Every parliamentary written question tabled by Steve Darling this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–36 of 36 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, when she plans to reply to correspondence of 17 January 2025 from the hon. Member for Torbay on local government reorganisation; and if she will meet with the hon. Member for Torbay to discuss this issue.
I will respond to the letter imminently.
Communities and Local Government, when she plans to provide an Answer to Question 35806 on Resettlement: Afghanistan, tabled on 5 March 2025.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 35806 on 20 March 2025.
Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to increase funding support for towns and coastal communities.
The Government will set out a refreshed approach to local growth funding at the multi-year Spending Review in the Spring. An approach that includes more integrated settlements, over longer term, with less central direction and more local choice.
Communities and Local Government, if she will meet with the hon. Member for Torbay to discuss the Afghan Resettlement Programme.
Please write to ministers to outline your area of interest for discussion on the Afghan Resettlement Programme. As this is a cross-government programme your area of interests will determine which department is best to respond.
Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to help ensure that grants for affordable housing schemes do not sit as debt on housing association balance sheets.
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is responsible for setting prescribed accounting standards for the UK and Ireland, including the treatment of government grants. Grants, such as those associated with the Affordable Housing Programme, are not treated as debt on housing association balance sheets.
Communities and Local Government, how much base funding she plans to provide for (a) domestic abuse and sexual violence and (b) drugs and alcohol services in Torbay constituency.
In 2024/25, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) allocated Torbay, as a Tier One authority, £321,538 to commission support for victims of domestic abuse and their children within safe accommodation locally.On 28 November, the ...
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to renew play equipment in (a) parks and (b) public spaces.
The provision of playgrounds in parks and public spaces is primarily a matter for local authorities. We support local government and recognise the challenges that local authorities are facing as demand increases for critical services. We have listened to ...
Communities and Local Government, if he will review the postal voting system to help improve accessibility for blind and partially sighted people.
I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10319 on 29 October 2024.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to recover costs incurred by local authorities in maintaining the safety, security and environmental integrity of the property portfolio or
Local authorities have flexibility over the money they receive, enabling them to work with their residents to decide how best to spend it on local priorities. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are responsible for commissioning a diverse range of ...
Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans to publish the prospectus on the Long-Term Plan for Towns.
The Chancellor confirmed at the Budget on 30 October that the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme.A revised prospectus for the programme will be published in due course, confirming the associated ...
Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that care leavers below the age of 26 are given priority need status for homelessness support.
The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high and this can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people and care leavers. We will look at these issues carefully and will consider youth and care leaver homelessn...
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that investment in social rented housing will be prioritised for communities with (a) lower levels of social rented housing stock and (b) high levels of need.
The Government is committed to the greatest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. We intend to ensure that we are supporting the delivery of the right kinds of affordable homes to meet local need.The bid scoring mechanism of the Affordable Homes Programme actively targets areas of acute housing need by generating greater value for money for social landlords and central Government, and we strongly encourage bids from these areas.We are committed to setting out details of future Government investment in social and affordable housing at the forthcoming Spending Review.
Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing a duty on local authorities to provide overnight parking for motorhomes on local authority owned land.
Parking is the responsibility of local authorities, and it is for them to determine what is best for their own area. My department has no plans to consider such a duty.Should members of the public wish to influence policies, statutory guidance allows local residents to petition their Local Council to initiate a formal review of parking policies in their area. Councillors will then vote on the action to be taken.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Our Long-Term Plan for Towns, published on 1 October 2023, what her planned timetable is for providing targeted support to Torquay.
The government has inherited an extremely difficult fiscal environment and has a responsibility to fix the foundations of our economy, to ensure economic stability.The department will set out further details on next steps and confirmation of the revised timelines in due course.
Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that funding for social rented housing goes to communities where the need is greatest.
The Government is committed to the biggest growth in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. We intend to ensure that we are supporting the delivery of the right kinds of affordable homes to meet local need.The bid scoring mechanism of the Affordable Homes Programme actively targets areas of acute housing need by generating greater value for money for social landlords and central Government, and we strongly encourage bids from these areas.We are committed to setting out details of future Government investment in social and affordable housing at the Spending Review.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of public support for an elected Mayor in the South West peninsula.
The Government wants more areas to benefit from devolution settlements, with new powers that will allow them to play a leading role in delivering growth and bring economic benefit to communities. This is why we are encouraging local authorities to advance discussions on devolution settlements. We will develop further proposals to widen and deepen devolution through the landmark English Devolution Bill and welcome engagement in that process.