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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to give local councils more powers to deal with empty homes and reduce the waiting list for council housing.

The UK Government wants to encourage empty homes back into use, and empower local leaders to invest in their communities. Local authorities already have many powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes and it is right that local leaders decide how to use those tools to meet local housing needs. It is for local authorities to decide when to use their powers to deal with empty properties, and they have the flexibility to focus on locally determined priorities and allocate their resources accordingly.

Local authorities have a range of powers and incentives at their disposal to bring empty homes back into use. These include, Empty Dwelling Management Orders, council tax exemptions and premiums, enforced sales, compulsory purchase, and measures to secure the improvement of empty properties. A range of other initiatives and incentives are aimed at reducing the number of empty properties, including the sale of empty Government owned homes and planning measures.