Asked by: Suella Braverman (Reform UK - Fareham and Waterlooville)
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 holds data on the number of defects, snagging issues or complaints raised in relation to homes developed by Hampshire Homes and managed by Abri since 2019.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold data or information requested.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
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 potential impact of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill on the availability of housing-with-care for older people.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 108467 on 3 February 2026.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
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 potential impact of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill on levels of supply of housing-with-care for older people.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 108467 on 3 February 2026.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
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 potential impact of private rent inflation on levels of homelessness and housing insecurity.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has made no such specific assessment.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what are the outcomes of the UK shared Prosperity Fund programme in Northern Ireland including (a) the total number of participants engaged across the region; (b) the number and percentage of participants who achieved sustainable employment and the methodology used to measure this; (c) the number of percentage of participants who entered further or higher education; (d) he number of participants who entered volunteering roles; and (e) how many women achieved each of the above outcomes.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Up to September 2025, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in Northern Ireland has supported around 36,000 people. Of these, 12% have sustained work for at least six months, 27% undertook education activity and 7% participated in volunteering opportunities. Definitions for these indicators are published here: UKSPF_Indicators_25-26_.xlsx. For those declaring gender, 52% were female.
The UKSPF allocated funding for economic inactivity projects by competition. Provision was available in all parts of Northern Ireland. Where any area was under-served, we have encouraged deliverers to broaden their geographic reach.
My Department are working in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Executive to design and deliver the new Local Growth Fund in Northern Ireland, with more information to follow.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) the UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme was representative geographically and based on evidenced need across Northern Ireland; (b) any gaps were identified in the UK Prosperity Fund Programme; and (c) how does the Department propose to ensure that any previously identified gaps in provision will be addressed in the new programme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Up to September 2025, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in Northern Ireland has supported around 36,000 people. Of these, 12% have sustained work for at least six months, 27% undertook education activity and 7% participated in volunteering opportunities. Definitions for these indicators are published here: UKSPF_Indicators_25-26_.xlsx. For those declaring gender, 52% were female.
The UKSPF allocated funding for economic inactivity projects by competition. Provision was available in all parts of Northern Ireland. Where any area was under-served, we have encouraged deliverers to broaden their geographic reach.
My Department are working in close partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Executive to design and deliver the new Local Growth Fund in Northern Ireland, with more information to follow.
Asked by: Margaret Mullane (Labour - Dagenham and Rainham)
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 support the regeneration of existing social housing stock.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 28 January 2026 (HCWS1283).
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
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 paragraph 88 of the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, how many meetings Ministers in their Department have attended related to the Home Defence Programme.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ministers have regular discussions with officials, external experts and ministerial colleagues on a range of issues, including national security, defence and resilience.
The Home Defence Programme was established in August 2024 to build the UK’s resilience to any potential escalation to conflict. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK, informed by and reflecting the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.
MHCLG is actively supporting this work, including liaising with Local Resilience Forums.
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, whether the Representation of the People Bill will allow candidates and agents to use PO Box addresses.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through the Representation of the People Bill we are removing the requirement for candidates who are acting as their own election agent to have their home address published on the notice of election agents, ensuring that those who partake in our democracy are safe and secure in their homes.
Election agents (including candidates acting as their own agents) will still need to have an office address where legal papers could be served, therefore this cannot be a PO box. Furthermore candidates must provide their current home address on their nomination form, which therefore also cannot be a PO box. Candidates can already however request for their home address not to be published.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether mechanisms exist to prevent excessive rent increases during tenancies.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
At present, rent increases can happen through a variety of mechanisms including contractual rent review clauses and Section 13 notices. Tenants can currently only challenge a rent increase when it is carried out via Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988.
Once commenced, our Renters’ Rights Act will ensure that all rent increases in the private rented sector will be made using the same process. Landlords will be able to increase rents once per year to the market rate – the price that would be achieved if the property was newly advertised to let. To do this, they will need to serve a simple ‘Section 13’ notice, setting out the new rent and giving at least 2 months’ notice of it taking effect. Tenants who receive a rent increase that they feel is not representative of the market value will be able to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal.