Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Westminster Hall debate on the Administration of the Civil Service Pensions Scheme of February 4th 2026, whether the Cabinet Office plans to review Government contracts with Capita.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The delays faced by pension scheme members in accessing their pensions are unacceptable.

In response to the issues raised during the Westminster Hall debate on 4 February 2026, the Government’s immediate priority remains working with Capita towards the full restoration of service standards.

While the current focus is on efforts to stabilise the service through the intensive recovery plan;, we have deployed additional resources, and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

The Cabinet Office considers all options for future contracts. Any future procurement exercise will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023. Existing KPIs have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver tighter performance expectations and higher penalties for severe failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the CS Pensions Scheme.

Additionally, we have currently withheld transition milestone payments for work that has not been completed to the required standard. These payments will remain withheld until the milestones are fully delivered.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of rent inflation on the level of disposable incomes and consumer spending.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

According to the latest ONS data, annual rental price slowed to 3.5% in January 2026, after peaking at 9.1% in March 2024. However, the Government recognises the pressure that rental inflation places on the finances of households in the private rental sector.

The most effective way to keep rents down is by increasing housing supply across the UK. The Government’s Plan for Change has set a milestone to build 1.5m homes in this Parliament. This will help address the housing crisis which impacts everyone, especially private renters. The Government has also passed the Renter’s Rights Act 2025 which empowers 11 million renters in England to challenge unreasonable rent increases, giving them greater security and stability.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of rent inflation plays on levels of in-work poverty.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

According to the latest ONS data, annual rental price inflation slowed to 3.5% in January 2026, after peaking at 9.1% in March 2024. However, the Government recognises the pressure that rental inflation places on the finances of working households in the private rental sector.

The Government is taking action to reduce levels of in-work poverty for families by tackling the cost of living. Thanks to decisions the Government made at the Budget, households across Britain will now save around £150 on energy bills from April 2026. We have also removed the two-child benefit cap, which will lift 450,000 children out of poverty and we have increased the minimum wage, so that those on low incomes are properly rewarded for their hard work. Alongside this, the Government is taking steps to increase housing supply and improve conditions in the private rented sector, helping to ease pressure on renters.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of rent stabilisation on inflation.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Forecasting the economy, including the impact of Government policy decisions on inflation, is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR set out its latest assessment of policy measures in its Spring Forecast 2026, published on 3 March 2026. The OBR did not publish a specific estimate of the impact of social rent convergence on inflation in that forecast.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether a transitional scheme will be implemented following the conclusion of ECO4; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure continuity for businesses and protection of jobs following the conclusion of ECO4.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has taken the decision not to replace ECO4 when it ends. We recognise this presents immediate challenges for the supply chain. In the Warm Homes Plan, we committed to supporting the workforce to access opportunities through £15bn of funding and through regulations in the rented sector and for future homes, benefitting millions of households.

The Government has established the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce with trade unions and industry to facilitate transition to clean energy sectors. The Taskforce will consider how to build workforce resilience to meet evolving demand, including assessing the knock-on effects of ECO4 closure.

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 private rent inflation on levels of homelessness and housing insecurity.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has made no such specific assessment.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of whether new housing supply alone can reduce rents in areas where private rent inflation exceeds wage growth.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41989 on 4 April 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how long does his Department expect it to take for current housebuilding targets to exert downward pressure on rents.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41989 on 4 April 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of linking rent increases to changes in the level of Consumer Prices Index or wages.

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.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of restricting rent increases between tenancies in high-pressure areas.

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.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of households spending more than 30% of income on rent in (a) Liverpool Walton constituency and (b) England.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department collects data on income in relation to housing costs through the English Housing Survey. This is published annually and can be found on gov.uk here.

Due to methodological limitations, the English Housing Survey cannot show robust estimates at a sub-regional level.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many landlords exited the private rented sector in each year since 2020.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department does not hold the information requested.

HMRC data on the number of landlords in England declaring income from rental property, which can be found on gov.uk here, shows overall stability in the number of landlords since 2019-20.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of rent stabilisation systems in (a) Germany, (b) Austria, and (c) Canada in considering the potential merits of such measures in the UK.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

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 implications for his policies of the lessons learned from the the use of temporary rent caps in Scotland during the covid-19 pandemic.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

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 rent control areas legislation in the Housing (Scotland) 2025 Act.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of existing protections against unreasonable rent increases.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

At present, rent increases can happen through a variety of mechanisms including contractual rent review clauses and Section 13 notices. Tenants can currently only challenge a rent increase when it is carried out via Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988.

Once commenced, our Renters’ Rights Act will ensure that all rent increases in the private rented sector will be made using the same process. Landlords will be able to increase rents once per year to the market rate – the price that would be achieved if the property was newly advertised to let. To do this, they will need to serve a simple ‘Section 13’ notice, setting out the new rent and giving at least 2 months’ notice of it taking effect. Tenants who receive a rent increase that they feel is not representative of the market value will be able to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether mechanisms exist to prevent excessive rent increases during tenancies.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

At present, rent increases can happen through a variety of mechanisms including contractual rent review clauses and Section 13 notices. Tenants can currently only challenge a rent increase when it is carried out via Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988.

Once commenced, our Renters’ Rights Act will ensure that all rent increases in the private rented sector will be made using the same process. Landlords will be able to increase rents once per year to the market rate – the price that would be achieved if the property was newly advertised to let. To do this, they will need to serve a simple ‘Section 13’ notice, setting out the new rent and giving at least 2 months’ notice of it taking effect. Tenants who receive a rent increase that they feel is not representative of the market value will be able to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has assessed the potential merits of piloting rent stabilisation in areas with persistently high levels of rent inflation.

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.