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

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the additional cost of including Police and Crime Commissioners in the elections of (1) 2016, (2) 2021 and (3) 2024.

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

The cost of the 2016 Police and Crime Commissioner elections was £49.6m. A detailed report on the cost of that election can be found at (attached) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-costs-of-the-2016-police-and-crime-commissioner-elections.

The cost of the 2021 Police and Crime Commissioner election was £49.3m and a detailed report will be published shortly.

The final cost of the 2024 PCC election will not be known until all the Returning Officer claims have been scrutinised and settled. However, the estimated cost is approximately £87m as set out in the (attached) The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections (Local Returning Officers’ and Police Area Returning Officers’ Charges) Order 2024.

These figures represent the total cost of running the PCC elections. Where PCC elections were combined with other polls, some costs – such as for polling stations – were shared across all polls. This reduced the overall cost for each election compared to running them separately. The cost of PCC elections is met from the Consolidated Fund.

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 require housing developers to deliver homes for social rent as part of their developments.

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

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including proposals designed to further support the delivery of social housing.

These include reforms to the viability system and specifying a minimum proportion of social rent housing that would be required of major development unless otherwise specified in development plans.

The consultation can be found 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 support is available to West Midlands local authorities to bring forward brownfield sites under the proposed changes to the planning system.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 91369 on 27 November 2025.

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 prevent local authorities from reclassifying green belt land as grey belt to meet housing targets.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 26507 on 5 February 2025 and UIN 43157 on 7 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 assessment he has made of the adequacy of the amount of available brownfield land to meet local housing needs.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local planning authorities will be required to publish assessments of Green Belt and Grey Belt release as part of their evidence base during plan preparation.

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

The new plan-making system is designed to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand.

The government's approach to Green Belt in England, including the circumstances in which it should be reviewed, is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

It is for local planning authorities to set out policies for Green Belt in their local plans in accordance with national policy in the NPPF. This remains unchanged in the new local plan-making system.

When local planning authorities submit their local plan for examination, they are required to submit any supporting documents that they consider are relevant and necessary to support the examination of their plan. This might include supporting documents that form part of their evidence base.

In order to deliver the homes and growth the country needs, we expect all local planning authorities to make every effort to get up-to-date local plans in place as soon as possible. As a government, we have made a clear commitment to achieving universal local plan coverage. To that end, we have been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible.

The government is committed to taking tough action to ensure local authorities have up-to-date local plans in place. The law provides intervention powers for the government to take action to ensure that plans are progressed. Any decisions taken in relation to intervention in plan-making are considered on a case-by-case basis and take into account local circumstances.

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 new local plan-making system on protections for Green Belt land.

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

The new plan-making system is designed to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand.

The government's approach to Green Belt in England, including the circumstances in which it should be reviewed, is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

It is for local planning authorities to set out policies for Green Belt in their local plans in accordance with national policy in the NPPF. This remains unchanged in the new local plan-making system.

When local planning authorities submit their local plan for examination, they are required to submit any supporting documents that they consider are relevant and necessary to support the examination of their plan. This might include supporting documents that form part of their evidence base.

In order to deliver the homes and growth the country needs, we expect all local planning authorities to make every effort to get up-to-date local plans in place as soon as possible. As a government, we have made a clear commitment to achieving universal local plan coverage. To that end, we have been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible.

The government is committed to taking tough action to ensure local authorities have up-to-date local plans in place. The law provides intervention powers for the government to take action to ensure that plans are progressed. Any decisions taken in relation to intervention in plan-making are considered on a case-by-case basis and take into account local circumstances.

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 intervene in local plans that release large amounts of green belt land.

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

The new plan-making system is designed to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand.

The government's approach to Green Belt in England, including the circumstances in which it should be reviewed, is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

It is for local planning authorities to set out policies for Green Belt in their local plans in accordance with national policy in the NPPF. This remains unchanged in the new local plan-making system.

When local planning authorities submit their local plan for examination, they are required to submit any supporting documents that they consider are relevant and necessary to support the examination of their plan. This might include supporting documents that form part of their evidence base.

In order to deliver the homes and growth the country needs, we expect all local planning authorities to make every effort to get up-to-date local plans in place as soon as possible. As a government, we have made a clear commitment to achieving universal local plan coverage. To that end, we have been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible.

The government is committed to taking tough action to ensure local authorities have up-to-date local plans in place. The law provides intervention powers for the government to take action to ensure that plans are progressed. Any decisions taken in relation to intervention in plan-making are considered on a case-by-case basis and take into account local circumstances.

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 plans to provide targeted funding to support housing associations in addressing damp and disrepair issues in legacy stock.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 81035 on 20 October 2025.

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 criminalise unenforceable clauses in tenancy agreements.

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

Upon commencement on 1 May 2026, the relevant provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will require landlords to provide their tenants with certain information about the terms of the tenancy in writing.

Landlords will be able to comply with this requirement by including the information in a written tenancy agreement. Landlords who fail to provide the prescribed information could face a fine of up to £7,000 from their local authority.

The Renters’ Rights Act also provides local authorities with powers to act against unenforceable clauses such as requiring a tenant to sign a fixed term.

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 current social housing stock across the UK.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 50492 on 16 May 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 his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing transparency in property management fee increases, including appointing a body responsible for monitoring the justification for those increases.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77534 on 17 October 2025.

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 is taking steps to require publicly accessible listings of property management details for residential blocks.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77534 on 17 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 assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing regulation of property managing agents.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77534 on 17 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 assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a cap on property management fees.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77534 on 17 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 steps his Department is taking to ensure that development firms nationally meet affordable housing targets and do not reduce delivery on viability grounds.

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

The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure.

On 16 December 2025, we published a consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which can be found on gov.uk here.

The consultation includes proposals relating developer contributions and viability which seek to promote greater clarity on expected contributions at the plan-making stage, and reduce cases of unnecessary site-specific viability assessment by clarifying when it may be appropriate at the decision-making stage.

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 protect historic pauper burial sites from (a) private development and (b) inappropriate land use.

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

Burial grounds can be considered as open space, which is defined in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as all open space of public value. There are strong safeguards set out in the NPPF to ensure the continued protection of existing open space.

The designation of land as Local Green Space also allows communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to issue additional guidance to ensure local communities have sufficient opportunity to challenge grey belt land designations.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 26507 on 5 February 2025 and UIN 43157 on 7 April 2025.

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 make an assessment of the potential merits of clarifying the responsibilities of developers and property management companies in new-build and mixed-tenure developments.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 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 steps his Department is taking to help remove barriers preventing leaseholders from exercising the Right to Manage, including ensuring ease of contact between leaseholders within a building.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 90259 on 21 November 2025.

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 prevent landlords from imposing additional fees on leaseholders for profit without adequate scrutiny or regulation.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77534 on 17 October 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he briefed leaders of upper-tier local authorities on the Government’s decision to postpone mayoral elections in Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, Hampshire and the Solent and Sussex and Brighton.

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

I spoke to leaders in Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, Hampshire and the Solent and Sussex and Brighton following the announcement of funding and next steps for the devolution agreements that are being developed through the Devolution Priority Programme. I have engaged closely with them since the announcement, jointly discussing the benefits devolution will bring to these areas.

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 provide additional funding to support brownfield site development in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The Surrey Heath constituency has so far received a total funding of £1,480,300 from the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 to release land for 132 homes.

Our delivery partner OPE monitor progress and provide practical and technical support to deliver new homes on derelict and underused brownfield land in the Surrey Heath constituency and is responsible for continued engagement with Surrey Heath Borough Council on brownfield site development.

The government has also announced £5bn of capital grant funding for infrastructure and land through the new National Housing Delivery Fund. This Fund will be fully operational from 1 April 2026 and will complement investment from the new National Housing Bank.

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 his Department's progress towards its target of delivering 1,500,000 new homes over the course of this Parliament.

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

Progress toward the government’s Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament will be measured through the number of net additional dwellings, the latest data on which can be found 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 mechanisms his Department plans to use to monitor the effectiveness of the multi-year Settlement in reducing disparities in funding between more and less deprived local authorities.

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

The government is making good on long overdue promises to fundamentally update the way we fund local authorities. We are realigning funding with need by introducing a fairer and evidence-based funding assessment, which will target a greater proportion of central government grant funding towards the most deprived places which need it the most. By 2028-29, we expect that the 10% most deprived authorities in England will see a significant increase in Core Spending Power per head compared to the least deprived.

The new assessment will be based on the most up-to-date data available. Going forwards, we will update the data at the beginning of each multi-year Settlement to balance dynamism with providing certainty and stability over the Settlement period.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Surrey Heath Borough Council on brownfield site development in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The Surrey Heath constituency has so far received a total funding of £1,480,300 from the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 to release land for 132 homes.

Our delivery partner OPE monitor progress and provide practical and technical support to deliver new homes on derelict and underused brownfield land in the Surrey Heath constituency and is responsible for continued engagement with Surrey Heath Borough Council on brownfield site development.

The government has also announced £5bn of capital grant funding for infrastructure and land through the new National Housing Delivery Fund. This Fund will be fully operational from 1 April 2026 and will complement investment from the new National Housing Bank.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate his Department has of the number of council homes in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

My Department does not collect data on the number of council homes at a constituency level.

