Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the establishment of additional Agricultural Water Abstractor groups.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government continues to encourage the establishment and strengthening of Water Abstractor Groups (WAGs). These groups bring together abstractors within a catchment to share information, coordinate abstraction and increase agriculture’s input into local, regional and national planning, in particular informing regional water resources groups’ planning. Funding from Defra for the Regional Groups to improve agricultural water resources planning has helped increase the number of WAGs from 8 to 14, with a further three forecast for 2026/27.

Defra & the Environment Agency have supported the production of booklets on how to form WAGs.

Defra Farming are also offering a new Farming Collaboration fund which is open to new and existing groups for funding to support sharing expertise, stronger bargaining power and better business resilience all of which are shared aims of WAGs.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to expand the use of dynamic abstraction licensing to support water resource management across catchments.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is taking steps to move towards a more dynamic abstraction licensing system.

The Environment Agency (EA) supports innovative approaches to abstraction that ensure the rights of other abstractors are protected, while safeguarding the environment. Defra and the EA are facilitating an MHCLG Cambridge Growth funded trial of smart agricultural abstraction in East Anglia this year. The trial will use new technologies to monitor water flows and abstraction, maximising water availability. The EA are also developing digital systems to enable more responsive abstraction management. The Government plans to bring abstraction and impoundment regulation into the Environmental Permitting Regulations, providing a more flexible legislative framework.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the duration of abstraction licences for farms.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Time limits are a legislative requirement for abstraction licences. The Environment Agency (EA) issues licences with time limits from 6 to 18 years in line with its approach to managing water abstraction. Applicants can apply for a long duration licence for up to 24 years. The EA are reviewing the criteria to make it easier to apply for a long duration licence. The Government plans to move abstraction and impoundment regulation into the Environmental Permitting Regulations to improve how we use water resources; new permits will be issued without time limits.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has for future rounds of the Water Management Grant.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra recognises the importance of improving on farm water resilience and efficiency, particularly given the increasingly dry conditions. Defra officials are reviewing lessons from previous rounds of the Water Management Grant, drawing on stakeholder feedback and considering how any future offer might be streamlined. Future arrangements for the grant are being considered, any updates will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support research to identify a cure for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and invests over £1.8 billion a year on applied health and care research. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and clinical trials for therapeutics. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Since 2002, the NIHR has made available over £43 million of funding for research to address key evidence gaps on variant CJD including the development of a treatment for variant CJD, a diagnostic test for sub-clinical variant CJD, and decontamination of surgical instruments.

Recognising the devasting impact of CJD on patients and their loved ones as well as the current lack of a treatment, Department officials met with the Director of the Medical Research Council’s Prion Unit in October 2024 to discuss possible clinical trials for a candidate therapeutic, namely prion protein monoclonal antibody therapy, for CJD. The researchers were advised to explore the NIHR Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme as a route of funding.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department holds data or evidence indicating that Section 43 (5) of the Finance Act 1996 causes compliance issues or unintended outcomes.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the annual tonnage of Air Pollution Control Residues used as a stabiliser to dehydrate dredgings under Section 43 (5) of the Finance Act 1996.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the tonnage of Air Pollution Control Residues committed to non- landfill treatments in the most recent year for which data is available.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the surplus market capacity within non-landfill treatment sites for the processing of additional Air Pollution Control Residues.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the tonnage of Air Pollution Control Residues committed to landfill in the most recent year for which data is available.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what projection she has made of the annual tonnage of Air Pollution Control Residues arising from energy from waste plants by 2030.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration she has given to amending Section 43 (5) of the Finance Act 1996 such that materials added for the purposes of dehydrating dredgings are subject to the lower rate of landfill tax.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the annual tonnage of Air Pollution Control Residues arising from energy from waste plants.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Following last year’s consultation on reforms to Landfill Tax, at Budget 2025 the Government announced it would remove stabilisers from the exemption for dredged material from April 2027. This reform will encourage businesses to limit the amount of stabilisers used to the amount necessary and incentivise alternative recycling techniques.

