Written questions by Slade.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to amend the (a) Building Safety Act 2022 and (b) Building Regulations to ensure (i) building owners and (ii) nominated building design professionals can access Building Control records when required.

Provisions already exist within section 53 of the Building Act 1984 (as amended by the Building Safety Act 2022) to ensure relevant building control information is made available to both local authorities and those carrying out building work when changing building control body.When a building control body can no longer provider services, they are required to provide the local authority any information it would have obtained had it been performing building control functions itself, and any additional information reasonably required to enable it to do so within 21 days. The building control body must also provide the person carrying out the work, typically the building owner or their nominated building design professional, any such information and other records necessary to allow another building control body to perform those functions.The Department is considering how best to invest in building control digitalisation to improve the openness, accessibility, interoperability and reusability of building control data and deliver better outcomes for regulators, developers, built environment professionals and members of the public.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Pride in place strategy, published on 25 September 2025, what steps he is taking with local authorities to help tackle (a) faith-based prejudice and (b) racism.

The Government has launched its Pride in Place Programme, providing up to £5bn funding and support over the next decade for 244 places across the country. This flagship offer will help build strong, resilient communities in areas that experience the most entrenched social and economic challenges. All forms of racial and religious hatred are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities. The Government has established an independent working group to advise on a definition of anti-Muslim hatred or Islamophobia. Furthermore, the Government has established an Antisemitism Working Group to provide advice on antisemitism. The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil their statutory obligations to asylum seekers. They are also working to deliver the commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels, by the end of this Parliament.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department have made an assessment of the potential impact for home boiler longevity of amending Part L of the Building Regulations to mandate (a) boiler inhibitor checks and (b) re-dosing as part of a boiler's required service.

Approved Document L provides statutory guidance on how to comply with Part L, including advice on adding an inhibitor when a heating system is installed and on providing maintenance information to homeowners through a home user guide. Checks or re-dosing of inhibitors during routine servicing are outside the scope of the Building Regulations where no building work is being undertaken. The safe installation, maintenance and use of gas systems and appliances are covered by the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 2018. The Government intends to amend Part L and its accompanying guidance in the coming months. The new standards, known as the Future Homes Standard, intends to effectively preclude the installation of gas boilers in new homes and ensure the use of low-carbon heating systems such as heat pumps.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Pride in place strategy, published on 25 September 2025, what steps he is taking to support (a) immigrants, (b) asylum seekers and (c) asylum accommodation providers.

The Government has launched its Pride in Place Programme, providing up to £5bn funding and support over the next decade for 244 places across the country. This flagship offer will help build strong, resilient communities in areas that experience the most entrenched social and economic challenges. All forms of racial and religious hatred are completely unacceptable and have no place in our communities. The Government has established an independent working group to advise on a definition of anti-Muslim hatred or Islamophobia. Furthermore, the Government has established an Antisemitism Working Group to provide advice on antisemitism. The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil their statutory obligations to asylum seekers. They are also working to deliver the commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels, by the end of this Parliament.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of postal vote renewals during the last ten years.

The department does not actively track trends in the level of postal vote renewals, or the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed, over any period.Information relating to postal vote applications will be held by independent Electoral Registration Officers rather than the UK Government and so it is not possible to provide more information about the number of postal vote applications that were not renewed during any period.The department will continue to work with the Electoral Commission and with local authorities to support independent Electoral Registration Officers with postal vote application activities.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking with local authorities to support people to renew their postal vote applications.

The department does not actively track trends in the level of postal vote renewals, or the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed, over any period.Information relating to postal vote applications will be held by independent Electoral Registration Officers rather than the UK Government and so it is not possible to provide more information about the number of postal vote applications that were not renewed during any period.The department will continue to work with the Electoral Commission and with local authorities to support independent Electoral Registration Officers with postal vote application activities.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed between April 2021 and April 2024.

