Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
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 27 May 2025 to Question 53184 on Housing: Disability, on what date her Department will set out its policies on accessible new build housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As per the answer to Question UIN 53184 on 27 May 2025, the government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she expects councils to receive feedback on their local government reorganisation plans.
Answered by Jim McMahon
On 3 June I updated the House to confirm that my Department had provided individual written feedback to each area on the interim plans for local government reorganisation that they submitted by 21 March 2025. Areas have been encouraged to share that feedback with MPs and I also published a summary of the feedback to support all areas in progressing their proposals and in the interests of transparency.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether housing associations can evict existing tenants in order to house illegal immigrants.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A housing association can only end a tenancy following the relevant specific legal procedure. For example, if they have a legal reason to do so as set out in the grounds for possession in law, such as rent arrears or antisocial behaviour.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring mandatory quotas of disability accessible housing for new developments.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The revised National Planning Policy Framework that was published on 12 December 2024 requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies.
Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new housing to be delivered to the M4(2) accessible and adaptable standard.
The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to (a) reform and (b) enhance the (i) powers, (ii) financial responsibility and (iii) wider responsibilities of parish councils through the process of local government reform.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The English Devolution White Paper is clear that the government wants to create new opportunities for communities to have a say in the future of their area and play a part in improving it. Ensuring that parish councils are effective and representative of their communities will contribute to this goal.
The government has consulted on necessary reforms to the local government standards regime, including in parish councils. The consultation closed on 26 February 2025 and government will respond in due course. We have also consulted on aims to enable stronger financial oversight of parish councils following the publication of our ‘Strategy for Overhauling Local Audit in England.’ The consultation closed on 29 January 2025 and we will respond in due course.
We want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level. Proposals will need to explain plans to make sure that communities are engaged. Where there are already arrangements in place it should be explained how these will enable strong community engagement. Town and parish councils can work with other tiers of local government to determine how they can best serve their communities.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on public surveys using vouchers as incentives.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information cannot be provided, as it is not held centrally and collating it would result in a disproportionate cost to the department.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Almshouse Association is eligible for support through (a) Section 106 agreements and (b) the Community Infrastructure Levy.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Section 106 planning obligations assist in mitigating the impact of unacceptable development to make it acceptable in planning terms, including through the provision of affordable housing.
Whether accommodation provided by almshouse charities can be secured through a section 106 agreement is a matter for the decision maker, taking into account the National Planning Policy Framework and other material considerations.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) cannot be used to fund affordable housing. However, there is greater flexibility in how the neighbourhood portion of CIL may be spent. This could include provision of accommodation provided by almshouses, provided this meets the requirement to ‘support the development of the area’. In addition, accommodation provided by almshouses is eligible for a CIL exemption.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20627 on 6 January 2025.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
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 19 of her Department's Guidance on planning propriety: planning casework decisions, published in December 2021, if she will place in the Library a copy of the records of all discussions held (a) by her Department and (b) between her Department and other government departments on the latest Chinese Embassy planning application that have not otherwise been made available to the public via the Planning Inspectorate, including information held on Ministers’ (i) non-corporate and (ii) corporate electronic devices.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As has been the case under successive administrations, government does not normally disclose internal communications.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
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 19 of her Department's Guidance on planning propriety: planning casework decisions, published in December 2021, if she will place in the Library a copy of all representations made to (a) her and (b) her Department on the latest Chinese Embassy planning application that have not otherwise been made available to the public via the Planning Inspectorate, including those from Parliamentarians.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Post-inquiry representations are routinely listed at the end of the decision letter, and are also publicly available on request.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
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 the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether local authorities may submit more than one proposed model of suggested re-organisation in their area when responding to the Government's correspondence on this matter.
Answered by Jim McMahon
As set out in the invitation letters sent to all two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitary councils, it is the Government’s expectation that local leaders work collaboratively and proactively, including by sharing information, to develop robust and sustainable unitary proposals that are in the best interests of the whole area to which this invitation is issued, rather than developing competing proposals. This will mean making every effort to work together to develop and jointly submit one proposal for unitary local government across the whole of their area.
I also set out that there will be some cases when it is not possible for all councils in an area to jointly develop and submit a proposal, despite their best efforts. This will not be a barrier to progress, and the government will consider any suitable proposals submitted by the relevant local authorities.