Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the final Local Government Finance Settlement 2026-2027 to 2028-2029, whether the actual or expected party political control of the local authority was a material consideration in the decision by ministers to disapply the council tax referendum thresholds from the six specified councils.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As we set out in the 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement consultation, authorities had to meet all the following criteria for referendum principles to not be applied: a) they are upper tier local authorities; b) 95% of their income is protected through transitional protections; and c) they have council tax levels lower than average. Actual or expected party control was therefore not a criterion in the decision.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - 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 implications of declining construction activity in London for meeting their annual target for the delivery of new homes in 2027 and subsequent years.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government and the Mayor of London recognise the significant challenges facing housing delivery in London. That is why, in March this year, the Mayor and government confirmed a package of emergency, time-limited measures to improve scheme viability and secure faster approvals for new homes across every borough. There are now some encouraging signs: 6,300 homes were started in London in Q2 2026, the highest quarterly level since Q2 2023.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 28 September (HL3485), whether Cornwall has any unique constitutional status within (1) England, or (2) the United Kingdom, other than under the minority language recognition under the 2014 European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities or as a local authority.
Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Cornwall Council is a unitary local authority within England. The council benefits from some devolved powers under arrangements agreed in 2023, and have made their desire to deepen these arrangements clear.
We want all areas in England – including Cornwall – to have, or be in the process of establishing, a Strategic Authority by the end of 2027, with Strategic Authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028 and will therefore confirm next steps on this as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 5 October (HL3624), whether there is a working target for the total number of new social rent dwellings that will be constructed over the lifetime of the full programme; and whether the average delivery will be more than 20,000 social rent dwellings a year.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 1 September 2026 (HLWC305).
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 5 October (HL3624), how many social and affordable homes will commence construction by July 2029; and how many will be completed and occupied from this scheme.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 1 September 2026 (HLWC305).
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 28 September (HL3483), what public interest reason there is for not publishing in full the presentations received from councils, elected representatives, and political groups regarding the planned cancellation of the May 2026 local elections.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government considers that councils and other stakeholders should be able to provide their frank views and local perspectives to inform decision-making, and routine publication of individual representations could affect the willingness of stakeholders to do so. A summary of the representations received was published, and the Government also published the former Secretary of State's correspondence setting out his responses to councils. The Government currently has no plans to publish individual representations.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 15 September (HL2868), whether, where an authority can demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and has achieved a Housing Delivery Test result of at least 75%, the presumption in favour of sustainable development would not be engaged even where there is an identified need for additional social housing.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in August 2026, introduces a revised presumption in favour of sustainable development which, in combination with new policies on development inside and outside of development boundaries, promotes a sustainable pattern of development.
It does this by steering proposals to appropriate locations: maximising the use of suitable land within urban areas and taking a more selective approach to the types and locations of development outside settlements.
The Housing Delivery Test (HDT) and five-year housing land supply (5YHLS) policies are important mechanisms within the planning system to ensure homes are delivered in line with needs. While failing against either HDT or 5YHLS is one of the circumstances in which housing outside settlements may be allowed, it does not mean that planning permission for housing will be automatically granted, and local planning authorities must consider a range of factors when determining planning applications.
Equally, while the presence of a 5YHLS and an HDT score above 75% are not in themselves circumstances in which development outside settlements may be acceptable under policy S5, there may be case-specific circumstances which support approval.
As set out in the government response to the NPPF consultation, the government will publish updated guidance in due course to assist local authorities in assessing the housing needs of different groups. This will include how unmet for housing should be considered for the purposes of policy S5 in the new NPPF.
You can find the full government response and new NPPF on gov.uk here (and attached).
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Prime Minister's reply to a question in the Commons Chamber on 1 September (HC Deb col. 40), what is the evidential basis for the assertion that he was previously elected as Mayor of Greater Manchester under a proportional voting system.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Prime Minister was first elected Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017. That election was conducted using the supplementary vote system, which requires the winning candidate to receive the majority of votes counted, rather than the First Past the Post system used for Westminster elections.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - 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 potential impact of (1) the new profit test and the company ownership provisions in the Representation of the People Bill, and (2) the latest Electoral Commission guidance on sponsorship, on the income of political parties.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As set out in Representation of the People Bill Impact Assessment, Table 9, we estimate that around 31% - 34% of donations from companies made in the year prior to the 2024 General Election would not meet the permissibility criteria. All businesses, including small businesses, will need to meet strict new criteria in order to make political donations. Requiring donors to demonstrate a genuine UK connection is key in protecting against foreign actors from using shell companies to channel foreign or illicit money into UK politics.
The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) sets out the framework governing political donations and controls on permissible sources of funding. This includes provisions relevant to sponsorship and other forms of support provided to political parties. The Electoral Commission is independent from the Government and is responsible for assisting in compliance with electoral law, including the political donations framework, and provides guidance and support to those subject to it.
Asked by: Lord Jamieson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants previously assigned in (1) London, (2) Greater Manchester, and (3) regional offices outside Greater Manchester, have been required to work on a (a) permanent, and (b) temporary basis in No. 10 North in Manchester.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
No10 North exists to get power out of Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level. The initial team includes people loaned from a range of government departments and secondees from local government.