Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether pubs with hotel rooms, VOA SCAT Code 227, are eligible for the new pub rate relief.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are responsible for the administration of business rates, including decisions on the awarding of various reliefs. Guidance for local authorities on the administration of the pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027 was published on 18 February 2026 and can be found here. It is for local authorities to determine whether individual properties meet the definitions contained within the guidance to be eligible for the Pubs and Live Music Venues relief.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether automatic electoral registration, following the proposed reduction in the voting age, will be used to add attainer voters under 16 to the electoral roll.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Should some form of automated registration be introduced using the powers set out in the Representation of the People Bill, this does not apply to attainers (those aged 14 or 15). The duty on Electoral Registration Officers would only apply where they become aware of a person who is of voting age (i.e. someone aged 16 or older). 14- and 15-year-olds will be able to submit their own applications to be attainers.
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the full report by Philip Rycroft into foreign financial interference in UK politics will be laid before the House when it is completed.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In December, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced an independent review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The review findings will be delivered to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Security Minister by the end of March 2026.
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government will ensure Mr Rycroft’s report is made available to Parliament at the earliest opportunity after it is received.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK support on Ukrainian communities in (i) Milton Keynes and (ii) Buckinghamshire.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities to understand the integration needs of Ukrainians and how we can work together to ensure positive integration outcomes in local communities.
Homes for Ukraine guests have the right to work and full recourse to public funds with access to public services, including housing, healthcare and education.
Councils receive a tariff of £5,900 per Homes for Ukraine arrival in their area to support guests to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities. We publish funding allocation data each quarter, which is broken down by local authority: Homes for Ukraine funding - GOV.UK.
Councils have the flexibility to use the funding to support households as best suits the local area. This could include measures to support guests to access employment, English language provision and provide integration measures that support Ukrainians to access private rented accommodation.
In addition, MHCLG has provided £11.5 million of funding for language and employment support to over 12,500 Ukrainians across the UK through the STEP Ukraine Programme. The STEP Programme launched in October 2025 will provide intensive English language lessons and employment support for up to a further 4,000 individuals..
We continue to engage closely with councils and the voluntary and community sector to ensure that we understand the needs of Ukrainians living in the UK and that adequate support is available.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the future homes standard will be published.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 108610 on 4 February 2026.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Reform UK - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to improve the clarity and enforceability of developers’ obligations during the first two years of new‑home warranty cover.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has legislated for a series of future measures to strengthen the clarity and enforceability of developers’ obligations during the early years of new home ownership. Sections 144 and 145 of the Building Safety Act, once commenced, will require every new build home to be sold with a warranty that meets mandated minimum standards, and will enable the government to impose penalties of up to 10 per cent of the sale value or £10,000 on those who sell a new home without a compliant warranty. These powers will ensure developers’ responsibilities in the early years are clearer and more consistently enforced.
The government believes that existing redress mechanisms for those buying a new home are inadequate. We are therefore working with the devolved administrations to implement the statutory UK-wide New Homes Ombudsman (NHO) scheme and an accompanying Code to investigate and resolve complaints and will bring forward the necessary secondary legislation in due course. Once enacted all developers will be required to be a member of the statutory NHO.
The Department does not hold the requested data related to individual developers.
Where developers are responsible for remediation, including structural defects, we expect them to take prompt action to remediate buildings. We are not considering bringing forward statutory timescales for developers to complete remedial works.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Reform UK - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of statutory requirements applying to developers to notify the relevant Building Control authority before commencing structural remedial works relating to subsidence, foundation movement, or other ground‑stability defects.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Work to an existing home is considered a material alteration, and therefore falls within the definition of building work, if changes to the structural, fire safety, or accessibility features of that building are made as part of the work. Unless work is covered by a Competent Persons Scheme (CPS), all building work requires an application to local authority building control or a private sector Registered Building Control Approver. Local authorities have existing powers to prosecute those who breach the building regulations or carry out building work without authorisation and can require that work that breaches the regulations is altered or removed.
These powers were strengthened in the Building Safety Act 2022. Where work has been carried out without a building control application the person carrying out the work can also apply to the local authority to have the work regularised. The competence, conduct, and performance of the building control profession is regulated by the Building Safety Regulator. The Building Control Independent Panel is considering how building control is delivered and the performance of building control bodies; it will report in due course.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Reform UK - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce penalties for developers who (a) fail to notify local authorities of proposed remedial works and (b) provide incorrect information to homeowners regarding the status of such works.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Work to an existing home is considered a material alteration, and therefore falls within the definition of building work, if changes to the structural, fire safety, or accessibility features of that building are made as part of the work. Unless work is covered by a Competent Persons Scheme (CPS), all building work requires an application to local authority building control or a private sector Registered Building Control Approver. Local authorities have existing powers to prosecute those who breach the building regulations or carry out building work without authorisation and can require that work that breaches the regulations is altered or removed.
These powers were strengthened in the Building Safety Act 2022. Where work has been carried out without a building control application the person carrying out the work can also apply to the local authority to have the work regularised. The competence, conduct, and performance of the building control profession is regulated by the Building Safety Regulator. The Building Control Independent Panel is considering how building control is delivered and the performance of building control bodies; it will report in due course.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Reform UK - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that developers comply with statutory obligations to obtain Building Control approval for significant remedial works on completed homes.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Work to an existing home is considered a material alteration, and therefore falls within the definition of building work, if changes to the structural, fire safety, or accessibility features of that building are made as part of the work. Unless work is covered by a Competent Persons Scheme (CPS), all building work requires an application to local authority building control or a private sector Registered Building Control Approver. Local authorities have existing powers to prosecute those who breach the building regulations or carry out building work without authorisation and can require that work that breaches the regulations is altered or removed.
These powers were strengthened in the Building Safety Act 2022. Where work has been carried out without a building control application the person carrying out the work can also apply to the local authority to have the work regularised. The competence, conduct, and performance of the building control profession is regulated by the Building Safety Regulator. The Building Control Independent Panel is considering how building control is delivered and the performance of building control bodies; it will report in due course.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many high-risk residential buildings in England with identified dangerous cladding have not yet commenced remediation works.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As of end January 2026 there are 916 residential buildings 18m metres and over in height, in England, with identified unsafe cladding that have not yet commenced remediation works. Of those 916 buildings, 15 have ACM cladding.
These 18m+ buildings are known as higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022. Higher-risk residential buildings also include buildings that have at least 7 storeys. Residential buildings which are 7 storeys tall but not 18 metres and over in height will not be included in the above figures.