theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of reinstating awards of honours under the Order of St Patrick. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is in the personal gift of The Sovereign. The UK Government is not considering the restoration of The Order of St Patrick.

Nominations for existing honours are open to all citizens within the four nations of the United Kingdom.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to prevent the unauthorised disclosure of Cabinet discussions to the media. \p Georgia Gould: As set out at chapter 5 of the ministerial code, the principle of collective responsibility requires that the privacy of ministerial discussions at Cabinet and its committees should be maintained. It is therefore a long established precedent that information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet and its committees is not normally shared publicly.

It is the longstanding policy of successive governments not to comment on specific leak investigations.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a list of all senior service posts forecast to earn above £200,000 in financial year 2025-2026. \p Georgia Gould: The Cabinet Office does not make forecasts of the earnings of individuals. Civil Service Statistics (Table 35) provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £200,000 and in other bandings. The latest information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2024

The Cabinet Office also publishes an annual ‘high earner’ list of named senior civil servants and senior officials in departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies. The most recently published information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/senior-officials-high-earners-salaries

The previous administration did not update this list prior to the General Election. The Cabinet Office will publish a new 2025 list in due course.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many employees in the civil service have a learning disability. \p Georgia Gould: No data is held centrally on the total number of Civil Service employees with learning disabilities.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17764 on Civil Servants: Remote Working, what the (a) author, (b) title, (c) publication and (d) publication date was of each of the studies on remote working reviewed by his Department. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the honourable gentleman to the response given to the previous question PQ 8429.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to introduce a feedback mechanism for small-to-medium sized businesses to report issues relating to the (a) National Procurement Policy Statement procurement criteria and (b) obligations for employers in the Employment Rights Bill. \p Georgia Gould: The National Procurement Policy Statement supports Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSEs), giving them greater opportunities to win public contracts by instructing contracting authorities to maximise their spend with these organisations.

We are clear that we want public contracts to deliver value for money in procurement through stronger expectations around commercial capability and contract management. The NPPS asks contracting authorities to ensure they have the appropriate procurement and contract management skills and capability necessary to deliver public contracts and encourages the use of collaborative procurement frameworks, where appropriate, to deliver value for money. To support this, a new online register of commercial agreements will increase visibility of frameworks and fees, curbing excessive profits.

The Cabinet Office undertook a programme of stakeholder engagement to inform the development of the NPPS. This included an online survey which received over 436 responses and a series of roundtables with key stakeholders from contracting authorities, businesses and civil society. I have met with the Federation of Small Businesses, Enterprise Nation and a large number of SMEs across various sectors to discuss how the government can continue to break down barriers to procurement opportunities through the new procurement regime, supporting jobs and growth across the country.

To support implementation of the Procurement Act, the Government has provided a programme of free training to procurement teams on its provisions and flexibilities. Additionally, the Government hosted a series of supplier webinars and published instructional videos and user-manuals, aimed specifically for suppliers, to help them understand the key changes including how to use the new central digital platform - working with trade associations and other business representative organisations to help distribute the materials.

The Department for Business and Trade leads on the Employment Rights Bill. Impact assessments undertaken for the Employment Rights Bill can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of procurement training for Cabinet Office officials has been delivered by organisations affiliated with trade unions since 5 July 2024. \p Georgia Gould: Information on supplier organisations’ affiliations with trade unions is not held.
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Mel Stride:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in which financial year the current budget was last in surplus. \p Emma Reynolds: The last financial year for which the current budget was in surplus was 2018-19, when there was a surplus of £0.8 billion. This was the only surplus since 2001-02, when the current budget was in surplus by £6.9 billion.

The OBR has today forecast that the current budget will be in surplus by £6.0 billion in 2027-28, £7.1 billion in 2028-29, and £9.9 billion in 2029-30.

This information is available in the Public Sector Finances publication, published by the Office for National Statistics and the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March Economic and Fiscal Outlook published on 26 March.
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the amount of corporation tax lost due to tax (a) evasion and (b) avoidance during the current financial year to date. \p James Murray: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates the size of the tax gap, which is the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid. The tax gap statistics are published annually. The latest estimates are available at: Measuring tax gaps 2024 edition: tax gap estimates for 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

In the tax year 2022 to 2023 the tax gap for Corporation Tax gap was 13.9% of the total theoretical Corporation Tax liability, or £13.7 billion in absolute terms. The amount of the Corporation Tax gap in 2022 to 2023 due to evasion is estimated to be around £2.9 billion, and due to avoidance, around £1.0 billion.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the (a) housebuilding and (b) construction industry of her proposed changes to the level of employer National Insurance contributions. \p James Murray: A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer; the economic impacts of the policy; and the impacts on individuals, businesses and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.
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Noah Law:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered (a) removing the tapering-off of the personal allowance and (b) reducing the threshold for the additional rate of tax. \p James Murray: The withdrawal of the Personal Allowance affects those with income over £100,000 a year, reducing by £1 for every £2 above this threshold until it is fully withdrawn at £125,140.

