Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to support lower-income countries in tackling health risks posed by inadequate public housing.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We can work with a range of partners to support lower-income countries in tackling wider health risks by working on the broader determinants of health including inadequate public housing. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has for example supported research programmes such as Community-led Responsive and Effective Urban Health Systems (CHORUS) and the African Cities Research Consortium (ACRC) to strengthen urban health systems and promote rights-based, evidence-led housing solutions.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the sale of Time 107.5 FM to Nation Broadcasting on the provision of (a) local news and (b) community programming in Romford constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that local radio stations continue to meet their commitments to locally produced content under the Media Act 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that local radio stations continue to meet their commitments to locally produced content under the Media Act 2024.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the sale of Time 107.5 FM to Nation Broadcasting on the provision of (a) local news and (b) community programming in Romford constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether Ofcom has reviewed the compliance of Nation Broadcasting with the original licence conditions of Time 107.5 FM, following its (a) rebranding and (b) programming changes.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.
Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.
At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.
Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.
Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of attacks against churches in Vietnam; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to help (a) ensure the protection of the Christian community and (b) promote religious freedom in that country.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief, David Smith MP, closely follows events in Vietnam including restrictions of the freedom for religion and belief of Christians. We are aware of credible reports indicating that members of unregistered religious groups continue to face harassment and intimidation. The UK raises concerns about freedom of religion or belief with the Vietnamese authorities, both bilaterally through the annual UK-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue and through multilateral forums including Vietnam's 2024 Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council. Our Embassy in Hanoi engages with civil society and the diplomatic community to monitor developments and support dialogue on religious freedom. We continue to urge the Vietnamese government to uphold its international human rights obligations, including those under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to ensure that all individuals, including members of the Christian community, can practise their faith freely and without fear of persecution.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the consultation on poultry catching and handling, which ended on 2 May 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure that the research project to study the impact of various catching methods and different housing systems will reflect the practices of (a) the Netherlands, (b) Brazil and (c) other countries where upright catching is mandatory.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Poultry catching summary of responses was published in June, and includes a summary of views on the research and how robust data could best be generated. As set out in the Government response to the public consultation, we have commissioned research that will focus on addressing gaps in the scientific evidence on the impact of upright and two-legged catching within a commercial GB setting.
The research has started at SRUC and the University of Bristol and will take account of published peer-reviewed research, which may include information from other countries where relevant.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - 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 the press release entitled Reforms to Building Safety Regulator to accelerate housebuilding of 30 June 2025, when she plans to (a) establish the new regulator and (b) introduce legislation to amend Section 2 of the Building Safety Act 2022 to change the regulator.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 4th August 2025, the BSR launched the new Fast Track Innovation Unit. This will accelerate the determination of building control approval applications initially for new Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs).
Early indications suggest the new model is working effectively. I expect the model to start to deliver improvements in processing times in the coming months.
Work has begun to provide a dedicated focus to building safety by moving the BSR from within the HSE to a new body as the first step towards the establishment of a new single regulator for construction, a recommendation of the Grenfell Inquiry Report.
This is subject to secondary legislation. The BSR and MHCLG are working closely together to ensure that the transition does not impact day to day delivery.
BSR officials have provided the requested building assessment certificate stats below:
(a) Invited to submit a building assessment certificate application, 1,609.
(b) Received a building assessment certificate application from, 1,402.
(c) Granted a building assessment certificate to 79.
(d) Rejected a building assessment certificate application 273.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - 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 Sections 79-81 of the Building Safety Act 2022, how many buildings the Building Safety Regulator has (a) invited to submit a building assessment certificate application, (b) received a building assessment certificate application from, (c) granted a building assessment certificate to and (d) rejected a building assessment certificate application for.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 4th August 2025, the BSR launched the new Fast Track Innovation Unit. This will accelerate the determination of building control approval applications initially for new Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs).
Early indications suggest the new model is working effectively. I expect the model to start to deliver improvements in processing times in the coming months.
Work has begun to provide a dedicated focus to building safety by moving the BSR from within the HSE to a new body as the first step towards the establishment of a new single regulator for construction, a recommendation of the Grenfell Inquiry Report.
This is subject to secondary legislation. The BSR and MHCLG are working closely together to ensure that the transition does not impact day to day delivery.
BSR officials have provided the requested building assessment certificate stats below:
(a) Invited to submit a building assessment certificate application, 1,609.
(b) Received a building assessment certificate application from, 1,402.
(c) Granted a building assessment certificate to 79.
(d) Rejected a building assessment certificate application 273.