Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the value for money delivered through the 2003 - 2005 redevelopment of 2 Marsham Street.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department has not undertaken a dedicated, standalone assessment of the value for money delivered specifically through the 2003–2005 redevelopment of 2 Marsham Street. However, the National Audit Office reviewed the associated Private Finance Initiative arrangements for the new Home Office headquarters in 2003. The NAO concluded that the Home Office had secured a good price through a well‑run competition, with risks appropriately allocated and favourable financing obtained. The report indicated that the project was expected to deliver value for money, provided the remaining accommodation and property‑related risks were managed effectively.
The Public Accounts Committee’s Eighteenth Report (2003–04) further found that commissioning a new building rather than refurbishing the three former Marsham Towers offered better value for money, avoided the business disruption and costs of temporary accommodation, and supported the consolidation of government estate functions. The Committee noted that the redevelopment contract, valued at £311 million (net present cost), was selected as the most cost‑effective option following full competition.
These independent assessments confirmed that the redevelopment represented value for money for the taxpayer at the point the investment decision was taken. The Treasury has made no subsequent assessment that contradicts these findings.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 delays to approvals from the Building Safety Regulator to applications to double glaze windows.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are aware of challenges in the system and delays to approvals of building control applications, and work is underway to address this issue.
On the 27 January, the BSR became a standalone organisation under MHCLG, marking a major step towards creating a single construction regulator. Under new leadership, enhanced operating models are delivering significant progress.
BSR continues to make strong headway tackling new build cases already in the system with only the most complex cases remaining. The Innovation Unit has dramatically reduced processing time for new build applications, with the highest quality applications approved within the 12-week target.
We must go further and build on the progress already made in operations and through the launch of the new body for the BSR. We are undertaking a programme of work to review the proportionality of the higher-risk building control regime, with a view to making targeted changes to the regime to improve proportionality whilst upholding safety aims. In particular, we are focusing on proposals to review the procedural requirements of the regime for high-volume, low complexity, routine works.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 proportionality of the requirement for planning permission to install double glazing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has not undertaken such an assessment, as in most cases the replacement of windows of similar appearance can be undertaken without the need for a planning application.
However, there may be some local exceptions, and other consents such as listed building consent may be required.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of specialist modern slavery coordinators within local authorities.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognises the vital work done by Moden Slavery Coordinators working within local authorities.
Local authorities are independent employers. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what governance arrangements his Department has considered for the future Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in Victoria Tower Gardens.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are considering a range of operating models for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre and will ensure that there are robust governance arrangements in place which are appropriate to the chosen model.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to address leasehold issues arising from probate sales of properties which did not qualify for cladding remediation support under the Building Safety Act (2022).
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There is a range of support in place for leaseholders, even those whose lease does not qualify for protection under Part 5 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
All leaseholders are also protected from cladding remediation and benefit from qualifying status on their main home. All leaseholders are protected from paying towards safety defects associated with the developer or through the developer remediation contract.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is planning to take to ensure that local residents are (a) informed and (b) consulted during the Holocaust Memorial Learning Centre (Victoria Tower Gardens) planning approval process.
Answered by Jim McMahon
Decisions on the redetermination procedure for this application, and any necessary consultation and engagement with local residents, have not yet been taken.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the tax revenue from ensuring compliance with rules on eligibility of short-term lets for business rates.
Answered by Jim McMahon
Before a short-term let can be assessed as a self-catering accommodation (short-term let) for business rates purposes it must have been available to let for at least 140 days in the past year and demonstrate at least 70 days of actual letting activity in the last year.
It is for local authorities to bill and collect business rates. The government does not make an estimate of the number of short-term lets who choose not to be assessed for business rates or do not meet these criteria. However, the government does collect data on the number of short-term lets assessed for business rates. The latest available data from March 2025 shows that there are 65,380 short-term lets assessed for business rates in England.
Where a property does not meet these criteria, it will usually be considered domestic, and liable for council tax in the same way as any other domestic property.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Pimlico District Heating Undertaking has been subject to departmental review.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The department has not conducted any such review.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 potential implications for her Department's policies of the independent report entitled Regulation of Property Agents: working group report, published on 18 July 2019.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41307 on 2 April 2025.