theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Casey Commission on the potential duplication of (a)regulatory and (b) inspection activity in adult social care. \p Stephen Kinnock: There is no direct duplication between how the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assesses individual registered providers and how local authorities oversee providers within their areas. Both bodies are involved in evaluating quality and safety, but they do so under different legislative frameworks and for distinct purposes.

The CQC’s remit is to assess registered providers against the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The CQC monitors, inspects, and regulates services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring registered adult social care providers deliver care that meets people’s needs and the duties as set out in the Care Act 2014. Their oversight thus tends to focus on quality, safeguarding, and contract compliance. The CQC works with local authorities to share information and intelligence and are working on ways to strengthen these links.

Similarly, there is no direct duplication between how the CQC assesses individual registered providers and how the CQC assesses local authorities. CQC provider regulation assesses against the Health and Social Care Act 2008, whereas local authority assessments assess against the Care Act 2014. Both pieces of legislation require different methodology, however they can be used to inform each other.

The commission into adult social care is independent of the Government, and Baroness Casey has the autonomy to define her own engagement plans, including with ministers, based on what she believes is most appropriate for the commission’s work.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has provided for community health services in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire in the 2025-26 financial year. \p Stephen Kinnock: This data is only available at an integrated care board (ICB) level. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB is planning to spend £51.9 million in 2025/26 for community health services. This includes planned community care, hospices and palliative care.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the consultation entitled Proposal for a tie-in to NHS dentistry for graduate dentists, published on 23 May 2024. \p Stephen Kinnock: As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will make it a requirement for newly qualified dentists to practice in the National Health Service for a minimum period, which we intend to be at least three years. That will mean more NHS dentists, more NHS appointments, and better oral health.

We will be working closely with the sector on the detail of the scheme, and will consult on the detail of the model in due course. This will include publication of the Government’s response to the 2024 consultation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that people can see a GP within (a) seven days and (b) within 24 hours if it is urgent. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are committed to ensuring that patients can access digital consultations within 24 hours, recognising the significance of timely care for all.

Under the current GP Contract, practices are required to ensure that anyone needing an appointment at a general practice is offered one within two weeks, with those requiring urgent attention being seen on the same day.

We expect practices to offer patients an appropriate response on the day they contact the practice, according to the urgency of their clinical needs. There are various forms this response could take, and an appointment will not be required in all cases.

In August 2025, 44.4% of all appointments were delivered on the same day as they were booked. This is up 0.7% since August 2024. 87.7% of appointments not usually booked in advance were delivered within two weeks of booking.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support hospices to provide high quality end-of-life care. \p Stephen Kinnock: We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which, until recently, was known as the children and young people’s hospice grant.

I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next spending review period, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local integrated care boards on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

In the long-term, the Government and the NHS will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

Officials will present further proposals to ministers over the coming months, outlining the drivers and incentives that are required in palliative care and end of life care to enable the shift from hospital to community, including as part of neighbourhood health teams.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of unlimited online consultations on the ability of GPs to meet patient demand. \p Stephen Kinnock: From 1 October, we extended access to general practice (GP) online services throughout core hours, which are from 8:00am to 18:30pm. According to the Office for National Statistics, for the first time ever, more patients are contacting their GP online rather than by phone, at 42.3% and 41.3% respectively. For GPs already offer online services, we are asking them to extend this service throughout core hours to bring online access in line with walk-in and phone access. GPs already using online systems have seen big improvements. One London GP surgery reduced waits from 14 days to just three, with 95% of patients seen within a week. The National Health Service continues to support those practices needing assistance with implementing these changes.

