Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 17 December 2025 to Question 99606 on Local Government: Essex, whether the existing Police and Crime Commissioners in the devolution priority areas will now serve their full terms until 2028; and in what year will the new combined authority mayors take up the policing powers currently undertaken by the Police and Crime Commissioners.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Home Office Ministers will announce in due course plans for the transfers of PCC functions in the Devolution Priority Programme.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 15 December 2025 to Question 90716 on Asylum: Housing, which local government bodies the Government is currently working with.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is working closely with the Home Office, local authorities and their national membership bodies in addition to devolved partners to develop and deliver a new, more sustainable model for asylum accommodation.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities in Surrey on a directly elected mayor for Surrey.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The introduction of a mayor for Surrey would depend on there being a combined authority across the area, i.e. more than one local authority. It will be for the new councils across the Surrey footprint to set out to the Government how they wish to take forward devolution.
The Government will set out next steps on new devolution agreements, including further mayoralties, in due course.
The Government recognises that Mayoral Strategic Authorities are most successful when they are built on a strong history of partnership and joint delivery. We want to see devolution that is built on strong foundations, with strong unitary structures in place before areas access mayoral devolution.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he discussed Departmental business at the Labour YIMBY awards on 24 November 2025.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State gave a speech on the overall government approach to housing. No other departmental business was discussed at this event.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 (a) planning application success rate and (b) the number of planning appeals being considered by the Planning Inspectorate relating to mansard extensions since the changes in national policy in 2023.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not collect data on planning applications or planning appeals relating specifically to mansard roof extensions.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the submission for a May 2026 election pilot from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets; and whether the Best Value Envoys were consulted on or have reviewed that application.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are currently reviewing applications from local authorities wishing to pilot at the May 2026 elections and we will share further details in due course. An application from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets is not being considered.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 written statement of 11 November 2025, on the Social and Affordable Housing Programme, whether the scheme will support the provision of housing to asylum seekers.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Social and Affordable Homes Programme will not be used to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 oral answer of 24 November 2025, Official Report, on Social and Affordable Housing: South Shields, to the Hon Member for Orpington, what the value of that grant is in each year of this Parliament in real terms expressed in 2024 figures.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 12 November 2025 to Question 87323 on Affordable Housing: Expenditure, how much has been budgeted for the affordable housing programme in 2025-26.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 24 November 2025 to Question 90710 on MHCLG: Glenigan, whether the data received included unbuilt-out planning permissions.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78185 on 20 October 2025.