Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reallocate any unspent funding previously allocated to the Community Ownership Fund.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Question UIN 23353 on 21 January 2025.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to remove restrictions on short-term lets for residential flats following the provision in the Renters' Rights Bill to introduce periodic tenancies.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have no plans to remove restrictions on short-term lets for residential flats. The Renters’ Rights Bill includes a provision to ensure landlords will not be able to evict tenants simply to turn the property into a holiday let. We are considering what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by short-term lets.
Asked by: Lord Truscott (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many affordable homes were built in 2024; how many are planned for (1) 2025, and (2) 2026; and how many for the duration of the current Parliament.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The number of new affordable housing delivered in England by new build/acquisitions is published here Live tables on affordable housing supply - GOV.UK
We are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. The government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review, which will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent.
In addition, the provision of affordable homes will be supported by our ‘Golden Rules’ for Green Belt development which mean that housing can only be built on Green Belt land if developers deliver high levels of affordable housing. We will also strengthen planning obligations to ensure that new developments provide more affordable homes.
Asked by: Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they are making in amending the criteria against which people rough sleeping are counted so that women are more accurately counted, and so that more appropriate provision can then be made for them.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. We must address this and deliver long term solutions. We recognise that women sleeping on the streets have different experiences and needs to men, particularly relating to experience of violence and abuse, and that services may need to be delivered differently to meet the needs of women.
MHCLG encourages local authorities to consider taking part in the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, led by Solace and Single Homeless Project. The Census collects data on women experiencing rough sleeping or insecure housing and encourages closer collaboration between local support agencies so that more women can be supported into safe accommodation.
The Government will look at these issues carefully as part of our wider work to develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us on back on track to ending homelessness.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace the Community Ownership Fund and support communities to take ownership of public assets at risk of closure.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government remains committed to the communities’ sector and to community empowerment. The Devolution White Paper, which was published on 16 December 2024, set out plans which demonstrate our commitment.
As part of the English Devolution Bill, we will legislate to introduce a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, such as empty shops, pubs and community spaces. This will empower local people to bring community spaces back into community ownership and end the blight of empty premises on our high streets.
Community Right to Buy will help local people acquire valued community spaces if they come up for sale, keeping these assets in the hands of the community.
There will be further announcements relating to communities this year, including on the community ownership of assets.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 page 64 of the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the impact of the (a) abolition of district councils with existing Local Plans, (b) requirement of new unitaries to develop new Local Plans and (c) development of Spatial Development Strategies on the viability of the delivery of the 1.5 million homes target in this Parliament.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where an area is going through local government reorganisation, it is essential that individual local authorities continue to deliver services and statutory duties as these remain unchanged up until such time as the re-organisation process is complete.
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) requires all local planning authorities to identify strategic priorities for the development and use of land in the authority’s area and set out policies to address these in their development plan.
New unitary authorities agree to take on this responsibility when they reorganise, and the government expects to see them playing their part in delivering universal coverage of local development plans as soon as possible.
The production of Spatial Development Strategies will improve housing delivery by facilitating effective cross-boundary cooperation and enabling the most beneficial use to be made of sustainable development sites with the appropriate infrastructure either present or planned.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
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 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, what steps she is taking to help ensure that trees are not damaged during permitted development works.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where development may impact a tree, owners are required to check if the tree is in a conservation area or subject to a Tree Preservation Order. If a tree is subject to either of these, owners are required to obtain the necessary permission to carry out any work in accordance with the relevant legislation.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
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 is taking to help ensure that contractors are not damaging trees during works.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where development may impact a tree, owners are required to check if the tree is in a conservation area or subject to a Tree Preservation Order. If a tree is subject to either of these, owners are required to obtain the necessary permission to carry out any work in accordance with the relevant legislation.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 18 December 2024, to Question 18953, on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, whether 10 Downing Street asked the Deputy Prime Minister to call in the planning application, further to the Prime Minister’s conversation with President Xi on the matter.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 17009 on 6 December 2024.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
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 policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, CP1210, if she will make it her policy to publish regular reports on progress towards the target to fast track at least 150 major infrastructure projects; and what her definition is of a major infrastructure project in this context.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As part of its Plan for Change, the government has committed to making decisions on at least 150 major infrastructure projects within this Parliament. This target is aimed at projects of a certain type and over a certain size as set out under the Planning Act 2008, which are considered by government to be of national importance and therefore should be consented at a national level through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime.
Progress on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project decisions that make up the 150 milestone are publicly trackable on the Planning Inspectorate website which provides information on each project going through the process. We are currently considering how best to summarise and present this information and will announce plans in due course.