Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
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 his Department has had with local authorities on the role of (a) parish councils and (b) community groups in managing public assets in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department has not held specific discussions with local authorities in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency regarding the role of parish councils and community groups in managing public assets in future local government structures.
We strongly encourage all local authorities to involve town and parish councils and community groups in their plans for Local Government Reorganisation to ensure that their contribution to local public services is recognised in future arrangements. Town and parish councils can work with other tiers of local government to determine how they can best serve their communities in their area, including by making local agreements regarding the transfer and management of assets.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
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 the policy papers entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 30 June 2025, and Budget 2025, published on 28 November 2025, what their Department’s capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) will be in each year of the Spending Review period; how much capital funding has been allocated to each of their Department’s programmes; and how much and what proportion of the capital DEL allocation remains unallocated in each year.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Budget document, published on 28 November 2025, set out the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Capital Departmental Expenditure Limits for 2025-26 to 2029-30 (the Spending Review period) in table C.2.
2025-26 budgets are fully allocated. For future years of the Spending Review, allocations will be subject to the departmental business planning process in advance of the start of each financial year.
We have announced a number of key programmes for the Spending Review period, including £39bn for a 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme and £5bn grant funding for infrastructure and land from the new National Housing Delivery Fund. This will complement £4.8bn capital investment from 2026-27 to 2029-30, including £2.5bn in low-interest loans to support the building of social and affordable homes.
Asked by: Danny Beales (Labour - Uxbridge and South Ruislip)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what measures her Department is taking to ensure people admitted to hospital while rough sleeping have somewhere secure to sleep upon discharge from hospital.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have published A National Plan to End Homelessness, our cross-Government Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. This commits to a target that no one eligible for homelessness assistance is discharged to the street after a hospital stay.
To help achieve this we will work with the NHS and councils to implement the guidance published in 2024, 'Discharging people at risk of or experiencing homelessness', to help staff plan safe discharges and prevent homelessness after NHS care.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
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 provide a response to the application submitted by Bedford Borough Council for exceptional funding support to cover costs incurred as a result of the Cleat Hill explosion on 19 October 2024.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The impact of the explosion and fire and the tragic loss of life would have been traumatic and I have great sympathy for all those affected.
The Department continues to engage directly with Bedford on its overall financial position, including communicating a response to the Council's request to activate the Bellwin scheme in relation to the Cleat Hill explosion.
The Local Government Finance Policy Statement published on 20 November confirmed that there will continue to be a framework in place to support councils in the most difficult financial positions. This reflects the ongoing challenges for councils dealing with the legacy of the previous system, while the Government is delivering much needed reforms to the funding framework. Following the Policy Statement the Department issued technical guidance to councils which set out that they should confirm any request for support by 12 December, and that any decisions under this framework are usually taken shortly after the final Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government intends to provide exceptional funding support to Bedford Borough Council to cover costs incurred as a result of the Cleat Hill explosion on 19 October 2024.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The impact of the explosion and fire and the tragic loss of life would have been traumatic and I have great sympathy for all those affected.
The Department continues to engage directly with Bedford on its overall financial position, including communicating a response to the Council's request to activate the Bellwin scheme in relation to the Cleat Hill explosion.
The Local Government Finance Policy Statement published on 20 November confirmed that there will continue to be a framework in place to support councils in the most difficult financial positions. This reflects the ongoing challenges for councils dealing with the legacy of the previous system, while the Government is delivering much needed reforms to the funding framework. Following the Policy Statement the Department issued technical guidance to councils which set out that they should confirm any request for support by 12 December, and that any decisions under this framework are usually taken shortly after the final Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
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 to the Electoral Commission on the (a) acceptance and (b) reporting of political donations received through cryptocurrencies by political parties and regulated donees; and whether he plans to discuss this matter with (i) the Electoral Commission and (ii) political parties.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes cryptoasset donations. Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of the donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. Those who receive political donations from an impermissible or unidentifiable source must return them.
The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.
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 has been made of the effectiveness of electoral law governing crypto digital currency donations to UK political parties.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes cryptoasset donations. Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of the donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. Those who receive political donations from an impermissible or unidentifiable source must return them.
The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
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 reduce housefires in social housing in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department continues to run its national Fire Kills campaign to raise awareness of key fire safety messages and behaviours to help keep people safe in their homes. The latest advertising campaign launched on 17 November and reminds people to ensure they have a sufficient number of working smoke alarms in their home. The Department works in close partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council to support local community fire safety activity undertaken by local fire and rescue services, often targeted at those most vulnerable to fire.
Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2015, all private and social landlords must ensure at least one smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of their homes where there is a room used as living accommodation.
Awaab’s Law was introduced in October 2025 and means that landlords must take action to investigate emergency hazards, including fire hazards, and make them safe within 24 hours (excluding work to fix cladding). The landlord must also take action on significant damp and mould in fixed timelines. In 2026 the requirements will expand to apply to a wider range of hazards, including significant fire hazards.
The Department has also consulted on reviewing the Decent Homes Standard that social landlords must meet, including a proposal to add fire alarm systems to the list of building components that must be kept in good repair. The response to the consultation will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - 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 use of AI to generate planning objections to energy infrastructure proposals, and the implications for the operation of the planning system.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Representations on major infrastructure projects, such as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects are designed to support the Examining Authority to identify and understand relevant matters in an application. Providing a representation is received within the allotted timeframe, is from a real person, includes a reason or reasons for that person's position and is not vexatious, it will be accepted. Once accepted, the topic(s) raised will be factored into the examination preparation and design. Submissions which simply repeat generic elements add less value and repetitive submissions, however produced, could be disregarded under the legal rules.
Asked by: Lord Newby (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to implement the proposals on modernising parish poll regulations on which they consulted from December 2014 to January 2015.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government has no plans to amend the regulations on parish polls.