We understand that practices require additional resource to deliver services to their patients. That’s why we have invested £1.1 billion into GPs, with £160 million of this to expand the GP workforce, which has added 2,000 more GPs since October 2024, and £102 million to create more clinical space which will enable the delivery of 8.3 million extra appointments.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it her policy to allocate resources in the Autumn Budget 2025 to support the recruitment and retention of NHS dentists in West Dorset. \p Stephen Kinnock: The 2025 Autumn Budget has not yet been announced, however access to National Health Service dentistry and addressing the issue of under-served areas remains a priority for the Government.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of GP contract uplifts on the ability of practices to fund pay rises for (a) practice nurses and (b) other non-doctor staff. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are investing an additional £1.1 billion in general practice to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025-26, the biggest cash increase in over a decade. The 8.9% boost to the GP contract in 2025/26 is greater than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we have accepted the DDRB’s pay recommendation and have uplifted the pay elements of the GP contract by 4% on a consolidated basis (an increase of 1.2% on top of the 2.8% interim uplift in April).

Funding for these awards will be backdated to April 2025. We expect General Practice Contractors to implement pay rises to other practice staff in line with the uplift in funding they are receiving. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is for GP practices to determine uplifts in pay for their employees.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of face-to-face GP appointments in 2025/26. \p Stephen Kinnock: This Government has committed to guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one. The National Health Service is clear that general practices must provide face-to-face appointments, alongside remote consultations, and patients’ input into consultation type should be sought and their preferences for face-to-face care respected unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary. Since appointment types, whether face-to-face or remote, in any given year, including 2025/26, are determined based on patient preferences and clinical need, it is not possible to produce a reliable estimate for the number of face-to-face appointments for 2025/26.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Alex Sobel:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether multi-year revenue funding for children's hospices will go to (a) regional and (b) local ICBs. \p Stephen Kinnock: We are providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the Children’s Hospice Grant.

I am pleased to confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local integrated care boards on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

This approach is in line with National Health Service devolution and promotes a more consistent national approach, supporting commissioners in prioritising the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an investment standard for general practice. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Government recognises the important role that general practice (GP) plays in the National Health Service and is committed to shifting more funding towards primary and community care services to enable early intervention and to reduce pressure on hospitals. We are committed to investing in reforms to support this shift, and to ensure sustainable resources for GPs. We’ve delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, an almost £1.1 billion uplift, with GPs now receiving a growing share of National Health Service resources.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Martin Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to strengthen statutory guidance on the legal duty to commission palliative care services in the Health and Care Act 2022. \p Stephen Kinnock: Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative care and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services, available within the ICB catchment. There are no current plans to update the statutory guidance.

The ICBs are expected to follow the statutory guidance in exercising their functions and must pay due regard to it in the planning, commissioning, and delivery of palliative care and end of life care services.

Additionally, NHS England has a legal duty to annually assess the performance of each ICB in respect of each financial year and to publish a summary of its findings. This assessment must assess how well the ICB has discharged its functions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Jo Platt:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support Integrated Care Boards to use flexible commissioning to improve (a) dental provision and (b) efficiency. \p Stephen Kinnock: Flexible commissioning is available to commissioners where they have identified a need that cannot be easily met through the provision of mandatory services.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards to commission primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local populations, and to determine the priorities for investment. Commissioners are encouraged to work with local dental network chairs, managed clinical network chairs, dental public health experts, professional representatives, and with the public as appropriate and necessary to discharge statutory duties. NHS England published guidance on flexible commissioning in 2023, which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) biodiversity and (b) nature recovery within (i) National Landscapes and (ii) nature reserves in Surrey. \p Mary Creagh: Natural England (NE) is committed to supporting biodiversity and nature recovery across England, including within National Landscapes and nature reserves in Surrey. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is guided by a Management Plan (2024–2029) with clear policies to enhance biodiversity and restore habitats. Defra previously supported the Heathland Connections Nature Recovery Project, which helped pave the way for the declaration of the Wealden Heaths National Nature Reserve (NNR) earlier this year.

The Wealden Heaths NNR is the largest partnership-led reserve in England, spanning 2,700 hectares across Surrey, Hampshire, and West Sussex. It is managed by nine organisations, including NE, the National Trust, and Surrey Wildlife Trust, and plays a vital role in protecting rare heathland habitats and species such as Nightjars, Sand Lizards, and Natterjack Toads.

