theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that businesses are compliant with food labelling requirements in regard to halal and kosher products. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way.

There are no regulations that require the labelling of religiously slaughtered meat, but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government respects religious freedoms and expects the industry, whether food producer or food outlet, to provide consumers with all the information they need to make informed choices.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of legislation for animal disease risks. \p Dame Angela Eagle: We have a broad legislative base and associated strategies and contingency plans which enables us to protect animals, including livestock, from disease.

The Animal Health Act 1981, provides the legal framework for controlling and eradicating animal diseases, protecting livestock health, and safeguarding trade. It gives government powers to impose disease control measures, order slaughter of infected animals, regulate movement, and compensate farmers. Secondary legislation is regularly updated as needed.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the role of importers and processors of grain and animal feeds in strengthening food chain security and resilience. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Food security is national security and is of the utmost importance. UK Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. Imports supplement domestic production and ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not affect the UK's overall security of supply.

The Department continues to assess the resilience of the agri-food supply chain through regular engagement with industry and cross-government coordination.

Together with the devolved administrations, Defra has established the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG) to monitor and assess the impact of market developments across the UK. It monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade and recent developments, enabling it to provide forewarning of any atypical market movements.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made with her international counterparts on updating (a) the Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone and (b) other United Nations Economic Commission for Europe requirements on transboundary air pollution. \p Emma Hardy: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is working with our partners and other Parties within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to update and future-proof the 2012 amended Gothenburg Protocol to further reduce the effects of transboundary air pollution.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to publish a new Clean Air Strategy. \p Emma Hardy: The Government will continue to take the action needed to ensure everyone has cleaner air to breathe. The next review of our statutory Air Quality Strategy is due to be completed by mid-2028.
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Greg Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has held with industry since Extended Producer Responsibility invoices were issued to assess the impact of the 4% impairment fee on business cashflow and profitability. \p Mary Creagh: Defra holds regular conversations with industry regarding all aspects of the pEPR scheme, including the impairment provision within notices of liability. Incorporating impairment provisions for bad debt in a cost recovery scheme is an expected consideration of Government as detailed in Managing Public Money guidelines and is common practice when setting fees. Whilst Notice of Liabilities issued under the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme are due for payment after 50 calendar days, liable producers have the facility to pay in quarterly instalments. These impairment provisions can only be used for specific purposes and will be subject to regular scrutiny and review. Where the impairment provision isn’t fully utilised liable producers will be given a refund.
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Greg Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made of an assessment of the extent to which the 4% impairment fee has contributed to (a) financial strain and (b) non-payment among obligated producers. \p Mary Creagh: Incorporating impairment provisions for bad debt in a cost recovery scheme is an expected consideration of Government, as detailed in Managing Public Money guidelines, and is common practice when setting fees. Whilst Notice of Liabilities issued under the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme are due for payment after 50 calendar days, liable producers have the facility to pay in quarterly instalments. These impairment provisions can only be used for specific purposes and will be subject to regular scrutiny and review. To minimise impairment and provide transparency, PackUK intends to collect debt rigorously but fairly and will review the impairment provision at least quarterly. Where the impairment provision isn’t fully utilised liable producers will be given a refund.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 45555 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which local (a) monitoring and (b) modelling as part of the Local Air Quality Management process showed measurements in 2024 above 40ug/m3 within a 10-mile radius of Heathrow. \p Emma Hardy: Local authorities are expected to publish their Annual Status Reports on their own websites, detailing their assessments of the air quality objectives.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2025 to UIN 66131, which (a) local authorities and (b) Metro Mayors have not published local plans to achieve compliance with legal limits for nitrogen dioxide. \p Emma Hardy: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the reply previously given on 16 July 2025, PQ UIN 66131.
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Greg Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what methodology was used to calculate the 4% impairment fee applied under the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. \p Mary Creagh: The impairment provision is based on the bad debt experience of Defra with charging schemes that are most similar to pEPR, whilst taking into consideration the large values of some of our Notice of Liabilities.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to (a) revoke Environment Act 1995 Air Quality Directions and (b) introduce further directions to (i) achieve compliance with nitrogen dioxide limit values and (ii) avoid future exceedances. \p Emma Hardy: Existing Directions under the Environment Act 1995 relating to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exceedances are revoked once the local authority area concerned has successfully demonstrated that compliance with legal limit levels for NO2 has been achieved, and that compliance will be maintained.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish the revised Environmental Improvement Plan. \p Mary Creagh: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tamworth on 17 March 2025, UIN 37341.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what localised hotspots for exceedances of the nitrogen dioxide annual limit value have been identified by which Air Quality Annual Status Report in each reporting zone in 2024. \p Emma Hardy: Local authorities are expected to publish their Annual Status Reports detailing exceedances of the air quality objectives on their own websites. Annual limit values under the Air Quality Standards Regulation 2010 are assessed separately to the Annual Status Report process.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2025 to UIN 66132, what progress she has made on further policies to tackle ammonia emissions to help reduce the risk to the 2030 target. \p Emma Hardy: The UK is compliant with the UK’s statutory reduction target for ammonia emissions, which has applied since 2020. The latest projections show that further action is needed to meet the UK’s ammonia reduction for 2030.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 July 2025 to UIN 63555, which localised hotspots in which reporting zone in (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales are delaying compliance with the nitrogen dioxide annual limit value beyond 2024. \p Emma Hardy: Local authorities are expected to publish the data from their locally managed nitrogen dioxide measurement networks on their websites. Data from Defra-managed networks is published annually online at UK-Air as part of the national compliance assessment.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2025 to UIN 39815, which (a) cities, (b) towns, (c) agglomeration zones and (d) non-agglomeration zones in which reporting zones in (i) England, (ii) Northern Ireland, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Wales exceeded the nitrogen dioxide annual mean limit value in 2024; and by which year they are expected to become compliant. \p Emma Hardy: The results of the UK’s air quality assessment for 2024 are published online on the UK-Air website (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/).
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to require local planning authorities to publish biodiversity net gain data and monitoring outcomes for developments in their area. \p Mary Creagh: The Environment Act 2021 established a strengthened biodiversity duty, which requires local planning authorities to publish a biodiversity report at least every 5 years, setting out how they have complied with the duty. As part of this report, local planning authorities are required to include actions they have taken under biodiversity net gain obligations, and information from the biodiversity gain plans they have approved. The first reports must be published by 1 January 2026.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to review the current exemptions from the biodiversity net gain requirement, including the use of the de minimis category. \p Mary Creagh: The Government recently consulted on options to improve the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. This included potential changes to the BNG de minimis exemption. A Government response to the consultation will be published in due course.
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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on the ecological restoration and improvement of a) privately owned woodland, b) ancient woodland and c) plantations on ancient woodland sites in each of the last three years. \p Mary Creagh: There are a number of different Government funded actions that contribute to ecological restoration and improvement of woodland in England, so it is not possible to give a precise answer to this question.

The Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) option WD2 – woodland improvement, administered by the Rural Payments Agency and supported by the Forestry Commission, covers activities in England aimed at improving woodland condition and biodiversity. This includes interventions such as thinning, selective felling, pest control, and habitat enhancement; and can include restoration of ancient woodland for the relevant landowners.

This is one option available to support ecological restoration and improvement of woodlands and the spend for this option over the past three years is as follows (note we do not have the data required to differentiate between privately owned woodland and other ownership).

2022: £11,591,832

2023: £13,014,527

2024: £19,314,485

A supplemental action is also available under CSHT to restore and maintain plantations on ancient woodlands sites (WS2). This supplements WD2 and is verified before agreement to be on a plantation on ancient woodland site. This was first available in 2023 and the spend for this over 2023-24 is:

2023: £79,266

2024: £555,703
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Joe Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussion she has had with consumer groups on the adequacy of veterinary services. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra has not conducted discussions directly with consumer groups on the adequacy of veterinary services. The Competition and Markets Authority is conducting a market investigation into the provision of veterinary services for household pets. Their Provisional Decision Report was published on 15 October and was open for consultation until 12 November. Defra will consider any remedies from their final report when it is published in Spring 2026.
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Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the prevalence of non-stun slaughter for Halal meat production in each year since 2015; and whether she has received representations from relevant stakeholders on animal welfare standards. \p Dame Angela Eagle: UK data regarding the number or proportion of animals slaughtered using the halal method without prior stunning is not collected.

The Food Standards Agency carries out a periodic slaughter sector survey in England and Wales, which started in 2011. Links to previous slaughter sector surveys are available here.

The Department has regular engagement with stakeholders on animal welfare standards.
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Lorraine Beavers:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to issue guidance to local authorities to aid the rollout of stepping stone housing to address homelessness. \p Alison McGovern: My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
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Dr Kieran Mullan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Planning Inspectorate has provided notice to Wealden District Council of a 21-day site notice under the Crown Development guidance in relation to the use of Crowborough Training Camp for asylum seeker accommodation. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Planning Inspectorate can find no record of an application or appeal being made to it in relation to this development.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals to introduce an automatic approval assumption for developments near train stations on (a) levels and (b) locations of houses in multiple occupation where Article 4 directives are in place; and whether he plans to include light rail tram stations alongside or in the definition of train stations. \p Matthew Pennycook: The proposals in question do not involve granting automatic permission to suitable planning applications.

