Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is central to the mission-driven government, from fixing the foundations of an affordable home to handing power back to communities and rebuilding local governments.
Shadow Ministers / Spokeperson
Liberal Democrat
Baroness Thornhill (LD - Life peer)Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Housing)
Baroness Pinnock (LD - Life peer)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Green Party
Ellie Chowns (Green - North Herefordshire)Green Spokesperson (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Conservative
James Cleverly (Con - Braintree)Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Liberal Democrat
Gideon Amos (LD - Taunton and Wellington)Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Housing and Communities)
Zöe Franklin (LD - Guildford)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Local Government)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
David Simmonds (Con - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)Shadow Minister (Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Lord Jamieson (Con - Life peer)
Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Gareth Bacon (Con - Orpington)
Shadow Minister (Housing and Planning)
Junior Shadow Ministers / Deputy Spokesperson
Conservative
Paul Holmes (Con - Hamble Valley)Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ministers of State
Matthew Pennycook (Lab - Greenwich and Woolwich)Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Alison McGovern (Lab - Birkenhead)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab - Life peer)Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Samantha Dixon (Lab - Chester North and Neston)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Miatta Fahnbulleh (LAB - Peckham)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
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On 27 January 2026, the Government published a draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny.
The Government …
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what timetable his Department has set for laying …
Regulation 2 of these Regulations makes a number of changes to the Allocation of Housing and Homelessness (Eligibility) (England) Regulations …
A Bill to make provision extending the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds; to make provision about …
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News and Communications
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Commons Appearances
Oral Answers to Questions is a regularly scheduled appearance where the Secretary of State and junior minister will answer at the Dispatch Box questions from backbench MPs
Other Commons Chamber appearances can be:- Urgent Questions where the Speaker has selected a question to which a Minister must reply that day
- Adjornment Debates a 30 minute debate attended by a Minister that concludes the day in Parliament.
- Oral Statements informing the Commons of a significant development, where backbench MP's can then question the Minister making the statement.
Westminster Hall debates are performed in response to backbench MPs or e-petitions asking for a Minister to address a detailed issue
Written Statements are made when a current event is not sufficiently significant to require an Oral Statement, but the House is required to be informed.
Most Recent Commons Appearances by Category
Bills currently before Parliament
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not have Bills currently before Parliament
Acts of Parliament created in the 2024 Parliament
A Bill to make provision for expenditure by the Secretary of State and the removal of restrictions in respect of certain land for or in connection with the construction of a Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 22nd January 2026 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision about infrastructure; to make provision about town and country planning; to make provision for a scheme, administered by Natural England, for a nature restoration levy payable by developers; to make provision about development corporations; to make provision about the compulsory purchase of land; to make provision about environmental outcomes reports; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 18th December 2025 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision changing the law about rented homes, including provision abolishing fixed term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies; imposing obligations on landlords and others in relation to rented homes and temporary and supported accommodation; and for connected purposes.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 27th October 2025 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision for, and in connection with, the introduction of higher non-domestic rating multipliers as regards large business hereditaments, and lower non-domestic rating multipliers as regards retail, hospitality and leisure hereditaments, in England and for the removal of charitable relief from non-domestic rates for private schools in England.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 3rd April 2025 and was enacted into law.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - Secondary Legislation
Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
(300 in the last 7 days)
(246 in the last 7 days)
(246 in the last 7 days)
(300 in the last 7 days)
Departmental Select Committee
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Commons Select Committees are a formally established cross-party group of backbench MPs tasked with holding a Government department to account.
At any time there will be number of ongoing investigations into the work of the Department, or issues which fall within the oversight of the Department. Witnesses can be summoned from within the Government and outside to assist in these inquiries.
Select Committee findings are reported to the Commons, printed, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.
0 Members of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee: 9 Current Inquiries
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee: Previous Inquiries
50 most recent Written Questions
(View all written questions)To ensure that commonhold is viable for existing buildings as well as new developments, the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill includes provisions to make conversion to commonhold from leasehold more accessible. An Impact Assessment for the draft Bill will be published in due course.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the ‘Moving to commonhold: banning leasehold for new flats’ consultation launched on 27 January 2026. It is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 24 April 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I wish to assure the hon. Member that this government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector.
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.
A consultation document outlining proposals to raise standard across the private parking industry was published on 11 July 2025.
The consultation has closed and all responses are being analysed.
We expect to the lay the Code in accordance with the negative procedure in due course.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for producing the business rates forecast for England only. This is primarily based on estimates of national non-domestic rates, collected and published by the department, alongside CPI inflation assumptions provided by the Office for Budget Responsibility. The latest forecast uses 2025-26 national non-domestic rates data as its baseline.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The impacts of the overnight visitor levy will be determined by local decisions. It will be up to Mayors and local leaders to decide whether to implement a levy, subject to a local consultation on specific proposals.
