Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the use of service charges in social housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
2024-25 data published by the Regulator of Social Housing indicates that 62% of general needs Social Rent properties let by private registered providers of social housing include a service charge that is eligible for housing support. This increases to 95% for supported housing Social Rent properties. The Regulator does not currently collect service charge data for local authority registered providers.
Service charges usually reflect additional services which may not be provided to every tenant, or which may be connected with communal facilities rather than being particular to the occupation of a dwelling. Service charges for supported housing may also fund communal spaces and facilities as well as more intensive housing management, given residents’ needs.
Individual tenancy agreements set out service charges, if they apply.
The government’s policy statement on social housing rents sets out that providers must identify service charges separately from the rent charge. Registered providers are expected to consult with tenants if new or extended services are introduced.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 15 July 2026 (HCWS270).
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she will provide a response to Question 29303.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
2024-25 data published by the Regulator of Social Housing indicates that 62% of general needs Social Rent properties let by private registered providers of social housing include a service charge that is eligible for housing support. This increases to 95% for supported housing Social Rent properties. The Regulator does not currently collect service charge data for local authority registered providers.
Service charges usually reflect additional services which may not be provided to every tenant, or which may be connected with communal facilities rather than being particular to the occupation of a dwelling. Service charges for supported housing may also fund communal spaces and facilities as well as more intensive housing management, given residents’ needs.
Individual tenancy agreements set out service charges, if they apply.
The government’s policy statement on social housing rents sets out that providers must identify service charges separately from the rent charge. Registered providers are expected to consult with tenants if new or extended services are introduced.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 15 July 2026 (HCWS270).
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many digital devices were awaiting forensic examination by police forces in England and Wales on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of those devices related to rape and serious sexual offence investigations.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to improving the criminal justice response to sexual offences and improving outcomes for victims. We expect the police to investigate sexual offences promptly and effectively, while maintaining appropriate records and adhering to relevant legislation, the Victims' Code, and national police guidance.
The National Police Chiefs Council report there is a backlog of over 20,000 digital devices awaiting examination in England and Wales. The Home Office does not hold the other information requested, but we recognise that digital forensic backlogs remain a significant challenge. Increasing numbers of seized devices, growing data volumes, rapid technological change and workforce pressures can contribute to delays in digital examinations. Police reform will enable the National Police Service to organise police forensic services and improve services for victims. We have appointed a dedicated Director of Forensic Services to lead this transformation.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time was between a digital device being submitted for forensic examination and the examination being completed in rape and serious sexual offence investigations in each of the last three years.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government is committed to improving the criminal justice response to sexual offences and improving outcomes for victims. We expect the police to investigate sexual offences promptly and effectively, while maintaining appropriate records and adhering to relevant legislation, the Victims' Code, and national police guidance.
The National Police Chiefs Council report there is a backlog of over 20,000 digital devices awaiting examination in England and Wales. The Home Office does not hold the other information requested, but we recognise that digital forensic backlogs remain a significant challenge. Increasing numbers of seized devices, growing data volumes, rapid technological change and workforce pressures can contribute to delays in digital examinations. Police reform will enable the National Police Service to organise police forensic services and improve services for victims. We have appointed a dedicated Director of Forensic Services to lead this transformation.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to grant carers free travel on public transport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We recognise that some disabled people need support to travel, and that companion passes for carers can play an important role in helping people access public transport with confidence. Under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), disabled passholders are entitled to free local bus travel. Companion passes are an additional discretionary concession offered by some local transport authorities. Decisions about whether to provide a companion pass, and the conditions attached to it, are made locally.
We will continue to work with local authorities, and encourage them to consider how best to support disabled residents through any discretionary concessions they provide, including through funding provided, such as the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG), which can be used to support local transport priorities, including discretionary concessionary travel schemes. West Sussex County Council will be allocated £28.7 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the estimated cost is of increasing capacity in the Magistrates’ Courts to meet the requirements set out in the Courts and Tribunals Bill.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Magistrates handle more than 90% of all criminal cases, completing around 1.5 million criminal cases each year. The estimated costs and benefits of the measures proposed in the Courts and Tribunals Bill are set out in the published Courts and Tribunals Bill (Structural Criminal Court Reform) Impact Assessment.
