Every parliamentary written question tabled by Freddie van Mierlo this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 41 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Disabled Facilities Grant system delivery model, involving upper-tier authorities, district councils and housing providers, on the time taken to to provide home adaptations for people with progressive or terminal conditions; and whether he will bring forward proposals to simplify the process.
Awaiting answer.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of whether funding provided to local authorities for Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) is adequate for them to meet the cost of adaptations, in the context of increases in construction and labour costs; and what estimate he has made of the aggregate funding required by local authorities for delivering DFGs.
Awaiting answer.
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that park home residents are consulted during the consideration of potential change to the 10% commission payable to site owners on sale of a park home.
Awaiting answer.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of support provided through Disabled Facilities Grants for families whose housing adaptation plans exceed their available
The Government recognises how important home adaptations are in enabling disabled people to live as independently as possible, in a safe and suitable environment. To support this, the Government paid out £723 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant for ...
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the applicability of the affordable homes definition in high cost housing areas.
My Department has made no specific assessment of the applicability of the definition of affordable housing in the glossary of the National Planning Policy Framework in high-cost housing areas.
Communities and Local Government, what discussions they have had with the Treasury on first time buyer stamp duty land tax limits, as considering the higher housing costs in areas like Oxfordshire.
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has regular discussions with the Chancellor covering a range of issues.The government is supporting first-time buyers into home ownership, including through the shared ownership scheme a...
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to provide young people with affordable housing.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771) and 28 January 2026 (HCWS1283) and the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-2036 policy statement published on 7 November, which can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, if he will publish his Department's review on deadlines and practices relating to the dispatching of postal ballots.
The Government is committed to strengthening the resilience of our electoral processes, including the postal voting system. In the 2025 policy paper, Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections the Government set out a package of proposals intended to improve the overall resilience and responsiveness of postal voting. These include moving the postal vote application, and candidate nomination deadlines earlier in the election timetable. This will provide more time for the production, distribution and return of postal votes. This package of measures is now being delivered as part of the Representation of the People Bill 2026.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution of the Hon Member for Chester North and Neston in the eight sitting of the Representation of the People Bill Committee, 16 April 2026, col 359, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of drafting and publishing a report assessing a range of options to support postal voting for overseas electors.
The Department has not made a specific estimate of the cost of drafting and publishing such a report. As set out during the Representation of the People Bill Committee, the Government considers that the issues raised have already been extensively examined. In the 2025 policy paper, Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government set out a package of measures intended to improve the resilience and responsiveness of the postal voting system overall. These measures include moving the postal vote application, and candidate nomination deadlines earlier in the electoral timetable. This will provide more time for the production, distribution and return of postal vote packs. These changes will benefit all administrators and voters, including those living overseas.
Communities and Local Government, (a) when his Department plans to publish the guidance associated with the Compulsory Purchase Order provisions in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, and (b) whether that guidance will include all eligibility criteria for stalled development sites, including any size thresholds, that local authorities will be expected to apply when considering the use of compulsory purchase in the public interest.
My Department plans to publish updated compulsory purchase guidance to reflect the reforms introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 this Spring. The existing guidance, which can be found on gov.uk here, already contains general advice on the circumstances where local planning authorities can use their compulsory purchase powers. This includes how to demonstrate a compelling case in the public interest which is applicable in all cases, including in relation to stalled sites. It is for local planning authorities themselves to decide when it is appropriate to use their compulsory purchase powers.
Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations on improving community cohesion in the Khan Review - Threats To Social Cohesion And Democratic Resilience: A New Strategic Approach, published in March 2024.
MHCLG is co-ordinating cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with local government, communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues. As part of this work officials have considered a wide range of evidence including from reviews such as the Khan Review.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to cover housing associations in England.