The Government’s consultation on the design and scope of the visitor levy closed on 18 February, and we will publish an official response in due course.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Council tax support for pension-age residents is centrally prescribed and provides up to 100% reduction for those on the lowest incomes. Council tax support for working age households is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the resources available to them and the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme in consultation with their residents.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Parking operators are incentivised to become members of one of the two accredited trade associations, the BPA and IPC, as without such membership operators cannot access DVLA data, meaning they cannot pursue charges by post or provide access to an independent second stage appeals service.
The government recognises the need to ensure motorists have access to a transparent appeals process and is committed to raising standards through the introduction of its own Private Parking Code of Practice.
MHCLG does not hold a verified central list of accredited trade association members. Further details of each Trade Association’s accredited member scheme can be found on their respective websites (BPA & IPC).
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Parking operators are incentivised to become members of one of the two accredited trade associations, the BPA and IPC, as without such membership operators cannot access DVLA data, meaning they cannot pursue charges by post or provide access to an independent second stage appeals service.
The government recognises the need to ensure motorists have access to a transparent appeals process and is committed to raising standards through the introduction of its own Private Parking Code of Practice.
MHCLG does not hold a verified central list of accredited trade association members. Further details of each Trade Association’s accredited member scheme can be found on their respective websites (BPA & IPC).
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department recognises that access to traveller sites may not always be possible. This fact is reflected in the guidance provided to local planning authorities when carrying out the Traveller Caravan Count, which advises that such sites should still be included in the submitted figures, and an estimated count included in the total(s). Local planning authorities are required to indicate in the submitted data whether they were able to access sites in order to carry out the count.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government offers many sources of support to faith and belief groups.
MHCLG has allocated £515,000 this year to fund the Near Neighbours programme in England, run by the Church Urban Fund, which connects diverse communities to build trust and collaborate on local projects.
The government recognises the role and value of religious heritage buildings and the new £92 million Places of Worship Renewal Fund will bring support for these important buildings into line with other heritage assets.
For security support, all faith communities can access the Home Office’s free Faith Security Training scheme, developed with police and faith leaders to strengthen security awareness and preparedness in England and Wales. The Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme will receive an additional £1.5 million, raising funding to £5 million for Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and other non-Jewish or Muslim faith sites.
To support Muslim communities specifically, the government funds the British Muslim Trust to monitor anti-Muslim hatred and support victims. In 2026/27, up to £40 million will be available through the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme for mosques, Muslim schools, and community centres.
To support Jewish communities specifically, on 17 December 2025 the Government published a paper setting out recent actions to combat antisemitism. Further information is available here. In addition, up to £28.4 million will be available in 2026/27 through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, which is managed by the Community Security Trust (CST), for security measures at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres.
The Common Ground Resilience Fund is granting more than £3 million to support social cohesion and resilience in England. This includes the Common Ground Award which provides capital for infrastructure and equipment, and is open to voluntary groups and community organisations, including faith-based groups.
The Secretary of State engages with communities across the country through a range of ministerial activity, including visits and meetings with local representatives.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government believes it is right to continue to calculate Core Spending Power in line with the approach used at previous Settlements. This includes an assumption that authorities increase their Band D council tax by the maximum allowed within any council tax referendum principles set for them.
To increase fairness for taxpayers, provide better value for money and enable the rebalancing of disparities in council tax levels, the government intends not to set referendum principles in 2027-28 and 2028-29 for six upper-tier authorities with the lowest council tax levels receiving 95% income protection. Removing referendum principles in these areas will enable the government to allocate over £250 million more funding for public services in places with higher need instead of subsidising very low bills for 500,000 households in these councils.
To calculate their Core Spending Power, we assume City of Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead increase their council tax by 5% in 2026-27. We also assume they will increase their council tax by 5% plus £150 in 2027-28 and 2028-29, which is closer to the average council tax increase across the country.
The actual level of council tax remains a local decision for individual councils, taking into consideration a range of local factors including the impact on taxpayers.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government believes it is right to continue to calculate Core Spending Power in line with the approach used at previous Settlements. This includes an assumption that authorities increase their Band D council tax by the maximum allowed within any council tax referendum principles set for them.
To increase fairness for taxpayers, provide better value for money and enable the rebalancing of disparities in council tax levels, the government intends not to set referendum principles in 2027-28 and 2028-29 for six upper-tier authorities with the lowest council tax levels receiving 95% income protection. Removing referendum principles in these areas will enable the government to allocate over £250 million more funding for public services in places with higher need instead of subsidising very low bills for 500,000 households in these councils.
To calculate their Core Spending Power, we assume City of Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead increase their council tax by 5% in 2026-27. We also assume they will increase their council tax by 5% plus £150 in 2027-28 and 2028-29, which is closer to the average council tax increase across the country.
The actual level of council tax remains a local decision for individual councils, taking into consideration a range of local factors including the impact on taxpayers.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty.
These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion.
The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty.
These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion.
The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty.
These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion.
The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty.
These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion.
The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 111400 answered on 12 February 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 111400 answered on 12 February 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 111400 answered on 12 February 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 111400 answered on 12 February 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government remains committed to the indicative timetable set out in July, with elections to the new councils scheduled for May 2027.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt.hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 107478 on 30 January 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is for individual councils to decide their level of council tax, taking into consideration a range of local factors, including impact on taxpayers. Westminster’s band D council tax level in 2025-26 is £529 and Wandsworth’s is £507. The government’s estimate of Core Spending Power for these councils, assumes that they will increase these band D council tax levels by 5% in 2026-27 and by 5% plus an additional £150 in both 2027-28 and 2028-29.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
No assessment has been undertaken by this Department. Responsibility for tackling illegal waste sites and preventing waste-related fires, sits with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with enforcement undertaken by the Environment Agency and local authorities under the waste regulatory regime.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department uses the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonised Standard on Ethnicity which is publicly available on gov.uk.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 111143 on 12 February 2026.
This is a matter for the Greater London Authority, rather than central government.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The latest available data on business rates receipts relates to 2024-25. Data for England and each local authority can be found at the following link https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/collection-rates-for-council-tax-and-non-domestic-rates-in-england-2024-to-2025.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief scheme provided eligible, occupied, retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a 75% relief, up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business in 2024-25 and with a 40% relief, up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business in 2025-26. There is no equivalent relief in 2026-27.
The value of the relief to individual businesses is not available. However, aggregated data on how much relief has been given in 2024-25 can be found in Table 2 at the following link
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-non-domestic-rates-collected-by-councils-in-england-2024-to-2025 and how much is expected to be given in 2025-26 in Table 2 at this link
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Officials from my Department have had six meetings with four residents’ associations representing park home owners over the past 12 months to deepen the Department’s understanding of their rights and obligations and how the former are enforced.
I attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Park Homes meeting on 10 February 2025 to hear the sector’s views on a range of subjects, including the payment of a commission upon the sale of a park home.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill includes provisions that abolish the right to forfeit a long residential lease for breach of covenant and introduce a new statutory lease enforcement scheme. An Impact Assessment for the draft Bill will be published in due course.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government remains committed to the indicative timetable published in July, with elections to new councils in May 2027. This is with the exception of Surrey, where we have already announced two new councils with elections expected in May 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is making good progress on a long-term housing strategy and will publish it shortly.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The letter of 19 December 2025 is clear that the provision in the current Best Value Guidance in relation to the four-day week remains in force. Ministers take a range of factors into account when considering whether to exercise statutory powers in relation to a local authority and will only act where necessary to secure compliance with the Best Value duty.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the Rt.hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 23 February (HCWS1349).
All local elections will go ahead in May 2026.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The notional council tax level for each authority in England is published on gov.uk here.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have not conducted research on the operation of sharia courts and Muslim Arbitration Tribunals.
In line with previous governments, the government’s position remains that individuals are free to practise their religion, including seeking religious guidance or arbitration, provided this does not conflict with UK law. Where religious practices or decisions conflict with UK law, UK law – as enacted by parliament and applied by courts – prevails.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government support for communities affected by flooding is assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on the scale and nature of the impact on the affected area.
In the first instance, local authorities are expected to have well-established contingency arrangements in place and therefore be able to support their local communities from within their existing budgets.
The Flood Recovery Framework (the Framework) is typically deployed following severe weather incidents with significant flood impacts across multiple local authority areas.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to improving electoral registration and is actively exploring ways to do so. The Representation of the People Bill will lay the foundations for a more automated registration system. Any changes must be tested to ensure they have a positive outcome in an already complex system.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The fit and proper person test, which applies to a site owner or the person appointed to manage a site, is intended to ensure that those managing park home sites are competent to do so.
Where properly applied by local authorities, the legislation has been shown to be effective.
Local authorities are responsible for administering the fit and proper person test. They are required to publish and maintain a register of persons they are satisfied are fit and proper persons to manage a park home site in their area. The information contained in these registers is held locally and is not held centrally.
My Department will continue to monitor the operation of the test and consider whether any changes are required.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Details of the fund, including timelines, are yet to be finalised. Once these details have been finalised, we will communicate this to the local government sector and to Parliament in the usual way.
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Electoral Commission provides guidance to Returning Officers including on the issuing of postal votes to overseas addresses.
The Electoral Commission is also responsible for setting standards and monitoring the performance of Returning Officers.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)