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Valerie Vaz:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the prevalence of asbestos in school buildings in Walsall and Bloxwich constituency. \p Stephen Morgan: The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously, which is why we expect all local authorities, governing bodies and academy trusts as responsible bodies to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively, in line with their legal duties, drawing on appropriate professional advice.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the regulator for asbestos, undertook inspections of a number of schools across the UK between September 2022 and April 2023 to look at compliance under Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The inspections showed that most schools were complying with the legal duties and effective management systems are in place to manage and monitor the condition of asbestos-contained materials onsite.

Additionally, the department is collecting data on the condition of school buildings in England as part of the Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme, in which we will visit all government-funded school buildings in England between 2021 and 2026. To date, we have visited 46 schools in the Walsall and Bloxwich constituency, and 33 schools have reported the presence of asbestos. CDC2 visits to the remaining schools in the constituency are scheduled to be completed by September 2025.

The department follows the advice of the HSE as regulator that, as long as asbestos-containing materials are undamaged, and not in locations where they are vulnerable to damage, they should be left undisturbed and their condition monitored.

The department has been clear, however, that when asbestos does pose a risk to safety and cannot be effectively managed in place, it should be removed. The decision to remove asbestos should be considered on a case-by-case basis and, annual condition funding provided by the department can be used for this purpose.

As part of the 2025/26 budget, we have increased capital allocations to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion, £300 million more than this financial year. This is on top of the School Rebuilding Programme and targeted support for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
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Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of permitting pay-as-you-save soft loans from community energy enterprises into solar panels on schools. \p Stephen Morgan: This government continues to look for opportunities to support schools in the growth of renewables in order to reduce emissions and energy bills. Options like Great British Energy’s scheme, which will provide funding to put rooftop solar panels on around 200 schools, provide a way forward.

The department has considered the soft solar loan scheme models being offered by community energy enterprises. However, commercial loans by schools impact on public debt, and broader fiscal considerations at this time around accountability and achieving best value for investment mean schemes of this type cannot currently be supported.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the use of AI in her Department on security. \p Janet Daby: The UK government is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance public services safely and securely. The AI Playbook for the UK Government security section (p. 74) includes an assessment of the risks coming from the use of AI. The Playbook includes worked scenarios for AI use which detail potential impacts for the different types of risk. All AI services must adhere to Secure by Design principles and conduct risk assessments, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).

The department has established an AI working group to identify, assess and manage opportunities and risks associated with AI technologies in the department. Before any new technology or product is implemented in the department it undergoes security assurance and data protection considerations.

Critical and important systems and services are risk assessed by the department’s Information Security team to identify and communicate risks to service risk owners, and to provide recommendations to mitigate those risks that are above the service and department’s risk appetite.

Security concerns on cross government use of AI tools such as Humphrey are managed centrally via the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Government Security Group.

The following resources, produced by His Majesty’s Government, are available to the department:
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Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to reinstate the Business Engagement Forum to help ensure collaboration between officials in her Department and industry leaders. \p Janet Daby: With the creation of Skills England, the department has developed a wider range of employer engagement routes.

In October 2024, following the publication of the first Skills England report, a series of round tables were conducted, engaging over 100 stakeholders. This tested the initial analysis but also drew out what stakeholders felt Skills England should prioritise and where it could have most impact.

In November 2024, the department conducted a comprehensive engagement programme, reaching 743 people across a variety of sectors and activities.

The engagement was designed to support advice on the future of the Growth and Skills Levy offer, and the skills element of Industrial Strategy Sector Plans.

The aim was to collect evidence on skills needs, flexibilities in the levy system and gather sector-specific views to inform the second Skills England report.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed reductions in the funding for the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme on children in Mid Bedfordshire constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: I refer the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire to the answer of 28 April to Question 40352.
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Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many representations her Department has received from Manchester City Council on the (a) funding and (b) quality of SEND provision in Greater Manchester in the last five years. \p Catherine McKinnell: The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with local area partnerships, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.

