Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
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 potential merits of including walking, wheeling, and cycling in policy HC1 of the draft National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Proposed draft policy HC1 already makes clear that development plans should, at the most appropriate level, identify wider opportunities to promote good health, prevent ill-health and support social interaction through their spatial strategy and land allocations, including through policies locating development where it will support walking and cycling.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has assessed the potential impact on tenants of the gap between the commencement of the pet provisions on 1 May and the operational launch of the Ombudsman, including the extent to which renters may need to rely on the courts during this period.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 13 November 2025, the government published a roadmap for implementing the Renters' Rights Act, which can be found on gov.uk here.
In implementation Phase 2 from late 2026, we will introduce the national Private Rented Sector Database and Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.
Prior to the establishment of the new service, if a tenant thinks their landlord has unreasonably refused a request to rent with a pet, they will be able to challenge the decision in court.
My Department has made no specific assessment of the impact on tenants of the period between 1 May 2026 and when the new service will be available.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the expected timetable is for establishing the Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman; and what mechanisms will be available for tenants to challenge unreasonable refusals to keep a pet before the Ombudsman is operational.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 13 November 2025, the government published a roadmap for implementing the Renters' Rights Act, which can be found on gov.uk here.
In implementation Phase 2 from late 2026, we will introduce the national Private Rented Sector Database and Private Rented Sector Ombudsman.
Prior to the establishment of the new service, if a tenant thinks their landlord has unreasonably refused a request to rent with a pet, they will be able to challenge the decision in court.
My Department has made no specific assessment of the impact on tenants of the period between 1 May 2026 and when the new service will be available.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether it is her policy to publish a statutory code of practice under the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We will set out policies on the Private Parking Code of Practice in due course.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that offers to buy property are binding.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 202503 on 24 October 2023.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the Government will publish the Strategy for Community Spaces and Relationships as committed to in the Levelling Up White Paper published in February 2022.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Since publishing the levelling up white paper we have delivered improvements to communities across the country. From saving community assets through the Community Ownership Fund, and investing in local priorities through the Levelling Up Fund and UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to tackling Anti-Social Behaviour with an ambitious new Action Plan to crack down on issues that blight communities.
Going forward we want to consult and work with local communities and stakeholders to understand how community spaces and relationship could be strengthened. This work will begin in due course.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of funding for the Inter Faith Network on community cohesion, and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 183570 on 15 May 2022.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what progress his Department has been made on distributing Levelling Up Round 2 funding to successful bids.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
Round 2 of the Levelling Up Fund will invest up to £2.1 billon in 111 successful bids across the UK. A first tranche of payments was made in March. We are making good progress onboarding Round 2 projects, with inception meetings being held. We expect to make further payments by July.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's White Paper entitled A Fairer Private Rented Sector, published 16 June 2022, what his Department's policy is on what actions would constitute a landlord unreasonably withholding consent when considering a tenant’s request to a pet.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 176692 on 21 April 2023.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to his Department's White Paper entitled A Fairer Private Rented Sector, what the process is for tenants to challenge a landlord’s decision to withhold consent for having pets in a rented property.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 176692 on 21 April 2023.