2023 following serious financial and governance failings and they are working with Birmingham City Council on its wider improvement journey to ensure the Council complies with the Best Value Duty.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the annual cost to the economy of battery-related fires, and (2) how those costs are distributed between (a) local authorities, (b) emergency services, and (c) the waste and recycling sector.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services, with this data including the cause of the fire and the source of ignition. This data is published in a variety of publications, available here: Fire statistics - GOV.UK. This does not yet include data on the cost of battery-related fire incidents.

We will keep the contents of these publications under review, as part of the development of our recently rolled out Fire and Rescue Analysis Platform (FaRDaP).

Research into the economic and social cost of fire has previously been conducted, calculating the total annual economic and social cost of fires in England, which is available here: Economic and social cost of fire - GOV.UK. This analysis breaks down said costs by anticipation, consequence, and response, but does not specifically refer to the cost of battery-related fires.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will update the Homelessness Code of Guidance to ensure that domestic abuse survivors who have joint mortgages with abusers are not refused the main housing duty because they are homeowners.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out that where there would be a probability of abuse if an applicant continued to occupy their present accommodation, the housing authority must treat the applicant as homeless and should not expect them to remain in, or return to, the accommodation. This includes survivors who are homeowners.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 108300, how many fires involving road vehicles of all types were recorded by Fire and Rescue Services in England in each of the last 15 years.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

MHCLG collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England through the Fire & Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP), and previously through the Incident Recording System (IRS). This includes information on primary fires, fire-related fatalities, and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles. Data covering the year ending March 2025 is published here: Fire statistics data tables - GOV.UK, see FIRE 0302 ‘Primary fires, fatalities and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles by motive and vehicle type, England’. These tables present the number of primary fires for each recorded type of road vehicle per year.

Data is also available on the number of accidents involving fire and rescue authority vehicles, by fire and rescue authority, in the FIRE1402 data table.

Incident level data for road vehicle fires can be found here: Fire statistics incident level datasets - GOV.UK, see ‘Road vehicle fires dataset’ for the raw data, and ‘Road vehicles fire dataset guidance’ for guidance on the dataset.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many houses threatened by repeated flooding have been purchased by public authorities in England to enable residents to move to more secure premises in the past 12 months.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

My Department does not hold the requested information.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of (1) Holocaust Memorial Day, (2) the Imperial War Museum London's Holocaust Galleries, and (3) the National Holocaust Centre, in reducing antisemitism; and whether they will commission research to assess the potential impact of the planned Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens on reducing antisemitism.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government highly values the work of many UK institutions raising awareness and understanding of the Holocaust. The proposed national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, prominently located in Westminster, will enable millions more to learn the facts of the Holocaust and its roots in antisemitism. Such knowledge cannot alone eliminate antisemitism but is a necessary foundation.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to take steps to ensure that new buildings in central London that have been empty for over six months can be acquired by the Government and used for social or economic purposes.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country.

Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years. They can also access funding through the Affordable Homes Programme and Local Authority Housing Fund.

Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here.

The government outlined its intent to strengthen local authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024 which can be found here. Further details will be set out in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of higher‑risk buildings remaining unregistered with the Building Safety Regulator on resident safety.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) investigates all matters relating to the registration status of higher risk buildings (HRBs) that are brought to its attention through residents’ complaints or by other enforcing authorities, including fire and rescue services, local authorities, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. All investigations and any subsequent enforcement actions are undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Building Safety Act 2022.

In addition to responding to concerns that may be raised, the BSR’s Intelligence team proactively identifies and investigates potentially unregistered buildings.

Any HRB which is not registered with the BSR nevertheless must comply with the provisions of the Building Safety Act and, as of February 2024, the Principal Accountable Person for that building has a duty to properly assess and manage the safety risks associated with their building. Thus, non-registration does not, in itself, mean that a building is unsafe or is being inappropriately managed.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help identify the number of higher-risk buildings that have not yet been registered with the Building Safety Regulator.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) investigates all matters relating to the registration status of higher risk buildings (HRBs) that are brought to its attention through residents’ complaints or by other enforcing authorities, including fire and rescue services, local authorities, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. All investigations and any subsequent enforcement actions are undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Building Safety Act 2022.

In addition to responding to concerns that may be raised, the BSR’s Intelligence team proactively identifies and investigates potentially unregistered buildings.