Surrey also benefits from Defra’s Species Recovery Programme, which targets threatened species including those found in the Wealden Heaths.

NE continues to work closely with reserve managers to ensure sites are well-managed and contribute to the Government’s ambition to halt nature decline and protect 30% of land for nature by 2030.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the budget for the Office for Equality of Opportunity has increased since October 2024. \p Olivia Bailey: The Office for Equality and Opportunity (OEO) overall budget has increased from £16.2m in 2024-25 to £17.7m in 2025-26. Further details will be provided, in the usual way, in the Cabinet Office’s accounts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to allow claims for combined discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. \p Olivia Bailey: In our manifesto, we committed to strengthening protections against dual discrimination and in April we launched a call for evidence on this commitment, as well as a number of other areas of equality law. We will consider the responses to the call for evidence, which closed at the end of June, and confirm next steps in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to Annex 1 of the Better Regulation Framework Guidance, September 2023, whether the court judgment exemption will be applied in relation to the requirement for a Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Equality and Human Rights Commission's updated statutory Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Association. \p Olivia Bailey: The EHRC has revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following the consultation and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities. The Government is considering the updated draft Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Code will be laid before Parliament for a 40 day period.

The Government will follow the appropriate process when considering the Code.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the Just Transition Work Programme ahead of COP30. \p Katie White: We are committed to working with all Parties to secure outcomes across the COP30 negotiations, including on just transitions, which are a critical opportunity to ensure that workers and communities benefit from the economic transition to net zero. The Secretary of State has spoken to a range of international counterparts over the last year regarding maximising the ambition of outcomes at COP30 this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Lola McEvoy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure access to (a) traditional incandescent and (b) halogen lightbulbs for individuals able to provide medical evidence of photosensitivity. \p Martin McCluskey: The previous government consulted on amending an exemption within the ecodesign requirements for lighting products, which would enable individuals with photosensitivity to access light sources suitable for their condition. We will set out our position in the Government Response in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Tracy Gilbert:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department’s policy is for tidal stream in the upcoming Contracts for Difference allocation round. \p Michael Shanks: Six new tidal stream projects secured contracts in Allocation Round 6 (AR6) of the Contracts for Difference Scheme. The UK is now on track to have 130MW of tidal stream deployed by 2029. The parameters for Allocation Round 7 (AR7) were published in July and the budget for technologies including tidal will be published later in the year. This will include any minima, maxima or ringfencing information.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-10)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the adequacy of utility infrastructure in rural Highland communities. \p Kirsty McNeill: I regularly engage with the Scottish Government on a variety of shared priorities, including critical infrastructure development in Scotland's rural areas.

My discussions also encompass clean energy transition and infrastructure investment, with a particular focus on projects in the Highlands. For example, we are working together to ensure that Project Gigabit, the UK Government’s programme to enable remote and rural communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband, benefits the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Apsana Begum:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Poplar and Limehouse dated 29 August 2024, reference number MC2024/19996, on support for a public inquiry into the New Providence Wharf fire. \p Alex Norris: The Department provided a response on 6 January 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, in what circumstances Mayors will vote with other elected officials. \p Jim McMahon: Mayors and Combined and Combined County Authority board members will vote on the areas set out in their governance arrangements. The new statutory framework will make these consistent across the country.

In Mayoral Combined and Combined County Authorities, a majority vote which includes the Mayor will be required to approve decisions on the use of most functions. Specific functions set out in the Devolution Framework will be exercisable only by the Mayor. We will confirm the final arrangements when we lay the English Devolution Bill.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what voting system her Department plans to use for the 2026 mayoral elections. \p Rushanara Ali: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20691 on 19 December 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Marie Goldman:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of fire safety risk assessors who are able to carry out fire risk assessments of external wall systems. \p Alex Norris: The Department conducts regular capacity surveys and supplier engagement to ensure we have enough assessors to meet the expected requirement, in line with our objective in the Department’s Remediation Acceleration plan to ensure capacity in the remediation supply chain. Our research to date demonstrates sufficient assessor capacity to meet expected demand, though with some local supply pinch points. Where this is the case, we support applicants in sourcing assessors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to announce the outcome of the consultation on cultural funding for the City of Dunfermline. \p Alex Norris: The consultation for this funding launched on 31 October with a deadline for responses by 13 December. Returns are being carefully considered. In line with our expectations that the process would take approximately 12 weeks, we hope to communicate a decision to Fife Council and other consultees by the end of January.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the (a) job title, (b) unit or division and (c) grade is of each job advertised on Civil Service Jobs but not to the public since 4 July 2024. \p Alex Norris: For the period, 4 July to 31 December 2024, 179 vacancies (67.6%) were advertised externally. 58 job vacancies (32.4% of total advertised) were advertised as Across Government only campaigns.

