Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Housing First Unit established by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government supports Mayor Burnham’s initiative to improve access to quality housing across Greater Manchester.
Nationally, we are increasing funding for homelessness to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26 and working to reduce homelessness by delivering 1.5 million new homes over the next Parliament and abolishing ‘no fault’ evictions through our Renters’ Rights Bill.
The government is committed to taking further action to raise quality standards in both rented sectors. Reforms are underway to drive up social housing standards, with stronger regulations to hold landlords accountable to regulatory standards. We will introduce Awaab’s Law to both rented sectors and bring forward consultation on the Decent Homes Standard that all social housing landlords must meet.
For more information on the steps we are taking to increasing the supply of social and affordable housing, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 41721 on 3 April 2025.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the Homelessness Strategy.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy.
We expect to publish the strategy following the conclusion of Phase 2 of the Spending Review.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the total cost to the public purse of local authorities providing crisis support to families affected by No Recourse to Public Funds conditions.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The majority of funding in the local government finance settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities. It is at the discretion of each local authority as to how much is allocated to the packages of support they provide to families in crisis, including those impacted by No Recourse to Public Funds conditions.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on local authority budgets of providing crisis support to families impacted by No Recourse to Public Funds conditions.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The majority of funding in the local government finance settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities. It is at the discretion of each local authority as to how much is allocated to the packages of support they provide to families in crisis, including those impacted by No Recourse to Public Funds conditions.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the level of affordable housing in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Manchester Rusholme constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 41721 on 3 April 2025.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has provided for local infrastructure projects related to housing development in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Manchester Rusholme constituency in each of the last five years.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
£630 million is being devolved to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Mayor Burnham through the integrated settlement for 2025-26 to support growth in the city region.
As the relevant local planning authorities, it is for Manchester City Council and GMCA to work together to consider infrastructure requirements in support of any new housing developments.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities to provide infrastructure alongside new housing developments in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Manchester Rusholme constituency.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
£630 million is being devolved to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Mayor Burnham through the integrated settlement for 2025-26 to support growth in the city region.
As the relevant local planning authorities, it is for Manchester City Council and GMCA to work together to consider infrastructure requirements in support of any new housing developments.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the benefit of including measures to repair (a) poor-quality and (b) unsafe unsafe existing housing stock in the upcoming housing strategy,.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government intends to publish a long-term housing strategy later this year.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with refence to the oral answer of 4 March 2024 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Housing and Homelessness to the hon. Member for Blaydon, Official Report, column 627, what his planned timetable is for appointing an independent adviser on tackling anti-Muslim hatred.
Answered by Lee Rowley
I refer the Hon Member to the oral answer given by my Hon Friend, the Member for Kensington on 4 March 2024 (Official Report, HC Volume 746, Column 627).
Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what consultation his Department undertook with (a) faith groups (b) civil society and (c) local councils on the new definition of extremism; and whether the findings will be published.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Further to the Secretary of State’s oral statement on Extremism Definition and Community Engagement of 14 March 2024 (Official Report HC, Volume 747, Column 452), details of ministerial meetings and engagement are published on gov.uk. Further details relating to the Government’s work in this area, including in relation to naming individuals and organisations, will be set out in due course.