Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the latest assessment of the number of homes that have been (a) started and (b) completed in the Old Oak Common site in West London since July 2024, and what steps are (i) his department and (ii) Homes England taking to support housebuilding in that area in this Parliament.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Data on starts and completions at the Old Oak Opportunity area in West London are not centrally collected.
The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) is a Mayoral Development Corporation established by the Mayor of London to regenerate the Old Oak opportunity area.
My Department will continue to work with the Mayor and OPDC to deliver up to 9,000 new homes, as set out in the Old Oak Masterplan Framework, and ensure the best use of public sector land to bring forward new housing and regeneration.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether (a) Edaroth and (b) AtkinsRéalis has (i) bid for and (ii) received funding from (A) his Department or (B) Homes England since July 2024.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Information about contracts awarded by my Department that are valued above £12,000 (inc VAT) are published either on Contracts Finder, which can be found on gov.uk here, or Find a Tender, which can be found on gov.uk here. This includes information regarding contract value and awarded suppliers.
We do not hold information centrally in a format we are able to report on about opportunities that may have been bid for by specific suppliers but not awarded.
Edaroth have not bid for, nor received, funding from Homes England since July 2024.
AtkinsRéalis have bid and received funding from Homes England since July 2024.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what Public Works Loan Board borrowing has been given to the London Borough of Barnet since July 2024, and on what terms and purposes.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Government does not publish individual local authority’s loans and interest rates, however, data on loans issued from the Public Works Loan Board is published at Historical Data. Further, authorities are required to report their financial position in their Annual Statement of Accounts. Local authorities also provide the government with data on their borrowing, including source of borrowing. The data can be found on gov.uk here Live tables on local government finance - GOV.UK.
Local authorities are responsible for setting their own capital strategies, as they are best placed to make local decisions that reflect the needs of their communities. In making those decisions, however, local authorities must comply with their legal duties and have regard to statutory guidance designed to ensure decisions are prudent, affordable, and sustainable. The Public Works Loan Board lending facility is a non-discretionary lender: it does not ask the purpose of a loan, as this would duplicate the decision-making structures of the individual local authorities.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 MHCLG: spending over £25,000, April 2026, published on 30 June 2026, what was the nature and purpose of the two payments to TPXimpact Limited on Digital New Towns Alpha.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
TPXImpact were paid to explore how the programme’s digital capabilities, and those of delivery vehicles such as development corporations, might be developed, including through the use of technologies such as PropTech.
The output of their work is being used to inform policy development and implementation planning.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what was the evidence base for changes in the draft National Planning Policy Framework on off-street maximum parking standards.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through the consultation on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that took place between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we sought views on local parking standards.
We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 answer of 24 April 2026 to Question 124786 on Affordable Housing: Greater London, whether his Department has made an assessment of the accuracy of data provided by the Greater London Authority in relation to starts stalling or being abandoned.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 124786 on 24 April 2026.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2026, to Question 11653, on Edaroth, which officials and special advisers accompanied the Minister of State on his visit to the Edaroth factory on 17 September 2025, at whose invitation the visit took place, whether official government business was discussed, and what follow up actions were agreed.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I was accompanied on the visit in question by one of my Private Secretaries as well as members of my Department’s visits team.
The visit to Edaroth’s Bradford facility took place at the company’s invitation.
During the visit, a general discussion took place about modern methods of construction (MMC) and the barriers to wider adoption.
No follow up actions were agreed.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many meetings officials in his Department have had with (a) Edaroth and (b) AtkinsRéalis since 1 September 2025; and what the purpose of each meeting was.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Details of Ministers’ and senior officials’ meetings are published on gov.uk on a quarterly basis.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 6857 on Islamophobia, whether the Home Office has adopted the definition of anti-Muslim hostility.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has adopted its definition of anti-Muslim hostility across all central government departments who will use the definition to guide relevant policy development and delivery.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
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 the London Plan policy on Accessibility (D7) on the ability to construct mansion blocks with walk-up steps in London.
Answered by Samantha Dixon
I have not made a specific assessment of this London Plan policy. The current London Plan was published in 2021 and was the subject of public consultation in 2018, an Examination in Public in 2019 and Secretary of State consideration in 2020, where the policy would have been considered.