Any HRB which is not registered with the BSR nevertheless must comply with the provisions of the Building Safety Act and, as of February 2024, the Principal Accountable Person for that building has a duty to properly assess and manage the safety risks associated with their building. Thus, non-registration does not, in itself, mean that a building is unsafe or is being inappropriately managed.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the latest cost estimates for the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The National Audit Office letter of 24 March 2025 set out that forecast costs for completing the programme stand at £146.6 million.

The Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre is the subject of a planning application. MHCLG applicant and decision-maker roles in this case are entirely separate; this question has been answered on behalf of the applicant. Handling arrangements have been published on the MHCLG website: Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre: MHCLG handling note - GOV.UK (attached).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many units of social housing there were in the last year for which figures are available; and what estimate they have made of the number of social housing units that will be available in 2035.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Figures published by the Regulator of Social Housing show there were 4,263,202 social rent and affordable rent units owned by local authority registered providers and private registered providers on 31 March 2025. This number includes both units of general needs homes and supported housing units. These figures can be found on gov.uk here (attached).

The department does not have an estimate of the number of units that will be available in 2035.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposal to cap ground rents before changing to a peppercorn after 40 years in the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Through the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill published on 27 January 2026, the government is proposing to cap ground rent at £250 per year, before changing to a peppercorn in 40 years.

We estimate around 770,000 to 900,000 leaseholders pay over £250 per year in ground rent and will save money this Parliament. Leaseholders across nearly 4 million properties pay a ground rent in England and Wales. We estimate they will save a total of £10-12.7bn over the policy’s lifetime as a result of this change.

For further information, I refer the Noble Baroness to the Written Ministerial Statement HLWS1278 on 27 January 2026 (attached), and to the Policy statement on ground rents (attached) published on that date.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce the number of unoccupied properties in privately owned retirement blocks and (b) to support those facing high fees, including council tax, who have inherited a retirement property.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 95245 on 5 December 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in reference to HCWS1286 made of 26 January 2026 on Resetting the S106 system, what estimate he has made of the number of affordable homes that could be converted to private sale or market rent through the proposed time-limited tenure renegotiations; and what safeguards will be in place to ensure there is no net loss of social and affordable housing at the local authority level.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 28 January 2026 (HCWS1286).

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has set incremental targets for its overall housebuilding target in this Parliament.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has not set incremental targets in respect of its Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament. Progress will be measured through the number of net additional dwellings and we will update Parliament in the usual manner.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026 to UIN 105608, if he will publish the evidence on the application of the Remoteness Adjustment in the Fair Funding Review.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government will apply the remoteness adjustment to the Adult Social Care Formula, but not to formulas more broadly. The government recognised in the Fair Funding Review 2.0 the case in principle for the impact of a remoteness adjustment on costs.

The best evidence the government has heard in response to the consultation indicates remoteness may have a particular impact on adult social care services. Social care was also the area most frequently mentioned by respondents to the consultation in relation to the impact of remoteness.

On balance, taking into consideration the available evidence and the views of stakeholders, the government has made a judgement that remoteness should be accounted for when assessing the cost of delivering adult social care services.

The technical methodology annexes published at the provisional Settlement set out the Area Cost Adjustment's methodology and data sources - Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-2027 to 2028-2029 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10 per cent commission on park home resales, including potential interactions with tax receipts and local authority adult social care budgets.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 103284 on Council Tax: Warwick, whether a local authority must undertake an impact assessment before introducing a second homes council tax premium.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 99200 on 22 December 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the core spending power figures of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2026 to 2027, published on 17 December 2025, for what reason his Department assessed Manchester City Council's council tax requirement will rise by 31% between 2024-25 and 2028-29; and what proportion of this is based on changes in the level of housebuilding.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As part of the government’s calculation of Core Spending Power we assume each authority’s council tax base increases in line with the average annual growth in their council tax base between 2021-22 and 2025-26. This is in line with the approach in previous Local Government Finance Settlements. We published details of this approach in an explanatory note. In line with usual practice and in recognition of the views raised in response to this consultation, the government will continue to keep its methodology for calculating the Core Spending Power of local government under review in future years.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 85176 on England: Anniversaries, and the Answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 99500 on National Identity, whether he will have discussions with the Mayor of London on erecting a permanent statue of King Athelstan on the fourth plinth of Trafalgar Square to mark the 1,100th anniversary of the foundation of England.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government publishes details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations on a quarterly basis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral statement of 22 January 2026, Official Report, Col. 486, on Local government reorganisation, what is the status of the one further representation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision was provided through the Written Ministerial Statement and the letter sent to council leaders, both of which are publicly available. The Government has no plans to publish the names of respondents who made representations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 22 January 2026, HCWS1270, on Local government reorganisation, if he will list the names of the 350 respondents.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

