Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Restore Britain - Great Yarmouth)
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 potential impact of coastal erosion at Hemsby on property insurance and mortgage availability.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department engages regularly with mortgage lenders in relation to a range of issues affecting housing and home ownership. We also engage regularly with the insurance industry and continue to monitor the impacts of climate and environmental risks on the insurance market.
A wide variety of mortgage products are available in the UK and speaking to a broker can help borrowers to find suitable products, including specialised financing to secure a mortgage in areas deemed higher risk by lenders, such as those affected by coastal erosion.
Asked by: Luke Myer (Labour - Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland)
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 analysed the responses to the consultation on enhanced protections for homeowners on freehold estates which closed on 12 March 2026; and when he plans to respond to that consultation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are currently analysing the feedback received to the consultation in question and will publish our response in due course.
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, what assessment his Department has made for the effectiveness of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 in preventing vertical integration within management groups, where managing agents appoint their own organisation and sister, or associated companies as Company Secretaries and maintenance providers.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is unacceptable for a managing agent to refuse to vacate a site when it loses a contract to another agent. Landlords may seek legal advice on possible courses of action when such circumstances arise. These may include making a formal complaint to the relevant redress scheme or seeking an injunction in the County Court. Leaseholders, including resident directors, can also seek guidance and free initial legal advice from the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE).
The previous government’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 contains no provisions designed to prevent managing agents using subsidiary, sister, or associated organisations to deliver services.
The draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill contains no provisions relating to embedded management companies. We await the conclusions of the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill being undertaken by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee and will review the feedback received before publishing a substantive Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill.
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, if his Department will ensure the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill includes retrospective powers for leaseholders to remove 'embedded managers,' without no-fault litigation where historic structural neglect is proven.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is unacceptable for a managing agent to refuse to vacate a site when it loses a contract to another agent. Landlords may seek legal advice on possible courses of action when such circumstances arise. These may include making a formal complaint to the relevant redress scheme or seeking an injunction in the County Court. Leaseholders, including resident directors, can also seek guidance and free initial legal advice from the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE).
The previous government’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 contains no provisions designed to prevent managing agents using subsidiary, sister, or associated organisations to deliver services.
The draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill contains no provisions relating to embedded management companies. We await the conclusions of the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill being undertaken by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee and will review the feedback received before publishing a substantive Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Restore Britain - Great Yarmouth)
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 is engaging with insurers and mortgage lenders regarding coastal erosion risks in places such as Hemsby.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department engages regularly with mortgage lenders in relation to a range of issues affecting housing and home ownership. We also engage regularly with the insurance industry and continue to monitor the impacts of climate and environmental risks on the insurance market.
A wide variety of mortgage products are available in the UK and speaking to a broker can help borrowers to find suitable products, including specialised financing to secure a mortgage in areas deemed higher risk by lenders, such as those affected by coastal erosion.
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, what guidance his Department has issued to resident management companies on steps to take when a national service maintenance provider (managing agent) refuses to vacate a site following a lawful notice of termination.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is unacceptable for a managing agent to refuse to vacate a site when it loses a contract to another agent. Landlords may seek legal advice on possible courses of action when such circumstances arise. These may include making a formal complaint to the relevant redress scheme or seeking an injunction in the County Court. Leaseholders, including resident directors, can also seek guidance and free initial legal advice from the government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE).
The previous government’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 contains no provisions designed to prevent managing agents using subsidiary, sister, or associated organisations to deliver services.
The draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill contains no provisions relating to embedded management companies. We await the conclusions of the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill being undertaken by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee and will review the feedback received before publishing a substantive Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
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 impact of the administration of National Car Parks Limited on city centre parking capacity in (a) Leicester and (b) England; and whether he is taking steps to mitigate reduced parking provision.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As administrator for National Car Parks Limited, PricewaterhouseCoopers is seeking to make the business viable and to avoid closures or job losses wherever possible. However, some sites that the administrator considered were not commercially viable have closed as part of the administration process. More information on the administrator’s plans for the relevant companies can be found on its website.
The government recognises that a number of these closures are in Leicester. Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that there is sufficient parking provision to support local communities and the prosperity of their town centres. Through the Local Government Finance Settlement, the government has made available up to £555.2 million in core spending power for Leicester City Council by 2028‑29, the majority of which is unringfenced and may be used at the authority’s discretion to meet local priorities.
The government is not responsible for local parking provision and has no current plans to provide additional financial or planning support to reopen closed private car parks, but will continue to monitor developments.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 bring forward legislative proposals to reverse the interpretation of Environmental Impact Assessment law on carbon emissions created by the Supreme Court ruling of R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents) UKSC/2022/0064.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will continue to support the appropriate application of the judgment in the case of R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents).
Consideration of the judgment and wider case law will form part of the development of Environmental Outcomes Reports to provide clarity as to the nature of assessment required for different types of development.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
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 that the planning system provides adequate protection for sites of ecological value prior to designation as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and associated Planning Practice Guidance are material considerations in the planning process.
The NPPF makes clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by protecting and enhancing sites of geological value and soils. It also stipulates that development proposals should ensure that a site is suitable for its proposed use, taking account of ground conditions and any risks arising from land instability and contamination.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new NPPF. The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals in respect of sites of biodiversity value.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Restore Britain - Great Yarmouth)
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 adequacy of cross‑government preparedness to address the social and housing impacts of coastal erosion.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government recognises coastal erosion as a long‑term risk to some communities.
Local preparedness is coordinated through Local Resilience Forums, supported by national assessments of flood and coastal erosion risk and by investment in flood and coastal risk management projects that improve long‑term resilience, including to coastal erosion.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) contains robust policies on managing development in areas affected by coastal erosion.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new NPPF. The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals to further strengthen policy in respect of this matter.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.