Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will review the cost of leasehold tribunal applications.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Most leasehold applications currently attract an application fee of £114. Fees for leasehold applications to the First-tier Tribunal of the Property Chamber are set at levels which recover only part of the cost of the service.

The Government is committed to protecting leaseholders from disproportionate litigation costs. On 26 September 2025, the Government concluded a consultation with proposals to establish exemptions for landlords from seeking tribunal approval to recover litigation costs, permitting temporary suspension of this requirement for specified landlords, and defining the categories of cases in which leaseholders may apply to recover their own litigation costs. The Government is currently analysing responses and will publish the outcome in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to urge fair and transparent legal processes for political prisoners in Pakistan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

While judicial matters are for Pakistan's courts, the UK has consistently emphasised to its counterparts in Pakistan the need for due process, fair trials, and humane treatment for all prisoners. I covered these matters during a wide-ranging discussion with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister when we met in August 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure clear and accessible fire safety regulations for leaseholders and residents in managed buildings.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Article 21A of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes clear that the person responsible for fire safety in blocks of flats must communicate the risks identified in the fire risk assessment to residents (including whenever this is updated) as well as the precautions taken to address these risks. They are not required to share the whole assessment as there is an expectation that they summarise the risks given the potentially technical nature of the assessment.

On 4 July 2025, we launched a wide-ranging consultation on proposals to hold landlords and managing agents to account for the services they provide and the charges and fees they levy. This consultation closed on 26 September 2025, and we are analysing responses.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of free or pro-bono legal support for leaseholders involved in disputes with property management agents or freeholders.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

There are a range of options available for leaseholders involved in disputes with property management agents or freeholders. Advice organisations, such as Citizens Advice and Shelter, may be able to provide advice or signpost to further support, and leaseholders may be able to get support from organisations that specialise in leasehold issues, such as the Leasehold Advisory Service. Alternatively, ombudsman services may be able to provide support with resolving a dispute. Leaseholders may choose to seek pro bono advice via organisations such as LawWorks or Advocate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of profits generated by private care homes in the last three years and (b) potential impact of this has on the funding and sustainability of social care.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Provider profits are a necessary component of any healthy industry and play an important role in attracting investment to the sector. The Department monitors financial health using the Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation, Amortisation, Rent and Management (EBITDARM) margin, a recognised accountancy measurement for businesses with assets and incomes such as care homes. Latest published data is from the Care Quality Commission’s Market Oversight scheme last year and suggests that non-specialist care homes had an EBITDARM margin of 26.9% as of March 2024.

We have provided the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund (MSIF) to local authorities since 2023/24, with one of the three target areas local authorities can spend their allocations on being to improve fee rates to providers. MSIF is designed to support increased adult social care capacity and improve market sustainability.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people.  This includes a duty to work closely with local provider to promote best practice and achieve a sustainable balance of quality, effectiveness, and value for money.

Border violence

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

Union of Agricultural Work Committees in the Occupied West Bank

Palestine Action hunger strike

Habitat regulations

Thanking postal workers

Found: Q458 Abtisam Mohamed: I want to expand on the issue of settlement trade.

Found: and Greg Smith: SEND provision and reform • Baggy Shanker: Town and city centre safety • Abtisam Mohamed

Found: Q395 Abtisam Mohamed: Are they at all levels of the organisation?