The Government is investing in magistrates’ court capacity and modernisation to ensure they are able to meet expected demand. We are increasing funded sitting days for magistrates’ courts – from 114,000 last year to 125,800 next year, rising to a target of 131,000 sitting days by 2028/29 – and investing in recruitment programmes to ensure we have sufficient magistrate, legal advisers, and District Judge capacity to support that increase..
On 24 September 2026 we launched our revamped multi-million pound magistrates’ recruitment campaign “You’ve got the makings of a magistrate” to encourage more people to consider becoming a magistrate. Alongside this, in 2025 we recruited 50 new Deputy District Judges, and identified a reserve list of 86 additional candidates, whose appointments are now underway. Since April 2025 we have appointed 166 more legal advisers and have a new campaign live now for 80 more. The Government has also increased the funding available for magistrates' training, in line with the Judicial College’s estimates for the additional resources required to support the training needs of a larger magistracy.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the estimated cost of the infrastructure repairs required to address the backlog of repairs across the HMCTS estate.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The National Audit Office's January 2025 cross-government report ‘Maintaining public service facilities’ identified a maintenance backlog of approximately £1.3 billion across the court and tribunal estate. This represented the estimated cost of addressing the known maintenance requirements at the time building assessments were made and is likely to have increased since.
Historic underinvestment has led to challenges across the court and tribunal estate. That is why we are significantly increasing spending. In 2026/27, £287 million of capital funding will be invested in courts and tribunals across the country. This represents a significant increase on previous years and will enable the delivery of vital repairs, estate improvements, digital upgrades and major capital projects to enhance the estate. We have recently opened a large modern, fit-for-purpose tribunals hearing centre in London and are developing new court buildings in the City of London, Reading and Blackpool.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Department has assessed the cost of providing the additional electronic tags required as a result of the Sentencing Act 2026.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
As part of Spending Review 2025, the Department assessed the impact of the then Sentencing Bill on the electronic monitoring (EM) caseload. To manage the projected increase in demand for EM, up to £105 million of additional funding was allocated to the EM service across the Spending Review period.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Table B.2 of Budget 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the Ministry of Justice’s capital budget from £2.3 billion in 2028-29 to £1.9 billion in 2029-30 on the delivery of new prison places; and what the projected prison population and operational capacity are for each year to 2029-30.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice's capital budget covers a range of capital projects, including prison supply, maintenance, fire safety works, digital and courts. We are delivering 14,000 additional prison places and aim to do so by 2031, as set out in the 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy. We have committed a further investment of £4.7 billion over the spending review period (26/27 to 29/30) to deliver these places. This remains unchanged following the Budget 2026.
The Ministry of Justice's Annual Statement on Prison Capacity 2025 sets out the latest published projections for prison population demand and supply. This is available at Annual Statement on Prison Capacity: 2025 - GOV.UK. The central projection for the adult prison population is 87,200 in November 2027, 89,700 in November 2028, and 91,700 in November 2029. The corresponding projected supply of places in the adult prison estate is 88,300, 90,900, and 95,100, respectively. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Crown Court sitting days have been funded for 2027-28; and what projection she has made of the Crown Court open caseload at the end of each year to 2028-29.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
In February 2026, the Government agreed a landmark financial settlement for His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service which removed financial constraints on Crown Court sitting days in 2026/27. The then Lord Chancellor also set out firm funding commitments through to 2028/29, providing unprecedented certainty for long term planning. For the Crown Court, these commitments provide funding to build system capacity to at least 113,500 sitting days in 2027/28. Final sitting day allocations for 2027/28 will be agreed by the Lord Chancellor, following consultation with the senior judiciary, including the Lady Chief Justice, and will be announced in due course.
The Department’s projections of the Crown Court open caseload at the end of each year to 2028/29 can be found here: October 2026 Appendix to the Criminal Court Reform: Impacts Factsheet.