This government is committed to increasing transparency and accountability in the social rented sector.In September 2025, we directed the Regulator of Social Housing to introduce new Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) for private registered providers (PRPs) of social housing, including housing associations, to enable residents to request information about their housing management. From October 2026, PRPs will be required to proactively publish information relating to the management of their social housing. From April 2027, they will also be required to respond to information requests from tenants.We carefully considered the case for bringing PRPs of social housing within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 but ultimately decided that a bespoke scheme would be the most effective and proportionate way of ensuring that all social tenants can access information about the management of their homes.The divergences from FOI, such as specifying that only tenants and their representatives can access information and that information requests must relate to issues relevant to the management of social housing, are proportionate for PRPs in their capacity as private businesses.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure transparency and fairness in the calculation and application of maintenance charges for shared ownership properties; and whether he will assess the potential merits of introducing clearer guidance to prevent unexpected or disproportionate costs being passed on to (a) leaseholders and (b) part-buy, part-rent tenants.
Most shared owners have a landlord who is a member of the Housing Ombudsman Service. Tenants can therefore take complaints about service charges, not including fees, to the Ombudsman.The new Social and Affordable Homes Programme places new expectations on shared ownership providers to improve customer experience. These include giving greater consideration to long-term customer affordability and increasing transparency and fairness on costs.I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780).
Communities and Local Government, if he will set out the mechanisms for leaseholders and shared ownership tenants to challenge unexpected or excessive maintenance charges; and whether his Department plans to (a) strengthen enforcement or (b) provide additional support for those in dispute with housing associations.
Most shared owners have a landlord who is a member of the Housing Ombudsman Service. Tenants can therefore take complaints about service charges, not including fees, to the Ombudsman.The new Social and Affordable Homes Programme places new expectations on shared ownership providers to improve customer experience. These include giving greater consideration to long-term customer affordability and increasing transparency and fairness on costs.I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780).
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to review the practices of housing associations in relation to the application of maintenance charges for shared ownership properties; and what steps he will take to ensure charges (a) reflect actual services delivered and (b) are communicated in plain language.
Most shared owners have a landlord who is a member of the Housing Ombudsman Service. Tenants can therefore take complaints about service charges, not including fees, to the Ombudsman.The new Social and Affordable Homes Programme places new expectations on shared ownership providers to improve customer experience. These include giving greater consideration to long-term customer affordability and increasing transparency and fairness on costs.I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780).
Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms he plans to put in place to safeguard community sports provision if the current statutory consultation arrangements be changed.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee in the planning system on the protection of community playing fields; whether he plans to publish his Department's impact assessment on moving Sport England as a statutory consultee in the planning system; and what mechanisms he intends to put in place to safeguard community sports provision should the current statutory consultation arrangements be changed.
On 17 November 2025, my Department published a consultation on reforms to the statutory consultee system. That consultation closes on 13 January 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here. No decision will be made on Sport England’s role until responses to the consultation have been fully analysed and considered.
Communities and Local Government, what his timetable is for the publication of a chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance on young people.
Through our National Plan to End Homelessness the Government has set out its intention to develop a national Youth Homelessness Prevention Toolkit and develop a dedicated chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance on young people. We will publish these documents in due course.
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support local authorities to deliver supported housing for young people.
Young people need the right support alongside housing to improve health, wellbeing and socio-economic outcomes, enabling them to access and retain housing and reducing their risk of homelessness and rough sleeping. Funding for local housing support services is primarily through the Local Government Finance Settlement – commissioning of local housing-related support services is for local authorities to determine. In December 2025, the government announced a £124m supported housing programme over 2026-29, working with targeted local areas, reaching over 2,500 people, both to prevent homelessness and to help people, including young people, off the streets and into more stable housing. The Social and Affordable Homes Programme includes new flexibility on grant rates for accommodation where design and adaptation drive higher costs and calls on providers to produce ambitious bids for new supported housing – helping to increase the overall supply of supported housing, including options for vulnerable young people.
Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of households currently paying higher council tax due to (a) incorrect and (b) inconsistent banding.
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a duty to maintain an accurate list of all council tax bands. If the VOA becomes aware of an inaccuracy, it will update the list by adjusting the council tax band for the relevant properties.