Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
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 has taken to increase the number of solar panels on new housing developments.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government’s approach to Building Regulations remains technology-neutral, to ensure housebuilders have the flexibility to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions for their site. However, we appreciate the benefits of solar panels, including lower bills for households and greater security from fluctuations in electricity prices. That is why in the 2021 uplift to the Building Regulations the performance standards for new buildings were set at a level that means many new homes are already likely to be built with solar panels.
We are clear that rooftop solar, where appropriate, should play an important role as part of new standards to be introduced next year for new homes and buildings. These standards will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. Furthermore, as part of our plans to triple solar capacity, we are consulting on extra measures in the National Planning Policy Framework that highlight the importance of solar power to our clean energy ambitions.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of working with local authorities to (a) freeze and (b) reform the Right to Buy.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is currently reviewing the increased Right to Buy discounts that were introduced in 2012, with a view to better protecting existing social housing stock. The Government will also review the Right to Buy more widely, including looking at eligibility criteria and protections for newly-built social housing and will launch a public consultation in the autumn.
Asked by: Satvir Kaur (Labour - Southampton Test)
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 made an assessment of the potential merits of setting (a) national and (b) regional targets to build social homes within the 1.5 million homes that have already been planned.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. Our aspiration is to ensure that, in the first full financial year of this Parliament (2025-26), the number of Social Rent homes is rising rather than falling. We will update Parliament on our progress.
We have therefore asked Homes England and the Greater London Authority to maximise the number of Social Rent homes in allocating the remaining Affordable Homes Programme funding.
My department published an update on targets in the 2021-26 Programme on 30 July 2024. We have also proposed a number of changes to national planning policy that are designed to support the delivery of Social Rent homes. We will bring forward details of future Government investment in social and affordable housing at the Spending Review.