Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any respondents to the consultation on the Competence and Conduct Standard for Social Housing, updated on 30 September 2025, raised concerns about the reliance on continuous assessment in housing qualifications; and whether any respondents expressed concern about the absence of formal examinations as a means of assessing critical thinking and competence in key areas such as housing law and repairs.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government carefully considered responses to the consultation led by the previous government in respect of the Competence and Conduct Standard and has now published its response which can be found on gov.uk here.
A small number of respondents raised concerns about assessment methods for qualifications and very few respondents raised concerns about artificial intelligence.
The government has not set prescriptive requirements on methods of assessment, and it will be for awarding organisations to determine how learning is assessed. We also expect awarding organisations to have policies in place to mitigate the risks posed by the use of artificial intelligence.
As set out in the final policy statement, qualifications must be equivalent to or higher than an Ofqual regulated level 4 qualification for senior housing managers and a level 5 qualification or foundation degree for senior housing executives. Ofqual ensures that regulated qualifications are robust and valid through the General Conditions of Recognition – the rules for all the qualifications and organisations Ofqual regulates which can be found on gov.uk here. All regulated awarding organisations have a legal obligation to comply with these rules on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any respondents to the consultation on the Competence and Conduct Standard for Social Housing, updated on 30 September 2025, raised concerns about the potential implications of (a) artificial intelligence and (b) generative AI on the (i) integrity, (ii) assessment and (iii) delivery of housing qualifications; and what assessment his Department has made of any such concerns.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government carefully considered responses to the consultation led by the previous government in respect of the Competence and Conduct Standard and has now published its response which can be found on gov.uk here.
A small number of respondents raised concerns about assessment methods for qualifications and very few respondents raised concerns about artificial intelligence.
The government has not set prescriptive requirements on methods of assessment, and it will be for awarding organisations to determine how learning is assessed. We also expect awarding organisations to have policies in place to mitigate the risks posed by the use of artificial intelligence.
As set out in the final policy statement, qualifications must be equivalent to or higher than an Ofqual regulated level 4 qualification for senior housing managers and a level 5 qualification or foundation degree for senior housing executives. Ofqual ensures that regulated qualifications are robust and valid through the General Conditions of Recognition – the rules for all the qualifications and organisations Ofqual regulates which can be found on gov.uk here. All regulated awarding organisations have a legal obligation to comply with these rules on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of families that have been living in emergency accommodation for longer than the six-week legal limit.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness in England, which can be found on gov.uk here. The latest quarterly data was published on 22 July 2025, covering January to March 2025.
The number of under 18s in temporary accommodation in English local authorities is included in the data (TA8), including by age on a local authority level. Councils must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities sets out the factors to be taken into account when determining the suitability of accommodation..
The latest quarterly statistics includes additional data tables on the English regions that out of area placements have been made to, by the local authority or region that they have been placed from (TA9). The data does not provide a breakdown of the number of households with children. The Department does not collect address level data that would allow the tracking of the distance households have moved
The number of households in B&B accommodation with children and resident more than six weeks is included in the data (TA1).
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of families in temporary accommodation were placed outside their own local authority area in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness in England, which can be found on gov.uk here. The latest quarterly data was published on 22 July 2025, covering January to March 2025.
The number of under 18s in temporary accommodation in English local authorities is included in the data (TA8), including by age on a local authority level. Councils must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities sets out the factors to be taken into account when determining the suitability of accommodation..
The latest quarterly statistics includes additional data tables on the English regions that out of area placements have been made to, by the local authority or region that they have been placed from (TA9). The data does not provide a breakdown of the number of households with children. The Department does not collect address level data that would allow the tracking of the distance households have moved
The number of households in B&B accommodation with children and resident more than six weeks is included in the data (TA1).
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has put in place a process to track the distance that families have moved when placed in temporary accommodation out of their local authority area.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness in England, which can be found on gov.uk here. The latest quarterly data was published on 22 July 2025, covering January to March 2025.
The number of under 18s in temporary accommodation in English local authorities is included in the data (TA8), including by age on a local authority level. Councils must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities sets out the factors to be taken into account when determining the suitability of accommodation..
The latest quarterly statistics includes additional data tables on the English regions that out of area placements have been made to, by the local authority or region that they have been placed from (TA9). The data does not provide a breakdown of the number of households with children. The Department does not collect address level data that would allow the tracking of the distance households have moved
The number of households in B&B accommodation with children and resident more than six weeks is included in the data (TA1).
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the age breakdown is of children over the age of ten in temporary accommodation; and what steps she is taking to help ensure that the accommodation is suitable for children.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness in England, which can be found on gov.uk here. The latest quarterly data was published on 22 July 2025, covering January to March 2025.
The number of under 18s in temporary accommodation in English local authorities is included in the data (TA8), including by age on a local authority level. Councils must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities sets out the factors to be taken into account when determining the suitability of accommodation..
The latest quarterly statistics includes additional data tables on the English regions that out of area placements have been made to, by the local authority or region that they have been placed from (TA9). The data does not provide a breakdown of the number of households with children. The Department does not collect address level data that would allow the tracking of the distance households have moved
The number of households in B&B accommodation with children and resident more than six weeks is included in the data (TA1).
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to help prevent victims of financial abuse being barred from bidding on social housing when in temporary accommodation because of debt accrued by their abuser.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to ensuring that those who need to escape from domestic abuse are given as much support and assistance as possible so that they are able to re-build their lives away from abuse and harm.
On 24 September, the Prime Minister announced an ambition to better support victims of domestic abuse to access housing. Regulations, which came into force on 10 July, mean that victims of domestic abuse moving as a result of that abuse will no longer need to meet a local connection or residency test in order to access social housing.
Local authorities are able to use local flexibles to take account of individual as circumstances such as on debt and statutory guidance on social housing allocations makes clear that local authorities are expected to take proper account of special circumstances by making provision for appropriate exceptions. We keep our statutory guidance under review.
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending statutory guidance to improve access to social housing for survivors of domestic abuse with debt living in temporary accommodation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to ensuring that those who need to escape from domestic abuse are given as much support and assistance as possible so that they are able to re-build their lives away from abuse and harm.
On 24 September, the Prime Minister announced an ambition to better support victims of domestic abuse to access housing. Regulations, which came into force on 10 July, mean that victims of domestic abuse moving as a result of that abuse will no longer need to meet a local connection or residency test in order to access social housing.
Local authorities are able to use local flexibles to take account of individual as circumstances such as on debt and statutory guidance on social housing allocations makes clear that local authorities are expected to take proper account of special circumstances by making provision for appropriate exceptions. We keep our statutory guidance under review.
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to bring sections (a) 143 and (b) 144 of the Building Safety Act into force in the current parliament.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Section 144 of the Building Safety Act (2022) created a power to mandate a requirement for all new build homes to be sold with a new build warranty. No decision has been made by the government on commencement of this power.
In the meantime, most new build warranties cover damages caused by structural defects for a 10-year term, while the developer is often held accountable for the first two years of this period.
In October 2024 the previous government published its response the Competition and Market's Authority's housebuilding study. This included a commitment to bring forward a new consumer code for housebuilders and a New Homes Ombudsman service which will empower homeowners to rightly challenge developers for any quality issues they face in their home which the current government is also committed to.
Asked by: Gideon Amos (Liberal Democrat - Taunton and Wellington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of levels of resourcing for Natural England on the use of developer levies collected through the Nature Restoration Fund for nature recovery.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is working closely with Natural England to ensure that resources are in place to administer the Nature Restoration Fund, which is designed to run on a cost recovery basis.