theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Ian Sollom:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of infected blood victims who (a) are not registered with a compensation scheme, (b) fall outside the cut-off dates but are eligible for compensation and (c) have not received an interim payment. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: Due to the nature of the Infected Blood scandal there is uncertainty over the number of people who might be eligible for compensation. Early estimates made within the Cabinet Office of those who are infected were that there are approximately 8,500 to 16,500 infected individuals, both living and deceased, who would claim. Of these, approximately 3,500 are currently living and registered with an Infected Blood Support Scheme. However, the final number of eligible people will ultimately depend on the number of victims who come forward. There is no limit or target on the amount announced for the scheme and each eligible person will get the compensation they are due.

The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme does not have hard cut off dates based on someone’s infection after which they will not be eligible. There are dates set out in the 2025 Regulations based on when routine screening became available. Those infected after the dates specified in the regulations will not be excluded from the scheme, as long as they can provide evidence that they received infected blood or blood products.

To date, the Government has paid over £1.2 billion in interim compensation payments to infected people, bereaved partners and estates of those who have very sadly died due to infected blood. Over 500 interim payments have been paid to the estates of deceased infected people, totalling over £50 million, and applications for interim payments to estates are still open.

As of 3 June, IBCA has contacted 1,360 people to start their compensation claim, and 981 have started the claim process. 324 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £253 million, and so far 218 people have accepted their offers with more than £166 million paid in compensation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Prime Minister’s Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards plans to respond to the correspondence of 27 April 2025 from the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton on the Prime Minister’s visit to Cambridgeshire. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: The Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards is independent of government. A response will be provided in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Spending Review 2025: Departmental Efficiency Plans, published on 11 June 2025, whether there is an overall headcount target for the size of the Civil Service from 2026-27 to 2028-29. \p Georgia Gould: We have set out plans to reduce back office costs by 16% over the next five years, delivering savings of over £2.2 billion a year by 2030 and targeting spending on front line services.

Each department will take a decision on its individual size and shape as per the financial settlements that have now been agreed with HMT in the Spending Review.

These plans will take a whole workforce approach based on the cost of civil servants, Contingent Labour, Consultancy and Managed Services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Infected Blood Inquiry on effectively sharing data with the Independent Blood Compensation Agency to help (a) increase the speed at which claims can be processed and (b) prevent fraud. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: As the sponsor Minister for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, I stand ready to help and assist in any way I can to speed up the payments. I am restless for the speed of delivery to increase, including considering what data could be identified to help process claims quickly, while always respecting IBCA’s operational independence and the need to prevent fraud.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49766 on Cabinet Office: Staff, for what reason the EU Relations Secretariat appears in the February 2025 dataset but not in the May 2025 dataset. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: A transitional data processing error caused EURS staff to appear temporarily under ’NULL’ in the May 2025 dataset following structural changes in Cabinet Office systems.

This has since been rectified. These staff are identifiable by their ‘EURS’ position ID.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 50158 on Polygamy, if she will make it her policy to commission research on this issue. \p Alex Norris: The department has no plans to commission research on this issue. It has been the policy of successive governments to prevent the formation of polygamous households in the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton of 21 May 2025. \p Alex Norris: The department aims to respond to correspondence within 20 working days.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce regulations requiring the disclosure of future maintenance liabilities through asset management plans during property transactions. \p Matthew Pennycook: Providing essential information upfront during the home buying and selling process is important in supporting potential buyers to make informed decisions about whether a property is suitable for them.

There is already a requirement under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 that any property information that would help a prospective homebuyer to make an informed decision is not hidden or omitted.

On 9 February, the government announced action to improve the availability of property information. Improving access to key home buying and selling data will help transactions run more smoothly by ensuring all parties are able to access the information they need at the right time.

We recognise the benefits to leaseholders of Asset Management Plans. As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS2440), the government will consult on new reforms to the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure that leaseholders must go through when they face large bills for such works.

We continue to work with stakeholders across industry, government, and the public sector to understand the most effective way of supporting buyers to make the right decisions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using rural exception sites for delivering affordable housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework expects local planning authorities to support opportunities to bring forward rural exception sites to provide affordable housing to meet identified local needs.

In the government response to the revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024, we committed to give further consideration to how we can better support rural affordable housing, including through rural exception sites, as part of our work to produce a set of national policies for decision making in 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 46286 on Housing, whether she plans to (a) bring forward legislative proposals and (b) update guidance on Empty Dwelling Management on the issuing of those orders for empty homes of the deceased. \p Matthew Pennycook: As set out in the Devolution White paper, we are committed to strengthening local authority powers to take over the management of vacant residential premises. Further updates will be provided in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Greg Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the planning system within the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on irreplaceable habitats. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.

The Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) provides an alternative mechanism for development to discharge environmental obligations relating specifically to the Habitats and Species Regulations, the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and the Protection of Badgers Act.

It does not apply to irreplaceable habitats generally, for which the strong protections in the National Planning Policy Framework will continue to apply.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 89 of the drawings entitled CD 1.03C: Proposed Drawings, submitted by the Chinese Government to the Planning Inspectorate’s called-in planning inquiry for the Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint, what the security reasons are for redacting the internal floor plans of the Cultural Exchange building. \p Matthew Pennycook: All Inquiry documents for this case are publicly available on Tower Hamlets website here. All material planning considerations will be taken into account when reaching a decision.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department collects on local authorities’ use of (a) Compulsory Purchase Orders and (b) Empty Dwelling Management Orders. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department has published a register of decisions on compulsory purchase orders in England submitted by local authorities for confirmation since 2019. It can be found on gov.uk here.

The Department does not collect data on the number of Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMOs) that have been issued.

Local authorities can apply for an EDMO when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with members of the (a) Hong Kong, (b) Uyghur and (c) Tibetan diasporas in the UK on the (i) security, (ii) human rights, (iii) peaceful protest and (iv) transnational repression implications of the proposed Chinese Embassy. \p Matthew Pennycook: An appointed Inspector held a public inquiry which heard a range of evidence for and against the proposals in question.

This case is now with the department, and so it would not be appropriate to comment further.

Decisions on planning applications are based on material planning considerations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has issued a direction under section 321 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in relation to the Chinese Embassy planning application. \p Matthew Pennycook: There is no direction under section 321 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in force in respect of this case.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to developers of nutrient neutrality credits; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this on housing supply in impacted catchment areas. \p Matthew Pennycook: Through the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund, the government has provided £110m in direct grant funding to local planning authorities to deliver high quality, locally led nutrient mitigation schemes. This funding is distinct from the £30m provided to Natural England to fund the Nutrient Mitigation Scheme.

The Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund will be recycled locally until nutrient mitigation is no longer needed, at which point it will be used for measures to help restore the relevant Habitats sites. This will enable sustainable development, unlocking stalled housing delivery whilst delivering benefits like enhanced public access to nature and supporting our commitment to leave our environment in a better state than we found it.

The cost of credits – either through the LNMF or private providers – will vary by area depending on factors such as the cost of land and the cost of delivery relevant mitigation measures.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the her Department's publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, what the goods or services commissioned from Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd entitled Consultancy were. \p Matthew Pennycook: Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd is providing technical planning advice relating to a small number of planning decisions to be taken by the Department.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Aphra Brandreth:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) the arrangements for plan making at (i) borough and (ii) neighbourhood level and (b) the reduction in five year land supply to below a qualifying threshold of 80% on the target for (A) Cheshire West and Chester and (B) other boroughs that will not have a transitional period. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government’s Plan for Change includes an ambitious milestone of delivering 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament.

Delivering on that milestone requires local planning authorities to plan for sufficient homes, as well as commercial development and wider infrastructure, through their local development plans.

Local plans clearly spell out to developers and communities where development will and will not take place, bringing certainty to all parties. They are also the mechanism through which local communities can have their say in how homes are built.

The government inherited a planning system in which only 31% of local planning authorities have adopted plans in the last five years. That is not sustainable, and I am clear that it is unacceptable for local planning authorities to not make a local plan.

We are determined to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible, to progress towards our ambition of achieving universal plan coverage and ensure plans contribute positively to our ambition of delivering 1.5 million homes.

To that end, the transitional arrangements contained within the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 mad clear that plans which are submitted for examination on or before 12 March 2025 would continue to be examined under the relevant previous version of the NPPF.

However, where the draft housing requirement in the plan to be adopted meets less than 80% of local housing need, the authority will be expected to begin working on a new plan, as soon as the new plan-making system is brought into force this summer/autumn, to address the shortfall in housing need.

For plans at an earlier stage of plan making, the policies of the revised NPPF apply, including revised Local Housing Need figures.

The government has provided in excess of £29 million to local planning authorities this year to support them to get plans in place as soon as possible.

