Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Department's case study entitled Basildon identifies 23 more urban housing sites, published on 21 July 2026, what discussions have taken place with Basildon Borough Council regarding the identified housing sites.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The case study in question is one of nine case studies published to support local planning authorities in using digital tools for site identification and assessment in the preparation of local development plans. It highlights the experience of Basildon Borough Council, one of the authorities funded through the PropTech Innovation Fund to pilot such tools.
Local planning authorities are responsible for identifying suitable land to meet housing and other needs as part of preparing a local development plans, including decisions on the release of Green Belt land and the infrastructure required to support new development.
The findings in the case study are for Basildon Borough Council to consider as part of their plan-making process.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment has been made of the extent to which the Be Ready campaign duplicates existing emergency preparedness communications delivered by local authorities, emergency services, utility providers and other public bodies.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
We have worked with more than five hundred partner organisations across the UK to develop guidance and communications for the Be Ready campaign. These partners include local authorities, emergency services, charities, and businesses, to ensure the Be Ready campaign builds on existing guidance and meets communities’ needs. These partners have signed-up to share messaging within their networks, demonstrating that this guidance is complementary to existing emergency preparedness communications delivered by other organisations.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Department's case study entitled Basildon identifies 23 more urban housing sites, published on 21 July 2026, whether measures are in place to ensure that infrastructure improvements are compulsorily implemented to support development on newly identified additional brownfield sites.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The case study in question is one of nine case studies published to support local planning authorities in using digital tools for site identification and assessment in the preparation of local development plans. It highlights the experience of Basildon Borough Council, one of the authorities funded through the PropTech Innovation Fund to pilot such tools.
Local planning authorities are responsible for identifying suitable land to meet housing and other needs as part of preparing a local development plans, including decisions on the release of Green Belt land and the infrastructure required to support new development.
The findings in the case study are for Basildon Borough Council to consider as part of their plan-making process.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Department's case study entitled Basildon identifies 23 more urban housing sites, published on 21 July 2026, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of identifying additional urban sites on releasing Green Belt land.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The case study in question is one of nine case studies published to support local planning authorities in using digital tools for site identification and assessment in the preparation of local development plans. It highlights the experience of Basildon Borough Council, one of the authorities funded through the PropTech Innovation Fund to pilot such tools.
Local planning authorities are responsible for identifying suitable land to meet housing and other needs as part of preparing a local development plans, including decisions on the release of Green Belt land and the infrastructure required to support new development.
The findings in the case study are for Basildon Borough Council to consider as part of their plan-making process.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government press release entitled Historic council housebuilding comeback to help families into secure homes, published on 24 August 2026, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that areas which do not yet have an Established Mayoral Strategic Authority are not disadvantaged in allocations from the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 1 September 2026 (HCWS299).
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government press release entitled Historic council housebuilding comeback to help families into secure homes, published on 24 August 2026, what discussions have taken place with representatives of Essex County Council, Basildon Council, and Thurrock Council on ensuring that Essex can access housing investment on an equivalent basis to established mayoral areas.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 1 September 2026 (HCWS299).
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government press release entitled Historic council housebuilding comeback to help families into secure homes, published on 24 August 2026, how much funding Essex will receive from the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 1 September 2026 (HCWS299).
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for Essex of the decision to delay the establishment of its Mayor with regards to accessing housing investment funding through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 1 September 2026 (HCWS299).
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's press release entitled Stronger leasehold protections in crackdown on hidden fees, published on 15 July 2026, what guidance will be issued to landlords and managing agents on the format of the new annual building report before the reforms come into force in 2027.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We intend to prescribe a standard annual report form through secondary legislation and provide supporting guidance ahead of implementation.
We will give landlords time to make the required adjustments to their processes and systems ahead of introducing an annual report for leaseholders. Regulations giving effect to these changes will be subject to appropriate assessment of impact.
Where landlords fail to provide a prescribed annual report, leaseholders will be able to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal, who may order that a report is provided and that the landlord pay damages to the tenant.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the government’s response to the ‘strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services: consultation’ which can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's press release entitled Stronger leasehold protections in crackdown on hidden fees, published on 15 July 2026, what estimate has been made of the cost to landlords and managing agents of producing the annual building report required from 2027.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We intend to prescribe a standard annual report form through secondary legislation and provide supporting guidance ahead of implementation.
We will give landlords time to make the required adjustments to their processes and systems ahead of introducing an annual report for leaseholders. Regulations giving effect to these changes will be subject to appropriate assessment of impact.
Where landlords fail to provide a prescribed annual report, leaseholders will be able to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal, who may order that a report is provided and that the landlord pay damages to the tenant.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the government’s response to the ‘strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services: consultation’ which can be found on gov.uk here.