Written questions by Mierlo.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to provide young people with affordable housing.

Awaiting answer.

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, 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, 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, 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, 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.

Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to support young people living in supported housing to move on.

We have invested over £1 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services this year, which can be used flexibly to address a range of local needs, including support for young people. The Spending Review protects this record level of investment to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping for the next three years.For young people ready to live independently, we are delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, backed by the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. We are also reforming the private rented sector to give more security to tenants, bringing an end to rental bidding, outlawing discrimination against prospective tenants with children or those who receive social security benefits; and preventing landlords from demanding large amounts of rent in advance.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications of any local government reorganisation model in Oxfordshire that would involve changes to existing district boundaries.

On 5 February, the government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. In that invitation, we set out that any proposals involving boundary change or affecting wider public services would need a strong justification on public services and financial sustainability grounds, recognising the additional costs and complexities of implementation. We also asked that areas demonstrate how the local community has been engaged in developing proposals.Proposals for unitary local government in Oxfordshire are due by 28 November. The government will decide which, if any, of those proposals to implement after a statutory consultation, to which the constituents of Oxfordshire will be able to respond. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.

Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to involve Oxfordshire residents in the decision-making process on local government reorganisation, including how communities will be consulted before final decisions are made.

On 5 February, the government issued invitations to councils in two-tier areas in England and neighbouring unitary councils to prepare proposals for local government reorganisation. In that invitation, we set out that any proposals involving boundary change or affecting wider public services would need a strong justification on public services and financial sustainability grounds, recognising the additional costs and complexities of implementation. We also asked that areas demonstrate how the local community has been engaged in developing proposals.Proposals for unitary local government in Oxfordshire are due by 28 November. The government will decide which, if any, of those proposals to implement after a statutory consultation, to which the constituents of Oxfordshire will be able to respond. Decisions on the most appropriate option for each area will be judgements in the round, having regard to the statutory guidance and the available evidence.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to help ensure that new housing developments do not increase sewage network pressures through (a) incorrect and (b) inadequate wastewater connections; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that housing developers are held accountable for improper wastewater connections discovered after property completion.

The government recognises the importance of water and wastewater provision on new developments. As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Sustainable development should be pursued both through the preparation and implementation of local development plans, and the application of policies in the framework. The government is clear that housing must come with appropriate infrastructure, including appropriate water infrastructure. We believe that strategic issues such as water capacity are best dealt with at a strategic level through the plan-making process, rather than through individual planning applications. A key function of local development plans is to guide development to the most suitable and sustainable locations and to ensure that the associated infrastructure requirements are addressed. Effective co-operation early in the plan-making process is essential to ensuring not only that housing and infrastructure need is appropriately planned for, but that they are aligned with each other. The NPPF makes it clear that local planning authorities should collaborate with each other and with other public bodies, including infrastructure providers, to identify relevant strategic matters to be addressed, including providing for sustainable water supplies. Water companies are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections to residential properties, as well as planning to meet the needs of growth as part of water resource management plans, and drainage and wastewater management plans. The water resources planning guideline published by the Environment Agency and Ofwat, sets out how those companies should forecast demand for water based on existing customers and planned levels of household and non-household growth, with the number of planned developments being based on published local plans. Relevant planning practice guidance sets out that good design and mitigation measures should be secured during development, both through site-specific and non-site-specific policies on water infrastructure. The revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that developments of all sizes should use sustainable drainage techniques when the development could have drainage impacts and should have appropriate maintenance arrangements in place. We continue to explore whether more needs to be done to ensure sustainable drainage technologies are taken up more widely in new development, either through planning policy or by commencing schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and a decision on the best way forward will be made in the coming months. Ensuring that we take a strategic spatial planning approach to the management of water, including tackling pollution and managing pressures on the water environment at a catchment, regional and national scale, was a core objective of the independent review into the regulatory system of the water sector. The government’s full response to the Independent Water Commission’s recommendations will be published through a White Paper published for consultation this Autumn. This will include responses to recommendations which intend to unlock growth by ensuring water infrastructure investment is aligned with regional and national economic priorities and remove long-standing barriers to development. There are various routes for property owners to seek compensation predominantly through their new build warranty scheme or where the developer has failed to comply with the Water Industry Act 1991, they can be approached directly for compensation with the property owner having grounds for legal action.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce delays in the property buying process.

On 6 October 2025, the government published a consultation on proposals to improve to the home buying and selling process. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to assist local planning authorities in holding management companies to account for the maintenance of (a) roads and (b) public spaces under their remit.

Estate management companies will usually agree standards for maintaining newly built developments with the developer at the time that the site is handed over to them. Where these standards are replicated in the agreement between the estate manager and the homeowner, failure to deliver services to this standard may be a breach of contract . In such instances, homeowners are able to make an application to the County Court to seek resolution. In some instances, standards may be set through planning conditions and a failure to meet them may also be a breach of planning control. Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development is not maintained in accordance with the planning permission granted. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case. The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair charges. This year we will consult on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager. The government is determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult this year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.