Written questions by Amos.

Communities and Local Government, what the age breakdown is of children over the age of ten in temporary accommodation; and what steps she is taking to help ensure that the accommodation is suitable for children.

The Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness in England, which can be found on gov.uk here. The latest quarterly data was published on 22 July 2025, covering January to March 2025. The number of under 18s in temporary accommodation in English local authorities is included in the data (TA8), including by age on a local authority level. Councils must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities sets out the factors to be taken into account when determining the suitability of accommodation.. The latest quarterly statistics includes additional data tables on the English regions that out of area placements have been made to, by the local authority or region that they have been placed from (TA9). The data does not provide a breakdown of the number of households with children. The Department does not collect address level data that would allow the tracking of the distance households have moved The number of households in B&B accommodation with children and resident more than six weeks is included in the data (TA1).

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of families that have been living in emergency accommodation for longer than the six-week legal limit.

The Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness in England, which can be found on gov.uk here. The latest quarterly data was published on 22 July 2025, covering January to March 2025. The number of under 18s in temporary accommodation in English local authorities is included in the data (TA8), including by age on a local authority level. Councils must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities sets out the factors to be taken into account when determining the suitability of accommodation.. The latest quarterly statistics includes additional data tables on the English regions that out of area placements have been made to, by the local authority or region that they have been placed from (TA9). The data does not provide a breakdown of the number of households with children. The Department does not collect address level data that would allow the tracking of the distance households have moved The number of households in B&B accommodation with children and resident more than six weeks is included in the data (TA1).

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has put in place a process to track the distance that families have moved when placed in temporary accommodation out of their local authority area.

The Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness in England, which can be found on gov.uk here. The latest quarterly data was published on 22 July 2025, covering January to March 2025. The number of under 18s in temporary accommodation in English local authorities is included in the data (TA8), including by age on a local authority level. Councils must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for the needs of the household and should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. The Homelessness Code of Guidance for local authorities sets out the factors to be taken into account when determining the suitability of accommodation.. The latest quarterly statistics includes additional data tables on the English regions that out of area placements have been made to, by the local authority or region that they have been placed from (TA9). The data does not provide a breakdown of the number of households with children. The Department does not collect address level data that would allow the tracking of the distance households have moved The number of households in B&B accommodation with children and resident more than six weeks is included in the data (TA1).

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to bring sections (a) 143 and (b) 144 of the Building Safety Act into force in the current parliament.

Section 144 of the Building Safety Act (2022) created a power to mandate a requirement for all new build homes to be sold with a new build warranty. No decision has been made by the government on commencement of this power. In the meantime, most new build warranties cover damages caused by structural defects for a 10-year term, while the developer is often held accountable for the first two years of this period. In October 2024 the previous government published its response the Competition and Market's Authority's housebuilding study. This included a commitment to bring forward a new consumer code for housebuilders and a New Homes Ombudsman service which will empower homeowners to rightly challenge developers for any quality issues they face in their home which the current government is also committed to.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of levels of resourcing for Natural England on the use of developer levies collected through the Nature Restoration Fund for nature recovery.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is working closely with Natural England to ensure that resources are in place to administer the Nature Restoration Fund, which is designed to run on a cost recovery basis.

Communities and Local Government, how much of the Affordable Homes Programme 2021 to 2026 grant funding has been spent; how many homes have been completed; and how many homes are under construction.

My Department published an update on targets in respect of the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme on 30 July 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here. The GLA has shared targets for the programme in London on their website here. Homes England set out their target for the programme outside of London in their annual report and accounts. These can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) homes and (b) affordable homes will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 26 weeks.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was established by the previous Government and became the Building Control Authority for higher-risk buildings in England from October 1, 2023.As with any newly established regulator it is typical that there will be a bedding in period as it develops its operations. As the industry adjusts to the new regulatory regime a lot of poor quality and incomplete applications have been submitted. The volume of sub-standard applications demands much of BSR's time and resources which has a knock-on effect on the processing time for all applications.The majority of the 8 applications exceeding 52 weeks are transitional applications which were transferred into the building safety regime from private sector building control companies that ceased trading with construction already underway. As they were not started under the gateway regime developers have had to gather the evidence to demonstrate compliance with Gateway Two. In the meantime the BSR has allowed these projects to continue construction whilst demonstrating compliance with building regulations. These are unique cases which have arisen as part of the transition process and are therefore atypical.Of the applications exceeding 12 and 26 weeks, these will be subject to agreed extensions of time between the BSR and developers. These are often required because the applications have failed to fully demonstrate how the building will comply with building regulations and more information is needed. This is a core responsibility of what the BSR was set up to do and ensures that new buildings meet the requisite safety standards that are set out in law.Some delays to the processing of applications are due to capacity and efficiency issues that exist within the BSR which the new government is seeking to address. This Government has provided an additional £2.1 million to the BSR to engage additional staff to increase capacity which, alongside several efficiency initiatives, is seeing processing times reduce.The Department continues to work with the BSR to monitor timescales and scrutinise progress. The safety of buildings remains a top priority for the department and the BSR, and legal safety requirements must be adhered to.The data the BSR reports to the department does not categorise between homes and affordable homes. The following figures are for new build Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs), Non-HRB conversion to HRB and Category A refurbishments (where this refurbishment increases the number of residential units by 1 or more unit). Note that the figures are nested i.e. the 18,424 includes the 10,192 and the 912; and the 10,192 includes the 912.The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 52 weeks.912 residential units (8 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 26 weeks.10,192 residential units (46 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 12 weeks.18,424 residential units (85 applications)The estimate of the number of homes that would be created in buildings awaiting Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator.29,506 residential units (130 applications). These numbers include applications currently within the 0–12-week period.

