Homes and Planning Bill

David Burton-Sampson Excerpts

Friday 13th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Steve Yemm]

The issue that constituents regularly raise with me is not second homes but the growing concentration of houses in multiple occupation. I have spoken previously in the House about the impact that excessive concentrations of HMOs have on neighbourhoods in areas such as mine. I therefore want to put on record my strong welcome of the work being undertaken by Mansfield district council to assess the case for an article for direction in that respect.

It follows concerns raised by local residents and representations that I have made over the past year. I am pleased that the council in Mansfield, other local authorities and the Government are taking those concerns seriously and moving to give local communities such as mine a greater say over what happens in their neighbourhood.

Perhaps a more important issue in my constituency is the shortage of social housing. Identifying land and extending community rights can play a role, but those measures are not a substitute for a clear, deliverable approach to increasing the supply of council and housing association homes that people desperately need.

[David Burton-Sampson (Southend West and Leigh) (Lab)]

In Southend we hear similar concerns to what my hon. Friend is describing. I am proud of Southend-on-Sea city council, which has put £100 million towards new social housing and acquiring housing for social housing. Does my hon. Friend agree that often the issue here and across the whole country is political will? For example, the local planning situation in Southend is being frustrated by the Conservatives, Reform and the Greens. Without a good local plan, local areas cannot have the right type of housing that they need.

[Steve Yemm]

I agree completely with my hon. Friend, who raises an important point.

We all know that a private Member’s Bill is a very valuable opportunity. Members right across the House have very limited opportunity to bring forward legislation. I think this opportunity has been used to revisit measures where work is already under way rather than concentrating on some of the genuine gaps in our housing system. I would suggest that a closer examination of the Government’s existing programme and the practical housing problems facing constituencies such as mine would produce a more useful Bill. For those reasons, I support the Government’s position and oppose the Bill.