Manchester City Council (MCC) is one of ten local authorities making up Greater Manchester. Following their SEND inspection, which found no Written Statement of Action was necessary in November 2021, the department has continued to liaise with MCC through regular meetings updating on any key issues or risks in the area. MCC are a lead partner of the SEND Change Programme and provide insights to the department including sharing learning on SEND provision in Manchester.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many breakfast club early adopters there are in (a) rural and (b) urban areas. \p Stephen Morgan: In order to test and learn about how best to support schools in implementing new free universal breakfast clubs, the department has selected over 750 early adopter schools to deliver from summer term 2025, ahead of national roll out to all schools with primary aged children.

Just under a third of the breakfast club early adopter schools are in rural areas, meaning over two thirds are in urban areas. This is a representative of the split of the overall make-up of state-funded schools with primary aged pupils across England. Schools have been selected to ensure a representative sample, to ensure the early adopter scheme learns from a variety of schools, including schools that are large and small, with high and low levels of deprivation, and in a range of locations.
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David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure that eligible families have access to the Support for Families with Disabled Children programme. \p Catherine McKinnell: Each year, the Support for Families with Disabled Children (SFDC) programme provides individual grants to approximately 60,000 low-income families raising a disabled or seriously ill child. The department is pleased to support the SFDC programme and we expect applications to the scheme to re-open shortly.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending financial education to primary school children. \p Catherine McKinnell: Financial education currently forms a compulsory part of the national curriculum for mathematics, at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship, at key stages 3 and 4. The primary mathematics curriculum includes arithmetic knowledge that supports pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money, including, for example, calculations with money and percentages.

Primary schools are free to teach financial education within citizenship. The non-statutory primary citizenship programme of study at key stages 1 and 2 equip pupils to look after their money and realise that future wants and needs may be met through saving.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review is committed to ensuring a high-quality, knowledge-rich curriculum that drives excellence in education across a broad range of subjects and pathways. The next phase of work will consider whether there is sufficient coverage of key knowledge and skills to prepare children and young people for future life and to thrive in a fast-changing world, including financial education. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government response.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has plans to restore the core schools budget to 2010 in real terms. \p Catherine McKinnell: Overall core revenue funding for schools totals almost £61.6 billion for the 2024/25 financial year. The overall core schools budget (CSB) is increasing by £3.2 billion in 2025/26, meaning the CSB will total over £64.8 billion.

The latest schools funding statistics release from 30 January shows that, adjusted for inflation using the GDP deflator, funding per pupil for 5 to16-year-olds stood at a little under £7,400 in the 2010/11 financial year in 2024/25 prices. This has risen to £8,020 in the 2025/26 financial year in 2024/25 prices. This does not take into account the increase of over £900 million this government is also providing for schools and high needs settings to support them with the cost of National Insurance contributions increases. Funding per pupil in the 2025/26 financial year is therefore higher than the level reached in the 2010/11 financial year, in real terms.

These increases, against the backdrop of a challenging fiscal picture, demonstrate the government’s commitment to enabling every child to achieve.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of school students in Mid Bedfordshire constituency impacted by changes to funding for the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme. \p Catherine McKinnell: Excellence in mathematics is one of the many skills needed to drive economic growth, and we are committed to ensuring all children and young people have opportunities to secure mathematical knowledge, regardless of background and socio-economic status.

The Advanced Maths Support Programme (AMSP) is a vital government funded programme that continues to positively impact mathematics education across England. We are currently working with the AMSP supplier (MEI) to ensure that its important work evolves to better align with the government’s Opportunity Mission and skills for the future, such as AI and Data Science.

More details on AMSP funding and the full offer for schools and colleges nationally and locally will be published in due course, on the AMSP website, which can be accessed here: https://amsp.org.uk/.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding for childminding providers. \p Stephen Morgan: It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and this is key to the government’s Plan for Change. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high-quality early years provision going forward.