A summary of the decision was provided through the Written Ministerial Statement and the letter sent to council leaders, both of which are publicly available. The Government has no plans to publish the names of respondents who made representations.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that direct funding allocated to the Pride in Place programme will support only legitimate high-street businesses.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has launched its flagship Pride in Place Programme, which will provide up to £20 million of flexible funding and support to 284 neighbourhoods over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities.

The Pride in Place Programme is community-led, with Neighbourhood Boards made up of local people deciding how funding is invested, supported by the local MP and the local authority. Neighbourhood Boards have the flexibility to invest in a wide range of activity where this reflects community priorities, including projects and interventions to support and revitalise local high streets.

Neighbourhood Boards must work with local people and the local authority to develop a Pride in Place Plan, setting out the community’s vision for change over the next decade. Neighbourhood Boards should engage the relevant accountable body to decide how best to manage project appraisals, due diligence, awards to organisations and contractual and payment arrangements.

The Government has put in place robust governance and assurance arrangements to safeguard public funds and ensure appropriate financial oversight across all Pride in Place neighbourhoods, with funding delivered through the relevant local authorities acting as the accountable bodies. Programme assurance follows a three lines of defence model, with the first line provided by local authority Chief Financial Officers, the second by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through proportionate, risk-based checks, and the third by MHCLG’s independent auditors.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, under what legislation developers are responsible for mitigating the risk of landslides in their property developments.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 46774 on 29 April 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) transparency (b) financial protection and (c) value for money of leaseholders' service charges.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 109581 on 3 February 2026.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the A National Plan to End Homelessness, 11 December 2025, CP1452, whether the new requirement for social housing landlords to rehouse statutory homeless households referred by the council will apply to former asylum seekers who have been given leave to remain.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing or homelessness support.

If granted refugee status, they become eligible but have their needs considered on the same basis as other households owed a homelessness duty under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of requirements relating to safe and suitable flooring within the reformed Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes; and whether further guidance will be issued to ensure flooring standards support (a) tenant safety, (b) accessibility and (c) overall housing quality.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department published its response to the Decent Homes Standard consultation on 28 January 2026. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Following analysis of the evidence received, we decided that floor coverings should not be included as a mandatory requirement within the new standard. This reflects the need to balance the costs of improving existing stock with the investment required to increase the supply of social and affordable housing, alongside the wider projected costs of delivering the new standard. Increasing supply will help move people, including many vulnerable children, out of unsuitable temporary accommodation.

Recognising that the absence of appropriate floor coverings can affect tenant safety, accessibility and overall housing quality, particularly for families with young children, older people and disabled tenants, the government intend to issue strengthened best practice guidance encouraging social landlords to retain good quality floor coverings between tenancies. We are also establishing a working group and pilot with the sector to identify cost effective ways for tenants most in need to access essential floor coverings and wider furnishings.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made on setting out plans to seek further evidence from the park homes sector on the rationale for the maximum 10 per cent commission payable on the sale of a park home.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10% sales commission on park home residents.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the statistics entitled Local authority Council Taxbase in England 2025 (revised), 21 January 2026, for what reason there are some exceptions where the premium is not applied to second homes even though the premium is in use by the authority.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government recognised that there were circumstances where it may not be appropriate for a premium to apply and introduced a number of mandatory exceptions to premiums. These exceptions include circumstances where the property is marketed for sale or let, has recently concluded probate or where it is undergoing major repairs for example.

The regulations underpinning the exceptions can be found here. The government’s guidance also sets out these exceptions.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to The New Decent Homes Standard: policy statement, updated 28 January 2025, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential impact of the 2035 implementation date for the New Decent Homes Standard on the wellbeing of children in accommodation not at a decent standard.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regularly engages with other government departments, including the Department for Education, in respect of policy development.

