Written questions by Davies.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his department is taking to expand leaseholder right of first refusal.

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.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that Automated External Defibrillators are included as standard infrastructure in new housing developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80347 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in (a) care homes, (b) student halls, (c) office spaces and (d) other residential settings not covered by the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

The goverrnment currently has no plans to extend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, which are designed specifically to address issues associated with rented residential accommodation. Other buildings, including workplaces and care settings, are already covered by other regulations. The Building Regulations 2010 apply to new building work, including air supply and chimney or flue requirements for combustion appliances installed in buildings, and for dwellings only the provision of warnings of a release of carbon monoxide. The Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations 1998 require owners of premises to ensure gas appliances are installed and maintained properly by a competent gas safe registered engineer, which the Health and Safety Executive advise is the most effective way to reduce the risk from carbon monoxide. The 2015 smoke and CO alarm regulations 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. The government has also introduced additional safety legislation to protect tenants from health and safety hazards through the introduction of Awaab’s Law which will come onto force for damp, mould and all emergency hazards this month.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms (Amendment) Regulations 2022 to (a) schools, (b) office spaces and (c) other public buildings.

The goverrnment currently has no plans to extend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, which are designed specifically to address issues associated with rented residential accommodation. Other buildings, including workplaces and care settings, are already covered by other regulations. The Building Regulations 2010 apply to new building work, including air supply and chimney or flue requirements for combustion appliances installed in buildings, and for dwellings only the provision of warnings of a release of carbon monoxide. The Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations 1998 require owners of premises to ensure gas appliances are installed and maintained properly by a competent gas safe registered engineer, which the Health and Safety Executive advise is the most effective way to reduce the risk from carbon monoxide. The 2015 smoke and CO alarm regulations 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. The government has also introduced additional safety legislation to protect tenants from health and safety hazards through the introduction of Awaab’s Law which will come onto force for damp, mould and all emergency hazards this month.

Communities and Local Government, what long-term plans he has to (a) maintain and (b) expand urban green spaces.

The government is firmly committed to both maintain and expanding parks and urban green spaces, they are an essential part of local social infrastructure which supports more connected, stronger communities. Regarding the maintenance of urban green spaces, the MHCLG-owned Green Flag Award sets the national quality standard for parks and green spaces, the scheme aims to meet the needs of the communities they serve and has helped to transform thousands of parks and green spaces across the country. The Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that strategic policies should set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of places and make sufficient provision for the conservation and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environment, including green infrastructure. We will use our bold Pride in Place strategy which sets out how we will deliver up to £5 billion over ten years to up to 350 neighbourhoods experiencing the highest levels of deprivation bolstering a wide range of community assets, including urban green spaces. The strategy is a significant step change in how we support urban communities and their green spaces.

Communities and Local Government, how she plans to implement her planning reform policy; and when she expects her reforms to start to impact regional development.

The government will continue to implement its ambitious planning reform agenda through a combination of legislation, policy, and guidance. No general statement can be made about when the impact of individual measures will be felt in specific areas.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to (a) increase housing affordability and (b) ensure balanced regional development.

Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament. At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549). The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes. We will set out set 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. Through the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024, the government implemented a new standard method for assessing housing needs to increase supply and better direct new homes to the areas where they are currently least affordable and therefore most needed.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce (a) homelessness and (b) the number of children in temporary accommodation.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across the key government departments with the greatest impact on homelessness to develop a long-term strategy, and an Expert Group bringing together representatives from across the homelessness and rough sleeping sector. We continue to engage with DEFRA on measures as part of the development of our long-term housing strategy. We are also delivering a number of lived experience forums to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are reflected in the homelessness strategy. We are already taking the first steps to get back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget, grant funding for homelessness services is increasing this year by £233 million compared to last year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total funding to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26. Further information on the allocations of homelessness grant funding in the 2025/26 financial year can be found in the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-prevention-grant-allocations-2025-to-2026 The Government is also tackling the root causes of homelessness, including the delivery of the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament. And the Renters’ Rights Bill will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empower people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to promote community-based initiatives that foster social connections among vulnerable populations.

