Written questions by Blundell.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure the enforcement of the Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025.

The first phase of Awaab’s Law came into force for the social rented sector on 27 October. Awaab’s Law is vital legislation that will empower social tenants to hold their landlords to account using the full force of the law if they fail to investigate and fix hazards within their homes within set timescales. It will also allow tenants to access the Housing Ombudsman if their landlord does not adhere to strict timelines for action.The government has also committed to bring forward new regulations to bring the conclusions of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) review into force in due course. The HHSRS is the cornerstone of housing standards, and the forthcoming regulations will make it more efficient and accessible for experts to use, and easier to understand for landlords and tenants.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of a uniform council tax support scheme for all local authorities.

Council tax support for pension-age residents is centrally prescribed and provides up to 100% reduction for those on the lowest incomes. Council tax support for working age households is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the resources available to them and the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme in consultation with their residents.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with local authorities to improve the quality of local housing stock.

Everyone deserves to live in a decent, warm, and comfortable home.The government recently consulted on both the content and implementation of a new, modernised Decent Homes Standard. The consultation outcome can be found on gov.uk here and the impact assessment on gov.uk here.We also consulted on new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for both the social rented and private rented sectors. The social rented sector consultation outcome can be found on gov.uk here and the private rented sector consultation outcome here.The first phase of Awaab’s Law came into force for the social rented sector on 27 October. Awaab’s Law is vital legislation that will empower social tenants to hold their landlords to account using the full force of the law if they fail to investigate and fix hazards within their homes within set timescales. It will also allow tenants to access the Housing Ombudsman if their landlord does not adhere to strict timelines for action.The government has also committed itself to bring forward new regulations this summer to bring the conclusions of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) review into force. The HHSRS is the cornerstone of housing standards, and the forthcoming regulations will make it more efficient and accessible for experts to use, and easier to understand for landlords and tenants.We are also acting to ensure private tenants have safe, warm, and decent homes including strengthening local authority enforcement in respect of unremedied hazards and applying Awaab’s Law Act to the PRS through the relevant provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act.The government is also supporting improvements to existing homes through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, which has allocated £1.29 billion over 2025-28 to support social landlords to make energy efficiency improvements to their homes.Over £1 billion of building safety funding will also be available between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to accelerate remediation of social housing. These targeted funds are in addition to the 10-year social housing rent settlement that will improve providers’ financial capacity to invest in new and existing homes.The government is also supporting estate regeneration schemes to transform neighbourhoods and deliver well designed housing and a better quality of life for tenants. The new Social and Affordable Homes Programme will also support regeneration schemes that provide a net increase in affordable homes.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring at least 10% of social housing stock to be let as furnished.

From 2 July to 12 September last year, we consulted on a reformed and modernised Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes.As part of that consultation, we sought views on how guidance might be used to encourage and support landlords to go further in improving quality including in relation to the provision of furniture.Over recent months we have been analysing the responses submitted and will set out our response in the near future.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to expedite nationally significant infrastructure projects.

The government made 21 decisions on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) in the first year of this Parliament. This compares with the first year of the last Parliament in which only 15 decisions were made and represents the highest number of annual decisions made since the NSIP programme was introduced in 2011. 27 NSIP decisions have been made so far since the start of this Parliament.Following acceptance by the Planning Inspectorate, NSIP applications are being processed on average 50 days quicker in this Parliament than in the last.Through the relevant provisions of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, we are seeking to reduce the average time it takes reach a decision on an NSIP project from its peak of 4.2 years under the previous government.To achieve our Plan for Change milestone of fast-tracking 150 planning decisions, we will need an average of 32 decisions per year from July 2025. While we have not achieved this in our first year, we expect the rate of decisions to continue to accelerate alongside the already seen increase in projects entering the pipeline.

Communities and Local Government, if he will consider a) adopting a gender-informed definition of rough sleeping and homelessness, b) providing local authorities with tools, resources, and guidance on gathering accurate and inclusive data on women’s rough sleeping and homelessness and c) providing gender-informed guidance to enable local authorities to ensure services and systems are equitable, accessible and safe for women, matched with appropriate levels of funding to do so.

