Written questions by Dillon.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to reduce child mortality where temporary accommodation has been identified as a contributing factor.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to promote safe sleeping practices in all forms of temporary accommodation where infants are placed.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to bring empty properties back into use for social rent.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on mitigating health and mortality risks faced by children living in temporary accommodation.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) fiscal and (b) regulatory framework, including Stamp Duty Land Tax rates, for residential property traders on (i) rates of downsizing and (ii) the release of under-occupied homes onto the market.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what barriers exist for local authorities in acquiring long-term empty homes for social rent use.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) fiscal and (b) regulatory framework, including Stamp Duty Land Tax rates, for residential property traders on (i) rates of downsizing and (ii) the release of under-occupied homes onto the market.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support and protect supported housing provision.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given the Question UIN 123120 on 26 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that people experiencing homelessness are able to access social housing.

The government will deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation, including through the new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. As set out in our National Plan to End Homelessness, we will work with partners to update statutory guidance on social housing allocations to ensure that allocations reflect local need and effectively support vulnerable households. Where joint working is not operating effectively, we will consider levers to require social housing landlords to rehouse statutory homeless households referred by the council, including legislating if necessary.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help prevent children from sleeping rough.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 121467 on 24 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason paragraph 119 on communications infrastructure was removed from the National Planning Policy Framework.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included a new section intended to replace Chapter 10 of current Framework on supporting high-quality telecommunications infrastructure. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has carried out an impact assessment of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites, including the effect on the number of homes delivered through section 106 planning obligations.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes. However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu. My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally. However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites on the delivery of housing in rural areas.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes. However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu. My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally. However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce homelessness in West Berkshire.

The government is providing £3.6 billion funding for homelessness services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including more than £2.2 billion for local authorities to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant, as well as £969 million for temporary accommodation within the Revenue Support Grant. You can find local authority level allocations on gov.uk here. We published our national strategy, A National Plan to End Homelessness, in December 2025. You can find our plan to tackle homelessness on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the 2022 impact assessment on the 10 per cent commission payable on the resale of park homes, what additional financial information he is seeking from site owners to inform further policy consideration.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 115901 on 9 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a householder exemption to the Community Infrastructure Levy.

Householders building residential extensions and residential annexes to their homes can obtain an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), subject to completing the procedural process for obtaining the exemption within required timescales. The CIL guidance, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out all the criteria that must be met and procedures that must be followed to obtain an exemption. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered introducing an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy for householders.

Householders building residential extensions and residential annexes to their homes can obtain an exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), subject to completing the procedural process for obtaining the exemption within required timescales. The CIL guidance, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out all the criteria that must be met and procedures that must be followed to obtain an exemption. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a right for leaseholders to manage their own electricity supply arrangements.

The rights of leaseholders in respect of electricity supply arrangements are governed by the terms of their leases. The government is committed to implementing measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to make enfranchisement cheaper and easier. The Act sets the method for calculating the price of a statutory lease extension or freehold acquisition, known as the valuation process. It removes the requirement for marriage value to be paid, caps the treatment of ground rents in the valuation calculation at 0.1% of the freehold value, and allows government to prescribe the rates used to calculate the enfranchisement premium. Valuation rates used to calculate the enfranchisement premium will be set by the Secretary of State in secondary legislation. We will consult on valuation rates and commence the relevant provisions as soon as possible. As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), primary legislation will be required to rectify a small number of specific flaws in the 2024 Act before the Act’s enfranchisement provisions are commenced. Once brought into force, these measures, together with the already implemented removal of the two-year qualifying rule for enfranchisement, will mean leaseholders will be able to buy their freehold at any time, at a fair price. This will allow them to manage the electricity supply in their building.

Communities and Local Government, how the proposed revised National Planning Policy Framework will protect and enhance playing fields, pitches and community sports facilities.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 107478 on 30 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to increase investment in social housing.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 28 January 2026 (HCWS1283) and 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).