Written questions by Law.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken with Homes England to help support start-up builders.

Small and medium sized housebuilders are essential to meeting the government’s housing ambitions and supporting local economies.The government is acting to support SME housebuilders by increasing their access to land, providing further financial assistance and easing the burden of regulation.To that end, we have provided a £700 million extension to the Home Building Fund to help them build a further 12,000 homes and doubled the ENABLE Build Guarantee scheme to boost SME access to finance.We are making more Homes England land available to the sector through SME-only land sales with less bureaucratic sales process.We have also committed to simplifying the planning system with proposals for a new medium site size definition with corresponding policy and regulatory easements to help SME housebuilders thrive and grow. For further detail, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 16 December 2025 (HCWS1187).

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Kernow Industrial Growth Fund can be deployed as investment capital which can be recouped by Cornwall County Council for future projects.

Funding will be devolved to Cornwall Council, in line with the Government’s devolution agenda, empowering local leaders to invest in projects that best meet local needs. Final release of funding will be subject to a robust business case.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to provide capacity funding to local authorities for strategic economic development in Cornwall.

The government is establishing a £30 million fund to invest in Cornwall’s comparative sectoral advantages, including critical minerals, renewable energy and marine innovation, subject to a full business case. Funding will be devolved to Cornwall Council, in line with the government’s devolution agenda, empowering local leaders to invest in projects that best meet local needs. Project management costs are eligible as part of a capital project budget.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to reform planning rules and permitted development rights to facilitate a wider range of housing for elderly people, including modern, low‑maintenance retirement communities and purpose‑built nursing homes; and what steps he is taking to protect local care standards.

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including new policies designed to support the delivery of housing that meets the needs of different groups such as older people. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for assessing registered providers, including providers that deliver and manage residential and nursing homes. The CQC monitors, inspects and regulates services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. They can take appropriate action, including through their enforcement powers, when these standards are not met.

Communities and Local Government, whether he is taking steps to ensure that site freeholders are financially responsible for fighting fires within derelict buildings.

Owners of derelict buildings have obligations in respect of fire safety measures. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as amended by Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, the “Responsible Person” (usually the owner or person in control of the premises) must: - Carry out and record a fire risk assessment - Take steps to reduce fire risks - Maintain fire safety measures — even in non-occupied or derelict buildings Owners of derelict buildings are also required to liaise with their council tax authority concerning payment of council tax.

Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken to introduce regulation of (a) development and (b) residential management companies; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a (i) statutory regulator and (ii) code of practice for that sector.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77534 on 17 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to amend the Caravan Sites Act 1968 to prevent touring caravan sites becoming permanent without full planning permission requirements.

To operate land as touring caravan sites, site operators are required to have the appropriate planning permission and a site licence (unless exempted) from the local authority. If a site operator fails to get the necessary permissions and licence, the relevant local authority can take enforcement action against them.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is sufficient planning human resource capacity to enable the timely sign-off of pre-start conditions for affordable housing developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 67508 on 21 July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the financial pressures facing housing associations.

This government is committed to rebuilding the financial capacity of housing associations so they can borrow and invest in new and existing homes.At the Spending Review, the government set out funding to provide a decade of certainty for housing associations. This included a new ten-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) alongside a ten-year rent settlement that will permit social housing rents to increase by CPI+1% annually. In addition, we recently completed a focused consultation on how we will implement social rent convergence, ahead of a final decision to be announced at Autumn Budget.The Government has also committed over £1 billion between 2026 and 2030 to support cladding remediation for social landlords, ensuring equal access to building safety funds, as well as £2.5 billion in low-interest loans which will be made available to support new affordable housing development.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support affordable housing developers with (a) making grid connections, (b) installing drainage infrastructure, (c) achieving biodiversity net gain and (d) other development challenges.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period. The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund. The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 will also support the increased provision and modernisation of various types of public infrastructure. It makes clear that local authorities should have policies that set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of places; that they should make sufficient provision for infrastructure including energy; and that applications which could affect drainage on or around the site should incorporate sustainable drainage systems. The government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course. On 28 May 2025, the government published a consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 24 July 2025 and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is considering the responses received.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the extension of permitted days for temporary campsites on licensed campsite operators; and what steps she is taking to ensure a level regulatory playing field between licensed and temporary sites.

The government has no plans to carry out any such assessment but will continue to keep permitted development rights under review.

Communities and Local Government, what support is available for leaseholders in buildings under eleven metres in height impacted by building safety issues; and whether her Department plans to review the exclusion of such buildings from financial remediation schemes under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Fire risks from cladding are generally proportionate to building height. If remediation is required in buildings under 11 metres in height, the responsibility should rest with building owners. They should not pass these costs on to leaseholders but should seek to recover costs from those who were responsible for building unsafe homes.The department announced targeted funding for multi-occupied residential buildings under 11 metres in the Remediation Acceleration Plan update. This funding will be available in exceptional cases, where there are life-critical fire safety risks from cladding and no alternative route to funding. This will protect leaseholders from unjust costs. Clear eligibility criteria which outline the application process for this exceptional funding will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to give Community Land Trusts improved access to Registered Provider status.