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) homes and (b) affordable homes will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 12 weeks.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was established by the previous Government and became the Building Control Authority for higher-risk buildings in England from October 1, 2023.As with any newly established regulator it is typical that there will be a bedding in period as it develops its operations. As the industry adjusts to the new regulatory regime a lot of poor quality and incomplete applications have been submitted. The volume of sub-standard applications demands much of BSR's time and resources which has a knock-on effect on the processing time for all applications.The majority of the 8 applications exceeding 52 weeks are transitional applications which were transferred into the building safety regime from private sector building control companies that ceased trading with construction already underway. As they were not started under the gateway regime developers have had to gather the evidence to demonstrate compliance with Gateway Two. In the meantime the BSR has allowed these projects to continue construction whilst demonstrating compliance with building regulations. These are unique cases which have arisen as part of the transition process and are therefore atypical.Of the applications exceeding 12 and 26 weeks, these will be subject to agreed extensions of time between the BSR and developers. These are often required because the applications have failed to fully demonstrate how the building will comply with building regulations and more information is needed. This is a core responsibility of what the BSR was set up to do and ensures that new buildings meet the requisite safety standards that are set out in law.Some delays to the processing of applications are due to capacity and efficiency issues that exist within the BSR which the new government is seeking to address. This Government has provided an additional £2.1 million to the BSR to engage additional staff to increase capacity which, alongside several efficiency initiatives, is seeing processing times reduce.The Department continues to work with the BSR to monitor timescales and scrutinise progress. The safety of buildings remains a top priority for the department and the BSR, and legal safety requirements must be adhered to.The data the BSR reports to the department does not categorise between homes and affordable homes. The following figures are for new build Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs), Non-HRB conversion to HRB and Category A refurbishments (where this refurbishment increases the number of residential units by 1 or more unit). Note that the figures are nested i.e. the 18,424 includes the 10,192 and the 912; and the 10,192 includes the 912.The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 52 weeks.912 residential units (8 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 26 weeks.10,192 residential units (46 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 12 weeks.18,424 residential units (85 applications)The estimate of the number of homes that would be created in buildings awaiting Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator.29,506 residential units (130 applications). These numbers include applications currently within the 0–12-week period.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) homes and (b) affordable homes that would be created in buildings awaiting Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was established by the previous Government and became the Building Control Authority for higher-risk buildings in England from October 1, 2023.As with any newly established regulator it is typical that there will be a bedding in period as it develops its operations. As the industry adjusts to the new regulatory regime a lot of poor quality and incomplete applications have been submitted. The volume of sub-standard applications demands much of BSR's time and resources which has a knock-on effect on the processing time for all applications.The majority of the 8 applications exceeding 52 weeks are transitional applications which were transferred into the building safety regime from private sector building control companies that ceased trading with construction already underway. As they were not started under the gateway regime developers have had to gather the evidence to demonstrate compliance with Gateway Two. In the meantime the BSR has allowed these projects to continue construction whilst demonstrating compliance with building regulations. These are unique cases which have arisen as part of the transition process and are therefore atypical.Of the applications exceeding 12 and 26 weeks, these will be subject to agreed extensions of time between the BSR and developers. These are often required because the applications have failed to fully demonstrate how the building will comply with building regulations and more information is needed. This is a core responsibility of what the BSR was set up to do and ensures that new buildings meet the requisite safety standards that are set out in law.Some delays to the processing of applications are due to capacity and efficiency issues that exist within the BSR which the new government is seeking to address. This Government has provided an additional £2.1 million to the BSR to engage additional staff to increase capacity which, alongside several efficiency initiatives, is seeing processing times reduce.The Department continues to work with the BSR to monitor timescales and scrutinise progress. The safety of buildings remains a top priority for the department and the BSR, and legal safety requirements must be adhered to.The data the BSR reports to the department does not categorise between homes and affordable homes. The following figures are for new build Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs), Non-HRB conversion to HRB and Category A refurbishments (where this refurbishment increases the number of residential units by 1 or more unit). Note that the figures are nested i.e. the 18,424 includes the 10,192 and the 912; and the 10,192 includes the 912.The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 52 weeks.912 residential units (8 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 26 weeks.10,192 residential units (46 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 12 weeks.18,424 residential units (85 applications)The estimate of the number of homes that would be created in buildings awaiting Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator.29,506 residential units (130 applications). These numbers include applications currently within the 0–12-week period.

