Social Housing Bill [Lords]

Debate between Matthew Pennycook and Danny Beales

2nd reading
Thursday 10th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

I will make a bit of progress, because there are a lot of Members who want to speak, but I will come back to my hon. Friend later.

I now turn to the Bill’s second core objective: increasing protections for tenants who are victims of domestic abuse. No one should be forced to remain in an unsafe situation because they fear becoming homeless, yet last year about 15,000 households in England had to find a new social home as a result of domestic abuse. Existing legislation provides scant protection for social housing tenants who are victims of domestic abuse and who wish to remain in their current home without their abuser. Landlords can evict perpetrators, but only in cases where the victim has already left. That means that all too often victims are forced to choose between staying in danger or losing their home. This is an utterly unacceptable state of affairs, and through the Bill, we will end it, as part of our Department’s ongoing efforts to deliver the Government’s unprecedented commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

[Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for giving way; he has been very generous with his time. I strongly support the provisions in the Bill to support victims of violence, who far too often have to be evicted or leave while the perpetrator stays with the tenancy, as the Minister said. Rent arrears also prevent victims from gaining a tenancy or moving out of temporary accommodation into settled accommodation. Requirements that prevent those with rent arrears from getting a new tenancy do not take into account whether someone has been a victim of domestic violence. I know that the Department is looking at consulting and guidance on that. Could the Bill be a key mechanism for changing that across the country?

[Matthew Pennycook]

I know that there is interest in this issue in the Chamber. There is certainly interest in the other place about it. I assure my hon. Friend that we appreciate fully that survivors of domestic abuse with debt can face barriers when applying for social housing. We continue to believe that guidance is the best route to resolving this issue, but we have been clear in the other place, and I am happy to reiterate it in this Chamber, that if that guidance proves insufficient, we do have the option of making regulations to amend the relevant legislation.

Commonhold and Leasehold Reform

Debate between Matthew Pennycook and Danny Beales

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

I will be careful in what I say in respect of that particular case, but a meeting with my hon. Friend and other Sheffield MPs was postponed because this legislation was being brought forward. I will ensure that that meeting goes back in the diary as soon as possible.

[Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)]

Today’s news is welcome for leaseholders in my constituency, whose ground rents—often of £400 or £500—escalate throughout their leases. The measures will save them thousands of pounds throughout their leases. In my time as an MP, I have been shocked by the behaviour of managing agents. There is strong support in this place and the other place for Lord Best’s recommendation for a proper regulator of managing agents. Will the Minister outline what steps will be taken, and what the timeline is, for action on managing agents?

[Matthew Pennycook]

We are clear that we need to strengthen the regulation of managing agents. I appreciate the strength of feeling, across the House, on the matter. As I have made clear, we will continue to reflect on the various recommendations made in Lord Best’s 2019 report, and I am more than happy to engage with my hon. Friend on his private Member’s Bill, which I know deals with some of these matters.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matthew Pennycook and Danny Beales

Monday 24th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

As this is topicals, I do not want to repeat the extensive conversation that the right hon. Member and I have had. He knows that we are making good-faith efforts to resolve the issue and to bring some redress forward for his resident freeholders.

[Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)]

Hillingdon council has applied for exceptional financial support due to years of underfunding under the previous Government and local financial mismanagement. Will the Minister assure me that, as part of our updated funding criteria, councils such as Hillingdon will get more of the funding that they need, and that there will also be improved accountability and management requirements on local councils?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matthew Pennycook and Danny Beales

Monday 14th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)]

3. What steps her Department is taking to increase housing delivery.

[The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)]

The Government’s plan for change includes a hugely ambitious target of building 1.5 million new homes in England in this Parliament. In the 12 months we have been in office, we have taken decisive steps to boost housing supply, including overhauling the national planning policy framework and introducing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will further streamline the delivery of new homes, as well as critical infrastructure.

[Danny Beales]

It is welcome to once again have a Government who believe in house building. I thank the Minister for his comments. When I speak to house builders, one of the issues they raise with me is the performance of the Building Safety Regulator. Shovel-ready projects that have planning permission are delayed at gateway 2, and checks that should take a matter of weeks are taking months, if not years. What is the Department doing to manage the performance of the regulator, ensure it has the resources it needs, and hold it to account, so that we get spades in the ground as soon as possible?

[Matthew Pennycook]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to draw attention to the operation of the Building Safety Regulator, which, while essential to upholding building safety standards, is causing delays in handling applications for building projects, and is having an impact on new supply in London. I hope he will take comfort not only from the £2 million the Government allocated to the BSR in February, but from the targeted package of reforms we announced last month, including the establishment of a new fast-track process to reduce delays and strengthen leadership and governance.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Matthew Pennycook and Danny Beales

Monday 28th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that question, which is as helpful as ever. I always look at the experience of other nations on planning reform. I recently met the Housing Minister from the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly, and I will happily contact him about this specific point to see what lessons we can learn.

[Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)]

13. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on reducing levels of furniture poverty.