Community Land Trusts and other community-based organisations can already apply to become registered providers of social housing. The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) sets registration criteria with respect to an applicant’s financial situation, constitution, or other arrangements for its management. Applicants who meet these criteria, regardless of the specific model of the provider, must be registered by law.Being a registered provider brings significant responsibilities. RSH’s registration criteria are designed to ensure that, once registered, social landlords are capable of meeting ongoing regulatory requirements to provide safe, well-maintained homes through organisations that are well governed and financially viable.The Regulator uses an outcomes-based approach to regulation; this also applies to the registrations process. This means that applicants have flexibility in how they demonstrate that they meet the criteria, allowing applicants with a range of business structures to have an approach that suits their needs.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to allocate fines to housebuilders from the Competition and Markets Authority to support the community land trust sector.

Seven housebuilders have agreed to pay a total of £100 million to affordable housing programmes across all four nations of the UK following a CMA investigation in response to concerns that they exchanged details about sales including pricing, number of property viewings and incentives offered to buyers.The CMA is currently undertaking a consultation on how the money may be used. That consultation closes 24 July. Decisions on how the money is allocated will be made after the responses to the consultation have been analysed.

Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to expand the definition of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests to include (a) being in receipt of an employment offer and (b) being a candidate for employment in an ongoing employment process.

Section 28 of the Localism Act 2011 (‘the Act’) requires a local authority to make provisions in its member code of conduct not just for the registration of pecuniary interests but also for other interests; this may include employment offers.Under the Act, local authorities are required to have member code of conduct provisions that conform to the Nolan Principles and promote and maintain high standards of conduct. The Local Government Association has produced guidance on gov.uk a model code of conduct, recommending that they include provisions that members must not use their position improperly to the advantage or disadvantage of themselves or anyone else.It is currently for local authorities to decide their code of conduct in line with lawful requirements. We consulted on a mandatory gov.uk minimum code of conduct for local authorities in England and will respond to the consultation in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what fiscal measures her Department has considered to help facilitate the renovation of existing residential sites.

The government is committed to supporting estate regeneration schemes to transform neighbourhoods by delivering well designed housing and public space, a better quality of life and new opportunities for tenants.As of June 2023, grant funding provided through the government’s Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26 can be used to fund replacement homes alongside new affordable homes, as part of wider estate regeneration plans.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) bee and (b) swift bricks on urban biodiversity; and what steps her Department is taking to promote the inclusion of bee bricks in new housing developments and infrastructure projects.

The National Model Design Code and Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework set out how development can incorporate a range of nature friendly features including bee bricks and swift bricks.The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 expects developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has conducted an impact assessment of the Right to Buy scheme on council (a) house building (b) housing stock.

The government has not undertaken a full formal impact assessment of the Right to Buy scheme.However, the impact of the increased 2012 Right to Buy discounts on council housing stock and housebuilding was considered as part of the review of discounts that was published in October 2024.More information can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help (a) councils and (b) local authorities deliver more (i) house-building and (ii) social housing.

The government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.On 30 July 2024 we announced a number of changes in planning policy designed to support the delivery of affordable homes. We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts, and a further £450 million for councils through the Local Authority Housing Fund enabling councils to grow their housing stock.At the Budget on 30 October 2024, the Chancellor set out details of an immediate one-year cash injection of £500 million to top up the existing Affordable Homes Programme which will deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes. The Chancellor also confirmed that we will reduce Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels and allow councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales.On 12 February 2025, the government announced a further cash injection of £300 million to the existing Affordable Homes Programme which will deliver up to 2,800 new homes, with more than half being Social Rent homes. The government also announced a £50 million uplift to the third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund.Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to provide the sector with the certainty it needs to invest in new social housing.We will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) trends in the level of local authority borrowing costs and (b) rent-setting policies on the ability of local councils to build and maintain housing stock.

The government recognises that access to low-cost borrowing and the certainty provided by a long-term rent settlement are essential to the ability of local authorities to build and maintain housing stock. To this end, the government is helping local authorities borrow more cheaply from the Public Works Loan Board until the end of 2025-26. Local authorities are responsible for their own capital strategies and have wide freedoms to use borrowing to support local investment. Under the current framework, they must ensure borrowing is prudent, affordable, and sustainable. The government recently consulted on a long-term rent settlement that would allow social housing rents to increase above inflation (by up to CPI + 1%) each year for five years from 2026. The consultation closed on 23 December and my officials and I are giving careful consideration to all the responses received. The government will issue its response to the consultation in due course.