Oral Answers to Questions

Samantha Dixon Excerpts

Monday 13th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Welcome, Minister.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Samantha Dixon)]

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. The Government want more empty homes brought back into use across the country, including through the steps we outlined in the English devolution White Paper to strengthen local authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises.

[Bradley Thomas]

I welcome the Minister to her new role. Will the Government consider introducing a policy whereby long-term empty properties brought back into use as homes will count towards a district’s housing target?

[Samantha Dixon]

Local authorities have a number of powers to deal with empty homes. The hon. Member raises an interesting point, which I will take away and consider with officials.

[Luke Myer (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

There are 46 long-term empty properties in the community of Park End in my constituency. Park End desperately needs regeneration, so I am delighted that the Government have awarded it £20 million of Pride in Place funding, for the community to use for regeneration over the long term. Will the Government commit to working with me to make sure that the local community gets the best from that funding?

[Samantha Dixon]

Absolutely. I am really encouraged by the way that local communities are seizing the opportunity of Pride in Place funding, and taking it forward to deal with an issue that affects every council across the country.

[Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op)]

9. Whether he plans to include community-led housing within the long-term housing strategy.

--- Later in debate ---

[Zöe Franklin (Guildford) (LD)]

In June, the Department made the welcome announcement of legislation to allow proxy voting and remote attendance, which will help to drive up the diversity of councillors across the country, but the Government have not yet set out a timeline. Will the Minister advise the House on when a timeline will be shared, and whether the Government have considered including the changes in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Samantha Dixon)]

The Government are committed to an election Bill, which will be coming in due course—very shortly, I imagine—and I am sure the hon. Member will be able to explore those issues further at that time.

[Cat Eccles (Stourbridge) (Lab)]

T4. In 2022, Tory-run Dudley council entered an agreement with a social housing developer but later pulled the plug and sold off the land, so we may not get those much-needed homes. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that councils maximise opportunities to build affordable and social homes on land owned by councils?

--- Later in debate ---

[Dr Marie Tidball (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)]

T5. Across the Sheffield city council area, including my Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency, 26,400 people are waiting for council homes. That is a legacy of the Conservative Government in coalition making it more difficult for empty homes to be brought back into residential use. Will the Minister work with Sheffield city council and me to ensure that it has increased resources and powers to expedite bringing empty homes back into use, so that my constituents and those across the authority can stay near but go far?

[Samantha Dixon]

As I iterated earlier, we want to see more empty homes brought back into use in Sheffield and across the country. As we outlined in the English devolution White Paper, we intend to strengthen the ability of local authorities such as Sheffield city council to take over the management of vacant residential premises.

[Dr Luke Evans (Hinckley and Bosworth) (Con)]

We in Leicestershire have three, if not four, plans for our reorganisation, with no agreement. We also have a county council run by Reform, which has already had not one but two reshuffles, losing its cabinet leads for social services and finance. While 70% of its budget is spent on social services and special educational needs and disabilities, what assurances can the Government give me that my constituents will get those services, and that those services will be protected, when there already seems to be chaos in the council?