Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Pride in place strategy, published on 25 September 2025, what steps he is taking with local authorities to help tackle (a) faith-based prejudice and (b) racism.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has launched its Pride in Place Programme, providing up to £5bn funding and support over the next decade for 244 places across the country. This flagship offer will help build strong, resilient communities in areas that experience the most entrenched social and economic challenges.
All forms of racial and religious hatred are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities. The Government has established an independent working group to advise on a definition of anti-Muslim hatred or Islamophobia. Furthermore, the Government has established an Antisemitism Working Group to provide advice on antisemitism.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil their statutory obligations to asylum seekers. They are also working to deliver the commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels, by the end of this Parliament.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Pride in place strategy, published on 25 September 2025, what steps he is taking to support (a) immigrants, (b) asylum seekers and (c) asylum accommodation providers.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has launched its Pride in Place Programme, providing up to £5bn funding and support over the next decade for 244 places across the country. This flagship offer will help build strong, resilient communities in areas that experience the most entrenched social and economic challenges.
All forms of racial and religious hatred are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities. The Government has established an independent working group to advise on a definition of anti-Muslim hatred or Islamophobia. Furthermore, the Government has established an Antisemitism Working Group to provide advice on antisemitism.
The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil their statutory obligations to asylum seekers. They are also working to deliver the commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels, by the end of this Parliament.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 have made an assessment of the potential impact for home boiler longevity of amending Part L of the Building Regulations to mandate (a) boiler inhibitor checks and (b) re-dosing as part of a boiler's required service.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Approved Document L provides statutory guidance on how to comply with Part L, including advice on adding an inhibitor when a heating system is installed and on providing maintenance information to homeowners through a home user guide.
Checks or re-dosing of inhibitors during routine servicing are outside the scope of the Building Regulations where no building work is being undertaken. The safe installation, maintenance and use of gas systems and appliances are covered by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 2018.
The Government intends to amend Part L and its accompanying guidance in the coming months. The new standards, known as the Future Homes Standard, intends to effectively preclude the installation of gas boilers in new homes and ensure the use of low-carbon heating systems such as heat pumps.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 impact of ending the commissioning of new neighbourhood planning support services on the ability of areas that do not have (a) town and (b) parish councils and cannot raise a precept to develop neighbourhood plans.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on the 19 June 2025.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 plans to provide an alternative funding mechanism to help support the development of local neighbourhood plans.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on the 19 June 2025.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16542 on Councillors: Data Protection, what progress his Department has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to remove the requirement for local government members’ home addresses to be included in published versions of registers of interests.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Removing the requirement for local government member home addresses to be published requires primary legislation. We intend to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend provisions on the (a) commission charge on sale of homes and (b) fit and proper person test for site owners within the Mobile Homes Act 2013.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58910 on 16 June 2025.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed between April 2021 and April 2024.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department does not actively track trends in the level of postal vote renewals, or the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed, over any period.
Information relating to postal vote applications will be held by independent Electoral Registration Officers rather than the UK Government and so it is not possible to provide more information about the number of postal vote applications that were not renewed during any period.
The department will continue to work with the Electoral Commission and with local authorities to support independent Electoral Registration Officers with postal vote application activities.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 with local authorities to support people to renew their postal vote applications.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department does not actively track trends in the level of postal vote renewals, or the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed, over any period.
Information relating to postal vote applications will be held by independent Electoral Registration Officers rather than the UK Government and so it is not possible to provide more information about the number of postal vote applications that were not renewed during any period.
The department will continue to work with the Electoral Commission and with local authorities to support independent Electoral Registration Officers with postal vote application activities.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
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 trends in the level of postal vote renewals during the last ten years.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department does not actively track trends in the level of postal vote renewals, or the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed, over any period.
Information relating to postal vote applications will be held by independent Electoral Registration Officers rather than the UK Government and so it is not possible to provide more information about the number of postal vote applications that were not renewed during any period.
The department will continue to work with the Electoral Commission and with local authorities to support independent Electoral Registration Officers with postal vote application activities.