Information on the number of council homes owned by local authorities is available in Live Table 116 which can be found 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, pursuant to the oral answer of 24 November 2025, Official Report, on Social and Affordable Housing: South Shields, to the Hon Member for Orpington, what the value of that grant is in each year of this Parliament in real terms expressed in 2024 figures.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60128 on 4 July 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 12 November 2025 to Question 87323 on Affordable Housing: Expenditure, how much has been budgeted for the affordable housing programme in 2025-26.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.

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 take steps to require managing agents to provide leaseholders with monthly service charge and expenditure accounts, with a comprehensive breakdown of charges.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 89138 answered on 21 November 2025.

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 protect leaseholders from significant service charge increases.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 89138 answered on 21 November 2025.

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 his Department's plan to replace the New Homes Bonus.

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

The government has no plans to replace the New Homes Bonus.

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 bring forward legislative changes to strengthen local enforcement powers before the introduction of unitary local government arrangements.

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

Local authorities currently exercise a range of enforcement powers across different functions, reflecting the services they deliver. The Government has no plans to amend these powers in connection with local government reorganisation.

Where councils are reorganised, continuity regulations made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 ensure that all existing powers transfer to new unitary authorities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

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

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence.

The department is not responsible for collecting or maintaining performance data for staff in its executive agencies. We do hold information on the number of formal performance warnings issued to staff within the core department; however, producing the requested information for both the core department and its executive agencies, and in the format specified, would incur disproportionate time and cost.

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 merits of issuing guidance to local authorities to ensure mobile network operators are notified in advance of large-scale residential developments.

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

The government is committed to supporting investment in high-quality, reliable digital connectivity so that communities can benefit from faster economic growth and greater social inclusion.

On 16 December, we launched a consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework including proposals relating to telecommunications. The consultation can be found 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, whether his Department plans to (a) review and (b) update the Mobile Homes Act 2013.

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

A review of the effectiveness of the Mobile Homes Act 2013 was undertaken in 2017 and it made a number of recommendations. Most have been implemented, such as the introduction of a fit and proper person test and changes to the pitch fee review inflationary index from the Retail Price Index to the Consumer Price Index.

The government has no plans to undertake a further review.

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 provide long-term support and advice for leaseholders on maintenance and dispute processes.

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

Leaseholders involved in disputes can contact the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) which provides free initial legal advice and information on leasehold, building safety, commonhold and park home issues for consumers.

More than 1.5 million consumers visit the LEASE website each year and access its comprehensive resources. LEASE also offers bespoke advice from its legally trained advisers.

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 adequacy of public information on leaseholders’ legal rights.

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

Leaseholders involved in disputes can contact the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) which provides free initial legal advice and information on leasehold, building safety, commonhold and park home issues for consumers.

More than 1.5 million consumers visit the LEASE website each year and access its comprehensive resources. LEASE also offers bespoke advice from its legally trained advisers.

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 merits of mandating the maximum allowed period of time between a Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Assessment by a local authority.

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

Local planning authorities should use a robust evidence base to establish the accommodation needs of travellers and plan to meet this need through their local plan. Local plans must be reviewed to assess whether they need updating at least once every five years, and should then be updated as necessary.

In the new plan-making system that will come into force early next year, local plans will be expected to be prepared and adopted within a 30-month timeframe and be more frequently prepared so that plans are kept up-to-date.

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 make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the National Planning Policy Framework to include guidance on the importance of telecommunications infrastructure in any new developments.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 99031 on 05 January 2026.

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 90710 on MHCLG: Glenigan, whether the data received included unbuilt-out planning permissions.

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

I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78185 on 20 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 steps his Department is taking to prevent landlords from imposing additional fees on leaseholders without adequate (a) scrutiny and (b) regulation.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 89138 answered on 21 November 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has a policy on social tenants in high-value social housing passing on lifetime tenancies to their children.

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

The assessed value of a social rent property has no bearing on tenants’ rights to pass down their tenancy to their children. Those living in high-value social rent homes will be subject to the same succession rights set out in legislation as other social housing tenants on secure tenancies.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered making planning enforcement a statutory obligation.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Questions UIN 91162 on 21 November 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered increasing funding for planning enforcement.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Questions UIN 91162 on 21 November 2025.

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 has taken to speed up the planning and appeals process in local authorities.

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

The Planning and Infrastructure Act will streamline planning processes, improve certainty for applicants, and unlock and accelerate more housing and infrastructure delivery.

Its provisions include powers that allow the Secretary of State to delegate planning fee-setting to local planning authorities, enabling them to recover costs and reinvest to provide a more efficient and responsive planning service, including in respect of making timelier decisions.

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026.

