Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of protests being undertaken (1) within the curtilage of the private property of elected representatives' family homes, and (2) within or on top of elected representatives' family homes; and whether they consider those protests to amount to intimidation.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has been clear: harassment and intimidation of elected representatives is never acceptable. Such behaviour undermines our democracy and discourages public engagement.
As Chair of the Defending Democracy Taskforce, the Security Minister is clear – as set out in the Defending Democracy Policing Protocol - that protesting at the homes of elected representatives is unacceptable and should be treated as harassment by the police. The Security Minister has also written to Chief Constables recently, encouraging them to use all powers available to them to tackle the harassment and intimidation of elected representatives.
Under the Taskforce’s renewed mandate, we are reviewing how to strengthen protections and close any legislative gaps, including in the context of protecting public office holders in their private homes. Measures such as the new aggravating factor proposed in the recently published Elections Strategy will provide clearer consequences for behaviour that crosses the line into abuse. The Government also welcomes the important work of the Speaker’s Conference and looks forward to its final recommendations.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Thamesmead Waterfront, Crews Hills and Chase Park new towns compared to the local housing target set for Greater London Authority in July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.
The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Manchester Victoria North new town compared to the local housing target set for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.
The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Tempsford new town compared to the local housing target set for Central Bedfordshire Council in July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.
The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Leeds South Bank new town compared to the local housing target set for Leeds Council in July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.
The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Plymouth new town compared to the local housing target set for Plymouth Council in July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.
The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many more houses will be built as a result of the Milton Keynes new town compared to the local housing target set for Milton Keynes Council in July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 28 September, the Government published the independent New Towns Taskforce’s report and the Government’s initial response.
The Government takes on board the Taskforce’s recommendations to consider the interaction between new towns and housing targets ahead of its fuller response. We want to ensure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have provided on whether the status in the planning system of Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) used by asylum seekers differs from that of other HMOs.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
My Department has not issued any such guidance.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
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
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
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.