We want to work in partnership with local planning authorities to deliver for their communities, but where they fail to do so the Deputy Prime Minister will make use of the intervention powers available to her to get local plans in place.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 53568 on Land: Greater London, what the planning status is of Metropolitan Open Land designated by the Mayor of London in the London Plan; and whether it has the status of Green Belt for the purposes of the references in the Framework. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 53920 on 6 June 2025.
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Aphra Brandreth:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that people living in rural (a) communities and (b) villages will be able to contribute to planning decisions, in the context of the national scheme of delegation. \p Matthew Pennycook: Following the introduction of a national scheme of delegation, people living in rural communities and villages will continue to be able to make representations on individual planning applications, irrespective of who the decision maker is.

On 28 May 2025, the government published a technical consultation on reform of planning committees. The consultation is open until 23 July 2025 and can be found on gov.uk here.

We welcome responses from people living in rural communities and villages, and their elected representatives.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the time taken for local plan adoption when linked to the availability of nutrient neutrality credits. \p Matthew Pennycook: Local planning authorities can only adopt a local development plan that is sound.

That requires them to be consistent with national planning policy, be supported by evidence, and take the views of local people into account.

If nutrient neutrality credits are available as supporting evidence for the inclusion of a site allocation proposed in an emerging plan this can reduce the risk of delays when the plan is examined.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the consultation entitled Reform of planning committees: technical consultation, published on 28 May 2025, whether the Full Council of a local authority will be able to call in a (a) Tier A and (b) Tier B planning application if requested by local councillors. \p Matthew Pennycook: As set out in the technical consultation on reform of planning committees published on 28 May 2025, all applications in Tier A would be delegated to planning officers.

However, Question 5 asks for views on whether there should be a mechanism to bring a Tier A application to committee in exceptional circumstances and, if so, what would those circumstances be and how would the mechanism operate.

Applications in Tier B would be presumed to be delegated unless the chief planning officer (or equivalent officer in local planning authorities without a chief planning officer) and Chair of Committee agree it should go to Committee based on a gateway test.

The consultation is open for views until 23 July 2025.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to annex 14 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, what she expects the average length of a strategic plan to be. \p Matthew Pennycook: As the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Impact Assessment sets outs, the government expects that spatial development strategies will be concise and focused to reflect their role as high level strategic documents. As such, we expect future spatial development strategies to be significantly shorter than the current London Plan.

While we do not intend to indicate precisely how long spatial development strategies should be, my department will provide strategic planning authorities with further guidance to support them in meeting this expectation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of applying permitted development rights to small reservoirs. \p Matthew Pennycook: Under existing nationally set permitted development rights, farmers are able to create smaller, on-farm reservoirs. Guidance on the rights in question is available on gov.uk here.

The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 51872 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Civil Servants, how many staff are in a redeployment position in each of her department's Arm's Length Bodies in the most recent period for which information is held. \p Alex Norris: The department does not hold this information.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's transparency data entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, what the spending to CENTRE FOR HOMELESSNESS IMPACT on Research Services was for. \p Rushanara Ali: The Centre for Homelessness were commissioned to undertake a programme of ‘Test and Learn’ trials and a systems-wide evaluation of homelessness and rough sleeping.

The principles guiding the government’s publication and release of social research can be found on gov.uk here. An interim report was published in February this year, available on gov.uk here.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations her Department has received on collection practices for the Community Infrastructure Levy by Waverley Borough Council. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department has received correspondence concerning the imposition of Community Infrastructure Levy charges by various levy charging authorities, including Waverley Borough Council. We are keeping the issues highlighted in this correspondence under review.

The government is committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure that new developments provide appropriate affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
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Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason future candidates for a directly elected mayoral post are required to pay (a) a deposit of £5,000 and (b) another £5,000 towards a candidates' booklet; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of these payments on participation in mayoral elections. \p Jim McMahon: Under electoral law, candidates are required to pay a deposit in certain elections, reflecting the scale of the role, including budget responsibility, role as chair of the Combined Authority or Combined County Authority, and the ability to raise a levy; as well as the size of the electorate and electoral area. This has been set at £5000 for Mayoral candidates for Combined Authorities and Combined County Authorities. A deposit is returned if a candidate receives more than 5% of the valid votes cast.

A Mayoral candidate for a Combined Authority or Combined County Authority who wishes to have an election address included in the election booklet may be required by the Returning Officer to pay towards the cost of the production of the booklet, at an amount to be set by the Returning Officer. The cost of delivery of such booklets to electors will be met by the Combined Authority or Combined County Authority.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, what the goods or services were commissioned from Livewire Consultancy Limited on revolution Priority Programme. \p Jim McMahon: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to UIN 58018 on 12 June 2025.
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Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support biodiversity and nature when building houses and infrastructure. \p Matthew Pennycook: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 is clear about the importance of protecting and enhancing biodiversity where it is affected by development and includes stringent protections for nationally designated sites and irreplaceable habitats.