At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced a further £48 million of investment over three years to support local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners over a sustained period.

Of this, £28.8 million has been allocated to MHCLG’s Planning Capacity and Capability Programme, equating to £9.6 million additional per year for the next three years. This allocation will supplement existing budgets.

In total, the Programme now aims to deliver around 1,325 planners by the end of this Parliament, significantly exceeding our original manifesto commitment to deliver 300 new planning officers. Wider cross-government recruitment and investment in planning capacity and capability will increase this figure further to approximately 1,400 planners.

The new funding will support both graduate and mid-career entry routes into planning, including by means of expanding the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and establishing a Planning Careers Hub.

In respect of planning appeals, the Planning Inspectorate's Strategic Plan commits to removing all casework backlogs and meeting all Ministerial targets, including those relating to planning appeals, by 2027.

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 paragraph 3.25 of the Autumn Budget 2025, HC1492, 26 November 2025, whether the funding for 350 planning officers is an additional (a) 50 and (b) 350 to the previous commitment for 300 planning officers.

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

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026.

At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced a further £48 million of investment over three years to support local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners over a sustained period.

Of this, £28.8 million has been allocated to MHCLG’s Planning Capacity and Capability Programme, equating to £9.6 million additional per year for the next three years. This allocation will supplement existing budgets.

In total, the Programme now aims to deliver around 1,325 planners by the end of this Parliament, significantly exceeding our original manifesto commitment to deliver 300 new planning officers. Wider cross-government recruitment and investment in planning capacity and capability will increase this figure further to approximately 1,400 planners.

The new funding will support both graduate and mid-career entry routes into planning, including by means of expanding the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and establishing a Planning Careers Hub.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data (a) his Department and (b) the Land Registry holds on the proportion of leasehold flats that have a lease less than (i) 99 and (ii) 80 years.

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

Data on lease lengths at time of purchase are detailed on page 76 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 Impact Assessment, which can be found 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 recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of service charges on retirement home (a) residents and (b) sales in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 68820 on 2 September 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what evaluation his Department has made of the need to ensure that planned reforms to the leasehold system address the matter of leaseholders struggling to sell share-of-freehold properties because of historic but dormant ground rent escalation clauses.

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

The government is committed to addressing unregulated and unaffordable ground rents and we will do this in legislation. We will set out further details on our detailed plans for existing ground rents 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, whether his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) previously produced research on regulatory barriers to housing development on brownfield land.

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

The government has not commissioned or previously produced a specific piece of research on regulatory barriers to housing development on brownfield land.

I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 84470 on 30 October 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 sections 103 and 104 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating a (a) duty to meet assessed needs and (b) failure to comply requirement on local authorities.

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

National planning policy is already clear that local planning authorities should use a robust evidence base to establish the accommodation needs of travellers; set pitch targets for gypsies and travellers; and identify a supply of specific, deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against these targets. This includes setting clear policy consequences for local planning authorities that cannot demonstrate an up to date five-year supply of sites.

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including proposals relating to traveller sites. The consultation can be found 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 his policy is on densification in urban homebuilding.

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

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including a number of proposals designed to driving urban and suburban densification in sustainable locations. The consultation can be found 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, when his Department plans to consult on proposals to require (a) swift and (b) bat bricks to be incorporated into new buildings.

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

The government recognises that swift bricks are a vital means of addressing the long-term decline of the breeding swift population. While swift brick coverage is increasing, we made clear during the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that we were committed to doing more to drive up swift brick installation.

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including a new policy that would require all developments to include swift bricks into their construction unless compelling technical reasons would prevent their use or make them ineffective.

This is a significant strengthening of expectations already in place and we expect the end result to be at least one swift brick in every new brick built house unless there are legitimate reasons why installation would not be appropriate.

The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how they plan to encourage developers to include swift bricks in new buildings.

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

The government recognises that swift bricks are a vital means of addressing the long-term decline of the breeding swift population. While swift brick coverage is increasing, we made clear during the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that we were committed to doing more to drive up swift brick installation.

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including a new policy that would require all developments to include swift bricks into their construction unless compelling technical reasons would prevent their use or make them ineffective.

This is a significant strengthening of expectations already in place and we expect the end result to be at least one swift brick in every new brick built house unless there are legitimate reasons why installation would not be appropriate.

The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 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 written statement of 18 November 2025, HCWS1062, on Next phase of planning reform, what the geographical distance is around a train station that the policy would apply to; and whether the definition includes (a) Trams, (b) light-rail, (c) Metros and (d) the London Underground.

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

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out how different proposed policies would apply to land around stations, including those that are defined as well-connected and those that are within and outside of settlements.

