Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
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 has taken to ensure that new infrastructure projects protect the green belt in a) Essex and b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to preserving Green Belts which have served England's towns and cities well over many decades, not least in terms of checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas and preventing neighbouring towns merging into one another.
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including infrastructure, should not be approved unless justified by very special circumstances.
The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, rules- based policies for plan-making and decision-making. The consultation includes revisions to Green Belt policy.
The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will encourage local authorities to introduce enhanced discretion in the dispensing of civil enforcement penalties.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is for local authorities to decide how they dispense civil enforcement penalties.
Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities must ensure that their parking policies are proportionate, support town centre prosperity, and reconcile competing demands for space whilst ensuring traffic moves freely and quickly on their roads and the roads of nearby authorities.
Statutory guidance for local housing authorities on civil penalties for various housing offences can be found here. Revised draft statutory guidance for offences committed from 1 May 2026 following commencement of relevant provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, can be found here.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many stop notices under section 35C of the Building Act 1984 the Building Safety Regulator issued in 2025.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has identified four Compliance Notices that have been made under Section 35B of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and one that has been issued.
The BSR has identified that there have been five stop notices made under Section 35C of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and two that have been issued.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many compliance notices under section 35B of the Building Act the Building Safety Regulator has issued in 2025.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has identified four Compliance Notices that have been made under Section 35B of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and one that has been issued.
The BSR has identified that there have been five stop notices made under Section 35C of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and two that have been issued.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
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 Regulation 11 of The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023, how many Building Control Applications were received by the Building Safety Regulator for remedial works for transfer slab defects in 2025.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Safety Regulator has not identified any emergency work or building control approval applications related to remedial work for transfer slabs in 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
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 Regulation 10 of The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023, how many emergency works notices were received by the Building Safety Regulator for remedial works for transfer slab defects in 2025.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Building Safety Regulator has not identified any emergency work or building control approval applications related to remedial work for transfer slabs in 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
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 given on 06 November 2025 (86606), what specific actions his department has taken to ensure that citizens of an Overseas British Territory are not deprived of housing and subsistence whilst resident in the UK.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
You can find information about eligibility for housing assistance in England in Chapter 7 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance, which is published on gov.uk here.
Access to public funds depends on whether the individual is British Citizen or not, and what visa the individual has. Further guidance can be found here.
DWP cannot pay public funds benefits to individuals where the Home Office has applied a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition to their immigration status.
Everyone arriving or returning to the UK, including British Nationals, are subject to DWP’s residency tests in order to access public funds and benefits, unless an exemption applies.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will criminalise unenforceable clauses in tenancy agreements.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Upon commencement on 1 May 2026, the relevant provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will require landlords to provide their tenants with certain information about the terms of the tenancy in writing.
Landlords will be able to comply with this requirement by including the information in a written tenancy agreement. Landlords who fail to provide the prescribed information could face a fine of up to £7,000 from their local authority.
The Renters’ Rights Act also provides local authorities with powers to act against unenforceable clauses such as requiring a tenant to sign a fixed term.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many times his Department has given consent for a direction to be made under Section 13 (5) of the Building Safety Act 2022; and which local authorities are subject to such directions.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Under Section 13 of the Building Safety Act 2022, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) may direct a relevant authority to do anything for the purpose of facilitating the exercise by the regulator of a relevant function, or enabling the relevant authority to facilitate the exercise by the regulator of a relevant function, as specified in the direction.
Under Section 13(5), a direction from the BSR may be given only with the consent of the Secretary of State. BSR has not directed or sought to direct any local authority (or fire and rescue authority) under Section 13(5) of the Building Safety Act 2022. Consequently, the Secretary of State has not given consent for any direction made under Section 13(5).
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
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 help reduce housefires in social housing in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department continues to run its national Fire Kills campaign to raise awareness of key fire safety messages and behaviours to help keep people safe in their homes. The latest advertising campaign launched on 17 November and reminds people to ensure they have a sufficient number of working smoke alarms in their home. The Department works in close partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council to support local community fire safety activity undertaken by local fire and rescue services, often targeted at those most vulnerable to fire.
Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2015, all private and social landlords must ensure at least one smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of their homes where there is a room used as living accommodation.
Awaab’s Law was introduced in October 2025 and means that landlords must take action to investigate emergency hazards, including fire hazards, and make them safe within 24 hours (excluding work to fix cladding). The landlord must also take action on significant damp and mould in fixed timelines. In 2026 the requirements will expand to apply to a wider range of hazards, including significant fire hazards.
The Department has also consulted on reviewing the Decent Homes Standard that social landlords must meet, including a proposal to add fire alarm systems to the list of building components that must be kept in good repair. The response to the consultation will be published in due course.