Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 carried out an impact assessment of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites, including the effect on the number of homes delivered through section 106 planning obligations.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes.
However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu.
My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally.
However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites on the delivery of housing in rural areas.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes.
However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu.
My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally.
However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what fiscal steps he is taking to support the community ownership of assets in Surrey.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is empowering communities to protect and take ownership of valued local assets through the new Community Right to Buy. This will give communities the first opportunity to purchase a registered asset of community value when it is put up for sale by its owner.
In addition, our £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme is supporting 284 of the most in-need areas with funding to support a range of local activities, including restoring or taking ownership of assets they value. The Pride in Place Impact Fund will also provide up to £150 million of funding to 95 places to support the development of community spaces, public space and to revitalise local high streets.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 prevent children from sleeping rough.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 121467 on 24 March 2026.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 support and protect supported housing provision.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given the Question UIN 123120 on 26 March 2026.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the cost-savings to residents of the requirement of new homes to be fitted with heat pumps.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Future Homes Standard (FHS) has now been published and will come into force on 24 March 2027. The Impact Assessment for the FHS does not isolate the savings attributable to heat pumps alone, as it considers the overall performance of homes built to the FHS rather than individual technologies in isolation. Compared to a typical existing home with an EPC rating of C, homes built to the FHS could save families up to £830 a year on their energy bills. These estimates reflect the combined impact of much higher fabric efficiency, low‑carbon heating such as heat pumps and, in most cases, on‑site renewable electricity generation such as solar PV.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 people experiencing homelessness are able to access social housing.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation, including through the new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. As set out in our National Plan to End Homelessness, we will work with partners to update statutory guidance on social housing allocations to ensure that allocations reflect local need and effectively support vulnerable households.
Where joint working is not operating effectively, we will consider levers to require social housing landlords to rehouse statutory homeless households referred by the council, including legislating if necessary.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 improve community cohesion.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 9th March, MHCLG published Protecting What Matters. This is a cross-Government action plan that sets out the initial steps government will take to improve social cohesion. The publication aims to create confident, cohesive, and resilient communities. Protecting What Matters contains policy aimed at building bridges, bringing people together and combatting those seeking to radicalise and create division.
This is in addition to the government’s Pride in Place Strategy which aims to build stronger communities across the UK. Neighbourhoods in Derry-Londonderry and Coleraine are part of the transformational £5.8bn Pride in Place programme which will bring people together and restore a of local pride. We will continue to work with the devolved governments to align priorities across governments and support social cohesion in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
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 financial pressure placed on local authorities by the rising cost of temporary accommodation provision.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is providing £3.6 billion funding for homelessness services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including more than £2.2 billion for local authorities to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant, as well as £969 million for temporary accommodation within the Revenue Support Grant. You can find local authority level allocations on gov.uk here.
We published our national strategy, A National Plan to End Homelessness, in December 2025. You can find our plan to tackle homelessness on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 reduce homelessness in West Berkshire.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is providing £3.6 billion funding for homelessness services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including more than £2.2 billion for local authorities to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant, as well as £969 million for temporary accommodation within the Revenue Support Grant. You can find local authority level allocations on gov.uk here.
We published our national strategy, A National Plan to End Homelessness, in December 2025. You can find our plan to tackle homelessness on gov.uk here.