The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 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 written statement of 18 November 2025, HCWS1062, on Next phase of planning reform, whether the land near train stations would (a) have Green Belt disapplied, (b) be treated as Grey Belt and (c) be treated as brownfield land in the Green Belt.

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

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

The consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out how different proposed policies would apply to land around stations, including those that are defined as well-connected and those that are within and outside of settlements.

The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 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 answer of 15 September 202, to Question HL10015, Planning Permission, and with reference to paragraph 3.25 of the Budget 2025, HC1492, 26 November 2025, in what financial years the funding for the 350 planning officers will be allocated; and whether previous funding for planning officers was for one year only.

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

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026.

At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced a further £48 million of investment over three years to support local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners over a sustained period.

Of this, £28.8 million has been allocated to MHCLG’s Planning Capacity and Capability Programme, equating to £9.6 million additional per year for the next three years. This allocation will supplement existing budgets.

In total, the Programme now aims to deliver around 1,325 planners by the end of this Parliament, significantly exceeding our original manifesto commitment to deliver 300 new planning officers. Wider cross-government recruitment and investment in planning capacity and capability will increase this figure further to approximately 1,400 planners.

The new funding will support both graduate and mid-career entry routes into planning, including by means of expanding the Pathways to Planning Graduate Scheme and establishing a Planning Careers Hub.

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 the Government has had with the EU on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

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

Under the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK meets annually with the European Commission through the Level Playing Field Trade Specialised Committee to discuss the implementation of the Level Playing Field chapter within which Article 391 (non-regression from levels of environmental protection) sits.

Last year’s meeting of the Trade Specialised Committee was held on 15 October. The Trade Partnership Committee also met on the 4 December 2025 under the EU-UK TCA.

At both meetings, the UK provided an overview of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill (now Act) and both parties agreed to ongoing engagement following Royal Assent, where the focus will shift to the implementation of the measures.

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 9 December to Question 96967 on Sports: Facilities, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.

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

The government has no plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local planning authorities to make assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities in their areas (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses), and opportunities for new provision.

Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.

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 9 December, to question 96967 on Sports: Facilities, if he will make an assessment of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.

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

The government has no plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local planning authorities to make assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities in their areas (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses), and opportunities for new provision.

Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.

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 ensure that tenure reform supports continued long-term investment in housing-with-care schemes.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 87630 on 11 November 2025.

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 support leaseholders who are affected by building works in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

My Department has had no discussions with local authorities regarding specific issues affecting leaseholders in the Surrey Heath constituency.

On 4 July, the government published a consultation on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services. The consultation included proposals to reform the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure, increase transparency over service charges and enhance access to redress through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 26 September and we are analysing responses.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities on issues affecting leaseholders in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

My Department has had no discussions with local authorities regarding specific issues affecting leaseholders in the Surrey Heath constituency.

On 4 July, the government published a consultation on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services. The consultation included proposals to reform the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure, increase transparency over service charges and enhance access to redress through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 26 September and we are analysing responses.

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 is to ensure that new homes are built to be flood resilient.

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

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk (whether existing or in the future). Where development is necessary in such areas, the development should be made safe for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere.

The government is consulting on changes to the NPPF, including a dedicated chapter on planning for flood risk and coastal change. The consultation is open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

If it is found to be necessary to build homes in areas of flood risk, statutory guidance accompanying the Building Regulations promotes flood resilient building work in flood-prone areas, through Approved Document C which can be found on gov.uk here. This may include adequate sub-soil drainage; use of non-return valves and anti-flooding devices on sewers and drains; water resistant construction; and provision for inspection and clearance of sub-floor voids.

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 17 November 2025, to Question 87319, and to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58975 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Remote Working, whether his Department holds data on levels of workforce attendance in each of those offices.

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

The Department regularly monitors Office Attendance for its employees and is able to assess utilisation of available capacity in its offices.

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 November 2025 to Question HL11495 on Housing: Construction, whether the net additional dwellings metric will include communal accommodation.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78186 on 20 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 assessment his Department has made of guidance relating to typical household utility costs in (a) retirement and (b) sheltered accommodation in Surrey.

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

The government has made no such assessment.

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 improve the viability of brownfield development in London.

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

The government announced a package of support for housebuilding in London on 23 October, which can be found 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, pursuant to the answers of 15 December 2025 to Questions 98222, 98223, 98224, and 98225, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the accuracy of ICNIRP self-certification declarations submitted by telecommunications operators in respect of public exclusion zones for new and existing masts.

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

My Department does not monitor ICNIRP self-certification.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with operators of housing-with-care schemes on the potential impact of tenure reform on growth in the sector.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 87630 on 11 November 2025.

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 more flood resilient new homes in Leigh and Atherton constituency.

