Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
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 an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's plans for English Devolution on levels of housebuilding.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, Strategic Authorities will play a central role in the government's long term strategy for delivering housebuilding across England. All Strategic Authorities will be empowered to develop Spatial Development Strategies. These strategies, which identify strategic growth locations and the infrastructure needed to facilitate housing growth, will align housing with infrastructure, prioritise social and affordable housing.
We will also grant Mayors powers to intervene in strategic planning applications to support large-scale housing developments, and to raise a Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy to fund the infrastructure required to unlock housing. Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will receive funding for local priorities through the integrated settlement, and be held to account for local delivery through an outcomes framework.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how (a) local authorities and (b) magistrates’ courts can obtain liability orders under the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where a council tax debt remains outstanding following a final notice, the council may apply to the magistrates court for a liability order confirming this debt. The individual will be issued with a summons to appear before the magistrate’s court. Where the court is satisfied that the amount is payable they will issue a liability order for this debt. Regulations 33 to 36A of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992, set out the processes councils must follow in obtaining a liability order.
The government is currently consulting on modernising and improving the administration of council tax. As part of this it is seeking views on changes to the process for obtaining a liability order, including the time before a council can seek this and the fees involved.
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 Table 5.17 in the Spending Review 2025, CP1336, published on 11 June 2025, whether local government core spending power includes revenue from (a) GLA council tax including police, (b) the Police and Crime Commissioner precept, (c) the fire precept for combined police and fire commissioners and (d) combined authority mayoral precepts with policing powers; and what revenue streams are included in the police core spending power included in Table 5.8 in that document.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local government core spending power includes revenue from the Greater London Authority (GLA) council tax, including the policing element. It also includes the fire precept flexibility for standalone fire authorities, and combined police and fire commissioners. However, it does not include revenue from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) precept or precepts set by combined authority mayors with policing powers.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59321 on 17 June 2025.
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 her Department has made of the adequacy of housing stock in areas of high deprivation in Cornwall.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not routinely assess the adequacy of housing stock in specific areas of high deprivation.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the Department's long-term strategy is for enabling local communities to save valued community assets from deterioration.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through the English Devolution Bill, we are committed to legislate for a ‘right to buy’, giving local people stronger powers to secure and preserve valued community assets if they come up for sale.
We are also committed to regenerating our country’s neighbourhoods. As the chancellor announced at the spending review the government will be supporting communities with funding for up to 350 places. More details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of new funding for (a) adult and (b) children’s social care set out in the Spending Review 2025 will be allocated via (i) existing grant funding streams and (ii) new direct allocations to local authorities.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion available for adult social care in 2028–29 compared to 2025–26. This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and an increase to the NHS’s contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with DHSC’s Spending Review settlement.
Council tax levels and the resulting income for services are decided by local authorities each year. The government maintains a referendum threshold so that voters can have the final say over excessive increases. The Spending Review confirmed the government intends to maintain a 3% referendum threshold, with an additional 2% for the adult social care precept, continuing the policy of the previous government. This will be subject to the annual approval of the House of Commons.
Local Authorities with responsibility for Adult Social Care will also benefit from wider reforms to better align funding with need, multi-year settlements and simplification of the local government funding landscape. My department is currently consulting on these proposals as part of Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation which runs from 20 June to 15 August.
We will work together with local government to ensure that the funding available for adult social care supports delivery of priority adult social care outcomes. Further details on funding allocations and assurance arrangements will be provided at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this year. The provisional Settlement will be subject to consultation, as in previous years.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
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 Spending Review 2025, when the funding for social care will be allocated to local authorities.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion available for adult social care in 2028–29 compared to 2025–26. This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and an increase to the NHS’s contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with DHSC’s Spending Review settlement.
Council tax levels and the resulting income for services are decided by local authorities each year. The government maintains a referendum threshold so that voters can have the final say over excessive increases. The Spending Review confirmed the government intends to maintain a 3% referendum threshold, with an additional 2% for the adult social care precept, continuing the policy of the previous government. This will be subject to the annual approval of the House of Commons.
Local Authorities with responsibility for Adult Social Care will also benefit from wider reforms to better align funding with need, multi-year settlements and simplification of the local government funding landscape. My department is currently consulting on these proposals as part of Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation which runs from 20 June to 15 August.
We will work together with local government to ensure that the funding available for adult social care supports delivery of priority adult social care outcomes. Further details on funding allocations and assurance arrangements will be provided at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this year. The provisional Settlement will be subject to consultation, as in previous years.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of social cohesion and societal and democratic resilience in the UK; and what indicators they are using to measure cohesion and resilience.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is leading cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues. This will include further consideration of how to effectively measure social cohesion.
The Defending Democracy Taskforce, chaired by the Security Minister, has a mandate to safeguard our democratic institutions and processes from the full range of threats, and the Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit is an enduring function that coordinates election security efforts across Government.
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 what steps they are taking to safeguard value for money in public expenditure in respect of monies disbursed through the Towns Fund to Peterborough City Council for the construction of climbing wall facilities at Gunwade Lake.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Peterborough City Council (PCC) as the accountable body for the Peterborough Town Deal has responsibility for ensuring that specific projects, such as the Activity Centre project at Gunwade Lake, represent good value for money, in line with the conditions of their grant funding allocation.
MHCLG undertake regular monitoring of the delivery progress of the Town Deal which is used to inform any future payments.
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, who will cover the duties of the Minister for Housing and Planning whilst he is on jury service.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Duties will be shared amongst the MHCLG Ministerial team when required. As with all departmental business, the Secretary of State maintains overall responsibility for the work of the department