This data set reflects campaigns that were advertised and appointments made within this period – it does not include expressions of interest.

Further detail of across government campaigns, job titles and grade:

Departmental group

Grade breakdown

Job title

Grade

Corporate Group

3x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 6x SEO

Careers and Development Lead

Grade 7

Physical Security Lead

SEO

Workforce Team

Grade 6

Statistician

Grade 7

Ministerial Team Security Advisers

SEO

Head of Programme Delivery

Grade 6

Deputy Head of Profession

Grade 7

Product Manager

SEO

Assistant Departmental Records Officer

SEO

Senior Product Manager

Grade 7

Private Secretary & Business Manager

SEO

Live Services Manager

SEO

Subject Matter Expert

Grade 7

Local Government and Public Services

1x HEO

Communications Officer

HEO

Local Growth, Communities and Devolution

6x Grade 6 5x Grade 7 5x SEO 3x HEO

Delivery Manager

SEO

Head of Unit

Grade 6

Head of Unit

Grade 6

Policy Lead

Grade 7

Head of Policy

Grade 7

Business Support Officer

HEO

Head of Office

Grade 7

Programme Manager

Grade 6

Programme Management Office Manager

Grade 7

Senior Policy Advisor

SEO

Risk and Issue Manager

SEO

Strategy Policy Advisor

HEO

Policy lead

Grade 6

Fund Evaluator

SEO

Head of Elections Data

Grade 6

Policy & Funding Analysis

Grade 6

Policy Advisor

SEO

Senior Strategy Advisor

Grade 7

Policy Advisor

HEO

Regeneration, Housing and Planning

4x Grade 6 7x Grade 7 4x SEO 1x HEO

Policy Team Lead

Grade 7

Head of Strategy

Grade 6

Senior Policy Advisor

Grade 7

Senior Policy and Strategy Advisors

Grade 7

Head of Housing Insights & Strategic Policy

Grade 6

Social Housing Directorate SEOs

SEO

Property Technology Strategy Advisor

Grade 7

Policy Advisor

SEO

Policy Officer

HEO

Policy Advisor

SEO

Senior Policy Advisor

Grade 7

Private Secretary

Grade 7

Head of Programme Management Office

Grade 6

Project Manager

SEO

Head of Evaluation & Insight

Grade 7

Head of Economic Analysis

Grade 6

Senior Policy Adviser

SEO

Safer and Greener Buildings

1x Grade 6 3x SEO 1x HEO

Construction Products Policy Adviser

SEO

Community Relationship Manager

SEO

Policy Advisor

HEO

Policy and Briefing Advisor

SEO

Lead Technical Architect

Grade 6

Strategy and Communications

1x Grade 6 1x Grade 7 1x HEO

Head of Data Science

Grade 6

Videographer

HEO

Senior Private Secretary/Head of Office

Grade 7
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_7

Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to expedite the removal and remediation of dangerous cladding on properties; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that properties that previously qualified for the Building Safety Fund are remediated in a timely way. \p Alex Norris: The Remediation Acceleration Plan (RAP) sets out key measures to fix buildings faster, identify remaining buildings still at risk and ensure that residents are supported through the remediation process.