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

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk (whether existing or in the future). Where development is necessary in such areas, the development should be made safe for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere.

The government is consulting on changes to the NPPF, including a dedicated chapter on planning for flood risk and coastal change. The consultation is open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

If it is found to be necessary to build homes in areas of flood risk, statutory guidance accompanying the Building Regulations promotes flood resilient building work in flood-prone areas, through Approved Document C which can be found on gov.uk here. This may include adequate sub-soil drainage; use of non-return valves and anti-flooding devices on sewers and drains; water resistant construction; and provision for inspection and clearance of sub-floor voids.

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 Draft National Planning Policy Framework, published on 16 December 2025, whether it is his policy that green belt land between villages should not be considered of importance when assessing whether proposed development may cause the coalescence of established settlements.

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

The government’s proposed changes to Green Belt policy are set out in Chapter 13 of the consultation ‘National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system’. The consultation is open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found 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, pursuant to the answer of 17 November 2025, to Question 87785, on Planning Permission: Applications, whether (a) supporters and (b) objectors to a planning application proposed by a (i) called-in planning application and (ii) Special Development Order have access to the other representations made before the decision notice by the Secretary of State is published.

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

Post-inquiry representations are listed in the decision letter issued for any called-in planning application and are available on request after the decision is published.

There is no statutory requirement to publish representations received in relation to Special Development Orders.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assumptions on (a) longevity, (b) net immigration, (c) average size of household, (d) birth rate and (e) other factors underpin his Department's assessment of future demand for housing for (i) England and (ii) Hampshire beyond 2040.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. member to the answer given to Question UIN 51190 on 19 May 2025.

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 take legislative steps to ensure that no future election in the UK will be subject to outside interference.

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

The Government takes any attempts to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes, including from foreign interference.

On the 16^th of December, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an independent review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The review will report at the end of March and will inform the forthcoming Elections Bill. This builds on the major reforms announced in the Elections Strategy in July, and the launch last month of the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan to disrupt and deter spying from states.

The Government’s strategy for modern, secure and inclusive elections, published in July, sets out our plan to strengthen oversight of and safeguards against known and emerging threats, including foreign interference through covert political funding. We will deliver a robust and proportionate response to known risks, protecting the integrity of our system and reinforcing public trust in democracy.

This sits alongside the government’s robust toolkit of measures to investigate and disrupt the threat from foreign interference in UK politics. This includes the National Security Act 2023, the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which coordinates work to protect UK political parties, elected officials and the electoral infrastructure, and the Joint Election Security and Preparedness unit, which coordinates work across government to protect UK elections and referendums, and the Online Safety Act which requires services to take steps to remove illegal disinformation content including illegal state-sponsored disinformation in scope of the Foreign Interference Offence.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has met with his French counterparts to consider parallel legislation to prevent outside interference in domestic elections.

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

The Government takes any attempts to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes, including from foreign interference.

We have a robust toolkit of measures including the foreign interference offence and foreign influence registration scheme introduced under the National Security Act 2023, the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which coordinates work to protect UK political parties, elected officials and electoral infrastructure from threats including foreign interference, the Joint Election Security and Preparedness unit, which coordinates work to protect UK elections and referendums, and the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan launched last month to disrupt and deter spying from states.

Additionally, on 16 December the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an independent review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics, led by Philip Rycroft. We will consider how to take forward any recommendations from the review, including through the upcoming Elections Bill.

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 effect of (a) increasing longevity, (b) net immigration, (c) average size of household and (d) other factors on near-term demand for housing in (i) England and (ii) Hampshire.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. member to the answer given to Question UIN 51190 on 19 May 2025.

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 receives and collates Infrastructure Funding Statements by local authorities.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 90718 on 21 November 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consultation the New Homes Taskforce has undertaken on the proposed Adlington New Town.

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

No such Taskforce exists.

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 how planning reforms will affect public consultation and community engagement in planning decisions in the West Midlands.

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

Local planning authorities are required to undertake a formal period of public consultation, prior to deciding a planning application. The proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that the government is currently consulting on will not affect this requirement.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to prevent individuals running social housing from abusing the system for personal gain.

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

Registered providers must meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s economic standards, including the Governance and Financial Viability and Value for Money standards, which require robust governance, internal controls, and management of conflicts of interest to protect social housing assets and prevent misuse for personal gain. All landlords must also meet strengthened consumer standards, notably Transparency, Influence and Accountability, which require openness, fair treatment, and effective complaints handling. The Regulator regulates providers of social housing through monitoring data returns, proactive inspections, and publishing regulatory judgements. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.

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 effectiveness of regulations governing online political advertisements.

