Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling tenants and residents to pay disputed service charges to the courts while disputes with landlords are being heard.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has not made a specific assessment of the potential merits of paying disputed service charges to the courts while disputes are being heard.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his grey belt policy on Green Belt farmland in London.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 26509 on 5 February 2025 and UIN 67891 on 23 July 2025.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of large-scale commercial events held in public parks in London on local communities, biodiversity, and long-term access to green space; and whether he plans to increase protections for such spaces.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have made no central assessment on the impact of large-scale commercial events held in public parks in London. Whilst we recognise that open and green spaces are an essential part of local social infrastructure and must be protected for future generations, we also recognise that responsibility for funding, managing and maintaining urban parks lies mainly with local authorities. The government is committed to supporting Local Authorities in developing best practice to manage parks and green spaces.
We are consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including policies on areas of high biodiversity value, and a new requirement for local plans to set standards for green infrastructure drawing on the Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework. The consultation on changes to the NPPF will remain open for responses until 10th March 2026.
On protections for these spaces, last year we announced our intention to review existing protections for public recreational green spaces. We will seek to examine and understand the fragmented and outdated nature of current legislative protections, assess how these protections complement those in the planning system, and consider the lack of central records on protected land.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations on council tax in the consultation entitled Modernising and improving the administration of council tax, published on 20 June 2025.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are currently considering all responses to the consultation. The Government will publish its response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to bring almshouse residents’ rights in line with tenants' rights.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The legal position of almshouse residents is that they occupy their homes under a licence rather than a tenancy. The government has no current plans to change this.
Almshouse residents have protections under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.
Where almshouses are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing, they must also deliver the outcomes set out in the regulator's standards. The Tenancy Standard, which can be found on gov.uk here, compels Private Registered Providers to offer tenancies or terms of occupation which are compatible with the purpose of the accommodation, the needs of individual households, the sustainability of the community, and the efficient use of their housing stock.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of applying the Decent Homes Standard to affordable housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Decent Homes Standard already applies to affordable housing managed by registered providers of social housing.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing furnished tenancies in social housing on costs to the public purse.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 2 July, the government opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It seeks views on a range of issues including whether landlords should provide suitable floor coverings in all rooms at the start of every tenancy. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the new Decent Homes Standard will include a requirement that at least 10% of social homes are let as furnished.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 2 July, the government opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It seeks views on a range of issues including whether landlords should provide suitable floor coverings in all rooms at the start of every tenancy. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she will take to tackle the impact of furniture poverty on children in low-income families; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of furnished tenancies in social housing on reducing the impact of furniture poverty.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 2 July, the government opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It seeks views on a range of issues including whether landlords should provide suitable floor coverings in all rooms at the start of every tenancy. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has commissioned research into the potential impact of universal basic income on (a) homelessness rates and (b) housing security.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The government has not commissioned research into the potential impact of universal basic income on homelessness rates and housing security. A universal basic income is not government policy.