Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
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 impact of removing Sport England as a statutory planning consultee on the future provision of playing fields, pitches and community sports facilities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Members to the answers given to Questions UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026, and UIN 112696 on 2 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, how the proposed revised National Planning Policy Framework will protect and enhance playing fields, pitches and community sports facilities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 107478 on 30 January 2026.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 Homes England’s press release entitled Homes England opens bidding for ten year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, published on 24 February 2026, what steps he is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized housing providers are able to access funding under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026–2036.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 115205 on 3 March 2026, UIN 96282 on 10 December 2025, UIN 89351 on 21 November 2025 and UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 Homes England’s press release entitled Homes England opens bidding for ten year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, published on 24 February 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026–2036 on waiting lists for social housing in (a) Basildon, (b) Thurrock and (c) Essex.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 115205 on 3 March 2026, UIN 96282 on 10 December 2025, UIN 89351 on 21 November 2025 and UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 Homes England’s press release entitled Homes England opens bidding for ten year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, published on 24 February 2026, what proportion of new homes delivered through the Social and Affordable Homes programme will be in (a) Essex and (b) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 115205 on 3 March 2026, UIN 96282 on 10 December 2025, UIN 89351 on 21 November 2025 and UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 Homes England’s press release entitled Homes England opens bidding for ten year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, published on 24 February 2026, what steps he is taking to monitor and enforce compliance with the 60% social rent requirement under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026–2036.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 115205 on 3 March 2026, UIN 96282 on 10 December 2025, UIN 89351 on 21 November 2025 and UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps is he taking to support homeowners who can’t get in contact with their leaseholder.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Leaseholders experiencing issues with absent freeholders can access free advice from the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service.
Through the measures in the Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, the government is seeking to reinvigorate commonhold. Commonhold is a modern homeownership structure that does not involve third party ownership and will thereby resolve the challenges associated with absent freeholders. Instead, homeowners will be members of a commonhold association and will enjoy the ability to engage directly with commonhold association directors.
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 steps he is taking to help improve the private rented sector for tenants in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A summary of the measures in the Renters’ Rights Act can be found on gov.uk here and a roadmap for implementation can be found on gov.uk here.
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) already apply in the private rented sector, requiring landlords to ensure their properties meet at least an EPC rating of E. Local authorities have powers to enforce these standards. Under the updated PRS MEES framework, this minimum standard will rise to EPC C by 2030. This change will help tenants benefit from lower energy bills and warmer, healthier homes that are less prone to damp and mould, contributing to reduced fuel poverty.
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 assessment he has made of the potential impact of housing associations’ policies relating to the resale of retirement properties managed by retirement management companies on beneficiaries.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 95245 on 5 December 2025 and UIN 68820 on 2 September 2025.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of staff in his Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department had 3925 payroll active staff on 31st January 26, of these 145 had home working contracts, the remaining 3780 will have office-based contracts. Staff with office-based contracts can work some of the time from home, consistent with the Departments Office Attendance policy and business need. The department remains committed to flexible working and the business benefits that it offers, including supporting the Civil Service priority of ensuring continued, effective and productive delivery of the work carried out by civil servants across our full range of services.