Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate (a) welfare and (b) safeguarding protections for (i) elderly, (ii) vulnerable and (iii) other residents of mobile home sites.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Park homes are predominantly for those who can live independently. They are not specifically designated for particular groups or those with specific needs, though the evidence suggests that most park home residents are older adults. Any welfare or safeguarding concerns should be reported to the local authority’s social services department or, where there is an immediate risk, to the police.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms exist for residents to report breaches of the fit and proper person requirements (a) anonymously and (b) safely; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that those mechanisms are effective.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The fit and proper person test, which applies to a site owner or the person appointed to manage a park homes site, is aimed at ensuring that those managing park home sites are competent to do so. Local authorities are responsible for assessing this test and enforcing against breaches of the legislation.
Anyone who has concerns about a site owner’s conduct or capability should contact the local authority. Concerns can be shared anonymously in writing or by phone, however it is for each authority to decide how they treat anonymous reports.
If, after a person has been included in the register, new evidence relevant to the person's inclusion in the register becomes available, the local authority may decide to remove them from the register or impose additional conditions that must be met to retain their entry on the register.
Where properly applied by local authorities, the fit and proper person legislation has been shown to be effective. We will continue to monitor its operation and consider whether any changes are required.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to monitor compliance with consumer protection legislation by private parking companies.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is aware of concerns regarding the actions of some private parking operators and is determined to drive up standards across the sector.
The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities.
As part of this, the Government will be launching a consultation on its proposals to raise standards in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
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 stakeholders on the operation of private parking management and appeals systems.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government is committed to raising standards across the private parking sector. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the government to prepare a Code of Practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. The government is progressing with plans to protect and support motorists and will be launching a consultation in due course.
As part of this work, my officials have regular monthly meetings with the two parking Trade Associations and quarterly meetings with motorist representatives. In addition to these regular meetings, officials also have ad hoc meetings with both groups, dependent on business needs.
On 9th June, I hosted a meeting with the two parking Trade Associations and motorist groups to hear their views on the Code of Practice.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
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 establish a regulator for private parking operators.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government is committed to raising standards across the private parking sector. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the government to prepare a Code of Practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. The government is progressing with plans to protect and support motorists and will be launching a consultation in due course.
As part of this work, my officials have regular monthly meetings with the two parking Trade Associations and quarterly meetings with motorist representatives. In addition to these regular meetings, officials also have ad hoc meetings with both groups, dependent on business needs.
On 9th June, I hosted a meeting with the two parking Trade Associations and motorist groups to hear their views on the Code of Practice.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds data on how many local authorities have complete and accessible records of historic stillbirth burials.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The government understands that tracing a baby’s grave or a record of cremation can be a very difficult time for people both mentally and emotionally. It is important, therefore, that parents searching for the final resting place of their child’s remains are given as much help as possible.
We know some councils are actively engaged with providing markers and memorials in cemeteries where stillborn babies were laid to rest in communal graves, and I would encourage members to contact their local authority directly. We anticipate councils will be open to suggestions from MPs on how best to support families affected in the way she describes.
The government expects all hospitals and burial and cremation authorities to assist by providing all information and records available to them, to any parents that enquire about what happened to their stillborn babies and their final resting place, in a timely manner.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing to local authorities and families wishing to install memorials or markers on sites of historic communal graves of stillborn babies.
Answered by Jim McMahon
The government understands that tracing a baby’s grave or a record of cremation can be a very difficult time for people both mentally and emotionally. It is important, therefore, that parents searching for the final resting place of their child’s remains are given as much help as possible.
We know some councils are actively engaged with providing markers and memorials in cemeteries where stillborn babies were laid to rest in communal graves, and I would encourage members to contact their local authority directly. We anticipate councils will be open to suggestions from MPs on how best to support families affected in the way she describes.
The government expects all hospitals and burial and cremation authorities to assist by providing all information and records available to them, to any parents that enquire about what happened to their stillborn babies and their final resting place, in a timely manner.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding her Department provides to support SMEs in the construction sector to adopt circular design and reuse practices.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Small and medium sized housebuilders are essential to meeting the government’s housing ambitions and supporting local economies.
The government is acting to support SME housebuilders by increasing their access to land, providing further financial assistance and easing the burden of regulation. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 2 June 2025 (HCWS673).
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which the government expects to consult on in the Autumn.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
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 merits of making water companies statutory consultees in planning applications.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government recently declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510). Any further announcements will be subject to this review.
I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UNI 40935 on 31 March 2025.
Asked by: Sarah Gibson (Liberal Democrat - Chippenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to make Almshouses eligible for the right to buy scheme.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Almshouses are exempt from the Right to Buy scheme and the government has no plans to alter that fact.