Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 to remove asbestos from buildings in town centres.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Building owners are responsible for managing safety and performance risks in their buildings, including asbestos, in a proportionate, risk based and evidence-based way. Duty holders must comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, which require them to identify any asbestos, assess its condition, and determine the risk of exposure.
They must maintain an asbestos management plan that sets out how asbestos containing materials will be monitored or, where necessary, safely removed by a licensed contractor. In most cases, asbestos that is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed is safer left in place and managed appropriately.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the UK’s primary regulator for asbestos. It enforces the regulations, operates the asbestos licensing regime, and provides technical guidance to support compliance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to ensure businesses are routinely up to date with fire safety guidance.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has established a programme to update guidance issued under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Nine new guides have been published with at least 13 still in development. This programme includes guidance specific to business and premises types, such as the guidance for small non-domestic premises, as well as the larger guides on offices & shops and factories & warehouses.
We engage relevant businesses on specific guides through stakeholder engagement on the draft guides and promote these once published. This includes working with the Department for Business and Trade on pages specifically helping businesses to understand their duties. As part of this we published a new page aimed at small business on 6 January, which can be found on gov.uk here.
Fire safety legislation is devolved. Government and devolved administration officials meet regularly, and the Northern Ireland Executive publish guidance similar to that published in England.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 adequacy of current social housing stock across the UK.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 50492 on 16 May 2025.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of derelict buildings across the UK.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Derelict buildings can blight communities and the Government is committed to giving communities the tools to revitalise them. The National Planning Policy Framework encourages and supports the development of under-utilised land and buildings, especially if this would help to meet identified needs for housing where land supply is constrained.
The Government’s Pride in Place programme will provide up to £5 billion to help the most deprived communities thrive, which could include restoring derelict buildings. Phase 1 of the programme included funding for Northern Ireland and corresponding funding will be made available for Phase 2.
Regeneration policy levers are largely devolved. In England, the Government has introduced High Street Rental Auction powers, giving councils the power to auction the lease of long-term vacant properties.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to include provisions in forthcoming national development management policies to help increase the scaling of stepping stone housing models across local authority areas.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.
Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.
Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 whether the planning system enables local authorities to approve applications for homes in a timely manner for young people at risk of homelessness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.
Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.
Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he will issue guidance to local authorities on flexibility in the Nationally Described Space Standards when delivering stepping stone accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.
Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.
Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to improve the condition of derelict buildings in town centres.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is committed to supporting town centre regeneration including bringing derelict buildings back into use through targeted investment. Our Pride in Place programme is delivering significant funding to help communities thrive, create vibrant town centres, and celebrate local heritage, as part of phase 1 of the programme, which included funding for Northern Ireland.
As part of Phase 2 of the programme, corresponding funding will be made available, and MHCLG and the Northern Ireland Office will work in partnership with the NI Executive to determine the appropriate delivery approach, of which further detail will provided in due course
We will continue to work closely with local partners to ensure this funding delivers lasting benefits for businesses and residents, helping to strengthen high streets and foster pride in local places.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to improve the planning system.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government published a revised pro-growth National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on 12 December 2024.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will help speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure.
It remains our intention to consult on a new suite of national policies for decision making before the end of the year.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to improve housing provision.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is taking concerted action to improve housing provision in England including reforming the planning system and record grant funding support for social and affordable housebuilding.
Housing is a devolved matter within the competency of the Northern Ireland Assembly.