The additional rate threshold of income tax is currently £125,140, following its reduction from £150,000 in Autumn 2022. The Government remains committed to maintaining strong public finances and ensuring those on higher incomes contribute a fair share.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the report by the Music Venue Trust entitled Annual Report 2024, published on 24 January 2025, on the potential impact of the reduction in business rate relief on (a) grassroots music venues and (b) jobs. \p James Murray: As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including grassroots music venues, with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.

In the interim period, for 2025-26, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.

The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. As set out above, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties from 2026-27.

The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 34130 on Fossil Fuels, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the World Trade Organisation definition of fossil fuel subsidies; and if she will make it her policy to use this definition. \p James Murray: The UK follows the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) definition of a fossil fuel subsidy. The IEA defines a fossil fuel subsidy as government action that lowers the effective cost for fossil fuels paid by consumers to below world market prices.

There are other internationally used definitions for fossil fuel subsidies, including the World Trade Organization definition, which include measures that do not reduce consumer prices below world market levels. However, such definitions classify measures as support without reference to the purpose for which they were first put in place or their economic or environmental effects.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her Department's timetable is for (a) implementing and (b) publishing further information on its policy to bring unused pension funds and death benefits under an individual’s estate for inheritance tax purposes. \p James Murray: Most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included within the value of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027.

A technical consultation was published at Autumn Budget 2024 on the proposal for pension scheme administrators to become liable for reporting and paying any inheritance tax due on pensions. The consultation concluded on 22 January 2025 and the responses are being considered. The Government will publish a response document and draft legislation for these changes later this year.
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Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed increase to employer National Insurance contributions on fire and rescue services; and whether her Department has plans to provide additional funding to cover such costs. \p James Murray: To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance.

The rate of employer NICs will increase from 13.8% to 15% and the per-employee threshold at which employers start to pay National Insurance (the Secondary Threshold) will be reduced to £5,000.

At the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, the government announced an additional £515 million of support for local government to manage the impact of changes to employer NICs announced at the Autumn Budget.

Fire and rescue authorities will receive a share of the overall funding provided to local government.

Payments will be not be ringfenced to allow funding to be used across direct, commissioned, and externally provided local services.
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Richard Fuller:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many Government Procurement cards have been issued to staff in her private office. \p James Murray: 2 Government Procurement cards have been issued to Private Office staff.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) business rates and (b) employment costs increases on the beer and pub sector. \p James Murray: As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27, which will benefit almost all pubs in England. We intend to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on the most valuable properties. The multiplier rates will be confirmed at Autumn Budget 2025.

During the interim period, for 2025-26, RHL businesses will receive a 40 per cent relief on their business rates up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and the tax multiplier applied to small properties will be frozen. Under the previous government, RHL relief was due to end entirely in April 2025, and so by extending it, the Government has saved the average pub, with a ratable value of £16,800, over £3,300.

In recognition of the economic and social importance of pubs, and the wider “on trade”, the Government is cutting duty on qualifying draught products – approximately two-thirds of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This reduces businesses’ total duty bill by up to £100 million a year and increases the duty differential between products from 9.2 per cent to 13.9 per cent.

The Government will confirm the rates for the new multipliers at Budget 2025, taking account of the outcomes of the 2026 revaluation as well as the broader economic and fiscal context.

Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions.  Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025 – to take effect in the 2026-27 billing year – HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Turning to employment costs, to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance.

The Government recognises the need to protect the smallest employers which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year.

A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November 2024.

The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates are set on the independent and expert advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC).

By seeking expert and independent advice from the LPC when setting the minimum wage rates, the Government is able to ensure that the right balance is struck between the needs of workers, affordability for businesses and the impact on the economy.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to the (a) Small Business Multiplier and (b) Standard Multiplier on business sustainability in the beer and pub sector. \p James Murray: As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.

The Government will confirm the rates for the new multipliers at Budget 2025, taking account of the outcomes of the 2026 revaluation as well as the broader economic and fiscal context.

Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions. Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025 – to take effect in the 2026-27 billing year – HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that large corporations pay the correct amount of tax. \p James Murray: HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Large Business team manages the tax compliance of the UK’s 2,000 largest businesses through a resource intensive Customer Compliance Manager (CCM) model because their tax at stake, their size and complexity mean that this is the most cost-effective way of ensuring they pay the right amount of tax. This approach is in line with international best practice on cooperative compliance.

