Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help reduce the cost of renting within this Parliament.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 1063 on the 18 May 2026.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has given consideration to the provision of free Land Registry and DVLA searches for local authorities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The consultation on ‘Future Access to HM Land Registry Information’, which includes proposals on giving public sector uses cost-free access to information held on Land Registry title registers, was published on 27 October and can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closes on 21 December and we will set out further information in due course.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) provides local authorities with access to vehicle keeper information without charging for individual enquiries. However, the DVLA does apply banded service charges to recover the costs associated with providing access to the service.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has taken with her French counterpart about identifying individuals responsible for knowingly putting overloaded and potentially unseaworthy vessels to sea from the French coast.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
France is the UK's closest operational partner in tackling small boat crossings. The Home Secretary maintains regular engagement with her French counterpart on our shared objectives of saving lives, securing the border and disrupting the organised criminal gangs behind this vile trade.
Through joint law enforcement cooperation, intelligence sharing and coordinated operational activity, the UK and France work together to identify, investigate and bring to justice those who profit from putting migrants' lives at risk, including by facilitating departures in overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels.
Those involved in organising, enabling or facilitating illegal entry into the UK by small boat may be prosecuted under section 25 of the Immigration Act 1971, carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. In addition, earlier this year the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act introduced a new offence of endangering another during a sea crossing, reflecting the seriousness with which the Government views conduct that creates or increases a risk of serious injury or death to those on board.
We continue to monitor and respond to the evolving tactics used by people-smuggling networks, working with the French authorities to target resources where they can deliver the greatest operational effect.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of commissioning wheelchair services to prescribe specific paediatric wheelchairs to uders under 5.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 July 2026 in response to Question 15027.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
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 considered whether debt restructuring or cancellation will be offered to local authorities struggling with high levels of debt and interest rates.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The local government finance framework gives authorities wide freedoms to borrow and invest, enabling them to set their own capital strategies in response to local needs. It is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt in the normal course of business, and it remains their responsibility to manage their own budgets. Councils must, however, act within the safeguards of the system and only borrow what they can afford.
The Government does not normally consider debt support to be an appropriate form of financial assistance consistent with the principles of prudence and local accountability. By exception, the Government has made the unprecedented commitment to provide debt repayment support for Woking and Thurrock councils. This reflects the highly exceptional circumstances that these councils hold significant unsupported debt which cannot be managed locally due to historic capital practices and the value for money case for acting to protect taxpayers from the ever-increasing cost of debt. It is essential that the system protects taxpayers as a whole and does not impose pressures that would ultimately be felt elsewhere in the public sector.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the impact of outdoor digital billboards on communities in the context of the revised National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, proposed removing the existing policy on advertisements.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his department has made of the potential impact the expiry of the Renewables Obligation for LFGTE on 31 March 2027 on local authority finances.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is aware that Renewables Obligation support for most landfill gas to energy (LFGTE) generators ends in April 2027, and that this could affect their commercial viability
DESNZ’s assessment to date has focused on generator viability, and the potential impacts of retirement on energy security and methane emissions, rather than a separate quantified assessment of impacts on local authority finances.
Government plans to publish the consultation on transitional support for landfill gas generation in due course, and would welcome responses from local authorities. Any future support would be subject to rigorous value-for-money and impact assessments.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his department is taking to ensure transitional support for the landfill gas to energy sector will be in place when the Renewables Obligation for LFGTE expires on 31 March 2027.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is aware that support under the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme will end for existing landfill gas generators from April 2027, which could affect the commercial viability of these generators.
That is why, as set out in the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, Government is exploring the implementation of a long-term methane capture scheme, with suitable transitional arrangements.
DESNZ will shortly consult on these proposals. No final decision has been made, and in assessing the case for any future support, we will consider the outcomes of the consultation process, the economic and environmental impacts, as well as value for money to the taxpayer and billpayer.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the expiry of the Renewables Obligation for LFGTE on the Methane Action Plan.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Analysis published within the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan indicate that the ending of the Renewable Obligation from 2027 could reduce methane capture at landfills in England from ~54% to ~49% without other measures being put in place. However, under the Methane Action Plan, government is exploring the implementation of a long-term methane capture scheme and will shortly consult on the potential for providing suitable transitional arrangements.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what powers Ofgem has to intervene where heat network prices are considered excessive.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As the regulator of heat networks, Ofgem have broad powers relating to price regulation. These include powers to investigate and intervene where heat network prices charged to consumers are disproportionate or unfair.
Under Ofgem’s authorisation regime, heat network operators and suppliers are required to charge consumers fairly and guidance has been published on the application of their fair pricing rules.
Heat networks have until January 2027 to register with Ofgem and supply data, including information about pricing. Ofgem will use this to further inform their approach to pricing rules and guidance.