The implementation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and Biodiversity Net Gain are helping to highlight opportunities to improve nature in conjunction with development, and to secure tangible contributions to biodiversity enhancements.

The Nature Restoration Fund, introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, will provide further benefits where development could affect protected habitats and species, by enabling strategic improvements.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of nutrient neutrality credit costs on the affordability of new housing developments. \p Matthew Pennycook: In December 2023, the previous government awarded Dorset council £4.63m in Round 1 of the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund to support the delivery of local nutrient mitigation schemes that would provide mitigation and unblock stalled development.

The present government awarded Poole Harbour a further £100,000 in Nutrient Support Funding in Autumn 2024.

These funds are intended to be used and recycled locally in a way which helps to unlock housing while mitigating the effects of nutrient pollution.

The government has not made an assessment of the potential impact of the scheme on affordability.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has a policy on the use of technical language in planning applications. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government has no specific policy related to the use of technical language in planning applications.
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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of improving basic amenities for Park Home residents. \p Matthew Pennycook: On privately owned park home sites, the site owner is responsible for the amenities on site.

Site owners are required to have a site licence, issued by local authorities. Local authorities have discretion to attach conditions to licences which may cover matters such as the site amenities, physical standards, and layout of the park.

The Mobile Homes Act 2013 gave local authorities substantial enforcement powers to ensure they can take action if a site owner is found to have breached any of their site licence conditions.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made in updating all relevant National Policy Statements by this summer. \p Matthew Pennycook: Consultation on proposed amendments to the Energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) 1, 3 and 5 closed on 29 May, with the relevant period for parliamentary scrutiny of these NPSs closing on 22 July 2025.

Consultation on a draft revised Ports NPS began on 4 June and will close on 29 July. The relevant period for parliamentary scrutiny of this NPS will close on 14 November 2025.

Completion of the updates to these NPSs is subject to the outcome and timings of these consultation and parliamentary scrutiny processes.

The NPS for Water Resources Infrastructure was designated in September 2023. The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs are considering whether the NPS needs to be reviewed at this time.

Consultation on the draft new nuclear NPS EN-7, which will be applicable to nuclear power stations expected to deploy beyond 2025, closed on 3 April. Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft NPS is expected to be completed by 23 June. Depending on the completion and outcome of these processes, the government aims to designate this new NPS before the end of the year.

We are introducing legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to require National Policy Statements to be updated every five years. This will include a transitional period, which will require any NPS that is more than 5 years old at the time of Royal Assent to be updated within 2 years of the Bill being enacted.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the operation of the arrangements in relation to the implementation of Section 81 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 on the renaming of streets. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department continues to monitor the implementation of s.81 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that adequate access to (a) banking and (b) postal services is considered during the planning process. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments.

Polices and decisions should also guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community’s ability to meet its day-to-day needs.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to articles 35 and 40 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, whether (a) the Chinese government and (b) its agents have submitted sensitive information on the Chinese Embassy planning application that has been kept separate from the main register. \p Matthew Pennycook: All Inquiry documents for this case are publicly available on Tower Hamlets website here.
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Mr James Frith:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she had made of the potential impact of the planning process for building film studios on economic growth. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to supporting the growth of the creative industries, including film production.

As part of its forthcoming industrial strategy, the government will publish a creative industries sector plan which will include actions to support the film and TV sector.

While capacity and need would be material planning considerations in assessing any specific application, and each case is assessed on its own merits, the government is supportive of the development of appropriate new studio space.

We have not made a specific assessment of the potential impact of the planning process for building film studios on economic growth.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Sir Christopher Chope:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking in response to representations about (a) rogue operators in the park homes industry and (b) the commission payable on the sale of park homes. \p Matthew Pennycook: The park homes sector is an important part of the housing market.

The government is committed to improving the standards of park home site management and supporting local authorities to ensure site managers are fit and proper persons.

We recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home.

The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here.

We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to respond to the consultation on Transparency of land ownership involving trusts, published in December 2023. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 30021 on 18 February 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of the 1.5 million homes the Government aims to deliver during this Parliament expected to be built by (a) private sector developers, (b) social housing providers and (c) local authorities. \p Matthew Pennycook: Achieving the government’s ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament requires the contribution of a wide range of housing providers, including, but not confined to, local authorities, registered providers of social housing, and private developers.