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

Under existing regulations, campaigners are required to include an imprint with their name and address on printed and digital campaigning material. Imprint rules play an important role in promoting trust in our democratic process by ensuring voters can clearly see who is behind political campaigning material.

The Government is committed to strengthening our democracy and upholding the integrity of elections. As part of this, we intend to add unregistered third-party campaigning organisations to the list of entities who are required to include a digital imprint on their organic digital campaigning material and extend the Electoral Commission’s remit to be the primary enforcer of all imprint rules.

The Government has no plans at this time to introduce a public database for online political advertisements, but welcome the steps taken by social media companies to create “advert libraries”.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to introduce a database inclduing all published online political advertisements.

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

Under existing regulations, campaigners are required to include an imprint with their name and address on printed and digital campaigning material. Imprint rules play an important role in promoting trust in our democratic process by ensuring voters can clearly see who is behind political campaigning material.

The Government is committed to strengthening our democracy and upholding the integrity of elections. As part of this, we intend to add unregistered third-party campaigning organisations to the list of entities who are required to include a digital imprint on their organic digital campaigning material and extend the Electoral Commission’s remit to be the primary enforcer of all imprint rules.

The Government has no plans at this time to introduce a public database for online political advertisements, but welcome the steps taken by social media companies to create “advert libraries”.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Regulator of Social Housing about the Eldonian Housing Association case; and what steps they intend to take in response.

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

The Regulator of Social Housing operates independently of Government. The department does not routinely discuss ongoing investigations or operational matters with the Regulator.

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 limit online foreign influence in the UK's democracy.

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

It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic processes from both mis- and disinformation and from foreign interference. Any new regulation addressing mis and disinformation must be carefully balanced with the need to protect freedom of expression and the legitimate public debate which is also crucial to a thriving democracy. Since March, the Online Safety Act has required services to take steps to remove illegal disinformation content. Illegal disinformation content includes state-sponsored disinformation in scope of the Foreign Interference Offence, and disinformation aimed at disrupting elections where it is a criminal offence in scope of the regulatory framework. This can include false statements of fact about a candidate’s personal character or conduct and undue influence on voters.

The Defending Democracy Taskforce, which coordinates work to protect UK political parties, elected officials and electoral infrastructure from threats including foreign interference and the Joint Election Security and Preparedness unit coordinates work to protect UK elections and referendums. The Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan launched last month to disrupt and deter spying from states.

The Government’s strategy for modern, secure and inclusive elections, published in July, sets out our plan to strengthen oversight of and safeguards against known and emerging threats, including foreign interference. We will deliver a robust and proportionate response to known risks, protecting the integrity of our system and reinforcing public trust in democracy.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Local Growth Fund 2024/25 has been allocated to the Northern Ireland Executive.

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

The UK Government will invest £45.5 million per annum of the Spending Review period to provide targeted, long-term funding to support local growth across Northern Ireland.

The Local Growth Fund will begin delivery next April, and will be designed and delivered in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive, the Northern Ireland Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

More information on the Local Growth fund in Northern Ireland including the delivery model will be set out soon.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of mobile home occupants on their host community where the former do not have a legal obligation to pay (a) Community Infrastructure Levy or (b) a Section 106 contributions.

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

My Department has made no such assessment.

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 trends in the cost of building materials on house building costs.

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

Construction costs have increased 52% over the past ten years. Prices are now stable, rising only 1% between January 2024 and January 2025.

We are taking urgent action to support housebuilding and meet our mission to build 1.5m homes through bold planning reforms and a record £39bn investment to kickstart social and affordable housebuilding at scale across the country.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister for Housing and Planning on 8 July (HC63621), and with regard to page 26 of the Section 106 agreement for the proposed Chinese embassy, what role, if any, the EU had in the application for the proposed Chinese embassy; and what discussions they have had with the EU about that development.

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

My Department does not comment on live planning cases.

The full reasons for the decision will be set out in the published decision letter.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will review self-regulatory arrangements for retirement housing management.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 68820 on 2 September 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 regulatory and charitable framework governing housing associations that operate shared ownership schemes.

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

The majority of Shared Ownership providers are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. This means that they are required to meet the applicable regulatory standards. These include standards relating to governance and financial viability, alongside relevant consumer standards, including those relating to transparency, influence, and accountability.

Where they are registered charities, not for profit registered providers are also required to adhere to charity law principles, to ensure that their purpose serves the public interest.

As part of the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme, we are placing new expectations on providers to improve the experience of shared owners. These include giving greater consideration to long-term customer affordability, increasing transparency and fairness on costs, and giving customers the ability to opt out of fees for services that are optional.

