Written questions by Shannon.

Communities and Local Government, what fiscal measures are in place to support first-time buyers entering the housing market.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department provides micro-grants to communities to help tackle hidden poverty.

Our £5.8bn Pride in Place programme is supporting 284 communities across the UK with up to £20m in funding to address the local issues that matter most to them. Funding can be spent on a wide range of local priorities, including supporting families in poverty.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help improve community cohesion.

On 9th March, MHCLG published Protecting What Matters. This is a cross-Government action plan that sets out the initial steps government will take to improve social cohesion. The publication aims to create confident, cohesive, and resilient communities. Protecting What Matters contains policy aimed at building bridges, bringing people together and combatting those seeking to radicalise and create division.This is in addition to the government’s Pride in Place Strategy which aims to build stronger communities across the UK. Neighbourhoods in Derry-Londonderry and Coleraine are part of the transformational £5.8bn Pride in Place programme which will bring people together and restore a of local pride. We will continue to work with the devolved governments to align priorities across governments and support social cohesion in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle hate speech directed towards minority faith communities.

The government is committed to tackling all forms of religious hatred, wherever and however it manifests. On 9 March 2026, we published our Protecting What Matters which details the specific action being taken by government to tackle religious hatred across the country. This can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the local growth fund on critical infrastructure, transport connectivity, digital infrastructure and energy resilience in Northern Ireland.

The Local Growth Fund has the scope to support economic growth in Northern Ireland through investment in a broad range of interventions including infrastructure, innovation, business support and skills MHCLG and the Northern Ireland Office are working with the Northern Ireland Executive to design and deliver the funding in Northern Ireland, ensuring that investment aligns with Northern Ireland’s priorities and delivers meaningful impact for local people.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the the potential merits of using the private rented sector to fulfil the statutory duty to homeless households.

High-quality accommodation in the private rented sector plays an important role in councils discharging their homelessness duties. In England in 2024/25, 52,870 households had their prevention or relief duty ended with accommodation secured in the private rented sector, and 4,070 households had their main duty ended having accepted a private rented sector offer.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce a statutory code of practice for private parking operators.

This government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector. In accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, the government has recently consulted on its proposals for a new code of practice for private parking operators to follow. The consultation closed on 26 September and the government will respond in due course. This code will better protect and support motorists whilst balancing the legitimate needs of private parking operators.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the devolved institutions on Local Growth Funds.

Ministers and officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regularly engage with counterparts in the devolved governments on matters relating to local and regional economic growth.Engagement with devolved governments and the Offices for the Nations forms part of the work to develop and implement the Local Growth Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This will ensure the funding fits the needs and circumstances of each nation, is spent on projects that matter to the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and drives productivity and growth across the UK.

Communities and Local Government, what funding is available to faith-based organisations to help them support communities.

The Government works closely with faith and belief groups and organisations to support communities, and there are a wide range of potential sources of support available to them. The Common Ground Resilience Fund is providing over £3m funding to local communities in England to insulate them against threats to local social cohesion and resilience. Through the Common Ground Award, which forms part of this Fund, we are supporting the voluntary and community sector organisations - including faith-based organisations, with capital investments into the infrastructure and equipment which enables them to serve communities. The Government also supports interfaith activities through which faith and belief organisations work with their wider communities. The Government supported Inter Faith Week 2025 by providing £141,720 of funding to ensure the Week remains a key part of the national calendar for dialogue, learning, and connection between people of different faiths and beliefs.MHCLG has allocated up to £515,000 for the current financial year to fund the Near Neighbours programme in England, which is delivered by the Church Urban Fund. This programme brings together communities from diverse backgrounds and faiths to build relationships of trust and work together on initiatives that improve their communities. Faith‑based organisations across England are also eligible to apply to the annual Windrush Day Grant Scheme, funded by MHCLG. Since 2019, the scheme has funded 268 projects, awarding a total of £3.75 million. Faith‑linked groups may receive funding where proposals align with the scheme’s aims of raising awareness of the Windrush story and strengthening community cohesion. Supporting faith and belief communities’ physical buildings may help them in their work with communities. A new £92 million fund called the Places of Worship Renewal Fund will replace the £23 million Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and bring these important buildings into line with other heritage assets. It will give them access to the same level of financial support from the Government as historic houses, monuments and other heritage sites.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to remove asbestos from buildings in town centres.

Building owners are responsible for managing safety and performance risks in their buildings, including asbestos, in a proportionate, risk based and evidence-based way. Duty holders must comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, which require them to identify any asbestos, assess its condition, and determine the risk of exposure.They must maintain an asbestos management plan that sets out how asbestos containing materials will be monitored or, where necessary, safely removed by a licensed contractor. In most cases, asbestos that is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed is safer left in place and managed appropriately.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the UK’s primary regulator for asbestos. It enforces the regulations, operates the asbestos licensing regime, and provides technical guidance to support compliance.

Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to ensure businesses are routinely up to date with fire safety guidance.

The Government has established a programme to update guidance issued under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Nine new guides have been published with at least 13 still in development. This programme includes guidance specific to business and premises types, such as the guidance for small non-domestic premises, as well as the larger guides on offices & shops and factories & warehouses. We engage relevant businesses on specific guides through stakeholder engagement on the draft guides and promote these once published. This includes working with the Department for Business and Trade on pages specifically helping businesses to understand their duties. As part of this we published a new page aimed at small business on 6 January, which can be found on gov.uk here. Fire safety legislation is devolved. Government and devolved administration officials meet regularly, and the Northern Ireland Executive publish guidance similar to that published in England.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of derelict buildings across the UK.

Derelict buildings can blight communities and the Government is committed to giving communities the tools to revitalise them. The National Planning Policy Framework encourages and supports the development of under-utilised land and buildings, especially if this would help to meet identified needs for housing where land supply is constrained.The Government’s Pride in Place programme will provide up to £5 billion to help the most deprived communities thrive, which could include restoring derelict buildings. Phase 1 of the programme included funding for Northern Ireland and corresponding funding will be made available for Phase 2.Regeneration policy levers are largely devolved. In England, the Government has introduced High Street Rental Auction powers, giving councils the power to auction the lease of long-term vacant properties.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of current social housing stock across the UK.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 50492 on 16 May 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether he will issue guidance to local authorities on flexibility in the Nationally Described Space Standards when delivering stepping stone accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness.

The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year. Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination. Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of whether the planning system enables local authorities to approve applications for homes in a timely manner for young people at risk of homelessness.

The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year. Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination. Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.

Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to include provisions in forthcoming national development management policies to help increase the scaling of stepping stone housing models across local authority areas.

The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year. Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination. Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.

Communities and Local Government, what steps are being taken to improve the condition of derelict buildings in town centres.

This Government is committed to supporting town centre regeneration including bringing derelict buildings back into use through targeted investment. Our Pride in Place programme is delivering significant funding to help communities thrive, create vibrant town centres, and celebrate local heritage, as part of phase 1 of the programme, which included funding for Northern Ireland. As part of Phase 2 of the programme, corresponding funding will be made available, and MHCLG and the Northern Ireland Office will work in partnership with the NI Executive to determine the appropriate delivery approach, of which further detail will provided in due course We will continue to work closely with local partners to ensure this funding delivers lasting benefits for businesses and residents, helping to strengthen high streets and foster pride in local places.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to hold housing developers accountable for defects in newly built homes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 71818 on 3 September 2025 and UIN 37745 on 19 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the number of families in temporary accommodation.

I regularly discuss homelessness issues with my counterparts in the devolved administrations and most recently met the Minister for Communities on Tuesday 25 November.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to improve the planning system.

The government published a revised pro-growth National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) on 12 December 2024. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will help speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure. It remains our intention to consult on a new suite of national policies for decision making before the end of the year.