Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to include requirements for new homes to be built to M4(2) and M4(3) housing standards in their local plans.

The provision of appropriate housing for disabled people, including specialist and supported housing, is crucial in helping them to live safe and independent lives.

In the revised National Planning Policy Framework, we strengthened policy to create a clear expectation that planning policies for housing in England should make use of M4(2) and M4(3), the government’s optional technical standards for accessible and adaptable housing. In the revised Framework, we also set an expectation that all planning policies for housing should include clear policies for addressing the housing needs of older and disabled people.

In June we published new guidance to help local planning authorities to implement these policies to properly address the housing needs of older and disabled people.