Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
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 tackle the causes of homelessness in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through our National Plan to End Homelessness the Government is putting prevention at the heart of public services, alongside with actions to address the root causes of homelessness through building more homes, reforming renters’ rights, and tackling poverty.
Local councils are at the front line of the response to homelessness and must lead the way in putting prevention at the core of their services. The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.
We are also investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
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 levels of homelessness relative to (a) levels of affordability of rented accommodation and (b) rates of local housing allowance.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A lack of affordable housing is a key driver of homelessness. This Government plan to deliver a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing, including with £39 billion funding for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
We recognise some private renters need support with their rent. That is why we will work across government to keep Local Housing Allowance rates under review in order to deliver on the government's priorities, including maintaining the long-term fiscal sustainability of the welfare system.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with Birmingham City Council on the devolution of the management of Sutton Park to the Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ministers meet regularly with external stakeholders. Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly on GOV.UK.
MHCLG is working closely with Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council on the Pride in Place Programme. Through this process, it has been made clear that Sutton Park is a vital and valued local asset. We will continue to work closely with both the Town Council and Birmingham City Council to support the delivery of the programme over the coming years.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings ministers have had with members of the Local Government Association to discuss the provisions of paragraph 6 of Schedule 27 to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Schedule 27 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (the Bill) makes a small, specific and practical change to the publication of local authority governance changes. It removes the statutory requirement for councils to publish governance changes in printed newspapers but crucially does not prevent them from doing so if they consider that is the best way to inform their local residents.
In practice this change will affect only a very small number of councils. Over 80% of councils already operate the leader-and-cabinet model of governance. The Bill does not make changes to public notices more generally, for example in relation to planning.
Councils will be able to consider the most effective means to bring changes in local governance arrangements to the attention of the public. They could do this through local newspapers, digital platforms, council websites, or other local channels.
Throughout the passage of the Bill the government has and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the provisions of paragraph 6 of Schedule 27 to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will affect public awareness of the activities of local authorities.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Schedule 27 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (the Bill) makes a small, specific and practical change to the publication of local authority governance changes. It removes the statutory requirement for councils to publish governance changes in printed newspapers but crucially does not prevent them from doing so if they consider that is the best way to inform their local residents.
In practice this change will affect only a very small number of councils. Over 80% of councils already operate the leader-and-cabinet model of governance. The Bill does not make changes to public notices more generally, for example in relation to planning.
Councils will be able to consider the most effective means to bring changes in local governance arrangements to the attention of the public. They could do this through local newspapers, digital platforms, council websites, or other local channels.
Throughout the passage of the Bill the government has and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to local authorities of complying with section 9KC, section 9MA and section 9MF of the Local Government Act 2000 in (1) 2022–23, (2) 2023–24, and (3) 2024–25.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
No formal assessment has been made of the costs to local authorities of complying with sections 9KC, 9MA, and 9MF of the Local Government Act 2000 for the years 2022-23, 2023-24, or 2024-25.
Where a local authority has decided to hold a referendum or pass a resolution in relation to its governance arrangements, the associated costs are a matter for the local authority.
Asked by: Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of paragraph 6 of Schedule 27 to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill on the long-term sustainability of local and regional newspapers.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Schedule 27 of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (the Bill) makes a small, specific and practical change to the publication of local authority governance changes. It removes the statutory requirement for councils to publish governance changes in printed newspapers but crucially does not prevent them from doing so if they consider that is the best way to inform their local residents.
In practice this change will affect only a very small number of councils. Over 80% of councils already operate the leader-and-cabinet model of governance. The Bill does not make changes to public notices more generally, for example in relation to planning.
Councils will be able to consider the most effective means to bring changes in local governance arrangements to the attention of the public. They could do this through local newspapers, digital platforms, council websites, or other local channels.
Throughout the passage of the Bill the government has and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Abtisam Mohamed (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 ensure clear and accessible fire safety regulations for leaseholders and residents in managed buildings.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Article 21A of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 makes clear that the person responsible for fire safety in blocks of flats must communicate the risks identified in the fire risk assessment to residents (including whenever this is updated) as well as the precautions taken to address these risks. They are not required to share the whole assessment as there is an expectation that they summarise the risks given the potentially technical nature of the assessment.
On 4 July 2025, we launched a wide-ranging consultation on proposals to hold landlords and managing agents to account for the services they provide and the charges and fees they levy. This consultation closed on 26 September 2025, and we are analysing responses.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people that are currently homeless in Poole constituency will be taken out of homelessness following the introduction of the homelessness strategy.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government publishes homelessness statistics on gov.uk here.
Our National Plan to End Homelessness will end the use of B&B accommodation for families except in emergencies, halve long-term rough sleeping and increase the proportion of people whose homelessness is prevented. As set out in the strategy, local authorities will be required to publish by Autumn next year, and regularly update, their action plan. This must include local targets to improve performance against each of the metrics relating to homelessness and rough sleeping in the Outcomes Framework for local government.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homeless people there are in Poole constituency.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government publishes homelessness statistics on gov.uk here.
Our National Plan to End Homelessness will end the use of B&B accommodation for families except in emergencies, halve long-term rough sleeping and increase the proportion of people whose homelessness is prevented. As set out in the strategy, local authorities will be required to publish by Autumn next year, and regularly update, their action plan. This must include local targets to improve performance against each of the metrics relating to homelessness and rough sleeping in the Outcomes Framework for local government.