In the 2025/26 financial year, this government plans to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements and the department has increased the early years pupil premium by 45%. On top of this we are providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the Early Years Expansion Grant.

The early years is a diverse market, ranging from chains of nurseries and school-based providers to childminders and the hourly funding rate paid to local authorities for the early years entitlements is designed to recognise the average costs across different provider types and to reflect both staff and non-staff costs. The department knows, from listening to the sector and from our own regular research, that the cost of care is highest for younger children, which the funding rates reflect. However, funding is not ring-fenced by age and we know many childminders often look after children at a range of ages, often below and above the age of three. Where this is the case childminders can use all the funding they receive from their local authority to support with costs across all the children they look after.

The department also knows that the funding rates for younger children will often be significantly above previous parent paid rates and the childminding sector will benefit from the expanded entitlements for working parents.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of 5 February 2025 from the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire on Swallowfield Primary School. \p Stephen Morgan: A response has been sent to the letter dated 5 February from the hon. Member for Mid Bedfordshire.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many state schools she has visited since 5 July 2024. \p Stephen Morgan: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education prioritises visits to our state schools, which serve 93% of pupils in England. The Secretary of State for Education has visited 18 state schools from 5 July 2024 to 22 April 2025. This does not include visits taken in a political capacity or constituency visits, which are not organised by the department. This number also excludes visits to other educational settings, such as colleges, nurseries and universities.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of key stage four students who completed their GCSEs went on to (a) start apprenticeships, (b) study A levels and (c) start vocational technical qualifications in (i) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (ii) Lincolnshire in each of the last five academic years for which data is available. \p Janet Daby: The information requested is not held centrally.

The department does, however, measure the proportion of students in state-funded mainstream schools who go on to sustain a destination after completing their key stage 4 study. Data relating to South Holland and the Deepings constituency and Lincolnshire can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/7c67e37a-6bf9-4706-9b63-08dd7377d1ad.

A breakdown of the sustained education destination by A level and vocational technical qualifications is not readily available, however, the number of students at the end of their 16 to 18 study who studied A levels and vocational technical qualifications in South Holland and the Deepings constituency can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4dbda504-885f-4ecd-a918-08dd736ca4ba.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to implement (a) a workforce development strategy, (b) apprenticeships and (c) career pathways for the independent advice sector. \p Janet Daby: An appropriately trained workforce of careers advisers, available to work with young people and adults in a range of settings, is a key part of our approach to careers provision. The department wants to ensure that people from all backgrounds can access the expert advice they need to explore a range of career pathways and labour market opportunities. This supports the development of a skilled workforce across all sectors, driving economic growth through our Industrial Strategy.

The department works closely with the Career Development Institute (CDI), the UK’s professional body for careers work, which provides training and professional development. The current offer includes a bespoke department-funded programme for National Careers Service advisers and a programme, funded by the Gatsby Foundation, targeted on raising awareness of technical education pathways amongst careers advisers working in schools and colleges.

The CDI maintains the UK Register of Career Development Professionals with members adhering to a code of ethics and committing to regular professional development. The CDI also provides advice on the right qualifications for various roles and how to conduct effective personal guidance meetings.

Secondary schools and colleges are legally required to secure independent and impartial careers guidance for all learners up to the age of 18 and for 19 to 24-year olds with an education, health and care plan. Careers statutory guidance sets a clear expectation that schools and colleges should make sure that careers advisers providing personal guidance to learners are trained to the appropriate level. The department recommends that schools and colleges use the CDI’s register to find suitable careers advisers qualified to at least level 6 in a career development subject. The main level 6 and 7 qualifications for careers advisers are the level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development, the level 6 Higher Apprenticeship: Career Development Professional and the Qualification in Career Development at level 7.