Throughout the consultation period and subsequently, the Government engaged with a range of stakeholders from key sectors and has carefully reviewed evidence presented to assess the impact on the market for Air Pollution Control Residues (APCr).

Eligibility for the lower rate of Landfill Tax is set out in the Qualifying Material Order and accompanying guidance; hazardous materials such as APCr are not eligible for the lower rate.

Draft legislation was published for consultation at Legislation Day on 13 July to implement the removal of the exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 and the Government welcomes views from stakeholders on the draft legislation by 7 September.

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 potential merits of introducing Enhertu for use in the NHS.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Basildon and East Thurrock on 29 June 2026 to Question 11564.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with AstraZeneca and Diiachi Sankyo on making Enhertu breast cancer drugs viable for introduction to the NHS.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Basildon and East Thurrock on 29 June 2026 to Question 11564.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to make Enhertu breast cancer drugs available to the NHS.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Basildon and East Thurrock on 29 June 2026 to Question 11564.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support increased on-farm water storage capacity to capture high winter flows for use during periods of lower water availability.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government encourages the use of reservoirs to store high winter flows. The Environment Agency (EA) have committed to review its approach to abstraction at high flows and its approach to long duration licences.

We are also taking the following measures to support the development of new on farm reservoirs to capture high-flow water after heavy rainfall:

• The EA supported Water Resources East to create a leaflet to help farmers developing on-farm storage.
• Our Local Resource Options studies are enabling small groups of farmers and growers to identify future water resilience projects in their areas including irrigation reservoirs.
• Defra officials are also working closely with MHCLG to clarify planning practice for permitted development rights to support the creation of on farm reservoirs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what contingency measures HM Revenue and Customs has developed in the event that the digital duty stamp system for vaping products is not fully operational by 1 October 2026.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Vaping Products Duty and the Vaping Duty Stamp scheme will be fully operational on 1 October 2026. Recognising industry feedback that some businesses may struggle to implement all of the changes required on day one of the scheme, HMRC has recently decided to extend the "transitional stamp" arrangements of the scheme for an additional three months.

This means businesses who are not ready to use the full digital features of the scheme, can instead use a highly secure stamp without digital elements until the end of the year. This will support legitimate businesses to meet their legal requirements. The full digital scheme will be in operation for businesses who are ready to integrate with it.

Every new vaping product must be duty paid and must carry either a transitional stamp or a digitally enhanced stamp from 1 October.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HM Revenue and Customs plan to issue retailer-facing guidance on their requirements under the vaping products duty stamp scheme.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

HMRC published retailer-facing guidance on 9 July 2026.

The guidance explains what is required of both retailers and wholesalers for Vaping Products Duty and the Vaping Duty Stamps scheme. Retailers can find this guidance by searching “Handling wholesale or retail vaping products in the UK” on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 15445 on Department of Health and Social Care: Public Expenditure, if she will set out which capital programmes have been identified as having flexibility for the redeployment of capital funding; and whether she will provide a breakdown of any such programmes with reference to the capital spending allocations for (a) NHS Providers (net) and (b) DHSC Programme and Administration expenditure shown under Voted Expenditure on page 45 of the Central Government Supply Estimates 2026–27.

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

Capital budgets are managed flexibly within the Department's overall capital expenditure limits to maximise delivery against agreed priorities and outcomes.

The Department does not routinely identify specific programmes in advance for the redeployment of capital funding. Decisions are taken in-year based on delivery performance, emerging pressures, and departmental priorities. Where there is a need to reprofile expenditure between financial years, this must be considered and agreed with HM Treasury through the Supplementary Estimates process.

The Central Government Supply Estimates set out the budgets approved by Parliament, including the net budget for NHS Providers and the Department’s Programme and Administration expenditure. The Department has no plans to publish any additional breakdown beyond that information.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending permitted development rights for agricultural reservoirs.

