Written questions by Glindon.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help young people buy their first property in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the proportion of adults without photographic identification.

Research by Verian, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, found that 2-4% of the 18+ UK population do not own an accepted form of identification that would enable them to vote in person at a polling station. The Government believes the current Voter ID rules are too restrictive. We are therefore bringing forward changes, as part of the Representation of the People Bill, to allow the use of UK-authorised in-date bank cards as identification at polling stations in Great Britain. This will allow a greater proportion of electors to more easily meet the voter identification requirements. The Verian research found that, with the introduction of this new measure, the proportion of the 18+ UK population without a form of accepted ID would fall to less than 1%.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to improve access to photographic identification.

Research by Verian, commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, found that 2-4% of the 18+ UK population do not own an accepted form of identification that would enable them to vote in person at a polling station. The Government believes the current Voter ID rules are too restrictive. We are therefore bringing forward changes, as part of the Representation of the People Bill, to allow the use of UK-authorised in-date bank cards as identification at polling stations in Great Britain. This will allow a greater proportion of electors to more easily meet the voter identification requirements. The Verian research found that, with the introduction of this new measure, the proportion of the 18+ UK population without a form of accepted ID would fall to less than 1%.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee in planning decisions involving playing fields on youth participation in sport.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution of the Pensions Minister on 3 December 2025, Official Report, column 1043, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of introducing legislation to develop statutory guidance for the local government pension scheme on (a) fiduciary duty and (b) systemic risks.

Administering authorities in the Local Government Pension Scheme are already required by statutory guidance to discharge their responsibilities in managing investments with care, skill, prudence and diligence. They must also consider factors that are financially material to the performance of their investments, including systemic risks such as climate risk. Non-financial factors may also be taken into account, provided they do not risk significant financial detriment to the scheme and where they have good reason to think that scheme members would support their decision.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support (a) YMCA England & Wales and (b) other organisations to build additional move-on accommodation for people leaving supported housing.

We have invested over £1 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services this year, which can be used flexibly to address a range of local needs, including support for young people. The Spending Review protects this record level of investment to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping for the next three years.For young people ready to live independently, we are delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, backed by the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. We are also reforming the private rented sector to give more security to tenants, bringing an end to rental bidding, outlawing discrimination against prospective tenants with children or those who receive social security benefits; and preventing landlords from demanding large amounts of rent in advance.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of rental properties with an EPC rating of (a) A, (b) B, (c) C, (d) D and (e) E in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.

The Department publishes data through the English Housing Survey (EHS) on the EPC rating of properties by tenure for all of England (DA7101), and the EPC rating of properties across all tenures for the North East (DA7102). However, the English Housing Survey does not hold the data at the constituency level.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the affordability of ground rents in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.

The government is committed to addressing unregulated and unaffordable ground rents and we will do this in legislation. We will set out further details on our detailed plans for existing ground rents in due course. Data on ground rents is collected as part of the English Housing Survey and published in the leasehold experience fact sheet. The latest publication found that 77% of leaseholders currently pay a ground rent with an average ground rent of £304. This publication includes information on ground rents by region. High ground rents which escalate rapidly create affordability issues both directly through the increased cost leaseholders face by also by making it harder for leaseholders to mortgage or sell their properties. In a 2023 survey undertaken by Propertymark, a leading membership body for property agents, 78 per cent of their members reported that a leasehold property with an escalating ground rent will struggle to sell, even if priced correctly.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the level of turnover of Local Government Pension Scheme trustees on an understanding of the duty to consider climate-related risk.

Administering authorities are already required to consider factors that are financially material to the performance of their investments, including environmental considerations such as climate risks.The government has consulted on proposals to ensure that those involved in decision making in administering authorities have the appropriate level of knowledge and understanding for their roles.

Communities and Local Government, if she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using proposed biennial governance reviews of administering authorities to ensure that trustees regularly review science-based forecasts of climate risks.

Administering authorities are already required to consider factors that are financially material to the performance of their investments, including environmental considerations such as climate risks.The government has consulted on proposals to ensure that those involved in decision making in administering authorities have the appropriate level of knowledge and understanding for their roles.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the affordability of service charges for leaseholders; and if he will take steps to limit their rate of increase.

The government recognise the considerable financial strain that rising services charges are placing on leaseholders. The level of service charge that leaseholders pay depends on many factors, including the terms of a lease and the age and condition of a building. By law, variable service charges must be reasonable. Should leaseholders wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal. The government has no plans to cap service charges for tenants and leaseholders given this would prevent necessary funds being raised for legitimate purposes when necessary. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes measures designed to drive up the transparency of service charges to make them more easily challengeable if leaseholders consider them to be unreasonable. Once commenced, these will ensure all leaseholders receive minimum key financial and non-financial information on a regular basis, including introducing a standardised service charge demand form and an annual report. The government is committed to acting quickly to implement the provisions of the Act. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on Thursday 21 November (HCWS244).

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of giving people who have missed a single council tax payment more than seven days to pay before the remaining annual sum is made due in full.

Local councils are responsible for the collection and enforcement of council tax and have powers to agree alternative payment plans at any point in the collection process. The government’s guidance on council tax collection makes clear that councils are expected to be sympathetic to those in financial hardship and willing to negotiate payments at any point in the process. The government keeps all council tax policies under review.The government will publish a consultation in 2025 to consider options to improve council tax billing and wider council tax administration changes to support taxpayers.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the level of reasonable costs that local authorities can recover when issuing a liability order for council tax arrears.

Councils are responsible for the collection and enforcement of council tax, and it is for them to assess the reasonable costs incurred in issuing a liability order. This is an important matter which the government continues to keep under review. The government will publish a consultation in 2025 to consider options to improve council tax billing and wider council tax administration changes to support taxpayers.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timescale is for the proposed changes to the rules on ground rent.

As outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents. We will deliver this in legislation and will set out next steps in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her oral Answer to the Question from the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend of 2 December 2024, Official Report, column 11, if she will publish the initial equality impact assessment.

The Department prepared an initial equality impact assessment in advance of the announcement of the location strategy, in line with our responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty. The Department is now consulting trade unions and staff. The consultation is considering the impact on the individuals affected by the decision to close six of our offices, with a view to informing the measures to mitigate those impacts and enable those individuals to continue to perform their roles effectively.The equality impact assessment is being updated throughout that consultation process, to include the feedback from staff, including those with protected characteristics. The latest version has been shared with the trade unions.The final version will be published following completion of that consultation process. My officials have met with trade union representatives on a regular basis and will continue to meet with them throughout the consultation and implementation process.

Communities and Local Government, what account her Department took of the public sector equality duty in taking the decision to close six offices across its estate.

The Department prepared an initial equality impact assessment in advance of the announcement of the location strategy, in line with our responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty. The Department is now consulting trade unions and staff. The consultation is considering the impact on the individuals affected by the decision to close six of our offices, with a view to informing the measures to mitigate those impacts and enable those individuals to continue to perform their roles effectively.The equality impact assessment is being updated throughout that consultation process, to include the feedback from staff, including those with protected characteristics. The latest version has been shared with the trade unions.The final version will be published following completion of that consultation process. My officials have met with trade union representatives on a regular basis and will continue to meet with them throughout the consultation and implementation process.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposed office closures on (a) disabled staff, (b) neurodiverse staff, (c) staff with caring responsibilities and (d) staff with other protected characteristics.

I refer my hon Friend to my answer to Question UIN 19288 on 17 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has met with trade union representatives for staff in her Department since 5 July 2024.

I refer my hon Friend to my answer to Question UIN 19288 on 17 December 2024.