Over 760 careers advisers form the bedrock of our National Careers Service, providing free, up to date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers and the labour market in England. National Careers Service prime contractors must make sure that all advisers hold career development qualifications appropriate to their role and demonstrate in their workforce development strategy that they are committed to employing staff in line with the standards set by the CDI. The government is committed to bringing the National Careers Service and Jobcentre Plus closer together and we will set out further details on this soon.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of the uptake of law degrees in the last five years. \p Janet Daby: There has been a 6.3% increase in the number of entrants into UK higher education providers studying law across all levels and modes of study between 2019/20 and 2023/24.
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Tracy Gilbert:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeships the Construction Industry Training Board supported in (a) Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and (b) Scotland in (i) 2023 and (ii) 2024. \p Janet Daby: In the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) supported 36 registered employers in 2023, and 47 registered employers in 2024. A CITB registered employer may access more than one grant or fund, and the cumulative count of support for registered employers within the constituency was 58 and 113 respectively.

Across Scotland, the CITB supported 2,864 registered employers in 2023, and 3414 registered employers in 2024, with 6,683 and 9,076 cumulative counts of support respectively.

The number of apprentices supported is not routinely captured at constituency level, so the CITB is unable to provide this figure from currently available data.

Through the CITB’s contract with Skills Development Scotland, it supported an average of 4,440 apprentices per month in 2023, and an average of 4,500 apprentices per month in 2024.
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Damian Hinds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Written Statement of 22 October 2024 on Mainstream Free Schools, HCWS150, what progress her Department has made on the review of planned mainstream free schools. \p Stephen Morgan: The review that my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced in October 2024 will put a stop to the over-supply of unnecessary places and channel funding towards improving the deteriorating condition of existing schools and colleges and enable prioritisation of capital funding where it is most needed across the education estate to counter urgent condition need.

Since the review was announced, departmental officials have been working through evidence gathered from trusts and local authorities to develop robust, evidence-based recommendations. We will update trusts and local authorities on next steps in due course.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of how many (a) weeks in the year and (b) hours each week recipients of the school-based nursery capital grant will be open. \p Stephen Morgan: The school-based nursery capital grant is capital funding awarded to schools to repurpose spare space in school buildings for the purpose of creating, or expanding, nursery provision.

All schools, including those in receipt of the school-based nursery capital grant, will report termly through the school census details of all registered pupils who take up any of the funded entitlements to free education within that school. All schools are also required to report annually on the types of childcare offered, for example, before school, after school, holiday and under five. The information collected includes the opening and closing time as well as the number of weeks opened.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38372 on MHCLG: Cost Effectiveness, if she will list each of those individual media campaigns which were halted; and the previously estimated cost of each. \p Alex Norris: A number of 24/25 campaigns were halted or postponed following the election. The campaigns and estimated cost of each (excluding VAT) were:

No costs were incurred for these campaigns.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, Eighteenth Report, 2024-25, HL Paper 84, para 32, what steps her Department is taking to to improve (a) consultation and (b) engagement with local residents. \p Jim McMahon: 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.

The invitation is clear on the importance of local engagement, and asks councils to ensure there is wide engagement with local residents as well as other public service providers, workforce and their representatives, Members of Parliament and businesses as they prepare their proposals for strong, stable unitary councils that are fit for the future. The guidance is clear that the final proposals put forward should include evidence of local engagement, an explanation of the views that have been put forward and how concerns will be addressed.

Once a proposal has been submitted it will be for the Government to decide on taking a proposal forward and to consult as required by statute.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much has been spent on flights by her Department since 5 July 2025. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Department has spent no money on flights since 5 July 2025 because that date is in the future.

