Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to publish proposals for a long-term funding settlement for adult social care during this Parliament.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2026-27 to 2028-29 sets out multi-year
settlements for local authorities, including upper tier authorities that have social care responsibilities. As part of this, the government have set out the funding available to local authorities for adult social care over three years, with around £4.6 billion of additional funding being made available for adult social care in 2028-29 compared to 2025-26.
Alongside a document setting out priority outcomes and expectations for local authorities’ delivery of adult social care from 2026-27, the Department of Health and Social Care has published local authority level notional allocations for adult social care to facilitate local authority budget setting and plans to progress the delivery of adult social care priorities. Notional allocations are not formal spend expectations but will instead act as a reference point to support local authorities in budget-setting. These will be reviewed annually to reflect new data and any wider changes in local government funding.
The provisional Local Government Settlement consultation has closed and the government will publish the final details in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of directors being on the boards of housing developers and building management companies simultaneously on conflicts of interest.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Companies Act 2006 sets out the rules around conflicts of interests for the directors of boards.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the ability of vulnerable groups to access planning consultations.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Under the Equality Act 2010, all public bodies have a Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) to have due regard to certain equality considerations when exercising their functions, this includes public engagements such as planning consultations.
Planning consultations are carried out through a range of methods and local planning authorities are required to publish these on their website. Public authorities must make their website accessible and publish and keep updated an accessibility statement on their website.
The duty should always be applied in a proportionate way depending on the circumstances of the case and the seriousness of the potential equality impact.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of restrictions on local councillors who are in debt to the authority they are a member of.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Provisions on the declaration and registration of councillor interests restrict them from participating in decisions where they may have a conflict of interest. Participating in a decision where there is a conflict of interest may be a breach of codes of conduct and potentially a criminal offence.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the ability of people to sell tenanted properties in the case of inheritance.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has made no such assessment.
The Renters’ Rights Act introduces a new ground for landlords who wish to sell their property, Ground 1A. This enables landlords to evict a tenant when they wish to sell their property if it is not possible or appropriate to sell with a sitting tenant.
Some landlords may find it quicker and easier to sell with sitting tenants. We encourage them to do so when the circumstances are right.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Property Redress Scheme in providing impartial and evidence-based dispute resolution for leaseholders and tenants.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 76613 and Question UIN 76612 on 16 October 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
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 make it his policy to ensure that monies raised in a geographic are ringfenced for spending in that area in the event of local government reorganisation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The proposals set out in the Fair Funding Review will ensure local government funding delivers the best value for money for taxpayers and sees funding go to the places that need it most. It will be for new authorities to decide how spending is allocated within their areas.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to ensure that private parking operators consider mitigating circumstances, including disability and medical necessity, when issuing parking charge notices.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector.
Private parking operators are required to consider The Equality Act 2010, including arrangements for drivers with disabilities, and follow the single industry code launched by the main trade associations.
Operators risk being banned from issuing charges if they do not reasonably comply with the code of practice.
The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities.
A consultation document outlining proposals to raise standard across the private parking industry was published on 11 July 2025.
As part of this consultation, views and comments on implications that proposals may have on groups defined by reference to protected characteristics was requested (Question 35a).
All responses are now being analysed and the government will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to address the situation whereby motorists risk losing the discounted rate if they pursue an appeal against a private parking charge.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector.
In accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, the government is preparing a Code of Practice that will provide guidance on the operation and management of private parking facilities.
In preparation for the new Code, the government published a consultation document in 2025 outlining its proposals to raise standards across the private parking industry.
This consultation specifically sought views on the current 40% discount rate for early payment of parking charges and the concerns motorists have regarding its application. All responses are now being analysed, and the government will publish a formal response and set out its final plans in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which level of local authority will be responsible for collecting the proposed tourist tax; and what estimate his Department has made of the administrative costs of implementing and collecting the tax.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The design and scope of the new visitor levy power is still under development. The government is consulting on whether local authorities or a national authority should be responsible for administering the Visitor Levy in England. The administrative costs of implementing and collecting any levies will depend on the decisions taken by Mayors, including whether they choose to bring forward a levy in their area. We are proposing that, should the levy be locally-administered, a small proportion of levy income be used to cover administrative costs, including staffing, systems and compliance activity.