Written questions by Davies.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support local authorities in the provision of adult social care.

Baroness Casey is leading an independent commission into adult social care to help shape the reforms needed to realise a National Care Service. But councils can make a difference to improving care via their role as commissioners, and I am working with the minister for care to support local authorities in doing so. This is backed by around £4.6 billion additional funding available for adult social care in 2028–29 compared to 2025–26. This includes £500 million for the first Fair Pay Agreement to improve adult social care worker pay and conditions.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in utilising unspent s.106 funds.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 54059 on 6 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of producing guidance for local authorities on a) the opportunities to reallocate s.106 funding for stalled projects, and b) making it clearer to local authorities that reallocation is permissible.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 54059 on 6 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing for greater pooling of section 106 funds between local authorities to free up unspent funding.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 54059 on 6 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of powers held by (a) Government and (b) local authorities to compel housing developers to complete works so that infrastructure can be adopted on newly developed housing estates.

The government does not provide any direct financial or other support to assist Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in adopting infrastructure on newly developed housing estates. LPAs can use Section 106 planning obligations to secure a commitment from developers to deliver infrastructure that is necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms. LPAs may take enforcement action in respect of any breach of the obligations contained within a Section 106 agreement. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210) and the answer given to Question UIN 112724 on 3 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what support he is providing to assist local authorities in adopting infrastructure on newly developed housing estates.

The government does not provide any direct financial or other support to assist Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in adopting infrastructure on newly developed housing estates. LPAs can use Section 106 planning obligations to secure a commitment from developers to deliver infrastructure that is necessary to make a development acceptable in planning terms. LPAs may take enforcement action in respect of any breach of the obligations contained within a Section 106 agreement. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210) and the answer given to Question UIN 112724 on 3 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help local authorities reduce the number of void properties in their social housing stock.

The length of time a property is void can be affected by a range of factors, including whether a property is under repairs or in need of adaptations, how extensive these repairs or adaptations are and whether a property is earmarked for demolition or sales.The government encourages social housing providers to develop solutions that make best use of the social housing stock and minimise void periods where possible.Local authorities able to use funding from the third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund to refurbish and bring long-term void stock back into use. On 11 June 2025 the government announced £950 million capital for the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund through the Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 42631 on Historic Environment Records, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of historic environment records in (a) increasing certainty in the planning process and (b) ensuring that heritage increases economic growth; and if she will publish a timetable for implementing (i) section 230 of and (ii) other outstanding measures from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

Following Royal Assent of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (LURA) in October 2023, a small number of provisions were commenced by the previous government, for example relating to pavement licensing, planning enforcement and certain reforms to the compulsory purchase process. Building on these measures, in September last year, a power enabling local authorities to bring forward affordable housing, national health or educational facilities through the use of compulsory purchase without paying ‘hope value’ compensation where justified in the public interest was fully commenced. On 25 May, the government launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development using powers in the LURA. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026. The government has not undertaken an assessment of the potential merits of Historic Environment Records or set out an implementation timetable for Section 230 of the Act.

Communities and Local Government, what her Department's planned timetable is for introducing a new statutory Code of Practice for private parking operators; and whether this code of practice will include measures to prevent repeated instances of unjustified fines by private parking companies.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to PQ 42709 on 7 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what her Department’s timeframe is for making decisions on the future of the Midlands Engine.

Midlands Engine have undertaken a range of valuable work and have supported collaboration on shared growth opportunities.The English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024 last year sets out our intention in future to support mayors in working together across boundaries.We have now consulted on our minded to decision not to extend funding for the six pan-regional partnerships beyond the agreed allocations to the end of the 2024-25 financial year. We are currently considering the responses received, and we expect to announce our decision very soon.