Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to evaluate the success of their homelessness strategy.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are taking a cross-government approach to delivering the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to oversee delivery of our strategy. The Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping works across government to maintain collaboration and assure delivery of the commitments in this strategy. The Group will receive quarterly data updates, tracking progress against the targets. We will also publish reports at least every two years that monitor progress on the implementation of measures set out in this strategy, including our national cross-government targets. Our headline targets include: eliminating the illegal use of B&Bs, halving long-term rough sleeping, and increasing prevention and relief rates.
More comprehensive information can be found in Chapter 7 of the National Plan to End Homelessness.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the supply of transitional accommodation for young people.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation can be found on gov.uk here. As part of this, we sought views on whether the planning system provides appropriate flexibility to support temporary accommodation affordable housing products, such as stepping stone housing, when considering matters such as space standards. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
I also refer the noble Baroness to the answer provided to Question UIN 1861 in the other place on 27 May 2026.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of housing affordability for first-time buyers.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The ONS publishes monthly indicators on house prices in Great Britain, including the average price and average percentage change for first-time buyers (at Worksheet 4):
UK House Price Index: monthly price statistics - Office for National Statistics . In January 2025, (the most recent data from ONS) the average house price for a first-time buyer in Great Britain was £227,000, an annual percentage increase of 5.3%.
The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of homeownership. As well as committing to building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament, we are introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme to support first-time buyers who struggle to save for a large deposit, with lower mortgage costs.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to calculate UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocations from 2026 using a needs-based formula or a population-based formula.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government will set out its long-term vision for local growth beyond 2025-26 at the multi-year spending review in the Spring. This will end the approach of local authorities and MCAs being forced to compete against each other for growth funds; target funding where it is most needed; and empower local leaders to create jobs, improve wages and get Britain building.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
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 26 November (HL2477), what they expect the minimum standards for asset pooling to be in the Local Government Pensions Scheme, and what would be required for the Wales Public Sector Pension Partnership to meet these minimum standards.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is consulting on proposals for Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) asset pools, including the Wales Pension Partnership, to meet the following minimum standards:
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether established pooling arrangements for Welsh local government pension schemes via the Wales Public Sector Pension Partnership will be affected by any efforts to encourage or mandate the pooling of English local government pension funds.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is currently consulting on proposals relating to asset pooling in the Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS) England and Wales. The consultation text can be found at Gov.uk: Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales): Fit for the future - GOV.UK.
The proposals in the consultation apply to both England and Wales. They would require the Wales Pension Partnership to make changes to their pooling model in order to meet the minimum standards for pooling, and for all LGPS assets to be under pool management. The consultation recognises that the Wales Pension Partnership operates within a devolved nation and that it may make sense for the Welsh LGPS administering authorities to continue to operate a separate asset pool.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Khan of Burnley on 23 July (HL Deb col 486), when the review of voter ID will be completed; and when they expect to publish their proposals.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Electoral Commission is the independent electoral regulator and will be reporting on the administration of the May local elections and the recent General Election. We anticipate publication of their initial findings on voter ID in September and their full election report later in the year.
The Elections Act 2022 included a requirement for the Secretary of State to publish an evaluation of the implementation and impact of the Voter ID policy on the next local and next two UK Parliamentary General Elections. Work has already begun on the evaluation of the July 2024 election, and we will publish in due course.
Both of these reports will inform the wider work officials are doing to thoroughly review voter ID.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Khan of Burnley on 23 July (HL Deb col 485), when they intend to extend the voting franchise to 16 and 17 year-olds, and what plans they have to encourage young people to participate in the electoral system.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government will lower the voting age to 16 during this Parliament. This measure will strengthen our democracy and empower young people to participate in it, and we will develop plans for outreach and engagement with the newly enfranchised to encourage them to make the most of their new rights.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Welsh Government about devolving justice and policing.
Answered by Baroness Swinburne
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Welsh Government about devolving broadcasting and communication.
Answered by Baroness Swinburne
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.