No leaseholder in a high-rise residential building should wait a day longer for remediation than necessary, and under our plan by the end of 2029 all 18m+ (high-rise) buildings with unsafe cladding in a government funded scheme will have been remediated. In addition, every building of 11m+ with unsafe cladding will either have been remediated, have a completion date, or the landlord will be liable for severe penalties. Our plan will drive the pace of remediation through new proposed legal duties and powers, new funding, new resources and new partnerships.

By July 2024, we had moved 124 buildings (18m+) from the Building Safety Fund to the Cladding Safety Scheme. All 124 buildings now have a signed Grant Funding Agreement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to tackle private parking companies issuing penalties to customers for taking too long to purchase a ticket due to (a) queues at the parking payment machine and (b) limited mobile phone/internet signal. \p Alex Norris: The Government is committed to driving up standards across the private parking sector for the benefit of motorists.

The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities.

We hope to announce our proposals regarding the code as soon as possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year. \p Alex Norris: All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.

Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.

The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.

The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.

As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024-2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_10

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6408 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Photography, whether her Department has recruited a photographer. \p Alex Norris: As is the case already in other government departments, official photographers help to share the work of the department and ministers with the public.

Photography and videography - for external use or on the department's corporate channels - can help to give the public and civil servants a greater sense of accessibility and transparency over the activities of government.

MHCLG has recruited a Chief Photographer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_11

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 December 2024 to Question xx-xxxx-xxxx on Community Cohesion, if she will publish the (a) membership and (b) terms of reference of the Communities and Recovery Steering Group. \p Alex Norris: Membership and Terms of Reference for the Community and Recovery Steering Group will be published in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_12

Mike Amesbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to introduce a Building Safety Leaseholder Support Scheme for people in financial hardship. \p Alex Norris: The Building Safety Act includes multiple protections and support mechanisms for leaseholders. These measures ensure that those who built defective buildings are responsible for fixing them and protect leaseholders from facing huge bills for historical safety defects.

For instance, qualifying leaseholders are exempt from costs associated with non-cladding defects and interim measures if their property is valued below certain thresholds (£325,000 in Greater London, £175,000 elsewhere in England). Any contributions required from leaseholders with properties above these thresholds are capped and spread over ten years, with costs already paid since 28 June 2017, counting towards the cap. Additionally, there is funding available for all leaseholders (whether they qualify for the leaseholder protections or not) to address life-threatening fire risks associated with cladding on residential buildings over 11 metres in height.

All leaseholders are protected from the costs of historical safety remediation if the building owner is - or is associated with - the developer who is responsible for that defect. The Act also includes measures which provide leaseholders with access to remediation contribution orders to recover costs from those responsible for defects.

In addition to financial support, free independent legal advice through the Leasehold Advisory Service has also been made available to leaseholders.

The Government is committed to reviewing how to better protect leaseholders from costs and to accelerate the pace of remediation across the country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_13

Mike Amesbury:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Tri Fire is an approved panel member for the Cladding Safety Scheme. \p Alex Norris: Robust auditing processes are in place to ensure that all Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEWs) for buildings in the Government’s remediation funding programmes meet appropriate standards before the associated funding application can progress.

Where required, feedback is given to allow assessors to make appropriate changes to the FRAEW to address any deficiencies identified. Reassessments of appraisals are therefore not necessary. Tri-Fire is a member of the Cladding Safety Scheme panel.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_14

Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how the commitment to safeguard the Best and Most Versatile agricultural land will be applied to planning decisions called in by the Secretary of State . \p Matthew Pennycook: The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out how the best and most versatile agricultural land should be reflected in planning policies and decisions. We are maintaining the existing strong protection for the best and most versatile agricultural land. The Framework is clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

This will, where relevant, be a material consideration in planning decisions, including those made by the Secretary of State.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_15

Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Written Statement of 30 July 2024 on Building the homes we need, HCWS48, how many of the new planning officers will have the expertise to handle historic and traditionally constructed buildings. \p Matthew Pennycook: At the Budget, the Chancellor announced a £46 million package of investment to support capacity and capability in local planning authorities.