In general terms, data on minister’s overseas travel and on senior civil servant’s business expenses is published on a quarterly basis.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) limit and (b) prohibit the use of joint and several liability contracts in student housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government does not intend to restrict or prohibit the use of joint and several liability contracts in the student housing market. This is a well-established practice in the sector, allowing groups of students to choose to live together with their friends.
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Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reasons she has yet to implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 on (a) providing a comprehensive rights of redress to homeowners on (i) private and (ii) mixed tenure estates and (b) the ability to appeal the reasonableness of those charges. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November (HCWS244),
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of standardising the contribution that Housing Associations make to estate service management fees. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Department has not made a specific assessment of the implications of standardising the contribution that Housing Associations make to estate management fees.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing legislation to require local authorities to allocate social housing with flooring installed. \p Matthew Pennycook: There is currently no legislation requiring social housing landlords, including local authorities, to provide floor coverings. This is discretionary and landlords are not required to remove floor coverings when a home is let to new tenants.

My Department engages actively with stakeholders on issues facing social housing tenants, such as the provision of floor coverings, and has engaged with End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue.

We will be consulting this year on a reformed Decent Homes Standard.

People currently living without floor coverings may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to next publish an updated version of the Crown Premises Fire Safety Inspectorate enforcement register, published on 26 April 2023. \p Alex Norris: The Crown Premises’ Fire Safety Inspectorate’s enforcement register will be updated again by 31st May 2025
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Jess Asato:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of recommendation 4 of the report by the Older People’s Housing Taskforce entitled Our future homes: Housing that promotes wellbeing and community for an ageing population, published on 26 November 2024. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations in the final report of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce and are committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market. We will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of local licensing fees for outdoor seating on small hospitality businesses. \p Alex Norris: The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 made caps to the fees charged for pavement licences permanent. These caps were designed to allow administration costs borne by local authorities to be recovered whilst ensuring the cost to business is proportionate. They also grant local authorities discretion to align costs to local needs.

The Government supports a thriving hospitality sector. In April, we announced the formation of a licensing policy taskforce which aims to create a more enabling and agile approach to licensing with a greater focus on growth. The Government will consider the recommendations of the taskforce and announce any decisions in due course.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the London Borough of Havering on supporting highstreets to provide a broad range of (a) shops, (b) amenities and (c) services. \p Alex Norris: The Government wishes to promote thriving, mixed use high streets across the country, and through the Plan for Change, is fostering the conditions for economic growth upon which the health of high streets depends.

Local leaders also have a vital role in supporting high streets and my department engages with local authorities and other partners regularly. The Mayor of London and London councils have published a growth plan to boost jobs and prosperity. Boroughs like Havering are obliged to promote the health of town centres through the planning system, and the Government has introduced new High Street Rental Auction powers enabling all councils to tackle persistent vacancy on high streets.

More widely, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) like the London Riverside BID and Romford Town Centre BID in Havering can also play a role in attracting investment and improving trade.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring developers to include Blue Badge parking spaces in new residential housing developments. \p Alex Norris: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that in assessing sites that may be allocated for development in plans, or specific applications for development, it should be ensured that safe and suitable access to the site can be achieved for all users. Within this context, applications for development should address the needs of people with disabilities and reduced mobility in relation to all modes of transport.

Responsibility for traffic management and enforcement of all parking regulations, including the provision of disabled parking spaces, is the responsibility of local authorities. It is for individual authorities to decide on the nature and scope of these policies and to balance the needs of residents, emergency services, local business and those who work in and visit their areas. Where car parks are on private land and owned, for example, by a supermarket or retail park, it is for the landowner to determine the terms and conditions for how that land may be used, and how parking spaces may be allocated.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_252

Jenny Riddell-Carpenter:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to University of Central Lancashire's report entitled Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic fire effluents, published in November 2020, what steps she is taking to protect firefighters. \p Alex Norris: The University of Central Lancashire’s report was helpful in highlighting this particular issue. This must be considered alongside other relevant academic research and study in this area.

We are continuing to review the evidence around risks to firefighters posed by contaminants and will determine a policy position.

Responsibility for firefighters’ health and safety sits with fire and rescue authorities, This responsibility includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that firefighters receive the appropriate equipment and training they need to safely respond to the wide range of incidents that they attend.
wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_253
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_253

Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to reopen the Community Ownership Fund. \p Alex Norris: On 23 December 2024, we announced that the Community Ownership Fund (COF) is now closed and that there will be no further application windows. We took this difficult decision due to the challenging inheritance left by the previous government.

COF’s purpose is to bring assets that are at risk of closure into sustainable community ownership. Funding was awarded to projects to secure the long-term future of their local asset. Monies will continue to be paid to successful projects from previous windows in line with the conditions set out in their Grant Funding Agreement (GFA).

This Government remains committed to the communities’ sector and to community empowerment. The Devolution White Paper, which was published on 16 December 2024, set out plans which demonstrate our commitment. There will be further announcements relating to communities this year, including on the community ownership of assets.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_254

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a statutory duty for fire and rescue services in England to respond to flooding. \p Alex Norris: Protecting communities from flooding is a key priority for this Government. In Autumn 2024, as the Minister previously responsible for fire, the Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson asked officials to undertake further work alongside Defra and other relevant partners to understand in more detail if there are gaps in the fire and rescue services flooding response and resilience system.

Fire and Rescue Authorities have duties under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) to prepare for emergencies, including major flooding. Fire Rescue Authorities also have discretionary powers to respond to incidents under their core functions in the Fire and Rescue Services Act (2004) and in response to the risks set out in their Community Risk Management Plans prepared under the National Framework. At this time, a clear rationale for introducing a statutory duty has not been determined.

However, MHCLG officials and representatives of fire and rescue services will continue to work with Defra, as the lead government department for flooding, and its partners to understand the challenges that fire and rescue services face and consider how best to ensure that all partners involved in flood response have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_255
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_255

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure the provision of suitable housing for people with disabilities. \p Alex Norris: I refer the Hon. member to my previous answer UIN 12990 provided on 25 November 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_256

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ground rent costs on the ability of long-term leaseholders to sell their leased properties. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_257

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled £2 billion new investment to support biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, published on 25 March 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) social and (b) affordable homes that will be built in Bedfordshire in the 2026-27 financial year. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 44049 on 22 April 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_258

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what percentage of the new 1,500,000 homes will be (a) social housing and (b) affordable housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

The government has also announced the £450m third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, followed by an uplift of £50m, enabling councils to grow their housing stock.

We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. Having reduced Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels, we have allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales.

The government recognise that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a number of changes that make the planning system more supportive of affordable housing, in particular Social Rent homes. These include new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_259

Sojan Joseph:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of poor housing on the transmission of tuberculosis; and what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and (b) local authorities in areas of high TB incidence on this matter. \p Matthew Pennycook: Everyone deserves to live in a decent, safe, and warm home.

The government is therefore bringing forward a consultation in early 2025, setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors to ensure safe and secure housing is the standard across the country.

Housing association tenants who think their house or flat is in a seriously dangerous condition – including due to overcrowding – can inform their local authority. Local authorities have a legal duty to take enforcement action under the Housing Act 2004 if they find health and safety hazards including overcrowding at the most dangerous ‘category 1’ level, using the HHSRS. Landlords are also obligated to ensure that any dwelling they rent out is free of hazards which may jeopardise the health or safety of tenants. Statutory guidance recommends that local authorities consider giving ‘high priority’ for alternative housing to families in severe overcrowding which poses a serious health hazard.

We continue to work closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that housing supports the health and wellbeing of residents.

The UK Health Security Agency collects statutory TB incidence notifications in England and uses this to support service planning and public health action - we suggest contacting them about their work with local authorities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_260

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether there was a cost to the public purse for the hire of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club for the roundtable event she attended on 4 April 2025. \p Alex Norris: There was no cost to the public purse.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-28 conversation_261

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department engages with Palestine Action. \p Alex Norris: No, my department has not engaged with Palestine Action. The responsibility for decisions around who departments engage with sits with those departments and the appropriate policy areas.