They will cover development within a reasonable walking distance of well-connected tram stations, including light rail tram stations.

The proposals will not affect existing permitted development rights or Article 4 directions.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025 to Questions 87306 and 87307, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of new planning powers in the (a) Planning and Infrastructure and (b) English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill on the role of (i) local councils and (ii) elected councillors in decision-making on individual planning applications. \p Matthew Pennycook: Impact Assessments have been published for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring an Electrical Installation Condition Report at the point of sale of a property. \p Matthew Pennycook: On 6 October 2025, the government published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. They can be found on gov.uk here and here.

The consultations include proposals to mandate the provision of upfront property information.

Final decisions are subject to the outcome of these consultations.
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Ms Stella Creasy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to consult on changes to marriage value under the Leasehold Reform Act 2024; and when he expects to implement any changes. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 89939 on 20 November 2025.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, updated on 12 December 2024, what steps he is taking to support local planning authorities in assessing the impact of data centre development on (a) electricity grid capacity, (b) land availability and (c) other local infrastructure. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that planning policies should pay particular regard to facilitating development to meet the needs of a modern economy, including by identifying suitable locations for uses such as data centres.

The Framework also makes clear that Planning policies and decisions should recognise and address the specific locational requirements of different sectors.

The availability of land for specific uses and developments is a matter to be considered locally though plan and decision-making.

A policy paper on delivering AI Growth Zones was published by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 November 2025. The paper sets out actions that the government is taking to support proposals for data centres, including through the provision of additional planning capacity, forthcoming updates to national planning policy and a new National Policy Statement for Data Centres to support NSIP applications. The policy paper can be found on gov.uk here.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is for the implementation of reforms to the enforcement of standards in local government following his Department's response to the Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England consultation. \p Alison McGovern: We are continuing to engage closely with the sector on the detailed design of the proposed reforms and will bring forward the necessary legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Birmingham City Council’s response to the ongoing waste dispute; whether the Commissioners appointed have powers to (a) intervene and (b) direct the Council to re-enter negotiations; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that senior leadership within that authority is held accountable. \p Alison McGovern: The Secretary of State has not met with Birmingham City Council or the Commissioners regarding the refuse workers’ strike. My department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council as is normal for all Councils under intervention. This matter, and the wider waste dispute, is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council.

Commissioners are experienced local government professionals and are appointed to Birmingham City Council to support its recovery and improvement journey. They have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion.

More widely, the government is under no illusions about the scale of the wider financial challenge facing councils following more than a decade of cuts by successive governments. The government is therefore supporting the Leader and his team in Birmingham, directly and through the Commissioners, to move the council on from its historic issues. From 2026-27, the government is making good on long overdue promises to fundamentally update the way we fund local authorities, realigning funding with need and deprivation. The government already delivered an increase in Core Spending Power in Birmingham of up to 9.8% in 2025-26 and will further support councils through the first multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement in a decade.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to strengthen local authority powers to enforce planning conditions and take action against unauthorised developments. \p Matthew Pennycook: Local planning authorities already have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance.

Where a local planning authority thinks that a condition imposed on a planning permission has not been met, they can serve a breach of condition notice which requires the recipient to remedy the breach within a specified time. There is no appeal against such a notice and failure to comply with it is an offence punishable by an unlimited fine.

An enforcement notice can be served against any breach of planning control – where there is no planning permission for development or the terms of a permission (including a condition) have been breached.
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Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the impact of homelessness on local authorities’ resources and their capacity to meet their statutory duties. \p Alison McGovern: Homelessness is too high and the Government recognises the impact this has on local authorities, including financial pressures.

We have increased funding for homelessness by £316 million this year to a total of more than £1 billion, and will publish our cross-Government homelessness strategy later this year.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the data tables accompanying the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the rating of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre programme. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre Programme was rated as Red following a High Court case in 2022 and the loss of planning consent. The Holocaust Memorial Bill, currently before Parliament, will address the statutory obstacle identified by the High Court.
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Juliet Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to encourage housing associations work with local councils on an agreed anti-social behaviour protocol. \p Matthew Pennycook: Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets. Social landlords have a range of powers and tools to tackle anti-social behaviour and we expect them to use those powers promptly and proportionately, working with local agencies to put the needs of victims at the heart of their response.