Answered by Mary Creagh

Reservoirs are reasonably necessary for agricultural purposes and can already be developed under an existing Permitted Development Right. We recognise that navigating planning flexibilities can be challenging, therefore we intend to update the relevant Planning Practice Guidance in the coming months with additional guidance to make it easier for farmers to utilise the Permitted Development Right in practice.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of HM Revenue and Custom’s readiness to implement the vaping products duty stamp scheme on schedule.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

The Government is introducing Vaping Products Duty and the Vaping Duty Stamps scheme to make vaping less accessible to young people and non-smokers, while raising revenue to support vital public services, including the NHS and smoking cessation initiatives. The Vaping Duty Stamps scheme will provide HMRC with greater oversight of the vaping market and strengthen its ability to target fraud and criminality.

HMRC remains confident that both the Vaping Products Duty and the Vaping Duty Stamps scheme will go live on 1 October 2026.

However, recognising industry feedback that some businesses may struggle to implement all of the changes required by then, HMRC has recently decided to extend the "transitional stamp" arrangements of the scheme for an additional three months.

This means businesses who are not ready to use the full digital features of the scheme can instead use a highly secure stamp without digital elements until the end of the year. This will support legitimate businesses to meet their legal requirements. The full digital scheme will be in operation for businesses who are ready to integrate with it.

Every new vaping product must be duty paid and must carry either a transitional stamp or a digitally enhanced stamp from 1 October.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she intends to consult on phasing out the use of farrowing crates for sows.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given the hon. Member for Bolton South and Walkden, Yasmin Qureshi, on 10 July 2026, PQ UIN15938.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her department has made on the effectiveness of farrowing crates for sows in rearing piglets.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government’s animal welfare strategy sets out that ending the use of farrowing crates is a key priority. The evidence around farrowing crates and piglet mortality is complex. Farrowing crates can reduce the risk of piglet crushing, but they also restrict sow movement, preventing her from turning around and performing normal behaviours such as mothering. The effects on overall piglet mortality can vary between housing systems and management practices. When we consult on a transition out of farrowing crates, we will include an assessment of piglet mortality rates for different options.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her department has made of the potential impact of farrowing crates on piglet mortality rates.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government’s animal welfare strategy sets out that ending the use of farrowing crates is a key priority. The evidence around farrowing crates and piglet mortality is complex. Farrowing crates can reduce the risk of piglet crushing, but they also restrict sow movement, preventing her from turning around and performing normal behaviours such as mothering. The effects on overall piglet mortality can vary between housing systems and management practices. When we consult on a transition out of farrowing crates, we will include an assessment of piglet mortality rates for different options.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support will be available for pig producers to transition to free farrowing systems.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is committed to working closely with the industry to explore how to transition away from the use of farrowing crates to alternative systems.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the comparative costs of transitioning from farrowing crates to (a) temporary crating systems and (b) free farrowing systems, and if she will ask the Animal Welfare Committee to consider the relative animal welfare outcomes of each system.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As stated in the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government wants to work with the industry so that it ends the use of pig farrowing crates. There will be a consultation on transitioning to alternative systems which will include an assessment of the costs and benefits. The Animal Welfare Committee’s predecessor, the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, produced an Opinion on Free Farrowing in 2015 which considered conventional farrowing crates and alternative systems.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the longest recorded time is for a complaint currently being handled by the Housing Ombudsman.

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

The average waiting time for cases handled by the Housing Ombudsman in each of the last five financial years is:

Determined Cases Average Months to Determine

2021/22 2,238 5

2022/23 2,371 6

2023/24 4,908 11

2024/25 6,115 7

2025/26 8,791 8

The current oldest case is 22 months since it formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation. The Service expects no case to be older than 18 months by 31st March 2027.

The caseworker-to-complaint ratio within the Housing Ombudsman service is 39:1.

The backlog of cases that exceed 12 months since they formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation is set out below.

Backlog of Unresolved Cases

2023/24 283

2024/25 0

2025/26 2,458

Current 2,235

The proportion of complaints which were resolved within target timeframes in each of the last five is below.

