Written questions by Mullane.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the impact of outdoor digital billboards on communities in the context of the revised National Planning Policy Framework.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his department is taking to ensure transitional support for the landfill gas to energy sector will be in place when the Renewables Obligation for LFGTE expires on 31 March 2027.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his department has made of the potential impact the expiry of the Renewables Obligation for LFGTE on 31 March 2027 on local authority finances.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the expiry of the Renewables Obligation for LFGTE on the Methane Action Plan.

Awaiting answer.

What protections are in place for consumers on heat networks wishing to challenge charges before the completion of the Ofgem authorisation process in January 2027.

Awaiting answer.

What powers Ofgem has to intervene where heat network prices are considered excessive.

Awaiting answer.

What his Department's planned timetable is for the full implementation of the heat network regulatory framework.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the value-for-money to the taxpayer of the retrospective Loan Charge.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 9 February 2026 to UINs 109841, 109843 and 109842.

How many outstanding cases of people facing the retrospective Loan Charge she expects will be settled as a result of the McCann Review.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers I gave on 9 February 2026 to UINs 109841, 109843 and 109842.

What steps he is taking to increase the jobs and skills needed in the construction and retrofit sectors to meet the delivery targets in the Warm Homes Plan.

The Warm Homes Plan will support up to 180,000 additional jobs in energy efficiency and clean heating by 2030. It includes our £8 million Warm Homes Skills Programme and a £7 million Heat Training Grant already helping people gain requisite skills and qua...

What plans he has to future proof existing and new housing.

The Future Homes and Buildings Standards will come into force on 24 March 2027 and there will be a further transitional period for one year afterwards to allow the construction sector to transition smoothly to the new standards. The FHS reduces energy dem...

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his department has had with faith groups and local authorities promoting faith covenants since the Prime Minister’s commitment in June 2024.

This Government recognises the value of partnership working at the local level to support communities, including between faith and belief groups and local authorities. Faith Covenants are an important example of such partnerships. The Civil Society Covena...

Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with internet search providers on preventing unofficial websites from presenting themselves as government service portals and charging inflated fees for services.

The Government Digital Service works with a number of external partners, including internet search providers, to help prevent unofficial websites from presenting themselves as government services and charging inflated fees. This includes identifying and removing misleading or imitation sites.GDS also cooperates with organisations such as the National Cyber Security Centre and Action Fraud to support wider efforts to tackle online scams and misinformation. Responsibility for taking action against websites that imitate or unfairly charge for specific government services primarily sits with the department that owns the relevant service.

Innovation and Technology, what recent steps she has taken to help improve public awareness of the risks associated with using unofficial third party websites for accessing government services.

The department continues to strengthen GOV.UK as the authoritative source of online government information and services.This includes upholding its clear and consistent identity so that users recognise and trust official content, supporting efforts to counter scams and misinformation. DSIT additionally works with the National Cyber Security Centre, Action Fraud and search engine providers to find and remove misleading websites.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of third party websites charging for government services that are otherwise free or low cost.

While the department has not made a formal assessment of the prevalence of third‑party websites that charge for government services which are otherwise free or low cost, it is reducing their impact through prevention, enhancing awareness and collaborating with partners.This includes strengthening GOV.UK as a trusted and recognisable brand to help users identify official government services, and working with the National Cyber Security Centre, Action Fraud and search engine providers to find and remove misleading websites.Responsibility for taking action against imitation websites relating to specific services primarily sits with the department that owns the service concerned.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an independent process to set benefit levels in line with essential costs.

The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review benefit and State Pension rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. Where the relevant benefit or State Pension rates have not retained their value, legislation provides that the Secretary of State is required to, or in some instances may, up-rate their value. Following this review, State Pension and benefit rates are increased in line with statutory minimum amounts and others are increased subject to Secretary of State’s discretion.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of commissioning independent advice on the cost of essentials when setting the rate of the Universal Credit Standard Allowance.

The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with the cost of essentials. The Universal Credit Act will deliver the first sustained above inflation rise in the standard allowance of Universal Credit since it was introduced. A Universal Credit award is made up of a standard allowance towards basic living costs, paid according to age and household unit. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, disability, and childcare costs. Each household will always have different requirements depending on their circumstances. We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a range of organisations to ensure the social security system provides the support people need.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases to the Economic Crime Levy on not-for-profit housing associations.

The Government published its summary of the impacts of the increases to the Economic Crime (Anti-Money Laundering) Levy in the policy paper titled "Economic Crime Levy – changes to bands and charges” (Economic Crime Levy — changes to bands and charges - GOV.UK). The Levy was designed with simplicity and proportionality at its core, to limit the administrative burden on regulated entities. Accordingly, it applies to any entity that carries out activity regulated by the Money Laundering Regulations and no entity pays more than 0.1% of its revenue in charges. A full review of the Levy will be undertaken in 2027.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to deliver a sustainable supported housing sector.

The government values the vital role played by supported housing in helping older, disabled and other vulnerable people to live independently and well, and the contribution it makes to wider government objectives, including tackling rough sleeping and homelessness.Funding for the local commissioning of local housing-related support services is through the Local Government Finance Settlement. The final 2026-27 Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The final 2026-27 to 2028-29 Settlement confirms £740 million in new grant funding additional to the provisional Settlement, bringing the total new grant funding delivered through the multi-year Settlement to over £4 billion.As part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, we have provided £159 million for targeted areas over 2026-29 for support services in supported housing, with the primary focus on reducing single homelessness and rough sleeping.At the Spending Review, the government announced £39 billion for a new Social and Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36. This programme also seeks to support an increase in the delivery of specialist and supported housing.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help reduce local authority reliance on temporary accommodation.

Through our National Plan to End Homelessness the government is putting prevention at the heart of public services, alongside with actions to address the root causes of homelessness through building more homes, reforming renters’ rights, and tackling poverty. Local councils are at the front line of the response to homelessness and must lead the way in putting prevention at the core of their services. The government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here. We are also investing £3.6 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention. This includes over £2.2 billion funding for homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant. Allocations are published on gov.uk here.