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) homes and (b) affordable homes will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 52 weeks.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) was established by the previous Government and became the Building Control Authority for higher-risk buildings in England from October 1, 2023.As with any newly established regulator it is typical that there will be a bedding in period as it develops its operations. As the industry adjusts to the new regulatory regime a lot of poor quality and incomplete applications have been submitted. The volume of sub-standard applications demands much of BSR's time and resources which has a knock-on effect on the processing time for all applications.The majority of the 8 applications exceeding 52 weeks are transitional applications which were transferred into the building safety regime from private sector building control companies that ceased trading with construction already underway. As they were not started under the gateway regime developers have had to gather the evidence to demonstrate compliance with Gateway Two. In the meantime the BSR has allowed these projects to continue construction whilst demonstrating compliance with building regulations. These are unique cases which have arisen as part of the transition process and are therefore atypical.Of the applications exceeding 12 and 26 weeks, these will be subject to agreed extensions of time between the BSR and developers. These are often required because the applications have failed to fully demonstrate how the building will comply with building regulations and more information is needed. This is a core responsibility of what the BSR was set up to do and ensures that new buildings meet the requisite safety standards that are set out in law.Some delays to the processing of applications are due to capacity and efficiency issues that exist within the BSR which the new government is seeking to address. This Government has provided an additional £2.1 million to the BSR to engage additional staff to increase capacity which, alongside several efficiency initiatives, is seeing processing times reduce.The Department continues to work with the BSR to monitor timescales and scrutinise progress. The safety of buildings remains a top priority for the department and the BSR, and legal safety requirements must be adhered to.The data the BSR reports to the department does not categorise between homes and affordable homes. The following figures are for new build Higher Risk Buildings (HRBs), Non-HRB conversion to HRB and Category A refurbishments (where this refurbishment increases the number of residential units by 1 or more unit). Note that the figures are nested i.e. the 18,424 includes the 10,192 and the 912; and the 10,192 includes the 912.The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 52 weeks.912 residential units (8 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 26 weeks.10,192 residential units (46 applications)The number of homes which will be provided on completion by the buildings that have been waiting for Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator for more than 12 weeks.18,424 residential units (85 applications)The estimate of the number of homes that would be created in buildings awaiting Gateway Two approval from the Building Safety Regulator.29,506 residential units (130 applications). These numbers include applications currently within the 0–12-week period.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to help reduce delays in Building Safety Regulator processes that relate to the construction of (a) social and (b) affordable homes.

MHCLG and Building Safety Regulator (BSR) have taken significant steps towards reducing delays relating to the Gateways construction processes. We have put in place a range of mitigations including additional funding aimed at boosting BSR capacity for additional building control caseworkers, who are being trained and have started to make an impact on reducing processing times. This has already resulted in some green shoots of improvement including BSR reporting a reduction in processing times of newly submitted applications. BSR are now informing new applicants to plan on 16 weeks to clear Gateway 2.Older and more complex applications which were transferred from private building control companies that ceased to trade present a particular challenge to the processing time of new applications, but please be assured that the BSR are focused on clearing this backlog as quickly as possible.It is important to recognise that BSR is a newly established operational regulator which is critical to upholding the standard of building regulations to industry. We are working closely with BSR to support their plan for improved delivery and guidance to the sector whilst maintaining the building safety standards. If applications for buildings do not meet this standard and pose a risk to life BSR will not approve them.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is planning to take to engage local communities in the development of new towns.

The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the New Towns Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.Not least because construction of the next generation of new towns will only begin toward the end of this Parliament, the government has been clear that they will deliver over and above the targets produced by the standard method. However, we will make sure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward and will keep under review how the Taskforce’s forthcoming recommendations on new towns interact with housing targets across England.New towns will be well-connected, well-designed, environmentally sustainable, and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities, including a gold standard aim of 40% affordable and social housing, with an emphasis on social rent.

