Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps were taken to encourage housing associations to partake in the Home Ownership for people with Long-term Disabilities scheme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities scheme is a specialist form of shared ownership and we have confirmed that it will continue to be funded under the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme where proposals meet programme requirements and deliver value for money.
To support housing association participation, my Department is working with Homes England to publish further guidance on eligibility and delivery, including for specialist shared ownership models such as the Home Ownership for People with Long‑term Disabilities scheme.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Home Ownership for people with a long-term disability scheme will receive funding for the 2026/2027 financial year.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Home Ownership for People with Long-term Disabilities scheme is a specialist form of shared ownership and we have confirmed that it will continue to be funded under the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme where proposals meet programme requirements and deliver value for money.
To support housing association participation, my Department is working with Homes England to publish further guidance on eligibility and delivery, including for specialist shared ownership models such as the Home Ownership for People with Long‑term Disabilities scheme.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
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 build more social and affordable homes in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771) and the answer given to Question UIN 101017 on 6 January 2026.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
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 provides to local authorities on the mental and physical health impacts of placing households in temporary accommodation outside of their local area.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government inherited a homelessness crisis with record numbers in temporary accommodation. Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out how we will get back on track to ending homelessness by tackling its root causes. We are building 1.5 million homes, including a generational increase in new social and affordable homes. We have set out a new 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme backed by a £39 billion investment. We will also increase the supply of good quality temporary accommodation and support resettlement through the £950 million Local Authority Housing Fund.
Legislation and statutory guidance are clear that local authorities should, wherever possible, place homeless households within their own area. Authorities receiving out-of-area placements must be notified in accordance with the law: this is not a tick-box exercise but should involve engagement with the receiving authority where necessary to minimise disruption and promote the welfare of any children. The former Deputy Prime Minister wrote to councils in November 2024 to remind them of this duty and made clear that failures to notify are unacceptable, as they put additional pressure on services and risk the safety of those placed.
In October 2025, we provided £10.9 million funding for 61 local authorities to support families and children in temporary accommodation, including those placed out of area, making a tangible impact on their quality of life whilst they remain in need. This will fund a range of interventions to support families to access basic facilities, including Wi-Fi, laundry services, travel passes for school, improved communal spaces for homework and recreation and assistance with paying for food and leisure facilities.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for (a) restructuring HM Land Registry fees, (b) tabling secondary legislation to restructure fees, prioritising free access to data and (c) ensuring HM Land Registry makes rapid progress towards enabling others to map land ownership data by linking title numbers with INSPIRE IDs.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
HM Land Registry (HMLR) is reviewing how fees can be made simpler, fairer and enable better access to data.
HMLR intends to launch a public consultation on the design of a new fees and charging structure and to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to effect changes with the aim of implementing the new structure in 2026.
HMLR is currently exploring how best to make the data it holds more accessible, interoperable and geospatially enabled, in line with the priorities set out in my recent letter to the HMLR Board Chair as well as the government’s blueprint for a modern digital government. This includes reviewing and improving the interoperability of published datasets, for example, adding INSPIRE IDs where appropriate.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her Department's timetable is for the implementation of changes to permitted development rights for air source heat pumps.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Further announcements on permitted development rights for air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points will be made in the coming months.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what safeguards her Department has put in place to help protect unaccompanied children from Ukraine through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The Homes for Ukraine scheme supports eligible unaccompanied minors to safely arrive, and to live and thrive in the UK without their parent or legal guardian, supported by a sponsor that they know and trust.
Eligible Minors are protected by robust safeguarding measures. Parental or legal guardian consent is required before a sponsorship arrangement is agreed, and sponsors must pass safeguarding checks before a visa is issued. Councils must comply with safeguarding responsibilities and statutory duties. Local authorities receive an enhanced tariff for each eligible minor arrival, recognising the increased safeguarding support needed.
Detailed guidance for councils, sponsors, and parents/legal guardians must be adhered to, is available at:
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to use modular housing to increase the amount of available housing stock.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) can quickly deliver high-quality, energy efficient homes and they provide an important opportunity to improve productivity in the construction sector. MHCLG supports the use of all types of MMC, and we will share our approach to increase its use in housebuilding as part of the Government’s wider housing strategy.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to encourage property developers to incorporate net zero measures in planning applications.
Answered by Lee Rowley
I refer the Honourable Member to paragraph 157 of the National Planning Policy Framework.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many families are housed through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
The most up to date data on arrivals through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme can be accessed here.