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 on access to social housing of pre-tenancy checks by housing associations on the ability of households experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 98397 on 17 December 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many households have been refused social housing due to affordability checks; and what alternative affordable housing options are available to those households to help prevent homelessness.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 98397 on 17 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 steps she will take to remove barriers to accessing social housing for those most in need.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 98397 on 17 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 steps he will take to remove barriers to accessing a social home for those most in need.

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

The government has already taken action to remove barriers for those most in need of access to social housing, including exempting former members of the regular armed forces, young care leavers under 25 and victims of domestic abuse from local connection tests.

As announced in the government’s National Plan to End Homelessness on 11 December, we will work with partners to update statutory guidance on social housing allocations to ensure that allocations reflect local need and ensure homes go to those who need them the most.

Found: have continued to work closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG

Found: While MoJ has done some work with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government to understand

Found: closely with the Department of Science Innovation and Technology and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: currently engaged with the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), the National Police Coordination Centre and MHCLG

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

Found: We are currently working closely with MHCLG officials to ensure the legislation is workable and effective

Found: Powell expresses sympathy for the concerns raised, mentions sharing them with the MHCLG, and assures

Found: cross-government meetings including No10, the Cabinet Office, Home Office, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Earlier this year, the Future Homes Standard was established by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the impact of long-term stays in temporary accommodation on (a) children’s physical and mental health and (b) children’s educational outcomes; and what steps they are taking to mitigate any negative effects identified.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Child Poverty Strategy sets out a range of measures to support families in need of temporary accommodation.

The government will end the unlawful placement of families in bed and breakfasts beyond the six-week limit and work with the NHS to end the practice of discharging mothers with newborn babies into bed and breakfasts or other unsuitable housing.

The government will provide £950 million through the fourth and largest round of the Local Authority Housing Fund from April 2026 to deliver up to 5,000 high quality homes for better temporary accommodation by 2030.

A new legal duty will also be introduced for councils to notify schools, health visitors, and GPs when a child is placed in temporary accommodation, so no child is left without support.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will also introduce a clinical code on children in temporary accommodation to improve data collection, with the aim of preventing further deaths caused by gaps in health care provision.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is he taking alongside Cabinet colleagues to increase healthcare provision on new housing estates in West Dorset constituency.

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

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning, which includes planning, securing, and monitoring, general practice services within their health systems through delegated responsibility from NHS England. The National Health Service has a statutory duty to ensure that there are sufficient medical services, including general practice, in each local area. It should take account of population growth and demographic changes.

Local planning authorities are responsible for negotiating and agreeing developer contributions to support necessary associated infrastructure when new housing developments are built. The Department for Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to determine how developer contributions from new housing developments can be better used towards local health services and infrastructure.

As part of the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government has committed to deliver a Neighbourhood Health Centre (NHC) in every community across the country over the course of the plan. We announced our commitment at the Autumn Budget to deliver 250 NHCs through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme. This will deliver NHCs through a mixture of refurbishments to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new-build sites opening in the medium term.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Housing First interventions for people experiencing homelessness on (a) health outcomes and (b) costs to the NHS.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is committed to improving health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support those experiencing homelessness with multiple and complex needs.

The Government published an evaluation of the Housing First pilots, including their impact on health outcomes, a copy of which is attached. However, Housing First is not a Department of Health and Social Care policy, therefore the National Health Service has not undertaken analysis of its effectiveness and costs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the retirement villages sector and the role of specialist older people's housing on the ability of older people to live independently for longer.

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

We are working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the right supply of suitable housing, including specialist older people’s housing.

High quality, safe, and suitable homes can help people stay independent and healthy for longer and reduce the need to draw on health and social care provision.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will conduct a review of local planning and healthcare infrastructure for villages and local hub–type plans, including PFI estates.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Planning regulation and approval is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The National Health Service operates in accordance with published planning guidance.

However, we recognise delivering high-quality NHS healthcare services requires the right infrastructure in the right places. Integrated care boards have developed infrastructure strategies to create a long-term plan for future healthcare estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs.

These strategies help take the existing and future general practice and primary care estate into account when considering how best to deliver local services, including the development of a Neighbourhood Health Service.

Found: 2026 Topics: Local government, Local services and housing Departments: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: The DfT will work with MHCLG to embed the updated Manual for Streets within the planning policy and

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Found: FRANCIS Director of New Towns, Infrastructure and Housing Delivery, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

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Found: deadlines being achieved • regular engagement with partners including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Found: Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have worked closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

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Found: meeting took place last Thursday (27 November) with the Deputy Director, Building Professions Reform at MHCLG

Found: ’ to help investors navigate the UK’s complex planning and skills systems: delivered jointly with MHCLG

Found: regulator time costs. 5 The estimate of non-employment costs is based on analysis provided by MHCLG