Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Brewer this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–18 of 18 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the difficulty in selling retirement flats on families inheriting properties; and whether he plans to take steps to support people affected.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 95245 on 5 December 2025.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the sustainability of fire and rescue services in England over the next three years; and what steps he plans to take to address budget deficits facing fire and rescue authorities.
The 2026/27 Local Government Finance Settlement will make available almost £1.95 billion in core spending power (CSP) for standalone fire and rescue authorities (excluding York & North Yorkshire and Greater Manchester). This was the first multi-year funding Settlement in 10 years, giving services the certainty to plan and invest for the long term. In 2026/27, all standalone services will see an above inflation increase in CSP, with services seeing CSP increases between 3.8% and 7.7% compared to 2025/26. By the end of the multi-year period, we will have provided a 12.75% increase in CSP compared to 2025/26. Decisions on how resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority. The Ministry will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure that fire and rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities.
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to empower communities in local decision-making processes.
The Government’s Pride in Place Programme empowers local people to shape the future of their neighbourhoods, providing up to £5.8 billion funding and support over 10 years for 284 neighbourhoods. Additionally, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will require all local authorities in England to establish neighbourhood governance, to move decision-making closer to residents.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to review the income thresholds for the First Homes scheme.
My Department has no current plans to review the income thresholds for the First Homes scheme.
Communities and Local Government, whether his proposal to raise the threshold for consultation from 150 to 250 units would override an exclusion zone in a local plan.
Our consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system seeks views on raising the threshold for consulting Active Travel England on residential development from 150 to 250 units. It is expected that this will focus resources on sites which are most likely to be able to benefit from Active Travel England’s advice on enhanced active travel opportunities. No decisions will be made until we have fully considered views on the impacts of these proposals. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 13 January 2026.
Communities and Local Government, how explicit protection of chalk stream rivers is defined in government policy or guidance, as referenced during the Planning Reform debate on 16 December 2025.
The government is consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes explicit recognition of chalk streams as features of high environmental value. Our proposed policy is clear that local plans must identify and manage the impacts of development on these sensitive areas, for instance by creating buffer zones or green corridors, while giving local authorities flexibility to decide which measures are best suited to their local context. We have also set out more clearly expectations for development proposals to assess and mitigate adverse impacts to water quality on these sensitive waterbodies.
Communities and Local Government, what measures the Government has enacted to ensure local plans identify and manage the impacts of development on chalk stream rivers; whether these include buffer zones, green corridors or exclusion zones; and whether such measures are mandated in planning policy guidance.
The government is consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes explicit recognition of chalk streams as features of high environmental value. Our proposed policy is clear that local plans must identify and manage the impacts of development on these sensitive areas, for instance by creating buffer zones or green corridors, while giving local authorities flexibility to decide which measures are best suited to their local context. We have also set out more clearly expectations for development proposals to assess and mitigate adverse impacts to water quality on these sensitive waterbodies.
Communities and Local Government, when he plans to fully implement the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) parish and (b) district councils to improve access to disabled toilet facilities in rural communities.
Local authorities are best placed to assess and manage toilet provision and location. However, through our £30.5 million Changing Places Toilet programme, we have supported the installation of 483 new disabled toilet facilities across 220 local authority areas in England. This targeted investment helped address gaps where provision was limited or non-existent, particularly in rural towns and coastal areas. Although this programme closed on 31 March 2025, changes to building regulations have made it mandatory to include Changing Places facilities in new public buildings (or those undergoing major redevelopment) that fall above a certain size threshold. This aims to significantly increase the availability of these vital facilities over time and makes accessibility a mainstream consideration in how we plan and build our public spaces.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making local fire services statutory consultees for industrial lithium-ion battery storage planning permission applications.
In January 2025 the government 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 details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510). Planning Practice Guidance encourages developers and local planning authorities to engage with local fire and rescue services and National Fire Chiefs Council guidance in relation to battery energy storage systems.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of foreign home ownership on the availability of housing stock.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 50763 on 16 May 2025.
Communities and Local Government, what assessments he has made of the potential impact of foreign home ownership on house prices in the UK.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 50763 on 16 May 2025.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) support available to fire service staff who attend traumatic callouts and (b) suicide prevention training requirements for fire service managers in North East Hampshire constituency.
The health and wellbeing of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The Government recognises the risks firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery. As the employer of fire and rescue service personnel, Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) are ultimately responsible for the health and wellbeing of firefighters. The Government-issued National Framework directs that all FRAs should have a people strategy which sets out the mental and physical health and wellbeing support available to firefighters. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) supports good mental health in fire and rescue services as one aspect of its Health and Wellbeing Framework. National organisations such as the Fire Fighters Charity and Mind also offer valuable support to individuals and services. Their resources can assist FRAs in developing local approaches to managing mental health risks and promoting the wellbeing of their workforce. The health and wellbeing support provided by Fire and Rescue Services is considered by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services in the course of their work.
Communities and Local Government, if she will hold discussions with the National House Building Council on protecting homeowners from registered property developers who repeatedly set up new businesses and fail to complete property builds.
My Department engages regularly with the National House Building Council and is committed to improving upon existing means of redress for new build homebuyers for when things go wrong. This includes bringing into force a statutory New Homes Ombudsman scheme with accompanying Code of Practice.We are also changing incentives in the housing market and giving local authorities the tools they need to speed up delivery.On 25 May, we published the Speeding Up Build Out working paper, which sets out proposals to increase build out rates. This includes incentivising and supporting models of development that build out faster, giving local authorities tools to agree and monitor build out rates and potentially giving local authorities the ability to charge developers a ‘Delayed Homes Penalty’.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of housebuilding targets on the availability of school places in North East Hampshire constituency.
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period. The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund. The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 will also support the increased provision and modernisation of various types of public infrastructure. The government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course. Our Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes various provisions designed to streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure. My Department engages on a regular and ongoing basis with other government departments to ensure that the planning system supports the provision of necessary infrastructure, including in respect of healthcare and education, alongside new housing development.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward regulations for estate agents to help improve accountability for people who breach ethical standards.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN PQ 49125 on 7 May 2025
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Building Safety Act on the (a) qualified and non-qualified status of flats, (b) the length of remediation projects and (c) the level of cost associated with the need to apply for deeds of certificates.
The Building Safety Act 2022 (the Act) provided protections for certain leaseholders from the costs of remedying certain historical safety defects which might otherwise be recovered from leaseholders via the service charge. The definition of “qualifying lease” is in Section 119 of the Act and defined protection from 14 February 2022. The department keeps under review the impact of the Act on leaseholders, regardless of the status of their leases (qualifying or non-qualifying). The Act put in place a statutory framework to protect residents and ensure buildings were remediated. Where remediation is needed and not progressing, remediation orders, defined in Section 123 of the Act, can be applied for. They provide a route against a relevant landlord for interested persons (e.g. leaseholders) to obtain remediation of a building with a relevant defect. The leaseholder protections under the Act prevent internal defect remediation costs from falling disproportionately on leaseholders, which might otherwise slow remediation. We are confident that the Act is not delaying progress with regards to the length of time remediation takes to be completed. Under regulations following the Act, the leaseholder deed of certificate (LDC) is used to confirm whether a leaseholder qualifies for protections under the Act. Leaseholders cannot be charged to complete the deed of certificate by the landlord. A deed of certificate can be completed by the leaseholder without professional support. There might be, however, a small charge to access the necessary HM Land Registry documents that may be required as evidence.
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to expedite the removal and remediation of dangerous cladding on properties; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that properties that previously qualified for the Building Safety Fund are remediated in a timely way.
The Remediation Acceleration Plan (RAP) sets out key measures to fix buildings faster, identify remaining buildings still at risk and ensure that residents are supported through the remediation process.No leaseholder in a high-rise residential building should wait a day longer for remediation than necessary, and under our plan by the end of 2029 all 18m+ (high-rise) buildings with unsafe cladding in a government funded scheme will have been remediated. In addition, every building of 11m+ with unsafe cladding will either have been remediated, have a completion date, or the landlord will be liable for severe penalties. Our plan will drive the pace of remediation through new proposed legal duties and powers, new funding, new resources and new partnerships.By July 2024, we had moved 124 buildings (18m+) from the Building Safety Fund to the Cladding Safety Scheme. All 124 buildings now have a signed Grant Funding Agreement.