Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with refence to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, Official Report col 1132, what measures will be in place to ensure that council areas undergoing reorganisation do not overspend due to their debts being inherited by a new council area.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On the management of debt, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77936 on 13 October 2025. It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt, which they will do in the normal course of business. Local government reorganisation does not change this.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, whether his Department plans to change rules for the establishment and disestablishment of parish councils.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government recognises that local authorities undergoing Local Government Reorganisation may wish to establish new town and parish councils through the separate Community Governance Review process. In doing so, they should show how these will contribute to reorganisation’s overall goal of creating simpler structures that deliver high quality and sustainable public services to citizens.
The government views the existing Community Governance Review process as suitable in ensuring that parishing arrangements reflect the needs and wishes of local communities.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with refence to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, Official Report col 1130, whether his Department have any plans to set a per-capita upper limit for debt inheritance for reorganised councils in Essex.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On the management of debt, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77936 on 13 October 2025. It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt, which they will do in the normal course of business. Local government reorganisation does not change this.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, what analysis his Department has conducted on the suitability of establishing parish councils in areas undergoing local government reorganisation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government recognises that local authorities undergoing Local Government Reorganisation may wish to establish new town and parish councils through the separate Community Governance Review process. In doing so, they should show how these will contribute to reorganisation’s overall goal of creating simpler structures that deliver high quality and sustainable public services to citizens.
The government views the existing Community Governance Review process as suitable in ensuring that parishing arrangements reflect the needs and wishes of local communities.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
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 Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, whether he plans to abolish the system of elections by thirds.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has no plans to abolish election by thirds.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Homes England plans to include (a) mandatory road adoption provisions and (b) time limits for entering into Section 38 agreements within future land-disposal contracts with developers.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Decisions on whether to adopt roads are matters for the relevant local highway authority.
When disposing of land, Homes England does not currently require the mandatory adoption of roads.
The adoption of roads under s38 of the Highways Act 1980 is reliant on negotiations between the relevant developer and local highways authority. Homes England has no direct role in the process.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
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 requiring developers to enter into a Section 38 agreement before selling properties on new-build estates.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Decisions on whether to adopt roads are matters for the relevant local highway authority.
When disposing of land, Homes England does not currently require the mandatory adoption of roads.
The adoption of roads under s38 of the Highways Act 1980 is reliant on negotiations between the relevant developer and local highways authority. Homes England has no direct role in the process.
I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
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, pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2025, to Question 66951, on Environment Protection: Public Bodies, and with reference to paragraphs 211, 233 and 234 of the Cabinet Office's Guide to Parliamentary Work, if he will publish the disclosed information or provide a relevant hyperlink to the information.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 66951 on 21 July 2025.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Ministers from the Department are responsible for specific policy areas in different geographical regions in Devon.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Ministers from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Department do not have separate responsibility for Devon or any other council nationally, but Devon is included together with other councils for policy areas for which they are responsible. These are as follows;
Current MHCLG Ministers with Responsibilities Relevant to Devon
Minister | Position | Key Responsibilities |
|
Steve Reed MP | Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government | Leads MHCLG; overall strategic oversight of housing, planning, and local government policy in England |
|
Matthew Pennycook MP | Minister of State for Housing and Planning | Housing policy, planning reform, planning casework, Homes England, housing delivery, affordable housing programmes |
|
Alison McGovern MP | Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness | Local government finance, structural reform & reorganisation, homelessness, supported housing |
|
Miatta Fahnbulleh MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Devolution, Faith and Communities | English devolution (including Devon & Torbay CCA), regional growth, investment zones, faith-based engagement |
|
Samantha Dixon MP | Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy | Building safety regulations, fire safety, cladding remediation, local democratic frameworks |
|
Baroness Taylor of Stevenage | Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Lords) | Local government and housing engagement; represents MHCLG interests in House of Lords |
|
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
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 ensure that the planning system delivers sufficient affordable homes to meet the needs of families currently living in temporary accommodation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that local authorities should assess the size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable and social rent homes, and should reflect this in their planning policies and decisions.
Assessments of affordable housing need should estimate the numbers of those who cannot meet their needs in the market, including those in temporary accommodation. Local planning authorities are expected to set out the proportion and type of affordable and social rent housing that new development will be required to provide.
The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, rules- based policies for plan-making and decision-making. The consultation includes policies to increase the viable provision of more affordable homes.
The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.