Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent steps she has taken to help improve public awareness of the risks associated with using unofficial third party websites for accessing government services.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The department continues to strengthen GOV.UK as the authoritative source of online government information and services.
This includes upholding its clear and consistent identity so that users recognise and trust official content, supporting efforts to counter scams and misinformation. DSIT additionally works with the National Cyber Security Centre, Action Fraud and search engine providers to find and remove misleading websites.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with internet search providers on preventing unofficial websites from presenting themselves as government service portals and charging inflated fees for services.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government Digital Service works with a number of external partners, including internet search providers, to help prevent unofficial websites from presenting themselves as government services and charging inflated fees. This includes identifying and removing misleading or imitation sites.
GDS also cooperates with organisations such as the National Cyber Security Centre and Action Fraud to support wider efforts to tackle online scams and misinformation. Responsibility for taking action against websites that imitate or unfairly charge for specific government services primarily sits with the department that owns the relevant service.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of third party websites charging for government services that are otherwise free or low cost.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
While the department has not made a formal assessment of the prevalence of third‑party websites that charge for government services which are otherwise free or low cost, it is reducing their impact through prevention, enhancing awareness and collaborating with partners.
This includes strengthening GOV.UK as a trusted and recognisable brand to help users identify official government services, and working with the National Cyber Security Centre, Action Fraud and search engine providers to find and remove misleading websites.
Responsibility for taking action against imitation websites relating to specific services primarily sits with the department that owns the service concerned.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of commissioning independent advice on the cost of essentials when setting the rate of the Universal Credit Standard Allowance.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with the cost of essentials. The Universal Credit Act will deliver the first sustained above inflation rise in the standard allowance of Universal Credit since it was introduced.
A Universal Credit award is made up of a standard allowance towards basic living costs, paid according to age and household unit. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, disability, and childcare costs. Each household will always have different requirements depending on their circumstances.
We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a range of organisations to ensure the social security system provides the support people need.
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 he is taking to support the regeneration of existing social housing stock.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 28 January 2026 (HCWS1283).
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an independent process to set benefit levels in line with essential costs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review benefit and State Pension rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. Where the relevant benefit or State Pension rates have not retained their value, legislation provides that the Secretary of State is required to, or in some instances may, up-rate their value. Following this review, State Pension and benefit rates are increased in line with statutory minimum amounts and others are increased subject to Secretary of State’s discretion.
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 progress his Department has made on ensuring infrastructure accompanies new housing delivery.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. It also supports the increased provision and modernisation of various types of public infrastructure.
Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period.
The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund.
The government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
Our Planning and Infrastructure Act includes various provisions designed to streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure.
The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes policies designed to further strengthen support for proposals that provide new or improved community facilities and public service infrastructure.
The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 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, what steps he is taking to help ensure social housing delivery reduces the number of families waiting for (a) three, (b) four, and (c) 5 bedroom homes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that local authorities should assess the size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable and social rent homes, and should reflect this in their planning policies and decisions.
Assessments of affordable housing need should estimate the numbers of those who cannot meet their needs in the market, including those in need of larger family homes. Local planning authorities are expected to set out the proportion and type of affordable and social rent housing that new development will be required to provide.
The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, rules- based policies for plan-making and decision-making. The consultation includes policies to increase the viable provision of more affordable homes.
The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 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, what steps he is taking to help reduce local authority reliance on temporary accommodation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through our National Plan to End Homelessness the government is putting prevention at the heart of public services, alongside with actions to address the root causes of homelessness through building more homes, reforming renters’ rights, and tackling poverty.
Local councils are at the front line of the response to homelessness and must lead the way in putting prevention at the core of their services. The government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.
We are also investing £3.6 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention. This includes over £2.2 billion funding for homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant. Allocations are published on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases to the Economic Crime Levy on not-for-profit housing associations.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government published its summary of the impacts of the increases to the Economic Crime (Anti-Money Laundering) Levy in the policy paper titled "Economic Crime Levy – changes to bands and charges” (Economic Crime Levy — changes to bands and charges - GOV.UK).
The Levy was designed with simplicity and proportionality at its core, to limit the administrative burden on regulated entities. Accordingly, it applies to any entity that carries out activity regulated by the Money Laundering Regulations and no entity pays more than 0.1% of its revenue in charges.
A full review of the Levy will be undertaken in 2027.