Written questions by Savage.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department has issued to managing agents and freeholders of retirement housing developments on the fire alarm upgrades in buildings under 11 metres; and what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that leaseholders are not required to fund unnecessary fire safety upgrades through service charges.

The Responsible Person for any residential building (regardless of height) is the person or entity responsible for keeping residents safe from the risk of fire. Decisions on how to keep residents safe and what actions are required should be made based on advice from a Competent Person following a Fire Risk Assessment. MHCLG has no direct role in deciding whether interim measures such as a common fire alarm should be implemented. Sector-led Simultaneous Evacuation Guidance published by the National Fire Chiefs Council supports Responsible Persons to meet their existing duties and guides them towards a consistent, standardised approach to a change in evacuation strategy and implementation of interim measures where this is necessary. By law, variable service charges must be reasonable, and leaseholders have the right to challenge unreasonable charges at the appropriate tribunal. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes measures to increase transparency over service charges and remove barriers for leaseholders to challenge costs, helping them better understand what they are being asked to pay for. The Building Safety Act’s leaseholder protections also place caps on how much can be charged for remediation of historical life-critical fire safety defects in most 11-metre-plus buildings.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on taking safety action where land is ownerless due to escheat and poses a risk to highways or public safety.

Local authorities have powers provided by section 78 of the Building Act 1984 to take emergency measures when dealing with dangerous structures. If a structure, or part of it, appears dangerous and requires immediate action to remove the danger, the local authority may take steps as necessary for that purpose. While the Ministry does not issue guidance in relation to ownerless land and highways, the Law Commission in its 14th Programme of Law Reform will look to address the problems that may arise when land ceases to have an owner and transfers to the Crown. The project will carry out a review of bona vacantia and escheat with the aim of clarifying the law.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of risk assessments undertaken in relation to house purchases that consider climate change, in particular with regard to the disclosure of flood risk.

Flood risk assessments used in property transactions are typically drawn from environmental searches obtained through commercial search organisations. The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) is the leading trade association for search organisations. Members are required to adhere to a code of practice which sets standards across the search industry. Conveyancers share search results with clients in line with their duty to act in the client’s best interests. Where clients have concerns, the Law Society recommends conveyancers should advise seeking further input from environmental experts. On 6 October, my department published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. These contained proposals to ensure buyers receive comprehensive upfront property information, including information on flood risk. The consultations can be found on gov.uk here and here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the cumulative financial impact on tenants of repeated displacement, including removal costs, deposit bridging, and short-term accommodation and (b) the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the levels of these costs.

My Department has made no such specific assessments.The Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of (a) the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the frequency of tenant displacement caused by landlords selling properties and (b) trends in the levels of repeated forced moves for compliant tenants.

My Department has made no such specific assessments.The Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on homelessness presentations, local authority workloads, and private rented sector supply.

The Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of (a) the potential impact of the removal of fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on levels of certainty for landlords seeking to sell or recover possession and (b) how this may affect rental supply.

My Department has made no such specific assessments.The Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Government policies on rural economies and high streets on the social and community value of pubs.

Pubs are at the heart of rural communities, supporting the local economy, providing a space for people to come together, and offering essential services. The Government is investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify. Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we will also introduce a new community right to buy to empower communities to bring valued assets such as pubs into community ownership and protect them for future use.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been issued to local authorities to ensure they are aware of, and are actively reassessing, potential underpayment of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction for pensioners affected by new income tax liabilities.

Billing authorities are responsible for assessing the income and circumstances of pensioners in receipt of a council tax reduction in accordance with the legislation and for ensuring that they are billed correctly. As with pension age council tax reduction, entitlement to Housing Benefit is calculated on the basis of the net income an individual receives from earnings, self-employment, occupational pensions and the actual value of DWP benefits which are received. The Government reviews and uprates benefits each year and updates the eligibility criteria for pension-age Local Council Tax Support to reflect this.

Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications will be exempt from the requirement to replace lost nature under previous biodiversity net gain requirements.

On 28 May 2025, the government published a consultation on improving the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development which can be found on gov.uk here. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is considering the responses received.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the development capacity for housing on brownfield sites.

Brownfield (or previously developed) land sites across England vary greatly. As such, local planning authorities are best placed to assess the suitability of individual brownfield sites for redevelopment. National planning policy makes clear that strategic policy-making authorities should have a clear understanding of the land available in their area through the preparation of a strategic housing land availability assessment. From this, planning policies should identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites, taking into account their availability, suitability, and likely economic viability. The government has committed capital funding through the Brownfield Land Release Fund to help overcome challenges to brownfield redevelopment such as viability issues and contamination.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including council and housing association tenants are not included in the EPC rating system requirements; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that social housing tenants have (a) adequate heating systems, (b) affordable heating bills and (c) the same rights as private renters.

