Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Local Government organisations on the administration of Selective Licensing schemes and how learnings from those schemes are informing development of the PRS database.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Selective licensing schemes and the Private Rented Sector Database have entirely different purposes. Unlike the Database, individual selective licensing schemes enable more intensive proactive enforcement strategies to address specific local issues.
My Department has engaged extensively with local authorities in respect of the development of the Database. We are considering all relevant insights they have provided, including their experience of administrating selective licensing schemes. We will review any learnings from this engagement as we finalise the design of the service and refine the way the two systems work together.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department has made in undertaking a viability assessment for the use of (a) an alternative body and (b) a mechanism to make initial rent determinations in cases of Section 13 rent appeals.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Officials in my Department engage regularly with a range of stakeholders, including officials working in Rent Services Scotland.
Subject to a final viability assessment, the government intends to establish an alternative body or mechanism to the First-tier Tribunal to make initial rent determinations. We will confirm further details in due course.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
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 the cumulative costs associated with the RRA on the new PRS supply.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the Question UIN 108214 on 3 February 2026.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
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 need for the PRS database to allow block-registrations to accommodate large-scale landlords.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is considering how data might be collected with a view to minimise administrative requirements on private landlords.
I refer the hon. Member to the roadmap for implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025 published on 13 November 2025 which can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
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 had discussions with his Scottish counterpart on the experience of Rent Services Scotland to inform the development of (a) an alternative body and (b) mechanism to make initial rent determinations in cases of Section 13 rent appeals.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Officials in my Department engage regularly with a range of stakeholders, including officials working in Rent Services Scotland.
Subject to a final viability assessment, the government intends to establish an alternative body or mechanism to the First-tier Tribunal to make initial rent determinations. We will confirm further details in due course.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of preserving the Turkish European Communities Association Agreement pathway from proposed changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain in the Earned Settlement policy.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Following the end of the EU exit transition period on 31 December 2020, the UK is no longer obliged to provide preferential treatment to Turkish nationals on the basis of the European Communities Association Agreement (ECAA).
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ (CP 1448), was consulted on between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
In the meantime, Appendix ECAA: Extension of Stay and Appendix ECAA Settlement will continue to apply.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will maintain the five-year settlement period for legacy Turkish European Communities Association Agreement holders.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Following the end of the EU exit transition period on 31 December 2020, the UK is no longer obliged to provide preferential treatment to Turkish nationals on the basis of the European Communities Association Agreement (ECAA).
The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ (CP 1448), was consulted on between 20 November 2025 and 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement. Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.
In the meantime, Appendix ECAA: Extension of Stay and Appendix ECAA Settlement will continue to apply.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the the value for money of the Loan Charge.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge.
The Government accepted the review’s conclusion that the loan charge was an extraordinary piece of Government policy which necessitated an exceptional response, and is now legislating a new settlement opportunity that will assist those who have not yet settled to do so.
As a result, most individuals could see reductions of at least 50% in their outstanding loan charge liabilities, and an estimated 30% of individuals could have these liabilities written off entirely. To encourage more people to settle, the Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities in addition to the proposals put forward by Ray McCann.
The Government’s response to the review represents a fair and proportionate attempt to provide a route to resolution for those who have not yet been able to settle with HMRC. In turn, this requires those individuals to now come forward and engage with HMRC in good faith.
Tax avoidance deprives the Exchequer of funds needed to deliver vital public services and it is right that resources are targeted to stop this. There are no plans to apply the review’s recommendations beyond those individuals and employers with outstanding liabilities that were the focus of the review.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering the same terms to be given to those facing the Loan Charge to those who have previously settled with HMRC.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge.
The Government accepted the review’s conclusion that the loan charge was an extraordinary piece of Government policy which necessitated an exceptional response, and is now legislating a new settlement opportunity that will assist those who have not yet settled to do so.
As a result, most individuals could see reductions of at least 50% in their outstanding loan charge liabilities, and an estimated 30% of individuals could have these liabilities written off entirely. To encourage more people to settle, the Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities in addition to the proposals put forward by Ray McCann.
The Government’s response to the review represents a fair and proportionate attempt to provide a route to resolution for those who have not yet been able to settle with HMRC. In turn, this requires those individuals to now come forward and engage with HMRC in good faith.
Tax avoidance deprives the Exchequer of funds needed to deliver vital public services and it is right that resources are targeted to stop this. There are no plans to apply the review’s recommendations beyond those individuals and employers with outstanding liabilities that were the focus of the review.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of people who will settle their disguised remuneration liabilities as a result of the McCann Review into Loan Charge settlement terms.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge.
The Government accepted the review’s conclusion that the loan charge was an extraordinary piece of Government policy which necessitated an exceptional response, and is now legislating a new settlement opportunity that will assist those who have not yet settled to do so.
As a result, most individuals could see reductions of at least 50% in their outstanding loan charge liabilities, and an estimated 30% of individuals could have these liabilities written off entirely. To encourage more people to settle, the Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities in addition to the proposals put forward by Ray McCann.
The Government’s response to the review represents a fair and proportionate attempt to provide a route to resolution for those who have not yet been able to settle with HMRC. In turn, this requires those individuals to now come forward and engage with HMRC in good faith.
Tax avoidance deprives the Exchequer of funds needed to deliver vital public services and it is right that resources are targeted to stop this. There are no plans to apply the review’s recommendations beyond those individuals and employers with outstanding liabilities that were the focus of the review.