The department does not actively track trends in the level of postal vote renewals, or the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were not renewed, over any period.Information relating to postal vote applications will be held by independent Electoral Registration Officers rather than the UK Government and so it is not possible to provide more information about the number of postal vote applications that were not renewed during any period.The department will continue to work with the Electoral Commission and with local authorities to support independent Electoral Registration Officers with postal vote application activities.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with the Planning Inspectorate to help ensure that local plans developed by planning authorities include achievable housing targets.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a new Standard Method for assessing housing needs that is aligned to our Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England by the end of this Parliament.The standard method is used by local authorities to inform the preparation of their local plans. Once local housing need has been assessed, authorities should then make an assessment of the number of new homes that can be provided in their area. This should be justified by evidence on land availability, constraints on development, such as National Landscapes and areas at risk of flooding, and any other relevant matters. The approach taken is then be tested by the Planning Inspector during the examination of the Local Plan. Local planning authorities can only adopt a plan that is sound. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that a sound plan should be positively prepared, deliverable over the plan period, based on proportionate evidence, and consistent with national policy. Plans should also take the views of local people into account. Each plan, including the local housing requirement, is subject to a public examination in front of an independent Inspector, who plays an important role in examining plans impartially to ensure that they are legally compliant and sound.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend provisions on the (a) commission charge on sale of homes and (b) fit and proper person test for site owners within the Mobile Homes Act 2013.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58910 on 16 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of ending the commissioning of new neighbourhood planning support services on the ability of areas that do not have (a) town and (b) parish councils and cannot raise a precept to develop neighbourhood plans.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on the 19 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to provide an alternative funding mechanism to help support the development of local neighbourhood plans.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on the 19 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16542 on Councillors: Data Protection, what progress his Department has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to remove the requirement for local government members’ home addresses to be included in published versions of registers of interests.

Removing the requirement for local government member home addresses to be published requires primary legislation. We intend to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to consider the housing needs of older people in the development of her long-term housing strategy.

The government is committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market and we will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the number of local authorities receiving Exceptional Financial Support in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Government recognises the significant pressures that councils are facing. The Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. The £3.4 billion, when taken together with a 3% core council tax referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept, results in an average overall real terms increase in local authority core spending power of 2.6% per year over the next multi-year settlement (2026-27 to 2028-29). The government is committed to fixing the foundations of local government through ambitious reform. To support local authorities as we do so, we are inviting views through the Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation on a package of transitional arrangements available over the multi-year Spending Review period. Any council that has concerns about its ability to set or maintain a balanced budget should approach the department in the first instance. Details of any councils where additional support has been agreed will be published to GOV.UK in the usual manner.

Communities and Local Government, when she expects new elected mayoral roles to be filled for each authority.

The consultations in the six areas on the Devolution Priority Programme have now closed, and the government is carefully considering the evidence collected. Further updates will be communicated in the usual way, in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of processes by which local authorities can be (a) incentivised and (b) held accountable to meet their social housing targets.

On 2 July, the government published a plan setting out the foundations for a decade of renewal in social and affordable housing. This is focused on delivering the biggest increase in supply in a generation, alongside a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of homes. The plan includes a “call to arms” to everyone with a role in social and affordable housing – including local authorities – to step up and prove they can deliver at scale and at pace. We have asked all Council Leaders to examine what role they can play in reinvigorating council housebuilding. Councils will be able to bid for the new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, which is the biggest long-term investment in social and affordable housing in recent memory – with a target to deliver at least 60% of the homes as Social Rent. We also want to make it easier for councils to use their own resources and land to build more homes. For those without a Housing Revenue Account, we are reviewing the threshold of homes they hold at which they need to open one. We will exempt newly built social homes from Right to Buy for 35 years, ensuring councils are not losing homes before they have recovered the costs of building them. We are also allowing councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales with greater flexibility on how to spend them to accelerate and increase delivery of replacement homes. We are helping councils borrow more cheaply from the Public Works Loan Board until the end of 2025-26 and with the LGA, the government has established a new Association of Directors of Housing to help councils collaborate and share best practice. We have also launched the Council Housing Skills and Capacity Programme, backed by £12m of funding in 2025-26. This programme will be delivered in partnership with Homes England and the Local Government Association, to support councils to upskill their existing workforces, recruit and retain graduates to specialist housebuilding positions, and enhance their engagement with the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that, in their role as local planning authorities, councils are responsible for establishing the need for affordable housing in their area – including for Social Rent homes in particular. Local authorities who own social housing are required to meet regulatory standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing – including for the quality of accommodation they provide. As part of our commitment to ensuring that all social and affordable housing tenants can live in a warm and decent home, on 2 July we launched consultations on an updated and modernised Decent Homes Standard and on a new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard. These new standards would be binding on local authorities and other registered providers of social housing. On 3 July the government launched the new Local Government Outcomes Framework, which represents a new approach to outcome-based accountability for councils in England. The Framework includes draft metrics on the year-on-year change in social rented dwellings held in local authorities’ Housing Revenue Account and the proportion of council-owned social housing deemed decent.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of paragraph 129 of the First Report of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee of Session 2021-22 entitled The Future of the Planning System, HC 38 on creating an allowance of 18 months within which development work should begin on a site after planning permission has been obtained.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 63881 on 7 July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether she is taking steps to amend the local plan process to (a) include a stronger needs assessment for social housing across the plan period and (b) require local authorities to deliver against social housing targets.