CCMs are senior, highly trained compliance professionals, who lead teams of skilled specialists to scrutinise HMRC’s large business customers. This gives an in-depth knowledge of the business and the economic and commercial environment in which it operates, its appetite for tax planning and its internal governance, which allows HMRC to effectively identify and tackle tax compliance risk and ensure the right amount of tax is paid.

The UK Tax Gap in 2022 to 2023 (Measuring Tax Gaps 2024 Edition) was £39.8bn or 4.8% of total theoretical tax liabilities. The element of the Tax Gap relating to large businesses in 2022 to 2023 was £4.3bn (or 0.5% of the UK’s total theoretical liabilities) decreasing from £7.4bn (or 1.7% of the UK’s total theoretical liabilities) in 2005 to 2006. Whilst the UK tax gap for large businesses remains low (the latest figures showing this customer segment pays over 99% of its theoretical liabilities), HMRC continues to take a risk-based approach, focusing resources to close the Tax Gap.

HMRC subjects large businesses to an exceptional level of scrutiny, investigating around half of the UK’s largest businesses at any given time

As of 31 March 2024, HMRC’s tax under consideration for large businesses was £44.9 billion. Tax under consideration is an estimate of the amount at stake in open enquiries, which demonstrates that HMRC is very actively challenging large businesses on tax that may be due.

During 2023 to 2024, by effectively policing the tax rules as they apply to large businesses, HMRC successfully achieved compliance yield of £11.4bn
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of off-payroll working IR35 reforms on (a) self-employed workers and (b) small businesses. \p James Murray: The off-payroll working rules, also known as IR35, do not apply to the genuinely self employed. They are designed to ensure that individuals working like employees but through their own company, pay broadly the same income tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) as those who are directly employed.

On 27 February 2025, HMRC published updated internal analysis on the impacts of the 2021 reform.

HMRC has previously published external research looking at the impacts of the reform to the off-payroll working rules in the private and voluntary sectors, which were introduced in April 2021.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure that housing developments agreed through the accelerated planning process under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill align with the unique needs of local communities. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will improve certainty and decision-making in the planning system, including through introducing a new scheme of delegation to modernise local planning committees, and increasing the capacity of local planning authorities by enabling the cost recovery of planning fees.

It is local development plans that set out a vision and a framework for the future development of any given area, addressing needs and opportunities in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and essential infrastructure – as well as a basis for conserving and enhancing the natural and historic environment, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and achieving well designed places.

Local plans are the best way for communities to shape decisions about how to deliver the housing and wider development that their areas need.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 34877 on Local Government: Reorganisation, for what reason Surrey’s unitary reorganisation has been placed on a quicker timetable than other two-tier areas. \p Jim McMahon: As set out in the letter sent to Surrey leaders inviting them to develop proposals for local government reorganisation, given the urgency of creating sustainable unitary local government for Surrey, the decision was taken to work towards reorganisation to the most ambitious timeframe possible. This will also enable Surrey to benefit from devolution as quickly as possible once new unitary local government is in place.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will hold discussions with (a) the Parliamentary Parties Panel, (b) usual channels and (c) Privy Council on political finance reform before publishing her proposals on that matter. \p Rushanara Ali: The Government will engage with all key stakeholders in due course as part of our work to deliver on our commitment to strengthen the rules on political donations.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Deposited Paper DEP2025-0132, dated 7 February 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of levels of English language proficiency. \p Alex Norris: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is leading cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address deep-seated issues.

This is a priority for the Deputy Prime Minister, who has stood up a cross-government ‘Communities & Recovery Steering Group’ to oversee this work. The integration of new arrivals and English language proficiency are both significant considerations in the development of our strategic approach to social cohesion.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department offers support to private homeowners to assist in removing spray foam roof insulation. \p Alex Norris: Building owners are responsible for costs of maintaining their buildings throughout the lifespan of these buildings. There are no government schemes to support private homeowners with the removal of spray foam insulation in lofts or elsewhere.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to help ensure that asset management plans are made available to prospective property buyers. \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 Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 that any property information that would help a prospective homebuyer to make an informed decision is not hidden or omitted.

On 9 February 2025, 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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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Plan for Neighbourhoods: prospectus published in 4 March 2025, whether she plans to continue the Long-Term Plan for Towns. \p Alex Norris: The Long-Term Plan for Towns programme was launched during the previous administration. It was an unfunded commitment for which the previous administration had no funded plan as to how that promise would be delivered.

All 75 towns across the UK that were originally selected to receive Long-Term Plan for Towns funding will receive the funding under the Plan for Neighbourhoods package. We are making good on those commitments, giving each of the 75 places the certainty that they will receive up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take through the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure the adequate provision of M4(2) and M4(3) compliant housing in Henley and Thame constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of older and disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies.

Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing, which can include setting out the proportion of new housing that will be delivered to M4(2) and M4(3) standards.

The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
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Chris Bloore:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of making the use of Nazi (a) symbolism and (b) salutes illegal in non-academic settings. \p Alex Norris: The government has a robust legislative framework in place to deal with the perpetrators of racist and other forms of hate crime and expect the perpetrators of these abhorrent offences to be brought to justice. We are deeply concerned about the unprecedented levels of antisemitism we have seen over recent years. That is a stain on society, and we must never relent in our work to root out hatred in all its forms.

The government has been working closely with the Independent Adviser on Antisemitism Lord Mann along with Jewish community voices such as the Community Security Trust on the most effective methods to tackle antisemitism. Government has committed funding of £72m for the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant to provide protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV and alarm systems) at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and community sites until 2028.

It is vital that the government continues to offer support and reassurance to communities targeted by hatred and that we are firm in pushing back on those seeking to incite hatred and promote extremist narratives.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of food procured by her Department is sourced in the UK. \p Alex Norris: As tenants in our offices, the management and procurement of food supplies is overseen by the Government Property Agency or the Landlord.

To date the Government has not held information on where publicly procured food is sourced from. This Government is reviewing the food currently bought in the public sector to determine the standards that it is meeting, where it is bought from and look to introduce monitoring for transparency and accountability within those supply chains to ultimately get the best food for the consumer. This work will be a significant first step to inform any future changes to public sector food procurement policies as we want to help make it an equal playing field for British producers to bid into the £5 billion spent each year on public sector catering contracts.
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Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 34945 on Freedom of Expression, if she will make an assessment of the compatibility of the Youth Parliament’s statement in its manifesto 2024-26 that freedom of speech should be balanced against the rights of others, and the law should better reflect this, with the Government commitment to freedom of speech. \p Alex Norris: The Government is clear that everyone has a fundamental right to freedom of speech. People are expected to express their views concerning respectfully including exercising the appropriate restraints within the confines of the law when providing criticism. All language adopted by Government must be accurate and acknowledge British citizens’ unchanging right to freedom of speech and expression.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_236

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus, updated on 4 March 2025, whether applications for funding will be competitive. \p Alex Norris: The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has been extended for 2025-26 at £900 million. All areas of the UK will again receive an allocation from the Fund via a funding formula rather than a competition.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_237
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_237

Michael Payne:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending building regulations to require future accessible and adaptable dwelling to include (a) step-free entrances and (b) wet rooms. \p Alex Norris: The government recognizes the importance of ensuring that new housing is accessible and adaptable to meet the diverse needs of individuals throughout their lives. Accessibility standards for homes are governed by Part M of the Building Regulations 2010, which set out requirements for reasonable access and use of buildings. The Building Regulations are not retrospective; they apply only to new homes or those undergoing a material change of use.

There are three standards of accessibility prescribed in the Building Regulations: M4(1), M4(2), and M4(3). M4(1) is the current standard, ensuring reasonable provision for people to access and use the dwelling and its facilities. Optional standards M4(2) and M4(3) provide enhanced accessibility, with M4(2) requiring features such as a living area and step-free access at entrance level, wider doorways and corridors, and clear access routes to windows. Homes built to M4(2) standards also offer greater potential for future adaptability. M4(3), the highest optional standard, ensures that homes can be easily adapted to meet the needs of wheelchair users.

Everyone should be able to access a home that is suitable for them and meets their needs. That is why providing a range of safe and suitable accessible housing is part of the Government's ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. Offering those with mobility challenges a better choice of accommodation supports independent living, fosters community connections, and reduces health and care costs.

Planning rules already require councils to consider the needs of disabled people when planning new homes. The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), issued in December 2024, promotes mixed-use and mixed-tenure developments, which can include housing designed for specific groups. Local authorities are expected to assess the size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups in their communities, including older people and those with disabilities, and to reflect this in their Local Plans. Such an approach supports the creation of diverse communities and the timely delivery of housing. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_238
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_238

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 49(7)(b) of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what would happen to funds provided by developers towards environmental delivery plans that are unspent at the conclusion of the environmental delivery plan period. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Nature Restoration Levy will be set to secure the conservation measures necessary to outweigh the negative effect of development covered by the Environmental Delivery Plan. In the event that there are unspent funds that are not required to secure the conservation measures under the Environmental Delivery Plan, these funds will be directed towards additional conservations measures and securing additional positive environmental outcomes. Should the Environmental Delivery Plan period elapse before this outcome is achieved, the funds will continue to be invested until the required environmental outcome is achieved.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_239
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_239

James Asser:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle hate crimes based on religion in (a) England, (b) London and (c) West Ham and Beckton constituency. \p Alex Norris: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 37961 on 20 March 2025.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_240
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_240

Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure Hong Kong culture is celebrated in the UK. \p Alex Norris: The Hong Kong British National (Overseas) Welcome Programme supports integration into the UK for BN(O) status holders and their families to help them successfully settle into their new communities. Hong Kong culture is celebrated through events such as Lunar New Year celebrations, which can be hosted or funded by our delivery partners, particularly the Strategic Migration Partnerships, which host the Welcome Hubs.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_241
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_241

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether there will be a minimum development size threshold for liability for payments to the Nature Restoration Fund; and whether self-build development will be exempt from liability. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Nature Restoration Levy will not create a new financial burden since developers already have to meet the cost of project-specific measures arising from, for example the Habitats Regulations.  The intent of the Nature Restoration Fund is to provide for a more effective route to discharge existing obligations. Paying into an Environmental Delivery Plan will be voluntary wherever possible, allowing developers to meet the cost of project-specific measures if they wish to do so.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_242
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_242

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled Major overhaul of planning committees to get Britain building, published on 9 December 2024, what threshold will be applied at which mandatory delegation to officers would be required. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government intends to consult on the delegation of planning decisions in England alongside passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_243
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_243

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to clause 49 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what guidance she plans to provide on the geographical scope of Environmental Delivery Plans; and whether they could (a) cover multiple local planning authority areas, (b) mirror a local planning authority area and (c) be smaller than a local planning authority area. \p Matthew Pennycook: Each Environmental Delivery Plan will be required to delineate the geography to which it applies. The scale of Environmental Delivery Plans will reflect the nature of the environmental impact being addressed. This could result in Environmental Delivery Plans covering wide geographies across multiple local planning authorities, as well as smaller scale Environmental Delivery Plans where appropriate.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_244
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_244

Helen Grant:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to ensure that property management companies (a) accurately relay charges to customers, (b) respond to correspondence within reasonable timeframes and (c) do not add administrative charges without explanation. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN  38576 on 24 March 2025 and Question 37829 on 20 March 2025.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_245
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_245

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 36095 on HM Land Registry: Buildings, if he will provide equivalent figures for each week expressed as the total number of employees in the Croydon HQ building during the working week divided by the number of days during the working week. \p Matthew Pennycook: Week

Croydon office daily average attendance by week

04/11/2024 - 08/11/2024

200.6

11/11/2024 - 15/11/2024

206

18/11/2024 - 22/11/2024

199.2

25/11/2024 - 29/11/2024

190.4

These figures do not include staff on short term leave. Staff are asked to manage their attendance over the course of a month, so there will be some natural variance on a weekly level.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_246
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_246

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the clarity of (a) deferred event fees documentation and (b) other documentation. . \p Matthew Pennycook: Once commenced, measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will ensure all leaseholders receive minimum key financial and non-financial information on a regular basis, including introducing a standardised service charge demand form and an annual report, so that leaseholders can scrutinise and better challenge costs if they are considered unreasonable.

As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS2440), the government will consult on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s provisions on service charges this year, bringing these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter.

We are giving careful consideration to the recommendations in the final report of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, including that government should implement the Law Commission’s 2017 recommendations to regulate event fees.
wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_247
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-26)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-26 conversation_247

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the efficacy of the dry weather flow data for determining impact on waste water treatment works of increased housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that strategic policies should set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of places and make sufficient provision for infrastructure for transport, telecommunications, security, waste management, water supply, wastewater, flood risk and coastal change management, and the provision of minerals and energy (including heat).

Dry weather flow (DWF) at wastewater treatment works is the amount of wastewater (sewage) entering the works without any contribution from rainfall or snowmelt.

It is used to calculate the polluting load entering the works and to set environmental permits to protect the environment. DWF is measured using calibrated and independently certified and inspected flow meters 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Water companies must track flows entering the works in line with permit requirements and use this information to plan for growth.

Water companies must prepare, publish and maintain a Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP, also called a Drainage and Sewerage Management Plan) setting out the actions they intend to take to secure wastewater service provision, now and into the future. These plans identify the current and future investment need to ensure sufficient capacity enables their assets continue to meet DWF permit compliance, and to address the pressures of growth and climate change. The next statutory DWMPs are expected to be published in 2027/8.