The Neighbourhood and Community Standard, which can be found on gov.uk here, requires registered providers of social housing to work in partnership with appropriate local authority departments, the police and other relevant organisations to deter and tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) and hate incidents in the neighbourhoods where they provide social housing. They must also have policies in place setting out how they will do this.

Providers are also required to collect and publish data on the Tenant Satisfaction Measures, including tenants’ satisfaction with their landlord’s approach to handling anti-social behaviour. This ensures that tenants and other interested parties can hold registered providers to account for the services they provide.

In addition, the Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review brings together partner agencies such as the police, councils and social landlords to investigate tenants’ complaints about ASB and to make sure they have been dealt with properly.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to align the homelessness strategy with the youth strategy. \p Alison McGovern: My Department is working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport to ensure the Homelessness Strategy aligns with the National Youth Strategy and that young people receive the support they need as early as possible to reduce the risk of homelessness.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will consider a) adopting a gender-informed definition of rough sleeping and homelessness, b) providing local authorities with tools, resources, and guidance on gathering accurate and inclusive data on women’s rough sleeping and homelessness and c) providing gender-informed guidance to enable local authorities to ensure services and systems are equitable, accessible and safe for women, matched with appropriate levels of funding to do so. \p Alison McGovern: The Government recognises that women experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping have different experiences and needs to men.

The Government introduced a new question in the Rough Sleeping Monthly Management Information to capture the gender of those sleeping rough over the course of a month, rather than on a single night.

The Government has increased funding for homelessness services by £316 million to a record total of more than £1 billion. Local authorities can use this money to respond to local need, including those of women in their area. We are considering the needs of different cohorts in our cross-Government homelessness strategy, which will be published later this year.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant of the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 58761; how will the government support unparished areas in Devon like a) Exeter and b) Torbay in the Local Government Re-organisation process. \p Alison McGovern: All two tier authorities and their neighbouring unitaries must have regard to the statutory guidance on local government reorganisation. Criterion six states that new unitary structures should enable stronger community engagement and deliver genuine opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment.

We understand communities should have their say on the future of local government in their area and we have been clear on the importance of councils engaging with local residents and organisations as they develop their proposals.

The power to create and restructure town and parish councils is devolved to principal local authorities, which can review and make changes to local governance arrangements through Community Governance Reviews. In doing so, they are expected to take the views of local people into account, and they should also consider the financial and administrative requirements.

Following the submission of proposals for unitary local government in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay on 28 November, it will be for the government to decide on taking a proposal forward and to consult as required by statute. Responses from residents, town and parish councillors and local businesses to that consultation will be welcome.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many Houses of Multiple Occupation there were in England in each year since 2010. \p Matthew Pennycook: Estimates of the number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in England in each year since 2000-01 can be found in my Department’s Local Authority Housing Statistics open data, which can be found on gov.uk here.

The latest figures for 2023-24 show an estimated 472,823 HMOs in England.
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UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_353

Sir Ashley Fox:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help tackle deaths among homeless people caused primarily by drug use. \p Alison McGovern: People dying whilst homeless is devasting and we must do all we can to prevent avoidable deaths.

The government’s £61.7 million Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment programme funds drug and alcohol treatment services to improve substance misuse and recovery outcomes, reduce the number of people sleeping rough due to substance misuse, and prevent deaths from drug and alcohol poisoning.

We are also tackling the root causes of homelessness, including delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament and the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding for a generation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_354

Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an estimate of the difference in cost between the warranty and the true cost for leaseholders with major water ingress defects in their home. \p Samantha Dixon: Most new build warranties cover damages caused by structural defects for a 10-year term. The developer is often held accountable for the first two years of this period. The terms of warranty should give more detail on what developers would be expected to cover in this timeframe.

Where a homeowner is dissatisfied with the service given, warranty providers should have a clear complaints procedure for warranty holders to follow. This procedure should be followed in the first instance.

If this still does not resolve the issue, the next step would be to refer the case to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for a decision.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_355

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 88049 on Electoral Register: British Nationals Abroad, when he intends to introduce the package of measures. \p Samantha Dixon: Pursuant to the answer given to Question UIN 88049 on 17 November 2025 on electoral register, the government is clear that all legitimate electors should be able and encouraged to participate in democracy. This includes overseas electors, who should be able to exercise their vote without unnecessary barriers.

As set out in the policy paper, Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections (17/07/2025), the government will introduce a package of measures intended to improve the resilience and capacity of the postal voting system overall.

Legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows during the lifetime of this Parliament.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_356

Anna Sabine:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to bring England into line with Scotland by making the Agent of Change a statutory principle in planning. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is exploring how it can improve the implementation of the ‘agent of change’ principle in the planning system as part of the development of a new suite of national policies for decision-making that we will consult on before the end of this year.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_357
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_357

Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support (a) YMCA England & Wales and (b) other organisations to build additional move-on accommodation for people leaving supported housing. \p Alison McGovern: We have invested over £1 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services this year, which can be used flexibly to address a range of local needs, including support for young people. The Spending Review protects this record level of investment to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping for the next three years.

For young people ready to live independently, we are delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, backed by the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. We are also reforming the private rented sector to give more security to tenants, bringing an end to rental bidding, outlawing discrimination against prospective tenants with children or those who receive social security benefits; and preventing landlords from demanding large amounts of rent in advance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_358

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to improve standards in local politics. \p Alison McGovern: We published the government’s response to the Strengthening the Standards and Conduct Framework for Local Authorities in England consultation on 11 November. The response, informed by the consultation and wider sector engagement, sets out our ambition to introduce a clearer and consistently applied conduct system that will help local elected members to hold themselves and their colleagues to account in meeting the high standards and conduct their roles demand and the public have a right to expect.

We intend to legislate on local government standards reforms when parliamentary time allows.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_359

Joe Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Department is taking to reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation in the North East. \p Alison McGovern: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 86837 on 10 November 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_360

Cameron Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what measures he is taking her to support rental applications by individuals or families who are victims of domestic abuse. \p Alison McGovern: This government is committed to supporting victims of domestic abuse. This is part of the government’s wider mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.

Since 2021, local authorities in England have a statutory duty to ensure victims of domestic abuse and their children fleeing their homes can access support within safe accommodation when they need it. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government provided local authorities in England £160 million in 2025/26, a £30 million uplift from the previous year, to support delivery of this duty.

On 10 July 2025, regulations came into force meaning that victims of domestic abuse moving as a result of that abuse will no longer need to meet a local connection or residency test in order to access social housing; recognising the unique challenges they can face, such as fleeing an unsafe home to seek safety or support.

In addition, the Home Office is investing £1.96 million into a Flexible Fund, delivered by Women’s Aid and over 470 partner services, to support victims in England and Wales escaping abuse. This includes the option of a one-time payment of up to £2,500 to facilitate survivors’ transition to a more stable and independent future. For example, enabling them to put down a deposit for rental accommodation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_361

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to involve Oxfordshire residents in the decision-making process on local government reorganisation, including how communities will be consulted before final decisions are made. \p Alison McGovern: On 5 February, the government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. In that invitation, we set out that any proposals involving boundary change or affecting wider public services would need a strong justification on public services and financial sustainability grounds, recognising the additional costs and complexities of implementation. We also asked that areas demonstrate how the local community has been engaged in developing proposals.

Proposals for unitary local government in Oxfordshire are due by 28 November. The government will decide which, if any, of those proposals to implement after a statutory consultation, to which the constituents of Oxfordshire will be able to respond. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_362

Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will direct electricity providers to periodically conduct Electrical Installation Condition Reports. \p Samantha Dixon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80904 on 10 October 2025.

Electricity providers, the electricity network operators and electricity suppliers, the companies who distribute and supply electricity to homes and businesses, have no role in electrical safety inspections and are not responsible for electrical safety in homes and businesses.

For social rented homes we have introduced regulations, that came into force this month, requiring all landlords to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected and tested by a qualified person at least every five years. This is in line with regulations already in place in the private rented sector. Social landlords must also have the electrical equipment that they provide under the tenancy checked by a qualified person at least every five years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_363

James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to increase the accessibility of specialist housing-with-care to older people. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 61360  on 30 June 2025, UIN 61666 on 30 June 2025, UIN 59953 on 23 June 2025, and UIN 40972 on 1 April 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_364

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of tree planting and the provision of public open space for completed residential developments in England since 2015. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department has made no such assessment. The implementation of national planning policy is a matter for local planning authorities.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out clear policy regarding tree planting and the provision of public open space as part of new development. It outlines that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities and opportunities for new provision, which plans should then seek to accommodate.

In relation to tree planting, the Framework outlines that planning policies and decisions should ensure that new streets are tree-lined (unless, in specific cases, there are clear, justifiable and compelling reasons why this would be inappropriate), that opportunities are taken to incorporate trees elsewhere in developments (such as parks and community orchards), and that existing trees are retained wherever possible.