On 2 July, the government published a plan setting out the foundations for a decade of renewal in social and affordable housing. This is focused on delivering the biggest increase in supply in a generation, alongside a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of homes. The plan includes a “call to arms” to everyone with a role in social and affordable housing – including local authorities – to step up and prove they can deliver at scale and at pace.We have asked all Council Leaders to examine what role they can play in reinvigorating council housebuilding. Councils will be able to bid for the new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, which is the biggest long-term investment in social and affordable housing in recent memory – with a target to deliver at least 60% of the homes as Social Rent. We also want to make it easier for councils to use their own resources and land to build more homes. For those without a Housing Revenue Account, we are reviewing the threshold of homes they hold at which they need to open one. We will exempt newly built social homes from Right to Buy for 35 years, ensuring councils are not losing homes before they have recovered the costs of building them. We are also allowing councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales with greater flexibility on how to spend them to accelerate and increase delivery of replacement homes.We are helping councils borrow more cheaply from the Public Works Loan Board until the end of 2025-26 and with the LGA, the government has established a new Association of Directors of Housing to help councils collaborate and share best practice. We have also launched the Council Housing Skills and Capacity Programme, backed by £12 million of funding in 2025-26. This programme will be delivered in partnership with Homes England and the Local Government Association, to support councils to upskill their existing workforces, recruit and retain graduates to specialist housebuilding positions, and enhance their engagement with the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme.The government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that, in their role as local planning authorities, councils are responsible for establishing the need for affordable housing in their area – including for Social Rent homes in particular.Local authorities who own social housing are required to meet regulatory standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing – including for the quality of accommodation they provide. As part of our commitment to ensuring that all social and affordable housing tenants can live in a warm and decent home, on 2 July we launched consultations on an updated and modernised Decent Homes Standard and on a new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard. These new standards would be binding on local authorities and other registered providers of social housing.On 3 July the government launched the new Local Government Outcomes Framework, which represents a new approach to outcome-based accountability for councils in England. The Framework includes draft metrics on the year-on-year change in social rented dwellings held in local authorities’ Housing Revenue Account and the proportion of council-owned social housing deemed decent.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the funding available to (a) housing associations, (b) property owners and (c) local authorities for the provision of infrastructure for the secure storage of (i) mobility scooters, (ii) e-bikes and (iii) e-scooters, in the context of the (A) potential fire risk posed by lithium ion batteries and (B) needs of people who use mobility scooters who do not live on the ground floor.

No such specific assessment has been made.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support local authorities in receipt of exceptional financial support to resolve funding issues in the long term.

The Government recognises the significant pressures that councils are facing. The Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. The £3.4 billion, when taken together with a 3% core council tax referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept, results in an average overall real terms increase in local authority core spending power of 2.6% per year over the next multi-year settlement (2026-27 to 2028-29).The government is committed to fixing the foundations of local government through ambitious reform. The Fair Funding Review 2.0 is open from 20 June to 15 August and seeks views on the approach to local authority funding reform through the Local Government Finance Settlement from 2026-27.In line with our commitment to support councils’ receiving Exceptional Financial Support to improve, as a condition of the support agreed councils will be subject to additional external assurance to give them independent and expert help to drive local improvement and manage their financial position.Finally, we also followed through on our commitment to not make borrowing more expensive for those councils in the most financial difficulty, by removing the condition requiring a 1% premium on borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB).