Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 15 September (HL Deb cols 1885–88), whether they will provide assurance to private landlords that the cost cap to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will not be raised, and that a higher energy efficiency will not be required.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C by 2030. In the consultation, government set out proposals on maximum spend required from landlords and the exemptions regime to manage the cost burden placed on landlords and the impact on the rental market, whilst still achieving our ambition to deliver significant bill savings for tenants and lift households out of fuel poverty. No final decisions have been made and a government response to the consultation with be published in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much capital funding has been allocated to the first year of the 2026–2036 Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Spending Review 2025 policy paper (which can be found on gov.uk here) sets out that spending on our new £39 billion, 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme (2026-27 to 2035-36) will reach £4 billion per year in 2029-30 and rise in line with inflation subsequently.

As a result government spending on affordable housing investment will almost double by the end of this Parliament.

The government does not usually publish year-by-year spend on specific programmes in advance. We will continue to publish past year’s expenditure figures in the department's Annual Report and Accounts

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the proposed Chinese Embassy development at the Royal Mint in London, whether they have contacted the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to obtain (1) the security statement, and (2) the blast assessment, which were not placed before the planning inquiry.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not comment on live planning cases.

Where potentially relevant additional information is drawn to the Department’s attention during the decision-making process, it is routine for its potential relevance to be assessed, including consideration of whether it is necessary to obtain that information or refer back to parties.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the (1) district council, (2) delayed county council, and (3) existing unitary council, elections scheduled for May 2026 in the Greater Essex area will be cancelled; and if so, whether they will be replaced with (a) a Mayoral Combined County Authority election in May 2026, or (b) a new unitary council election in May 2027.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead, unless there is strong justification. In May 2026, we intend that mayoral elections for new strategic authorities will take place, subject to parliamentary approval for the necessary legislation, alongside those district and unitary elections already scheduled and elections postponed from May 2025. The government will work with areas to hold elections for new unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation. We anticipate elections to new unitary authorities in May 2027.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that political finance law cannot be changed for partisan advantage.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to safeguarding the UK electoral system. As set out in our Elections strategy paper, we are introducing tougher rules on political donations to protect UK elections, striking the right balance between safeguarding against foreign interference while making sure legitimate donors can continue to fund electoral campaigns.

Our reforms build on recommendations from expert stakeholders such as the Electoral Commission and the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Any proposed changes will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny through the Bill process.

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