We are working with delivery partners to understand how we can scale delivery and fund the recruitment and training of an additional 300 planners as part of that investment. This includes expansion of the Pathways to Planning programme which has had significant interest from prospective graduates wanting to take up roles in local planning authorities and train while they work.

In relation to the specific skills needed in managing historic buildings, we are developing a wider programme of support, working with partners across the planning sector, including Historic England, to ensure that local planning authorities have the types of skills, both now and in the future. More details will be announced in due course.

This will be further underpinned by increases in planning fees we are introducing in the coming months that will help improve the resourcing of planning services, so that LPAs can fund the skills they need.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_16

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to merge (a) the 8 Devon districts and (b) Devon County Council into unitary councils with Torbay and Plymouth. \p Jim McMahon: Following the publication of the English Devolution White Paper on the 16 December, I wrote to all councils where there is a two-tier structure of local government and to their neighbouring unitary councils, to set out further details on the Government's ambitions for local government reorganisation. Within that letter I set out my intention “to formally invite unitary proposals in January 2025 from all councils in two-tier areas, and small neighbouring unitary councils.”
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_17

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how parameters set out in section 2.2.1 of the English Devolution White Paper, will be applied to Devonshire. \p Jim McMahon: In September last year, this Government confirmed the establishment of a non-mayoral Combined County Authority with Devon and Torbay, in line with the devolution deal agreed with that area under the previous government. This was an important first step as we continue to consider options to deepen and widen devolution in the area.

As set out in the White Paper, we want to see all areas, including Devon, access the strongest powers set out in new Devolution Framework.

We will work with local leaders, both before and after local elections, to deliver on these ambitions. This government would consider postponing elections only where the relevant local authorities explicitly request it, and where this will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_18

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15453 on Local Government: Accountability, if she will take steps to make the data published under the Transparency Code more (a) accessible and (b) shareable as open data. \p Jim McMahon: We are keeping the Code under review in the context of work to fix the foundations of local government and ensuring that it continues to support local accountability. Our approach to reforming local government is set out in the English Devolution White Paper. This includes fundamentally reforming the local audit system, rebuilding the vital early warning system to recover a key part of our assurance mechanisms, restoring local government standards, and ensuring transparency.

We are supporting the Office for National Statistics to lead a refresh of the government’s subnational data strategy, including supporting “ONS Local to gather user needs and understand data gaps, provide data access, analytical support, and capability to local data leaders”.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_19

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason the minimum population to become a Foundation Strategic Authority is different for (a) new unitary councils and (b) London boroughs. \p Jim McMahon: The assumed population threshold for all levels of Strategic Authority is 1.5 million or above, but we accept that in some places, smaller authorities may be necessary.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, new unitary councils must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. For most areas, this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions to ensure new structures makes sense for an area, including for devolution, and decisions will be on a case-by-case-basis.

As individual councils, London boroughs will not be designated as Strategic Authorities. The Greater London Authority will be designated as the Strategic Authority for London.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_20

Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the responsibilities of (a) unitary councils and (b) mayors will be for the delivery of the affordable homes programme. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the multi-year Spending Review later this year. This will support local authorities as well as housing associations to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply.

We are considering how all local authorities with housing responsibilities, including unitary authorities, will interact with our new investment for social and affordable housing and we will announce further details at the Spending Review.

The Devolution White Paper set out that mayors will be given the ability to set the strategic direction of any future affordable housing in their area. Further details will be set out as part of any future programme design.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-01-10 conversation_21

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of deportations between 4 July and 31 December were (a) enforced and (b) voluntary. \p Dame Angela Eagle: The Home Office routinely publishes data on returns in the “Immigration Systems Statistics” quarterly release. Data on quarterly returns of individuals since July 2024 can be found in table Ret_D01 of the “returns detailed datasets”.

The next full quarterly release, which will include data up to December 2024 is due to be published on the 27th February 2025. We have also published interim figures on the 9th of January to provide an overview of the number of people who have been returned from the UK since early July.

Returns are reported in 3 main groups: