Written questions by Robertson.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the obligation on (a) sellers, (b) estate agents and (c) solicitors to ensure that property is transferred to buyers in home sales in a clean and tidy state.

The government has published consumer guidance on how to sell a home which sets out that sellers should leave their property in the condition they wish to find their next home. We know that the overall process of buying and selling a home is far too time consuming and costly for consumers. On 9 February we announced action to help modernise the way our home buying and selling system works. We want to see consumers at the heart of a system that is faster, more certain and less stressful, resulting in significant savings to consumers and industry.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the publication entitled Approved Document B: Fire safety - frequently asked questions, published on 23 August 2022, on economic growth.

Approved Document B: Fire Safety - Frequently Asked Questions do not introduce any new guidance beyond what is included in Approved Document B but simply offer helpful clarifications where appropriate. When Approved Documents are updated, they undergo a public consultation and are subject to a comprehensive economic impact assessment.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of regulation of the private car parking sector.

The government recognises the need for high standards in the private parking industry and is committed to working with both consumers and the two parking trade associations to raise standards and deliver better outcomes for motorists.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.We will announce our plans regarding the government code in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making water and sewerage undertakers statutory consultees on applications for planning permission.

As part of the Chancellor’s planning reform announcement on 26 January 2025, the government declared a moratorium on new statutory consultees and a review of the existing arrangements for statutory consultees to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth.Any further announcements will be subject to this review.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making integrated care boards statutory consultees on applications for planning permission.

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. Any further announcements will be subject to this review.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that planned (a) national and (b) local infrastructure is coordinated to ensure minimal disruption to local communities from (i) roadworks and (ii) traffic delays.

The government is committed to supporting the effective planning and management of road works to mitigate disruption. Local highways departments play a crucial role in maintaining and managing the road network within their local areas during development to minimise disruption. As set out in national planning guidance, developers are encouraged to engage with local issues at the earliest opportunity during the application process for national and local infrastructure projects to identify potential impacts of road closures.