Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
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 she has had with the Fire Brigade Union on funding for the fire and rescue service.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
I met with the FBU General Secretary in February 2025, in preparation of fire functions being transferred from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 1 April 2025. We briefly discussed future investment in the fire and rescue service and are due to meet again shortly for further discussion. I am also due to speak at the forthcoming FBU conference. I recently met with the FBU General Secretary on 15th May.
Standalone fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £65.5 million in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to return central funding to the fire and rescue service to pre-2010 levels.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
I met with the FBU General Secretary in February 2025, in preparation of fire functions being transferred from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 1 April 2025. We briefly discussed future investment in the fire and rescue service and are due to meet again shortly for further discussion. I am also due to speak at the forthcoming FBU conference. I recently met with the FBU General Secretary on 15th May.
Standalone fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £65.5 million in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support her Department provides to (a) voter groups and (b) civil society organisations on changes to voter eligibility requirements under the Elections Act 2022.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The Electoral Commission, as the independent electoral regulator, holds responsibility for issuance of guidance and support for candidates, agents and local authorities on electoral registration and voting.
This can be found at: Our guidance | Electoral Commission.
The Electoral Commission also worked (and has continued to work) with voter groups and civil society organisations by providing information and raising awareness on changes to voter registration and eligibility requirements following the passage of the Elections Act 2022.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what (a) guidance and (b) support her Department provides to local (i) councillors and (ii) authorities on voter eligibility requirements.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The Electoral Commission, as the independent electoral regulator, holds responsibility for issuance of guidance and support for candidates, agents and local authorities on electoral registration and voting.
This can be found at: Our guidance | Electoral Commission.
The Electoral Commission also worked (and has continued to work) with voter groups and civil society organisations by providing information and raising awareness on changes to voter registration and eligibility requirements following the passage of the Elections Act 2022.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
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 (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to communicate to eligible (i) EU, (ii) migrant and (iii) other voters the provisions of the Elections Act 2022.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to raise public awareness of all elements of the democratic process, including changes made to it, to ensure voters can participate. The Government will continue to support the Commission in communicating the provisions of the Elections Act 2022 to eligible voters, including eligible EU and migrant voters.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of additional funding for homelessness services.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
I refer my hon Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 12953 on 18 November 2024.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
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 protect the Tara Park Traveller site in Liverpool; if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the consultation with the residents of that site on the potential impact of the Ten Streets development; and whether she plans to redevelop that site in line with the surrounding redevelopment proposals.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I am unable to comment on individual planning cases because of the departments quasi-judicial role in the planning system.
However, planning policy is clear that, in respect of Traveller sites, it is for elected local authorities to make their own assessment of need to inform the preparation of local plans and make planning decisions. In assembling this evidence, local authorities should pay particular attention to early and effective community engagement with both settled and Traveller communities in their area.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government, whether she plans to respond to the report by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination entitled Concluding observations on the combined twenty-fourth to twenty-sixth periodic reports of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 23 August 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK condemns all forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia and related forms of intolerance and we remain steadfast in our commitment to combatting it, at home and abroad. This includes bringing forward new legislation to tackle persistent racial inequalities.
We recognise the important work of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and are committed to working with them to ensure that no one should have to endure racism. In accordance with the Convention and as per the process outlined in the Committee’s report, we will be considering the Committee’s recommendations and will provide an update to the Committee on specific recommendations by August 2025, followed by a full periodic report on our progress by April 2028.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of households living in social housing without essential pieces of furniture.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department does not collect data on the number of households living in social housing without essential pieces of furniture. Social housing residents in need may be able to get help with essential items from their local council through the ‘Household Support Fund’.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to support tenants with rising rents in the context of the cost-of-living crisis; and if he will consider the potential merits of introducing a cap on shared ownership rent increases in line with the forthcoming cap on social housing rent increases.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and that paying rent is likely to be a tenant's biggest monthly expense. Individuals who need help towards their rental payments may be eligible for a range of support through the welfare system, in addition to the Government’s support for energy bills.
In the social rented sector, the Government recently decided to cap rent increases at up to 7% for 2023-24. The Government is also pleased to note that housing associations responsible for over 90% of that sector's Shared Ownership homes have - through the National Housing Federation - voluntarily committed to limit annual Shared Ownership rent increases in 2023-24 to no more than 7%. The department is encouraging local authorities and for-profit providers to make the same voluntary commitment.