Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Plan for Neighbourhoods on communities in the North East.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
On 25 September the Government announced its flagship Pride in Place Programme, which will provide up to £20 million in flexible funding and support to 244 of Great’s Britain’s most in-need neighbourhoods over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the existing 75 Phase 1 areas that were announced in March, previously the Plan for Neighbourhoods.
10 areas in the North East were selected in Phase 1 of the Pride in Place Programme, including areas in Darlington, Hartlepool and Sunderland. A further 10 neighbourhoods across the region were announced as part of Phase 2, extending long-term investment to communities in places such as County Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside. In addition, 6 local authorities across the region, including Gateshead, Middlesbrough and South Tyneside, have been awarded funding through the Pride in Place Impact Fund, with each receiving £1.5 million over two years.
In total, the Government is investing up to £409 million across the North East through the Pride in Place Programme and the Pride in Place Impact Fund. This investment will help build stronger communities across the region, create thriving places, and enable residents to take back control of their neighbourhoods. Funding will support locally led Pride in Place plans shaped around local priorities, with each area guided by a Neighbourhood Board representing the local community to ensure that investment reflects local needs and ambitions. The Pride in Place Impact Fund will provide more immediate support over the next two years, helping to revitalise high streets and community spaces while visible improvements are delivered on the ground.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reform estate adoption in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, and (d) the North East.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children in temporary accommodation in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East, and (e) England.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We will publish a cross-government strategy that will set out the actions needed across central and local government and the homelessness sector to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. It will put prevention at its core and set a clear vision for tackling homelessness, including both short and long-term interventions.
This year (2025/26) we are investing more than £1 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services, a £316 million increase on the previous year. This will help prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation.
We have allocated £644.17 million of funding in 2025/26 through the Homelessness Prevention Grant, helping support local authorities to deliver services to prevent and respond to homelessness. This includes an uplift of £203.8 million compared to last year. The 2025/26 Homelessness Prevention Grant allocations can be found here: Homelessness Prevention Grant allocations: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK .
The government is also providing £950 million of investment for the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund – the largest investment in the fund to date - to support local authorities in England to increase the supply of good quality temporary accommodation and drive down the use of costly bed and breakfasts and hotels.
This Government is also tackling the root causes of homelessness and has committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament and the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding for a generation.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that communities are consulted on planning applications in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East, and (e) England.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
After a local planning authority in England has received a planning application, it must undertake a period of consultation where views on the proposed development can be expressed. The formal consultation period must last for at least 21 days, and the local planning authority will identify and consult groups including a full public consultation with neighbouring residents, community groups and statutory consultees.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) Northumberland County Council and (b) Newcastle City Council on (i) housing targets and (ii) local planning development.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Officials from my Department met with officers from Newcastle City Council on 11 June 2025 to discuss bringing forward a new local development plan under the new plan-making system.
The Chief Planner also met senior planners from Newcastle City Council and Northumberland County Council at a meeting convened by North East Combined Authority on 31 July 2025. They discussed strategic planning; planning capacity and capability; digital planning; and the National Planning Policy Framework.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders following the closure of the consultation on Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department engages regularly with a range of stakeholders about our ongoing reforms to the planning system, including proposals to increase build out rates.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many buildings are classified as derelict in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold data on derelict buildings.
The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding derelict buildings in rural areas
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on derelict buildings in rural areas.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department does not hold data on derelict buildings.
The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues regarding derelict buildings in rural areas
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders on solutions for inactive landlords in the North East.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has had no recent discussions with Northumberland County Council, Hexham Town Council or relevant stakeholders regarding ‘inactive’ landlords in Northumberland or the wider North East.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
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 had recent discussions with the local authority on inactive landlords in Northumberland.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has had no recent discussions with Northumberland County Council, Hexham Town Council or relevant stakeholders regarding ‘inactive’ landlords in Northumberland or the wider North East.