The Government recognises that women experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping have different experiences and needs to men.The Government introduced a new question in the Rough Sleeping Monthly Management Information to capture the gender of those sleeping rough over the course of a month, rather than on a single night.The Government has increased funding for homelessness services by £316 million to a record total of more than £1 billion. Local authorities can use this money to respond to local need, including those of women in their area. We are considering the needs of different cohorts in our cross-Government homelessness strategy, which will be published later this year.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure section 106 funding is being used by councils in Greater Manchester to increase revenue for sports facilities.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that access to high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities. The Framework sets out that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities and opportunities for new provision, which plans should then seek to accommodate. Local planning authorities can use planning obligations, entered into under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), to help mitigate the impact of a specific development to make it acceptable in planning terms. This could include, for example, requiring a developer to contribute towards the provision of public infrastructure such as sports facilities where this is necessary to make an otherwise unacceptable development acceptable. This will depend on the specifics of the development and is a matter for local decision makers. The government is clear that developers must deliver on their planning obligations. Section 106 planning obligations are legal agreements, and a local planning authority may take enforcement action in respect of any breach of the obligations contained within them. Enforcement is at the discretion of the local planning authority, and therefore it is for the local planning authority to decide whether enforcement action is appropriate in each case. The government is 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.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that (a) developers in Greater Manchester adhere to their obligations under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and (b) section 106 funding is used for women’s sports amenities.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that access to high-quality open spaces and opportunities for sport and physical activity is important for the health and well-being of communities. The Framework sets out that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities and opportunities for new provision, which plans should then seek to accommodate. Local planning authorities can use planning obligations, entered into under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), to help mitigate the impact of a specific development to make it acceptable in planning terms. This could include, for example, requiring a developer to contribute towards the provision of public infrastructure such as sports facilities where this is necessary to make an otherwise unacceptable development acceptable. This will depend on the specifics of the development and is a matter for local decision makers. The government is clear that developers must deliver on their planning obligations. Section 106 planning obligations are legal agreements, and a local planning authority may take enforcement action in respect of any breach of the obligations contained within them. Enforcement is at the discretion of the local planning authority, and therefore it is for the local planning authority to decide whether enforcement action is appropriate in each case. The government is 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.

Communities and Local Government, if he will consider mandating the allocation of sites for HGV parking as part of the conditions for consent for larger infrastructure projects.

The government takes the view that it is for the relevant Secretary of State to decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether conditions relating to HGV traffic movement or the provision of HGV parking should be attached when granting development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to protect bridleways in the context of changes to national planning regulations.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should protect and enhance public rights of way and access, including taking opportunities to provide better facilities for users, for example by adding links to existing rights of way networks including National Trails. The government will consult on a new suite of national policies for decision making later this year and as part of that exercise we will consider whether any changes are needed to policy relating to public rights of way.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to provide fiscal autonomy to the North West.

The English Devolution White Paper sets out an enhanced Devolution Framework for both existing and new strategic authorities across England. It creates a consistent approach to providing Mayors with the power to decide what is right for their areas. It includes the ability for all Mayoral Strategic Authorities to use a Mayoral Precept on Council Tax on a full range of functions, and the ability to raise a Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy to fund strategic infrastructure once a Spatial Development Strategy is in place. It also sets out a clear and transparent pathway for areas to be designated as Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities and therefore become eligible for an Integrated Settlement. These reforms will also give greater fiscal autonomy to Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities, including those in the North West, by removing the funding silos created by Whitehall.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that housing associations take swift action on remediating mould and damp issues across their housing stock.

The government is committed to working with social housing providers to ensure that homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould. The Deputy Prime Minister made a Written Ministerial Statement on 6 February (HCWS423) confirming that the government will bring Awaab’s Law into force for damp and mould in October 2025. Awaab’s Law will empower social tenants to hold their landlords to account by law if they fail to investigate and fix hazards within their homes within set timescales. Tenants will be able to hold their social landlords to account by seeking redress through the Housing Ombudsman Service or taking legal action through the courts for a breach of contract. The government is also committed to consulting on a new Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards this year which will enable upfront preventative measures on disrepair and deliver improvements to tackle damp and mould.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with Greater Manchester Combined Authority on encouraging housing developments near Castleton Rail Station.

MHCLG Ministers have had a range of discussions with the Mayor for Greater Manchester and the Combined Authority about their priorities and plans. This includes the Places for Everyone plan for jobs, new homes, and sustainable growth. These conversations have not covered the detail of impacts on places within Greater Manchester, including planned developments close to Castleton Rail Station. These details and impacts are the responsibility of Rochdale Borough Council, the Mayor and Combined Authority working with local partners and elected members.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with (a) local authorities and (b) Cabinet colleagues to provide homeless and pregnant women with (i) housing, (ii) healthcare and wellbeing and (iii) financial support.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. We have already taken the first steps to get back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25) and brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26.The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy, and working with mayors and councils across the country.Pregnant women experiencing homelessness continue to have priority need for accommodation under the Homelessness Reduction Act (2018), which places a duty on local housing authorities to prevent and relieve homelessness.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with officials in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on house building around Castleton station to support (a) local and (b) regional economic growth.

Officials from my Department engage regularly with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in relation to their Places for Everyone plan, which includes the Sidings and Trows Farm developments in Castleton.We will continue to work closely with GMCA to support their housebuilding ambitions as part of the Places for Everyone plan and to progress a devolved Integrated Settlement that will support local and regional economic growth.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help improve the quality of housing stock in Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Everyone deserves to live in a decent, safe and warm home. The government is therefore bringing forward a consultation in early 2025, setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors to ensure safe and secure housing is the standard across the country.The Renters’ Rights Bill will also drive significant improvements to conditions in the private rented sector. Ensuring landlords adhere to a legally binding Decent Homes Standard and extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to private landlords will reduce the number of poor-quality privately rented homes and empower tenants to raise concerns about damp, dangerous and cold homes.Regarding new homes, the Building Safety Act created a power to mandate, for the first time, the requirement that all newly built homes be sold with a new build warranty. The government is carefully considering next steps regarding commencement of this power.