Written questions by French.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of Local Authorities commissioning gambling harms prevention; and of their capacity to do so.

In April 2025, the statutory gambling levy came into effect to fund the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm across Great Britain. In its first year, the levy has raised nearly £120 million, with 30% allocated to gambling harms prevention activity. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, responsible for the implementation and oversight of the gambling levy, remains confident that levy commissioners are best placed to make decisions on the future of their work programmes regarding the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms. As prevention commissioners, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) in England and Scottish and Welsh Governments continue to work collaboratively on the development of their respective work programmes, drawing on expertise from across the system. OHID will employ a ‘test and learn’ approach as they transition to the new levy system, to better-understand what interventions are most effective in preventing gambling harms at a local, regional and national level. Local authorities are well placed to play a central role in preventing gambling‑related harms across local communities. An OHID-led stocktake of local authority activity in this space indicated that whilst some activity is already underway, there is appetite within local authorities to do more. OHID is developing a fund for all upper-tier local authorities across England, which will aim to strengthen local capacity to tackle gambling‑related harm by facilitating improved understanding of local need and supporting the development of effective local and regional networks. This will be delivered alongside the Gambling Harms Prevention: Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) grant fund which will fund VCSE organisations to deliver prevention activity across England from April 2026 to March 2028.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December to Question 96967 on Sports: Facilities, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.

The government has no plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local planning authorities to make assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities in their areas (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses), and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 December, to question 96967 on Sports: Facilities, if he will make an assessment of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.

The government has no plans to make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local planning authorities to make assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities in their areas (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses), and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities.

My Department has not made an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses) and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate. The NPPF also sets out policies to maintain pitches and to conserve protected landscapes and designated heritage assets, all of which are important material considerations to be taken into account when dealing with applications for development which may affect them.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to require local authorities to collect and publish baseline data on current (a) sports facilities and (b) heritage landscapes.

My Department has not made an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) distribution and (b) availability of sports pitches by local authorities. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space, sport and recreation facilities (including quantitative or qualitative deficits or surpluses) and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from the assessments should be used to determine what open space, sport and recreational provision is needed, which plans should then seek to accommodate. The NPPF also sets out policies to maintain pitches and to conserve protected landscapes and designated heritage assets, all of which are important material considerations to be taken into account when dealing with applications for development which may affect them.

Communities and Local Government, if he will set out a timeline for bringing section 102 of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 into force.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to UIN 69488 on 2 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of planning applications affecting sports pitches over the last five years by local authority.

My Department has not made a specific assessment about the adequacy of the types of application in question. Sport England received 1,164 statutory consultations in 2024/25, objecting to 30% of cases.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) local authority leaders, (b) metro-mayors and (c) the Mayor of London on the value for money of foreign visits.

Local authorities are responsible for their own financial management, and we do not monitor their day-to-day business. We expect all local authorities to take prudent decisions and ensure they manage their finances effectively, in line with “Best Value” guidance, under the Local Government Act 1999.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the trends in the number of houses in multiple occupation on house prices in each local authority.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 75141 on 16 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department has given to the potential merits of mandating carbon monoxide detectors in every home with fixed combustion appliances.

I refer the hon. Member to answer given to Question UIN 80767 on 20 October 2025.The Building Regulations 2010 apply to new building work and are intended to protect people’s safety, health and welfare. They apply when a building is being designed, constructed, or subject to major re-design, so that minimum standards for size, space and materials are included. The Regulations, which are supported by statutory guidance in Approved Document J, set minimum performance standards for new building work including, at Schedule 1 Part J, provisions for detection and early warning of carbon monoxide. The statutory guidance makes clear that where a new or replacement fixed gas or solid fuel burning appliance is installed in a dwelling, a carbon monoxide alarm should be provided in the room where the appliance is located.The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2015 provide important protections for renters, private and social, requiring landlords to fit smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes. In addition to these regulations, fire and carbon monoxide safety requirements can be found in the Housing Act 2004, the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022, and government will protect tenants further through our review of the Decent Homes Standard and the new requirements to address health and safety hazards under Awaab’s Law.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the process for allotment disposal by local authorities.

Under the Allotments Act 1925, in order for local authorities to dispose of allotments they have to seek approval from the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and a defined legal threshold must be met before approval. This includes: the allotment to be surplus to requirements, any waiting lists to be considered, public consultation to have occurred, and other local policies to have been considered. At present, we have made no formal assessment of the potential merits of amending the process for allotment disposal by local authorities.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 34945 on Freedom of Expression, if she will make an assessment of the compatibility of the Youth Parliament’s statement in its manifesto 2024-26 that freedom of speech should be balanced against the rights of others, and the law should better reflect this, with the Government commitment to freedom of speech.

The Government is clear that everyone has a fundamental right to freedom of speech. People are expected to express their views concerning respectfully including exercising the appropriate restraints within the confines of the law when providing criticism. All language adopted by Government must be accurate and acknowledge British citizens’ unchanging right to freedom of speech and expression.