Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
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 considered extending the permitted period for the temporary relocation of telecommunications apparatus following redevelopment-related site loss.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 124803 on 20 April 2026.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 on existing tenants whose fixed-term agreements were close to expiry when the Act came into force and of the potential merits of transitional protections for such tenants; and whether he plans to undertake a review of the financial impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2026.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act can be found here.
My Department continues to monitor trends across the private rented sector and is conducting a robust evaluation of the impact of the Renters' Rights Act. Evaluation reports will be published two and five years after implementation.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the comparative effectiveness of insured and custodial tenancy deposit schemes in ensuring that tenants' deposits are fully protected and landlords remain compliant with statutory requirements.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department engages regularly with stakeholders to discuss the operation and efficacy of the Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) system.
This engagement includes gathering information about the difference in service quality between the two types of TDP schemes, and issues that service users may have with these schemes and how they can be addressed.
My Department also receives Key Performance Indicator data from all TDP providers across both types of schemes. Where reporting shows that there are performance issues, we actively escalate matters with the relevant scheme and require them to take corrective action if necessary.
Tenant representative groups consistently report low awareness of the difference between custodial and insured schemes. Under the insured model, tenants who dispute a landlord’s deduction can feel pressured to accept a deduction, rather than pursue Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Where ADR is used, feedback from tenant representative groups report that it operates effectively and the impartial service provided by TDP providers is valued.
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, with reference to his proposals to require candidates to provide identification to nominate, whether this will require the same identification requirements as needed to vote in person at a polling station.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Following Royal Assent for the Representation of the People Bill 2026, the Government will bring forward regulations in due course to set out the detailed provisions.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help support the level of footfall on high streets in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.
Answered by Nesil Caliskan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets. Later this year, we will bring forward a High Streets Strategy, backed by £301 million of support, to help turn the tide on the high streets most in need. The funding will support the creation of new High Streets Innovation Partnerships to reimagine and revive the country’s most struggling high streets and includes a further £10 million to support councils to deliver High Street Rental Auctions to reduce high street vacancy.
This comes alongside the £5.8bn Pride in Place Programme, with Boston, Spalding, and Skegness receiving £20m each over 10 years to be used by local people to shape their neighbourhood.
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, what guidance he has issued on whether the sub-division of open or agricultural land requires planning permission.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has no current plans to publish planning practice guidance specifically on the sub-division of agricultural units.
Asked by: Michelle Welsh (Labour - Sherwood Forest)
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 plans to amend Part 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 to ensure that ecology surveys have to be completed on land prior to any temporary permitted development.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has no such plans.
The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to mandate climate adaptation measures in urban planning.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published on 12 December 2024, makes clear that the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change should be considered in preparing and assessing planning applications.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new NPPF. The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to climate change adaptation.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
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, if he will set out the meetings his Department's special advisers have had with Labour Together since he was appointed.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Special Advisers are required to comply with the Special Adviser Code of Conduct at all times and are required to make declarations on meetings with senior media figures in line with published transparency guidance.
Where a Special Adviser accompanies their Minister to an official meeting with a senior media figure, the Special Adviser's attendance does not need to be separately recorded as the Minister will be the main attendee. Where an 'informal' lobbying approach is granted time or resource by Government, it should result in a diarised engagement and therefore be recorded.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2026 to Question 187 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Departmental Responsibilities, whether he was accompanied by a special adviser at those Labour YIMBY events.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
He was, in line with the practice of successive administrations.