The wellbeing of children was a key consideration in the development of the new Decent Homes Standard (DHS). Its Impact Assessment, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out the tenant impacts of implementing the updated DHS.

Prior to the implementation of the new DHS, landlords must continue to comply with the existing DHS and address non-decency wherever it exists.

The 2035 implementation deadline will give landlords the time they need to meet new duties, including those under Awaab’s Law, and will enable them to balance the cost implications of improving the quality of existing rented homes with the need to increase social and affordable housing supply given the importance of the latter to moving people, including many vulnerable children, out of unsuitable temporary accommodation. The implementation period is also consistent with the time social landlords were given to roll out the first iteration of the DHS.

The government encourages landlords to consider the benefits and feasibility of bringing properties up to the new DHS at the earliest opportunity. They should not delay all action until the end of the implementation period.

Found: We have worked closely with both MHCLG and local authorities to provide our expertise in support of

Found: Reed MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: • +£0.080m - Budget transfer (increase in administration costs) from the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government

Found: employer National Insurance Contributions0.07591375297189391000=SUM(E21:H21)Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: I am responding on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: building safety functions previously delivered by the Health and Safety Executive, and will report to MHCLG

Found: Change, Sanderson et al, 2016 5 Wildlife Trusts blog 6 Habitats Regulations Review by Defra, 2012 7 MHCLG

Found: Prime Minister has directed Cabinet Ministers to prioritise Barrow, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Security Fund 00.4850.4850Transfer from Cabinet Office for Mission Communications05.25.20Transfer from MHCLG

Found: responsibility for fire and rescue services was moved from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: We urge DfT to work with closely with DESNZ and MHCLG on planning and land access reforms to help DNOs

Found: and OZEV, has done well in bringing on board the Treasury (for tax incentives and grant funding) and MHCLG

Found: For those questions which relate to the responsibilities of FCDO, HMRC, DFT and MHCLG, I respond on

Found: HMCI will advise the Deputy Prime Minister/ Secretary of State for MHCLG on FRS.

Found: We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to enhance awareness

Found: responsibility for fire and rescue services was moved from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: There were very extensive negotiations between the Wales Office, MHCLG and the Treasury to get the

Found: different government departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care, DBT, DESNZ and MHCLG

Found: We have worked hard with MHCLG and others to try and get that framed in the right way.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish timelines for (a) asylum housing pilots and (b) funding to trial local delivery of housing for people seeking asylum.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have committed to closing every asylum hotel, and work is well underway, with more suitable sites, including military bases, being brought forward to ease pressure on communities and cut asylum costs.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Home Office are exploring options for a new, more sustainable accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities and devolved partners. This would complement ongoing Home Office reforms to the asylum accommodation estate to end the use of hotels.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve support housing-with-care for older people.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to consider the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Both departments are also working together on the development of the Government’s forthcoming long-term housing strategy.

More broadly, at the Spending Review, the Government announced £39 billion for a new Social and Affordable Homes Programme over ten years from 2026/27 to 2035/36. The programme has been designed to be flexible to support the greater diversity of supply needed in the housing market, including supported housing for older people.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on court workloads relating to possession proceedings; and whether administrative or time-limited possession processes have been considered where landlords have complied fully with regulatory requirements.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

My Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that the justice system is well prepared for the implementation of the Renters Right’s Act 2025, including the impact on the County Court. We will ensure that the County Court has the resources and capacity it need to handle the additional possession workload these reforms will generate. A core part of this work is the development of a brand new digital possession service.

In relation to administrative possession, the Government considers it important that a tenant has the opportunity to attend a possession hearing as this is vital for tenants’ access to justice, especially in the new tenancy system where landlords must always evidence that possession grounds have been met.

In relation to time limits, the Civil Procedure Rules have a target for all possession hearings to be listed within 8 weeks of issue. We believe this appropriate and balances the rights of the tenant and landlord.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 103186, on Asylum: Council Housing, which local authorities are participating in the asylum accommodation pilots.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

MHCLG and HO are exploring options for a new, more sustainable accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities. No final decisions have been taken by Ministers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether regional cost-of-living variations will be factored into proposed maintenance grant calculations.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government recognises the impact that cost-of-living pressures are having on students. This is why we are reintroducing means-tested maintenance grants from the 2028/29 academic year, providing students with up to £1,000 extra support each year, regardless of their location. We will also increase maintenance loans by 2.71% in 2026/27, bringing maximum amounts to £14,135 for students living away from home and studying in London, £10,830 for students living away from home and studying outside London and £9,118 for students living at home.

