Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to introduce transitional protection for people who are no longer eligible for full Council Tax support following changes to the assessment of legacy benefit recipients in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Councils are required to provide a Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme to support low-income households. Support for working age households, including the treatment of benefits, is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme.
For pension age households, councils administer a centrally prescribed LCTS scheme.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters' Rights Bill on the (a) popularity and (b) take-up of Build to Rent new build.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has engaged with a range of organisations, including Build to Rent operators, to understand their interests in the development of the Renters’ Rights Bill.
We do not expect the Bill to have a destabilising effect on the rental market or the Build to Rent sector.
We will continue to work with good landlords and their representative associations to ensure a smooth transition to the new tenancy system.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with supported housing providers on the potential (a) administrative, (b) financial and (c) homelessness impacts of the implementation of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government consulted on proposals to implement the measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act between 20 February 2025 and 15 May 2025. The government is assessing the responses to the consultation and will continue to work with supported housing providers, residents and stakeholders before publishing a government response in due course.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has provided to local councils on (a) discipline and (b) grievance in local government relating to senior officers.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces. This includes managing their disciplinary and grievance procedures, complying with relevant legislation.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have introduced Article 4 directions which restrict office to residential conversion permitted development rights.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
46 local authorities have made Article 4 Directions which remove the permitted development right which enables buildings in the Class E Commercial, Business and Service use class to change to residential use.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department monitors trends in levels of furniture poverty in (a) England and (b) the UK.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue.
On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here.
People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.
The Deputy Prime Minister is also part of the ministerial Child Poverty Taskforce, which is considering the impacts of living in poor quality housing on children.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has allocated for the promotional campaign on pet-friendly tenancy rights following the Renters’ Rights Bill.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Bill is contingent on landlords, letting agents, and tenants understanding their rights and responsibilities under the new legislation.
Once the Bill has achieved Royal Assent, we intend to deliver a campaign to raise awareness of the changes made by it.
Publicising measures that allow tenants to request a pet will be an integral part of this campaign. It is not possible to break down costs or staffing numbers to indicate spend on specific messages relating to this Bill provision.
Asked by: Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many civil servants are working on the communications campaign relating to pet-friendly tenancies following the Renters’ Rights Bill.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Bill is contingent on landlords, letting agents, and tenants understanding their rights and responsibilities under the new legislation.
Once the Bill has achieved Royal Assent, we intend to deliver a campaign to raise awareness of the changes made by it.
Publicising measures that allow tenants to request a pet will be an integral part of this campaign. It is not possible to break down costs or staffing numbers to indicate spend on specific messages relating to this Bill provision.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been given to local authorities on the delegation of decisions by councillors to council officers in (a) executive, (b) mayoral and (c) committee systems of governance; and whether she has provided guidance on whether the Carltona doctrine applies to local government.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Local Authorities (Functions and Responsibilities) (England) Regulations 2000, as amended, set out what types of decisions are to be taken by a council’s executive (whether leader and cabinet or mayor and cabinet) and which are to be taken by the full council. Guidance was issued in 2000 and 2001 to assist the initial implementation of executive arrangements in local authorities; we do not consider guidance is currently required to assist authorities in their operation under the Regulations.
The Local Authorities (Committee System) (England) Regulations 2012 set out the equivalent rules on delegations for councils operating the committee system. These Regulations were considered to be self-explanatory.
The Secretary of State has not provided guidance on whether the Carltona doctrine applies to local government.
Asked by: Alberto Costa (Conservative - South Leicestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an independent appeal or review mechanism for complainants who are dissatisfied with decisions made by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman's decisions on complaints are typically final, and can only be challenged through the courts on points of law. The government has no plans to change this.