Oral Answers to Questions

Sonia Kumar Excerpts

Monday 12th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Matthew Pennycook]

I think the thrust of my hon. Friend’s question was about what arrangements can be put in place for Cornwall so that it can better deliver housing and regenerate areas that have been identified by the council. As he will know, strategic place partnerships are reserved for mayoral strategic authorities that bring together more than one council into a combined authority. That said, and not least as a result of hearing representations from my hon. Friends who represent Cornish constituencies, I encourage Homes England to deepen its partnership with Cornwall council and to explore a memorandum of understanding or similar partnership agreement to support its ambitious housing and regeneration plans.

[Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)]

11. If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of establishing a statutory national register of electricians.

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

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require people to be competent or under supervision, while building regulations require domestic electrical work to be conducted safely. The Government see no need to establish a statutory national register of electricians, who may be listed on the registered competent person electrical register already. None the less, the Government will continue to work with the Building Safety Regulator on reforms of the competent person scheme to improve public and building safety.

[Sonia Kumar]

I thank the Minister for her response. Gas installers must legally register under a Health and Safety Executive-owned scheme, yet electricians, despite near-zero part P enforcement and around 20,000 electrical fires a year, remain governed by voluntary clubs. The October 2026 rule changes will address qualifications, but not enforcement. Does my hon. Friend agree that there must be legal protections for electricians, just as there are for gas installers, to safeguard residents?

[Samantha Dixon]

The Government take electrical safety very seriously, but the risks with gas and electrical work are different. Circuit breakers can shut down electrical systems in milliseconds, protecting people from shock or fire, whereas the consequence of a faulty gas system could be an explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning. The health and safety and electricity at work regulations already exist, and the IET wiring regulations serve as an accepted code of practice.