We are developing options to address regional disparities in entering higher education for disadvantaged students through a new Access and Participation Task and Finish Group, chaired by Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby. We are also working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to encourage universities to collaborate with local authorities on strategic approaches to meeting student housing needs.

Found: (MHCLG).

Found: (MHCLG).

Found: in temporary accommodation by providing clearer guidance, alongside the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: in temporary accommodation by providing clearer guidance, alongside the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: (MHCLG) under the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Building Safety, Fire

Found: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the 26 January published reforms to the

Found: (MHCLG) under the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Building Safety, Fire

Found: homes. 1.9 Homes England is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: RPC-MHCLG-26122-IA-(1) 17 February 2026 Decent Homes Standard Lead department Ministry of Housing,

Found: Policy Committee (RPC) gave a ‘red’ rating to the impact assessment from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Health & Social Care Department for Work & Pensions Department for Education Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: (MHCLG).

Found: The Department of Level ling Up, Housing & Communities (now Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (2019) National Design Guide.

Found: Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) as detailed in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG

Found: marco de los programas de rehabilitación del Ministerio de Vivienda, Comunidades y Gobierno Local (MHCLG

Found: metros ou mais de altura que se espera serem remediados como parte dos programas de remediação do MHCLG

Found: yahay 11 mitir iyo ka weyn oo la filayo in la hagaajiyo iyadoo qayb ka ah barnaamijyada hagaajinta ee MHCLG

Found: ng gusaling may taas na 11 metro pataas ang inaasahang maaayos bilang bahag i ng mga programa ng MHCLG

Found: مبر و بیشبر است که انتظار می رود در چارچوب برنامه های بازسازی وزارت مسکن، جوامع و دولتهای محل ( MHCLG

Found: መንደቅ)) ከምዘለዎምን ዝተለለዩ 5,570 መንበሪ ህንጻታት ይከታተል ኣሎ። እዚ ድማ ካብ ኩሎም 11 ሜትሮን ልዕሊኡን ቁመት ዘለዎም ህንጻታት ከም ኣካል ናይ MHCLG

Found: sicurezza nell’ambito dei programmi del Ministero per l’Edilizia, le Comunità e il Governo Locale (MHCLG

Found: m hoặc hơn dự kiến sẽ được khắc phục hậu quả như một phần của chương trình khắc phục hậu quả của MHCLG

Found: ارتفاعها 11 متر ا فأكثر والمتوقع إدراجها ضمن أعمال المعالجة في إطار برامج المعالجة التابعة لوزارة MHCLG

Found: اندازاً ان تمام عمارتوں کا 65 -97% بنتا ہے جو 11 میٹر یا اس سے زیادہ اونچائی کی ہیں اور جن کی مرمت MHCLG

Found: ደህንነት ቁጥጥር (BSR) ምክረሃሳብ፡በአሁኑ ጊዜ መጠነስፋቱን እንዳይለወጥ ነው። ይህ የመኖሪያ ቤቶች፣ ማሕበረሰቦች እና አካባቢ መስተዳድሮች ሚኒስቴር (MHCLG

Found: এটি প্রায় ৬৫–৯৭% ভিসের িেয, োসদর উচ্চিা ১১ ডিটার িা িার ফিডশ, ো MHCLG-এর ফিরািডির ফপ্রাোসি ফিরািি

Found: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have published joint statutory guidance on

Found: MHCLG set out proposals for governance simplification on the English side of the Borderlands Deal, which

Found: The portfolio has also received £14.4 million from the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: The portfolio has also received £14.4 million from the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Safety Authority/Authorities HMO House(s) in Multiple Occupation HSE Health and Safety Executive MHCLG

Found: Safety Authority/Authorities HMO House(s) in Multiple Occupation HSE Health and Safety Executive MHCLG

Found: Transfers in totalling £11,328k from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG

Found: Government Planning Division compare to other employers (LPAs, Private sector, PEDW, Energy sector, Other MHCLG

Found: for updates from, and discussion with, the UK Government (Home Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government