Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether, under the Devolution Framework, non-mayoral Foundation Strategic Authorities can receive any form of consolidated multi-year settlement.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The devolution framework in the English Devolution White Paper commits to a simplified funding landscape for Mayoral and Foundation Strategic Authorities.
Foundation Strategic Authorities receive a single allocation from the Adult Skills Fund to support education and training for adults aged 19 and above. Foundation Strategic Authorities will also have their transport funding consolidated. Places will be held accountable through a transport-specific accountability framework with a proportionate outcomes framework and metrics. The Government is also committed to providing areas with certainty over the entirety of the Spending Review period. The Local Authority Bus Grant ended the short-term approach to bus funding and gives councils the certainty they need to plan ahead.
The White Paper also set out a clear and transparent pathway to unlocking higher levels of devolution reserved for the most mature institutions, including access to the Integrated Settlement for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will consider commissioning a piece of work to review all the existing evidence on the return of funding for parks and green spaces to support central and local government in prioritising funding decisions on parks.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We commissioned Keep Britain Tidy to conduct a rapid evidence review on the returns on investment for parks funding, using a combination of up MHCLG programme budget and underspend from the Green Flag Award. There is substantial evidence outlining the investment benefits of parks and green spaces. However, no research to date has brought this evidence together, therefore MHCLG commissioned this research to assess the return on investment for every £1 of funding provided to parks to achieve these benefits.
Researchers conducted a literature review, followed by consulting experts within the parks sector to bring together evidence. The report finds cost savings from investing in parks by reducing healthcare costs, aiding climate change mitigation, boosting local business and reducing crime. For example, the report finds evidence of cost savings between £8.50 and £30.30 for every £1 invested in parks as a result of reducing healthcare costs.
The review also addresses the lack of up to date, reliable data. In highlighting this, the report makes a case for further, comparable research projects in this field to be undertaken. This lack of evidence is also a factor affecting the ability of the report to provide specific parks investment recommendations. The report highlights that in addressing these issues surrounding the available evidence, a clearer understanding of the return for every £1 invested in parks can be attained.
Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in light of his letter to Cornwall Council stating that he is minded, on an exceptional basis, to explore designating the council as a Single Foundation Strategic Authority, whether the Authority would receive a consolidated multi-year funding settlement as described in the Integrated Settlement framework.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The English Devolution White Paper set out a clear and transparent pathway for areas to be designated as Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities, and thereby become eligible for an Integrated Settlement.
Any future designation of Cornwall Council as a Single Foundation Strategic Authority would mark the beginning of its journey through the devolution framework, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation.
The Government is separately investing in Cornwall’s economic opportunities with a new 'Kernow Industrial Growth Fund' announced by the Chancellor at Autumn Budget 2025. This fund delivers on the Industrial Strategy’s commitment to harness regional strengths. It will provide £30 million over 2026-27 and 2027-28 to Cornwall Council, to invest in Cornwall's sectoral advantages such as critical minerals, renewable energy and marine innovation, subject to business cases. This builds on the Government’s recent £28.6 million National Wealth Fund investment in Cornish Metals, signalling a clear commitment to unlock Cornwall’s potential as a clean growth powerhouse.
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, Further to the written statement of 4 December 2025, HCWS1128, on Devolution Priority Programme, whether the (a) Electoral Commission or (b) Labour Party were (1) consulted or (2) informed of the decision to cancel the scheduled mayoral elections in May 2026.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has announced that it is minded to hold the inaugural mayoral elections for Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Greater Essex in May 2028, with areas completing the local government reorganisation process before Mayors take office. This decision has been taken because devolution is strongest when it is built on strong foundations. The Government intends to establish Mayoral Strategic Authorities via secondary legislation for all the Devolution Priority Programme areas as soon as possible, subject to the councils’ consent.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of social housing tenants in London are not in work.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
My Department collects data on the economic activity of households by tenure in England, through the English Housing Survey, which can be found in Annex table 1.3 (attached) here English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: headline findings on demographics and household resilience - GOV.UK.
In England, 59% of social rented households had a household reference person (HRP) who was not in work. Of all social rented households 1% of HRPs were in full-time education, 7% were unemployed, 26% were retired and 25% were ‘other inactive’, a group that includes those with a long-term illness or disability and those who were looking after the family or home.
Asked by: Baroness Eaton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide the Valuation Tribunal for England with additional resources to deal with further tribunals following the introduction of the high value council tax surcharge.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
MHCLG sponsors and funds the Valuation Tribunal for England (VTE). The Department keeps the VTE’s funding under review to ensure it can respond to any appeals within the local tax system. Any additional burdens that result from new taxes will need to be funded. The government will consult on the design and operation of the High Value Council Tax Surcharge early in 2026.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the government of China or its planning agents have submitted the full unredacted internal drawings for the proposed Chinese embassy.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Planning Inspector's Report was received by the Department on 10 June.
Following careful analysis of the report, the Secretary of State referred back to parties on a number of matters, including the redacted drawings, on 6 August. The reference back process is on-going.
Full reasons for the decision and a list of post-inquiry representations will be set out in the final decision letter.
Asked by: Lord Colgrain (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many houses have been built in the UK since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government does not collect data on UK-wide housebuilding as housing is a devolved matter.
The Department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which includes an estimate of the number of net additional dwellings in England since the start of parliament on 9th July 2025, and can be found (attached) on gov.uk here.
This estimate is also updated each quarter in the quarterly release series entitled ‘Housing supply: indicators of new supply, England’, available (attached) on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Earl of Lytton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 28 November (HL11998), what is their latest estimate for the total number of mid-rise residential buildings in England.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are an estimated 39,000 - 59,000 mid-rise (between 11m and 18m in height) residential buildings in England. A description of the methodology for the estimate can be found in the technical note that accompanies the monthly remediation data release. It can be found (attached) here: Building Safety Remediation: Technical note October 2025 - GOV.UK
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to compulsorily purchase substandard housing in England and bring it to an acceptable standard for occupation.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has no plans to compulsorily purchase substandard housing in England directly. However, it has included measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to improve and speed-up how authorities can take possession of substandard housing through compulsory purchase.
The Bill also makes the home loss payments regime fairer in relation to the compulsory purchase of substandard housing.