Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and Malling)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that infrastructure is improved before housing developments are proposed in the South East.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner.
Local planning authorities are required to plan for infrastructure delivery as part of plan-making and report on their use of developer contributions in Infrastructure Funding Statements.
The Government will keep the provision of local infrastructure under review, including when considering revisions to national planning policy.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the status is of applications submitted to the Community Ownership Fund Round 4 Window 1.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government is committed to the communities sector and community ownership through empowering communities to own and run those local assets which mean the most to them. The English Devolution Bill will empower communities with a strong new ‘right to buy’ beloved community assets, such as empty shops, pubs and community spaces.
We will make further announcements in due course.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to review the effectiveness of the administration of postal votes during the General Election on 4 July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Electoral Commission will publish a report on the administration of the General Election held on 4 July later this year, and the Government will give careful consideration to any findings or recommendations made in the report in relation to the current arrangements for postal voting.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to make a decision about the application to the Community Ownership Fund from Marhamchurch Parish Council in relation to the Hele Valley Trail (application reference COF-EOI-R1-ZBEYTK).
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We will confirm plans on the Community Ownership Fund in due course.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department will set affordable housing targets.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government will reverse the damaging changes to national planning policy introduced in December 2023 and consult on other changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to boost the supply of housing of all tenures, including affordable homes, and support sustainable economic growth. Further details will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has discussed the Laindon Centre with Basildon Council.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Officials at Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, are in dialogue with Basildon Council to discuss where their programmes, capacity and funding may be able to support the Council’s priorities.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the funding required to meet levels of demand for affordable housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are reviewing the Affordable Homes Programme inherited from the last Government, and will make further announcements in due course.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to local authorities of providing temporary accommodation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognises that homelessness has a devastating impact on those affected as well as placing financial strain on councils. Local authorities have reported the mounting costs of providing temporary accommodation. This information can be accessed here.
In 2022 – 23 the net cost to local authorities of providing temporary accommodation (after housing benefit) was £699 million.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to confirm the future of the Housing First pilots in (a) the Liverpool City Region, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) the West Midlands combined authority areas.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is clear that homelessness has a devastating impact on those affected. We want to take a long-term approach and, working with Mayors and councils across the country, we will develop a new cross-government strategy to get us back on track to ending homelessness.
The Government’s spending plans will be set out at the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new towns the Government plans on building.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has committed to delivering the next generation of new towns in partnership with local leaders and communities. We will take steps to ensure they contain high-quality, well-designed, and sustainable homes and the necessary infrastructure, amenities and services to thrive.
Further details on the next generation of new towns will be provided in due course.