Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Disabled Facilities Grant system delivery model, involving upper-tier authorities, district councils and housing providers, on the time taken to to provide home adaptations for people with progressive or terminal conditions; and whether he will bring forward proposals to simplify the process.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The government recognises the importance of timely home adaptations for people with progressive or terminal conditions. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations within set timescales for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test. Local authorities can also agree a more generous local housing assistance policy.
In June, my colleague the Minister of State for Care at the Department for Health and Social Care wrote to all council leaders in England strongly encouraging them to review and update their housing assistance policies to enable fast tracking of support, and to consider waiving the means test, for those with Motor Neurone Disease and other rapidly progressing conditions.
To speed up delivery and simplify decision making across all local government services, including the Disabled Facilities Grant, this government has brought forward proposals to end the two-tier system and establish new single-tier unitary councils.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to approve new unitary council structures where new unitary council wards cross and split existing (a) district wards, (b) unitary wards and (c) county divisions.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State's consideration of local government reorganisation proposals is based on information provided by councils, representations received through the statutory consultation process, and official advice and analysis drawing on published sources and sector data. Decisions on individual proposals are taken on their merits, having regard to all relevant information available.
The Government has been clear that local suggestions may be built from existing district wards, unitary wards, county divisions, parish boundaries or parish wards, including a mix of these electoral areas where appropriate.
Asked by: Baroness Eaton (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will legislate to amend section 245 of the Local Government Act 1972 to extend the right to petition for borough status to new unitary authorities.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has no current plans to amend section 245 of the Local Government Act 1972. Where local government reorganisation takes place, newly established unitary authorities will be district councils, who are already able to petition for borough status under the existing provisions of the Act, provided the statutory criteria are met, including a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of members at a meeting specifically convened for that purpose.
Asked by: Patrick Spencer (Independent - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what process will determine the final geographic boundaries of the three new unitary authorities in Suffolk; who will conduct that process; and what the timetable is for its completion.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The final geographic boundaries of the three new unitary authorities in Suffolk have been decided by the Secretary of State who has announced that he will exercise his power to modify the base proposal received from West Suffolk, Babergh, Mid Suffolk, East Suffolk and Ipswich district councils. This modfication will set the boundaries of the three new councils as requested in the proposal. These boundaries will be reflected in the structural changes order that establishes the new councils, expected to be laid later this year.
We expect elections to the new shadow councils for these areas to be held in April 2027, with new unitary councils with these geographic boundaries going live in April 2028.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
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 (a) the impact of the council tax equalisation process from the unitary restructuring on council tax bills in each local authority district in Surrey and (b) the creation of new (i) town and (ii) parish councils on the average council tax bill.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Where new councils inherit different levels of council tax from their predecessors, legislation provides for them to be harmonised no later than the start of the eighth year after the restructuring. Decisions on council tax levels will be taken by the new councils, but the Secretary of State is able to set referendum principles so that residents have the final say over increases above this threshold. The multi-year settlement set out that for the vast majority of councils the government has maintained a core referendum threshold of 3%, and a 2% adult social care precept, subject to annual consultation as part of the local government finance settlement and the approval of the House of Commons.
It is for the principal authority to consider the structure of community governance in their area including the creation of town and parish councils. Unlike principal authorities, the precepts set by parish councils have historically not been subject to referendum principles. However, any increase in council tax should be well-evidenced and justified.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what (a) guidance and (b) advice his Department has given to local authorities on whether employees of (i) district and (ii) county councils can serve as a councillor of a shadow unitary authority for that area.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The position is set out in the relevant standard disqualification provisions that are contained in existing legislation, including the Local Government Act 1972.
The Electoral Commission provides guidance on disqualifications and working for a council, available here.
In summary, an employee will be disqualified from being a member of the new unitary council from the reorganisation date, being the date when the shadow council becomes the new unitary council for that area. As such, the employee would either have to leave office on the reorganisation date, or to continue serving as a member of the new unitary council, they will need to ensure they have resigned and served any notice period before the reorganisation date.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will list the names of the organisations that have (a) had his department’s Civil Servants seconded to them since July 2024, and (b) seconded their staff to the department.
Answered by Samantha Dixon
Organisations of secondments both in and out of the department that have commenced since July 2024 are included in the tables below.
Secondment In from July 2024 onwards. |
Birmingham City Council |
Bristol City Council |
East Sussex Fire and Rescue |
Environment Agency |
Greater Manchester Combined Authority |
Homes England |
Housing Justice |
Improvement and Development Agency |
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service |
Natural England |
Organisation: Cardiff City Council |
Oxfordshire County Council |
The Future of London Emerging Talent programme |
University of Birmingham |
Secondments Out from July 2024 onwards |
Building Safety Regulator |
City of London |
Ealing Council |
Environment Agency |
Executive Agency |
Government Facilities Services Limited |
Greater London Authority |
Guildford and Waverly Borough Councils |
Homes England |
Leasehold Advisory Service |
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority |
Local Government Association |
London Borough of Camden |
London Councils |
Merton Council |
Metropolitan Police |
National Wealth Fund |
Natural England |
PCS |
Public Digital |
Quality Care Commission |
Secondment to Lambeth Council |
South Cambridgeshire District Council |
Westmorland and Furness Council |
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the new councils of (a) West Surrey and (b) East Surrey will be given Borough status.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Borough status is purely honorific and has no impact on the functions or responsibilities of local authorities. It can only be conferred on district councils by His Majesty The King.
Existing borough status held by current councils in Surrey may continue to be preserved through arrangements such as Charter Trustees, pending any new Charter arrangements. If the new West Surrey and East Surrey councils wish to pursue Borough status for the whole area, then a new charter must be granted. The councils must resolve to present a petition for a Royal Charter and this resolution must be supported by not less than a two-thirds majority of members voting at a meeting specifically convened for that purpose. If a petition is presented, it is then considered by the Privy Council.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of people living in relative poverty in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme, b) Staffordshire and c) England.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to tackling poverty and we know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty. The Get Britain Working White Paper set out plans to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle rising economic inactivity levels, support people into good work, and create an inclusive labour market based on the unique needs of local communities, in which everybody can participate and progress in work.
Through our plan to Make Work Pay, we will, improve job security and boost living standards. From April, the National Living Wage increased by 6.7 per cent to £12.21 an hour, boosting the pay of 2.4 million workers. This represents an increase of £900 to the gross annual earnings of a full-time worker on the National Living Wage.
Universal Credit has a critical role to play in tackling poverty and making work pay and we have already taken steps to help those in need. The Universal Credit Act 2025, which came into force on 6 April 2026, delivered the first sustained, above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. And the introduction of the Fair Repayment Rate in Universal Credit, from April 2025, means that around 1.2 million of the poorest households will retain more of their award, on average £420 a year.
The Child Poverty Strategy has looked at how the government can boost families' incomes through employment and the social security system, drive down the cost of essentials so parents can meet their children’s fundamental needs, and strengthen local support to ensure families can access vital services when they need them. The removal of the two child limit will lift 450,000 children out of poverty, rising to around 550,000 alongside other measures set out in our Strategy, such as the expansion of free school meals. These interventions will lead to the largest expected reduction in child poverty over a Parliament since comparable records began.
We have also introduced the new Crisis and Resilience Fund with £842 million per annum (£1 billion including Barnett consequential) to reform crisis support in England from 1 April 2026. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative support to communities as well as assisting people when faced with a financial crisis. We have allocated £28.2 million to Staffordshire over three years, (£9.3 million in 2026/27, £9.3 million in 2027/28 and £9.5 million in 2028/29) alongside £451,295 in 2026/27 to support heating oil households, with funding covering both the County and District Councils.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Restore Britain - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which local stakeholders were involved or consulted in the development of Shoreline Management Plan 6, Policy Unit 6.14, including the Winterton‑on‑Sea to Scratby coastline, and what forms that engagement took.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Kelling Hard to Lowestoft Shoreline Management Plan (SMP6), covering Winterton-on-Sea to Scratby, was adopted by Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC) in 2012. The plan was developed locally by the East Anglia Coastal Group; led by North Norfolk District Council, with GYBC, Waveney District Council (now East Suffolk), the Environment Agency and Natural England.
Local stakeholder engagement was undertaken through a formal public consultation, which invited local residents, businesses, parish councils, key organisations and other interested parties to comment on the long‑term shoreline management proposals. This was supported by public exhibitions, enabling direct discussion with local authority and Environment Agency officers, and by targeted presentations delivered to parish council representatives and local businesses.
Full details of the stakeholder engagement undertaken can be found in Appendix B of the published document. Ref: Kelling Hard to Lowestoft SMP6 | Shoreline Management Plans.