Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking through the English Devolution Bill to define the statutory governance relationship between combined authorities and lower-tier district councils.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 does not prescribe a single model for combined authorities’ and combined county authorities’ relationship with district councils, nor does relevant predecessor legislation from 2023 (for combined county authorities) and 2009 (for combined authorities).
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is the only combined authority whose area includes two-tier local government.
District councils cannot be constituent members of a combined county authority but can serve as non-constituent members or on committees / advisory boards. These arrangements are for local agreement.
As local government reorganisation replaces two-tier areas with unitary councils, those councils will be able to become constituent members of their strategic authority.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to integrate sector-specific skills training pathways into core Jobcentre Plus support services.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP is integrating skills support into core Jobcentre Plus services by enabling Work Coaches to identify claimants’ skills gaps and refer jobseekers to provision aligned with labour market demand, including Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, Skills Bootcamps, apprenticeships, local training provision and work experience placements. This is being strengthened through the Government’s reforms to Jobcentre Plus and the development of the new Jobs and Careers Service, with closer alignment between employment support, careers advice and locally available skills provision. Jobcentres also work with employers, colleges, training providers and local partners to help ensure support reflects local and sectoral skills needs.
Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) play a key role in delivering sector-specific skills pathways through Jobcentre Plus. SWAPs are developed with employers and training providers to meet recruitment needs in sectors experiencing demand, including health and social care, construction, logistics, hospitality, security and the public sector. Participants receive sector-specific pre-employment training alongside a work experience placement and a guaranteed job interview, or support through an employer's recruitment process. This approach enables customers to develop the skills, knowledge and experience required for vacancies within a particular sector, while recognising and building on transferable skills to support people to move into new sectors and develop new career pathways. The programme also helps employers access a pipeline of job-ready candidates.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform framework to regulate transparency in property management service charges.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 15 July 2026 (HCWS270).
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of locally led development corporations in accelerating brownfield land assembly.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Development corporations are a powerful tool for delivering long-term land regeneration, infrastructure delivery, and housing growth due to their powers of land assembly, their ability to masterplan effectively and their capacity to provide effective long-term certainty and stewardship.
The government has made no specific assessment of the effectiveness of locally-led development corporations in accelerating brownfield land assembly.
We remain committed to commencing the provisions that will enable local authorities to establish locally-led urban development corporations with the powers and oversight they need to achieve the regeneration of their area.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the role of local authority-owned housing companies in accelerating the commencement of new social housing developments.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has made no specific assessment of the role of local authority-owned housing companies in accelerating the commencement of new social housing developments.
We are readily aware that local authorities often choose to deliver social and affordable homes through local housing companies and are supportive where such vehicles are used to accelerate the delivery of new council homes, and especially homes for Social Rent.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of private sector rent controls on housing supply.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of planning determination periods on the delivery timelines of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has made no such assessment.
Planning determination periods under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 do not apply to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, which are instead determined under the separate Planning Act 2008 regime and its associated statutory timescales.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that imported eggs meet the same food safety standards as eggs produced by UK farmers.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Eggs exported to Great Britain must comply with our strict food safety rules in line with domestic import legislation. Imported consignments must be accompanied by official veterinary export health certificates, which include food safety attestations.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will the she discuss with DBIST, HM Treasury and MHCLG the merits of a cross-government review of packaging EPR, including options for simplifying compliance and reducing unnecessary regulatory costs.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra regularly engages with HMT and MHCLG on Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging.
The scheme will undergo a post-implementation review by 31 December 2028, and the wider Collection and Packaging Reforms evaluation will report in 2029. These will consider business impacts, whether the policy remains appropriate, and opportunities for improvement.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of whether packaging regulatory requirements are diverting business expenditure from capital investment, innovation and productivity improvements into administration and compliance.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
An impact and economic evaluation of the Collection and Packaging Reforms is scheduled to be delivered in 2029.