Communities and Local Government, whether housing in new towns will contribute to local authority housing targets.

The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the New Towns Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.Not least because construction of the next generation of new towns will only begin toward the end of this Parliament, the government has been clear that they will deliver over and above the targets produced by the standard method. However, we will make sure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward and will keep under review how the Taskforce’s forthcoming recommendations on new towns interact with housing targets across England.New towns will be well-connected, well-designed, environmentally sustainable, and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities, including a gold standard aim of 40% affordable and social housing, with an emphasis on social rent.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of homes in a new town will be social rented housing.

The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the New Towns Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.Not least because construction of the next generation of new towns will only begin toward the end of this Parliament, the government has been clear that they will deliver over and above the targets produced by the standard method. However, we will make sure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward and will keep under review how the Taskforce’s forthcoming recommendations on new towns interact with housing targets across England.New towns will be well-connected, well-designed, environmentally sustainable, and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities, including a gold standard aim of 40% affordable and social housing, with an emphasis on social rent.

Communities and Local Government, whether proposed New Towns will (a) be zero carbon and (b) support biodiversity.

The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the New Towns Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.Not least because construction of the next generation of new towns will only begin toward the end of this Parliament, the government has been clear that they will deliver over and above the targets produced by the standard method. However, we will make sure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward and will keep under review how the Taskforce’s forthcoming recommendations on new towns interact with housing targets across England.New towns will be well-connected, well-designed, environmentally sustainable, and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities, including a gold standard aim of 40% affordable and social housing, with an emphasis on social rent.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to require minimum levels of (a) rooftop solar and (b) other renewable generation on new buildings.

The Government understands the urgency of introducing new energy efficiency standards so that as many homes as possible are built to be zero-carbon ready. We are committed to implementing the Future Homes Standard this year, and we are taking the time to set the technical requirements at a level which is ambitious and keeps us on track to achieve our net zero ambitions, while also being achievable across all sites.In the meantime, please rest assured that an uplift to the energy efficiency standards in 2021, which came into effect in June 2022, set high standards for home energy efficiency. New homes built between now and the Future Homes Standard coming into force will likely be built to these 2021 standards. They should therefore have excellent fabric quality, including insulation, and are likely to include low-carbon technologies, such as solar panels or heat pumps.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to mandate new homes to zero carbon via revisions to building regulations.

The Government understands the urgency of introducing new energy efficiency standards so that as many homes as possible are built to be zero-carbon ready. We are committed to implementing the Future Homes Standard this year, and we are taking the time to set the technical requirements at a level which is ambitious and keeps us on track to achieve our net zero ambitions, while also being achievable across all sites.In the meantime, please rest assured that an uplift to the energy efficiency standards in 2021, which came into effect in June 2022, set high standards for home energy efficiency. New homes built between now and the Future Homes Standard coming into force will likely be built to these 2021 standards. They should therefore have excellent fabric quality, including insulation, and are likely to include low-carbon technologies, such as solar panels or heat pumps.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of giving the final decision on planning decisions for a new town to local authorities.

The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the New Towns Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.Not least because construction of the next generation of new towns will only begin toward the end of this Parliament, the government has been clear that they will deliver over and above the targets produced by the standard method. However, we will make sure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward and will keep under review how the Taskforce’s forthcoming recommendations on new towns interact with housing targets across England.New towns will be well-connected, well-designed, environmentally sustainable, and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities, including a gold standard aim of 40% affordable and social housing, with an emphasis on social rent.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she is having with the Secretary of State for Transport to ensure new towns are developed with (a) public transport networks and (b) a mode share pathway promoting a sustainable transport mix.

The government has tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. The Taskforce will submit its final report this summer.As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the New Towns Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.Not least because construction of the next generation of new towns will only begin toward the end of this Parliament, the government has been clear that they will deliver over and above the targets produced by the standard method. However, we will make sure that the right incentives are in place to support proactive local authorities to work with us to bring new towns forward and will keep under review how the Taskforce’s forthcoming recommendations on new towns interact with housing targets across England.New towns will be well-connected, well-designed, environmentally sustainable, and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities, including a gold standard aim of 40% affordable and social housing, with an emphasis on social rent.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the role of local nature recovery strategies in local planning decisions.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are being prepared across England to set out priorities for nature recovery, map important habitats and identify opportunities for improvements.The government recently updated its Planning Practice Guidance to explain the role of Local Nature Recovery Strategies in the planning system and made clear as part of that update that these strategies will form an evidence base which may be a material consideration when making planning decisions.It is for individual decision-makers to determine what is a relevant material consideration in each case.