Asked by: Andrew George (Liberal Democrat - St Ives)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much public funding has been granted to provide subsidies to holiday homes which have applied for small business rate relief in each year since 2012, broken down by local authority area.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department does not hold data on the amount of small business rates relief that has been granted to businesses that operate as holiday homes.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
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 review the (a) distribution and (b) quantum of local government funding.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement.
We understand that improving how local government is funded is crucial to enabling councils to deliver for local residents and ensuring we can deliver our missions. We will provide councils with more stability and certainty through multi-year funding settlements and by ending wasteful competitive bidding. This will ensure councils can plan their finances for the future properly, delivering better value for money for taxpayers.
We want to hear from councils about the financial challenges they are facing and we are committed to improving the local government finance landscape in this Parliament.
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 steps his Department plans to take to stabilise local authority revenue budgets.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement.
We understand that improving how local government is funded is crucial to enabling councils to deliver for local residents and ensuring we can deliver our missions. We will provide councils with more stability and certainty through multi-year funding settlements and by ending wasteful competitive bidding. This will ensure councils can plan their finances for the future properly, delivering better value for money for taxpayers.
We want to hear from councils about the financial challenges they are facing and we are committed to improving the local government finance landscape in this Parliament.
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, if she will make it her policy to introduce a new planning use class for (a) second homes and (b) short-term lets.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We recognise that whilst short-term lets and second homes can benefit the tourist economy, we need to protect local communities, including ensuring the availability of housing to rent or buy. We are currently considering how best to achieve these aims.
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, if she will make it her policy to allow local authorities to increase Council Tax by up to 500% on second homes.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
From April 2025 councils will have the power to charge a premium of up to 100% on second homes.
Future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement in which we are engaged.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
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 plans to reform council tax.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement in which we are engaged.
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 protect the greenbelt in Maidstone and Malling constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Housing targets are an important tool to ensure housing is delivered in the right places – this is critical in tackling the chronic shortage that the country is facing that means owning a home is a distant reality for much of the public.
We cannot local a generation out of homeownership, we must build the homes the next generation needs.
As set out in the manifesto, the Government will restore mandatory housing targets. We will reverse the damaging changes introduced in December 2023 that undermine our growth ambitions and commitment to delivering 1.5 million homes. We will set out more detail in the forthcoming National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) update.
We will take a brownfield first approach, prioritising the development of previously used land wherever possible and fast-tracking approval of urban brownfield sites.
Brownfield alone will never be enough to build the homes we need– which is why we will look to lower quality ‘grey belt’ land where necessary to meet local housing needs.
By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth.
We are working at pace on various revisions to the NPPF, with a view to public consultation on a new draft Framework in due course.
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 housing targets do not adversely impact the green belt.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Housing targets are an important tool to ensure housing is delivered in the right places – this is critical in tackling the chronic shortage that the country is facing that means owning a home is a distant reality for much of the public.
We cannot local a generation out of homeownership, we must build the homes the next generation needs.
As set out in the manifesto, the Government will restore mandatory housing targets. We will reverse the damaging changes introduced in December 2023 that undermine our growth ambitions and commitment to delivering 1.5 million homes. We will set out more detail in the forthcoming National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) update.
We will take a brownfield first approach, prioritising the development of previously used land wherever possible and fast-tracking approval of urban brownfield sites.
Brownfield alone will never be enough to build the homes we need– which is why we will look to lower quality ‘grey belt’ land where necessary to meet local housing needs.
By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth.
We are working at pace on various revisions to the NPPF, with a view to public consultation on a new draft Framework in due course.
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, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring planning permission for converting permanent accommodation into non-permanent accommodation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We recognise that whilst short-term lets and second homes can benefit the tourist economy, we need to protect local communities, including ensuring the availability of housing to rent or buy. We are currently considering how best to achieve these aims.
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.