Determined Within: 6 Months 12 Months

2022/23 N/A 100%

2023/24 54% 87%

2023/24 18% 62%

2024/25 46% 89%

2025/26 53% 78%

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of complaints to the Housing Ombudsman were resolved within target timeframes in each of the last five years.

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

The average waiting time for cases handled by the Housing Ombudsman in each of the last five financial years is:

Determined Cases Average Months to Determine

2021/22 2,238 5

2022/23 2,371 6

2023/24 4,908 11

2024/25 6,115 7

2025/26 8,791 8

The current oldest case is 22 months since it formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation. The Service expects no case to be older than 18 months by 31st March 2027.

The caseworker-to-complaint ratio within the Housing Ombudsman service is 39:1.

The backlog of cases that exceed 12 months since they formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation is set out below.

Backlog of Unresolved Cases

2023/24 283

2024/25 0

2025/26 2,458

Current 2,235

The proportion of complaints which were resolved within target timeframes in each of the last five is below.

Determined Within: 6 Months 12 Months

2022/23 N/A 100%

2023/24 54% 87%

2023/24 18% 62%

2024/25 46% 89%

2025/26 53% 78%

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the caseworker-to-complaint ratio is within the Housing Ombudsman service.

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

The average waiting time for cases handled by the Housing Ombudsman in each of the last five financial years is:

Determined Cases Average Months to Determine

2021/22 2,238 5

2022/23 2,371 6

2023/24 4,908 11

2024/25 6,115 7

2025/26 8,791 8

The current oldest case is 22 months since it formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation. The Service expects no case to be older than 18 months by 31st March 2027.

The caseworker-to-complaint ratio within the Housing Ombudsman service is 39:1.

The backlog of cases that exceed 12 months since they formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation is set out below.

Backlog of Unresolved Cases

2023/24 283

2024/25 0

2025/26 2,458

Current 2,235

The proportion of complaints which were resolved within target timeframes in each of the last five is below.

Determined Within: 6 Months 12 Months

2022/23 N/A 100%

2023/24 54% 87%

2023/24 18% 62%

2024/25 46% 89%

2025/26 53% 78%

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the current backlog of unresolved cases at the Housing Ombudsman is, and how that figure compares to each year since 2020.

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

The average waiting time for cases handled by the Housing Ombudsman in each of the last five financial years is:

Determined Cases Average Months to Determine

2021/22 2,238 5

2022/23 2,371 6

2023/24 4,908 11

2024/25 6,115 7

2025/26 8,791 8

The current oldest case is 22 months since it formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation. The Service expects no case to be older than 18 months by 31st March 2027.

The caseworker-to-complaint ratio within the Housing Ombudsman service is 39:1.

The backlog of cases that exceed 12 months since they formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation is set out below.

Backlog of Unresolved Cases

2023/24 283

2024/25 0

2025/26 2,458

Current 2,235

The proportion of complaints which were resolved within target timeframes in each of the last five is below.

Determined Within: 6 Months 12 Months

2022/23 N/A 100%

2023/24 54% 87%

2023/24 18% 62%

2024/25 46% 89%

2025/26 53% 78%

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the average waiting time was for cases handled by the Housing Ombudsman in each of the last five years.

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

The average waiting time for cases handled by the Housing Ombudsman in each of the last five financial years is:

Determined Cases Average Months to Determine

2021/22 2,238 5

2022/23 2,371 6

2023/24 4,908 11

2024/25 6,115 7

2025/26 8,791 8

The current oldest case is 22 months since it formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation. The Service expects no case to be older than 18 months by 31st March 2027.

The caseworker-to-complaint ratio within the Housing Ombudsman service is 39:1.

The backlog of cases that exceed 12 months since they formally entered the Ombudsman's jurisdiction for investigation is set out below.

Backlog of Unresolved Cases

2023/24 283

2024/25 0

2025/26 2,458

Current 2,235

The proportion of complaints which were resolved within target timeframes in each of the last five is below.

Determined Within: 6 Months 12 Months

2022/23 N/A 100%

2023/24 54% 87%

2023/24 18% 62%

2024/25 46% 89%

2025/26 53% 78%