The government funds programmes to increase social connections including those run by Near Neighbours and Schools Linking, which deliver initiatives in communities to bring people together.Community groups also play a crucial role in promoting social cohesion and providing services which improve health and wellbeing, reduce anti-social behaviour, protect nature and offer support to groups in need. On 23 December 2024 we announced the outcome of round 4 of the Community Ownership Fund, with 85 projects from across the UK receiving £36.2 million in funding.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the Housing Act 1996 to help protect people living with HIV from housing discrimination.

All people diagnosed with HIV are already afforded the full protections from discrimination relating to the provision of housing or services under the Equality Act 2010. Landlords and agents may not victimise or discriminate against a person based on their HIV status in relation to the offer of a tenancy, the terms on which a tenancy is offered, or in their general treatment in relation to the letting process.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department considers people living with HIV to have a priority need for housing.

Local authorities are required to give ‘reasonable preference’ (priority) for social housing to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds. This includes people with chronic or progressive medical conditions such as HIV.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the Housing Revenue Account reflects the potential benefits for the council’s own tenants.

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is a ring-fenced accounting mechanism within the General Fund. The ring-fence ensures that the income from tenants’ rents is only spent on the upkeep and management of local authority tenants’ homes and protects them from funding services already paid for through Council Tax. The HRA can also contribute toward the building of new council housing.Councils are responsible for meeting their statutory responsibilities as a landlord within their HRA.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to accelerate the existing work to (a) proactively identify and (b) make available voting solutions for (i) blind and (ii) partially sighted people.

The Elections Act 2022 sets out requirements for the Returning Officers who run elections to consider and provide support for electors with all forms of disability, including those with varying degrees of sight loss. The Tactile Voting Device designed to assist voters with sight loss has been in use since 2001, which the Government understands has worked well for some, and a variety of options including use of magnifiers, digital reading applications and audio are used by electors with differing preferences. We are working with the members of the Accessibility of Elections Working Group, drawn from organisations supporting and representing disabled people – including RNIB and others such as Mencap – alongside electoral administrators and the Electoral Commission, which provides statutory guidance on this matter, to identify and promote further options for disabled voters. We will continue to consider developments internationally and work closely with these organisations and the elections sector to support Returning Officers to provide solutions for all disabled electors, including those with sight loss, to take part in the democratic process.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle delays due to financial infeasibility in an increasing number of (a) social and (b) council house building projects.

The Government has committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.On 30 July we announced a number of changes in planning policy designed to support the delivery of affordable homes and 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.At this week’s Budget, the Chancellor will 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. This comes ahead of the multi-year Spending Review next spring, where the Government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme.The Chancellor will also confirm that councils will be able to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales. In addition, the Government will consult on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to provide the sector with the certainty it needs to invest in new social housing.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to establish a (a) green and (b) decent homes programme.

The Government recognises the need for low carbon homes, fit for a net zero future. Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. These homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. No further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon over time as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise. This will support our ambition that the 1.5 million homes we will build over the course of this parliament will be high quality, well designed and sustainable.The Government is also clear that everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and recently committed to bringing forward a consultation as soon as possible setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors. We have also committed to consult on EPC C (or equivalent) by 2030 for both rented sectors so that existing homes are warm and can be cheaper to heat.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department provides funding to local councils to enforce the ban on the use of barbecues and open fires on the moors during the summer.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government provides no specific funding to local councils to enforce the ban on the use of barbecues and open fires on moorland. The majority of the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced in acknowledgement that local areas know best how to prioritise spending within their communities.

Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to increase collaboration between local councils and fire services to help tackle moorland fires.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government works closely with Local Resilience Forums, which include local councils and fire and rescue services to support local collaboration and preparation for a wide range of the resilience risks including fires.