Every tenant deserves to live in a decent, warm and comfortable home. The recently closed consultation on the future of Energy Performance Certificates, which can be found on gov.uk here, provides an opportunity to ensure the standard in the social rented sector incentivise the appropriate measures for each home. The government also recently consulted on proposals to set a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) for socially rented homes. Socially rented homes are not currently required to meet a minimum EPC standard and current requirements are roughly equivalent to an EPC ‘F’ rating. The consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, proposes setting the standard at EPC C or equivalent by 2030. This mirrors proposals to raise standards in the private rented sector, set out within a recently closed consultation on improving the energy performance of privately rented homes which can be found on gov.uk here. This MEES will be included in the modernised Decent Homes Standard (DHS), which the government recently consulted on, as part of a Criterion D on thermal comfort. The consultation on a reformed DHS for social and privately rented homes can be found on gov.uk here. Both consultations closed on 12 September, and we have committed to publishing the final standards before the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes in the number of (a) firefighter posts since 2010, (b) (i) fire stations and (ii) control rooms and (c) fire engines on the frontline on (A) levels of public safety and (B) response times; and if he will make it his policy to (1) prevent reductions to fire and rescue services, (2) provide more funding for frontline resources and (3) introduce national response standards to ensure consistent protection.

The Government acknowledges the vital contributions made by fire and rescue services. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed are a matter for each fire and rescue authority (FRA) as employer, based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances. Priorities for fire and rescue reform are subject to regular discussion with sector representatives through the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform (MAGFRR) and other relevant forums. The MAGFRR, established by this Government, serves as a platform for engaging with senior leaders across the sector to address policy challenges. Delivering on manifesto and other commitments, reform priorities endorsed by the Group aim to support FRAs’ drive to modernise fire and rescue services to ensure they are equipped to meet the evolving needs of communities. The Government remains committed to working collaboratively with all sector partners to drive meaningful change and ensure fire and rescue services have the resources they need to keep the public safe.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Flood Recovery Framework in providing timely support to affected households and businesses; and what steps she is taking to (a) reduce the time taken for applicants to receive payments and (b) improve the application process for applicants in (i) South Cotswolds constituency and (ii) the UK.

My thoughts are with all householders and business owners impacted by flooding, which is a devastating experience for those affected.Following activation of the Framework for Storms Babet and Henk in 2023/24, a joint review was undertaken to improve the delivery of flood recovery grants. While the core principles of the Framework remain unchanged, in response to feedback several administrative enhancements have been introduced to streamline processes, clarify responsibilities, extend data returns/claims deadlines and the sharing of best practices. These changes will improve the system for any part of England affected.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that householders in conservation areas whose permitted development rights were removed by local authorities are not required to submit a full householder planning application in order to install air source heat pumps, in the context of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2025, Section G, protections safeguarding the amenities of conservation areas.

National permitted development rights enable the installation of air and ground source heat pumps without the need for a planning application. Local authorities are able to remove permitted development rights by making an Article 4 direction if this is justified. In such cases an application for planning permission will be required in order to carry out the development previously allowed by the permitted development right.We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support local authorities with the availability of larger family homes and (b) ensure that future developments reflect local demand for such housing through neighbourhood planning.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local planning authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including (but not limited to) families with children, and to reflect this in their planning policies. We have already strengthened national policy to encourage the delivery of mixed tenure development and will consider what further steps we can take as part of our intent to produce a set of national policies for decision making later this year. The government remains of the view that neighbourhood plans can play an important role in the planning system. Communities can continue to prepare neighbourhood plans where they consider that doing so is in their best interests. Neighbourhood planning works best where it builds upon the foundation of the local plan to meet the priorities, preferences, and housing needs of the community. Government planning policy for traveller sites should be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Framework.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of local authorities selling statutory allotment sites on (a) rural and (b) smaller communities; and what steps she is taking to ensure those communities retain adequate access to allotment provision.

There are strict criteria in place to protect statutory allotments – these are sites covered by the Allotment Act 1925. A local authority cannot sell or dispose of statutory allotment land without the consent of the Secretary of State, who will only grant it if they are satisfied that either adequate alternative provision is made for displaced plot holders, or that such provision is unnecessary or not reasonably practicable.The rules on sales of assets have also been in place since 2016 and they have not changed. In fact, ministerial approval for sales of allotments were lower in 2024/25 than the average for previous years.The information regarding the number of people on waiting lists for an allotment is held by individual Local Authorities, not MHCLG, as they have the responsibility for the running, management and organisation of allotments.Government has made no formal assessment on the merits of selling statutory allotment sites in rural or smaller communities. The protections under the Allotment Act 1925, and the requirements under the Small Holdings and Allotment Act 1908 for local authorities to provide allotments where there is demand, provides the framework to ensure allotments are available to all communities.

Communities and Local Government, whether statutory guidance on Community Right to Buy provisions in the English Devolution Bill will recognise environmental impact when determining the value of community assets.

The government recognises the vital role of community spaces and wants to see them thriving again. Community Right to Buy will empower local people to bring community spaces back into community ownership.These provisions were introduced on 10 July in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. Subject to parliamentary passage, statutory guidance will be introduced in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to change the 10% commission charge which affects park home owners.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 44299 on 16 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of properties that undergo significant structural extensions but remain in their original council tax banding due to legislative restrictions on revaluation on local authority revenues.

Improvements to properties, such as extensions, are not generally taken into account for council tax banding purposes until the property is sold. The government believes it is right that people are not deterred from improving their home by the prospect of their council tax increasing. When the property is sold, the council tax band may increase, but only if the alterations have added sufficient value to push the property into a higher band. The government does not have any plans to change this policy.