The government has not made an estimate of the exact number of homes each type of housing provider will deliver in this Parliament.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to (a) review and (b) strengthen the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 relating to the community right to bid; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on (i) long-term vacant commercial properties and (ii) support for communities seeking to preserve assets of community value. \p Alex Norris: As part of the English Devolution Bill, the government has committed to legislate for a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, replacing the current ‘right to bid’ that was introduced in the Localism Act 2011. This will give real power to local people to preserve a wide range of assets that are important to them and help to end the blight of empty properties on our high street. We are currently finalising the policy and will announce more details, including its impact, in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been provided to the Independent Commission On Neighbourhoods; and whether the Commission is a public authority for (a) Freedom of Information and (b) environmental information regulation purposes. \p Alex Norris: The Independent Commission On Neighbourhoods has received no funding from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. It is independent and not a public authority and therefore does not fall within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

This government welcomes the establishment of the Independent Commission On Neighbourhoods (ICON) and the important work it is undertaking to understand how to build neighbourhoods that are more resilient, more empowered, and more capable of shaping their own futures.

We look forward to engaging constructively with the Commission’s findings and insights as they emerge, and to learning from its work in helping communities take greater control of their futures.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that self-employed people are adequately supported when using the Access to Work scheme. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Access to Work is a personalised discretionary grant that provides support with workplace adjustments beyond an employer’s obligation as outlined in the Equality Act 2010, to support the recruitment and retention of disabled people into employment. In 23/24 the Access to Work Scheme supported 67,720 people with workplace adjustments to move into or stay in work. This includes a wide range of support including travel to work, support workers, and specialist aides and equipment, as well as the Mental Health support service which provides up to nine months of non-clinical support for people who need additional help with their well-being.

Access to Work is available to self-employed people.To receive it they must satisfy the standard eligibility criteria for the Scheme and meet the business viability rules as outlined in Access to Work: staff guide - GOV.UK

The support a customer will get from Access to Work is dependent upon the support needed to do their job at the time they made an application. A case manager will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a decision. There is no set amount for an Access to Work grant. The amount awarded will depend on the specific case. More guidance and information on Access to Work applications and processes can be found on: Access to Work: factsheet for customers - GOV.UK

As part of our Plan for Change, and as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published in March, we are consulting on how to improve Access to Work to help more disabled people into work and support employers, ensuring value for money for taxpayers.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many permanent civil servants in his Department had their contract of employment terminated as a result of poor performance in the (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25 financial years. \p Andrew Western: We have provided the information requested in the table below

Financial Year

Count of Permanent Civil Servants dismissed for Unsatisfactory Performance /Unsatisfactory Work Performance

2022-23

17

2023-24

22

2024-25

37
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Chris Hinchliff:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many overseas voters from North East Hertfordshire constituency are impacted by frozen British Pensions; and whether she is taking steps to help tackle this. \p Torsten Bell: There are no plans to change the policy on frozen State Pension.

UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only up-rated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

The policy on up-rating UK State Pension paid overseas is a longstanding one and has been in place for over 70 years.

The Department does not hold information on voter identification and is not able to reliably identify voters from a specific constituency among those whose State Pension has not been up-rated
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-16)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to simplify workplace health and safety requirements for small businesses while maintaining essential protections for workers. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) began a three-year project in 2024 to review its web guidance portfolio and improve accessibility, quality of content, ease of search and navigation, and declutter outdated materials. Improvements achieved after year-one are helping business find and access improved guidance materially more easily, saving them time and helping them better manage health and safety risk for themselves.

HSE plans to continue this programme of work to modernise its websites and related guidance during 2025/2026 including commitments to design new content and user journeys so businesses can quickly and easily procure HSE services (training, consultancy) and products (digital tools and books).
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making an additional payment to people who (a) will qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025 and (b) did not qualify for that payment in 2024. \p Torsten Bell: From this winter, individuals with an income of £35,000 or below, will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year will see any Winter Fuel Payment recouped via HMRC.

This means that the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using of AI to support its processes for means testing for the winter fuel payment. \p Torsten Bell: The Government wants to ensure a wider range of pensioners in England and Wales receive Winter Fuel Payment in future, while recognising public finance constraints and the fact that making payments to the highest income pensioners is hard to justify.

From winter 2025-26, the majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals - will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments and so ensure it is better targeted than the previous near-universal payment.

Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year will have any WFP recouped via HMRC. These changes save £450m a year up to 2030/31, compared to paying Winter Fuel Payments universally in England and Wales.

The existing Digital Winter Fuel service utilises clear policy rules that are already automated within the service to determine eligibility. The Department considers where Artificial Intelligence would be of benefit for specific use cases and in this instance is not applicable.