Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68504 on Visas: Families, what her Department's timetable is for responding to the report by the Migration Advisory Committee entitled Family Route: Financial Requirements Review, published June 2025.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

On 10 June the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published their independent review of the financial requirements across the family routes. The report is now under review and we will respond in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of (a) trends in the level of houses in multiple occupation and (b) the potential impact of those trends on local communities.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent.

Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) through ‘Article 4’ directions.

In addition to the mandatory licensing of large HMOs, local areas can also choose to require smaller HMOs to be licenced to ensure such properties are safe and well managed, and that the character of local communities are protected.

Local authorities have robust powers to ensure landlords of HMOs comply with all relevant regulations. This includes powers to issue civil penalties, prosecute landlords and obtain banning orders.

No recent assessments of the trends in the level of HMOs, or of the potential impacts of these trends on local communities, have been made.

The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to improve the regulation of private rented sector properties, including HMOs, and drive-up standards within the sector. This includes a Decent Homes Standard and new enforcement powers for local authorities.

My Department will continue to engage with local authorities on a range of local issues, including matters relating to HMOs and we will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the number of Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman complaints which are upheld.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is independent of Government, and the Cabinet Office does not centrally keep records of, or track all, the recommendations made by the PHSO (including those upheld).

The PHSO’s investigation reports and recommendations are directed to relevant departments and Arms Length Bodies. The PHSO however does publish complaints data annually, for 2024-25, please find this here: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/organisations-we-investigate/annual-data-complaints

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has to review the framework for complaints handling by departments.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) - which is independent of Government - launched a new set of cross-Government complaint standards in October 2022, with the aim of making complaint processes quicker, easier and to help organisations learn from complaints.

The Cabinet Office supports the PHSO in disseminating its standards across Government.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September to Question 75141 on Multiple Occupation, if his Department will undertake such an assessment.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has no current plans to undertake such an assessment. We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review, including whether an assessment of trends in the level of HMOs and the potential impacts of these on local authorities is needed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the efficacy of the regulatory framework for the health and wellness sector.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has not made a recent assessment of the efficacy of the regulatory framework for the health and wellness sector.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has to meet with representatives of (a) museums and (b) galleries to discuss the potential impact of proposals for the implementation of a new subscription contracts regime on those organisations.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My department has regularly engaged with representatives from museums and galleries during the consultation on the implementation of the subscription regime (Consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime - GOV.UK). We are carefully considering the points they have raised about the impact of the proposals and will continue to engage closely with the sector.

Found: 37 of 45 (82.2%) Phil Brickell (Labour, Bolton West) (added 16 Dec 2024) 28 of 36 (77.8%) Dan Carden

Found: Aphra Brandreth (Conservative; Chester South and Eddisbury) Phil Brickell (Labour; Bolton West) Dan Carden