Every parliamentary written question tabled by Will Forster this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 31 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of accommodation provided by local authorities for survivors of domestic abuse; and what information his Department holds on the number of local authorities that provide accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse.
Awaiting answer.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of local authorities' financial resources to deliver the measures in the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 in the next 12 months.
Awaiting answer.
Communities and Local Government, whether his department monitors if local authorities grant discretionary business rate relief for charities.
Awaiting answer.
Communities and Local Government, what steps is his department taking to ensure Housing Revenue Account funding is adequately ringfenced for social housing purposes by local authorities.
Awaiting answer.
Community and Local Government, whether she has assessed the impact of recently announced changes to Council Tax bills and debt collection on local councils.
The government consulted on a range of proposals to modernise and improve the administration of council tax. This consultation received responses from across sectors, including councils. All responses have been carefully considered in shaping the government’s response. The government is committed to working with councils to implement these changes, including assessing any potential new burdens.
Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on special measures for local authorities not meeting statutory requirements for vulnerable children on safeguarding matters.
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is in regular discussion with the Secretary of State for Education on a large number of issues, including on matters related to local authority performance. The Department for Education is responsible for policy on safeguarding and the statutory requirements local authorities must meet in relation to vulnerable children.
Communities and Local Government, what criteria will be used to assess whether a train station is well-connected for the purposes of a planning application receiving a default yes.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 102319 on 12 January 2026.
Communities and Local Government, how distances from train stations are calculated for the purposes of a planning application receiving a default yes.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 102319 on 12 January 2026.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking tackle developers who bank land instead of building homes, such as the 2,000 new homes with planning permission in Woking where construction has not started.
In May 2025, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built. It can be found on gov.uk here. On the same day, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential developments, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. That consultation can be found on gov.uk here. We are now analysing the responses to both consultations, and we will set out our next steps in due course. The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including new policy designed to ensure major development proposals are capable of being implemented within a reasonable period – taking into account tenure mix, local market conditions and development history of the site.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking following the publication of BDO’s audit report of Woking Borough Council’s accounts from 2019/20 to 2022/23, published on 8 December 2025.
Commissioners were appointed to Woking Borough Council in 2023 following historic commercial mismanagement and major governance failures. While Woking continues to undergo an extensive change programme to support the improvement of its financial position, Commissioners have reported significant improvements in the Council’s approach to financial management since 2023. As Commissioners set out in their Fifth Report, they continue to engage with Woking’s external auditors to rectify the Council’s historic issues with audit timeliness and support the rebuilding of assurance.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2025 to Question 69040 on Park Homes: Sales, when he plans to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.
The government recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.
Communities and Local Government, if he will consider consulting on increasing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) which have not increased since their introduction in 2004.
The responsibility for local authority penalty charge notice caps is shared between my department and the Department for Transport. The Government will be looking at penalty charge notice caps outside London. The findings from the parking sector’s own research into this issue, as well as the recent trial of higher parking penalties in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will inform that process.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to review the requirement for park home residents to pay a 10 per cent commission to site owners upon the sale of their home.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 69040 on 24 July 2025.
Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with Woking Borough Council on the steps it has taken following his predecessor Department's report of its non-statutory review into Woking Borough Council’s finances, investments and related governance in 2023.
The Department regularly engages with both local authorities and Commissioner teams during interventions. Commissioners are required to regularly submit formal reports on progress and challenges in the local authority to the Department. The reports of the Woking Borough Council commissioners since their appointment in May 2023 are publicly available on gov.uk here. Alongside the government's decision to establish two unitary authorities in Surrey, we have committed to repay in-principle £500 million of Woking Borough Council’s debt in 2026-27 as a first instalment. We will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point. Any support must take into account value for money for the local and national taxpayer.
Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the cost to the public purse of funds spent by local authorities on public persuasion on local government reorganisation.
The government’s invitation to councils is clear on the importance of local engagement in the development of proposals. It is for councils to decide how to do this, including what resource is used, and the department does not hold information on this. Local authorities must have regard to the Recommended Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity in coming to decisions on communications addressed to the public.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is reviewing the rules of Housing Revenue Accounts to support local authorities to (a) safer and (b) more homes.
The government engages regularly with local authorities to understand the pressures on their Housing Revenue Accounts (HRAs) and keeps the rules governing HRAs under review to ensure they are supporting investment in new and existing stock.My Department is considering whether the current threshold for opening an HRA (200 homes) is set at the right level, or if a different threshold would enable local authorities to reach a level of housing provision that would better enable them to meet the costs of opening and managing an HRA.More broadly, we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding a generation, alongside driving a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of homes. I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).
Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of replacing the role of local authorities with committees in planning decision on local representation in those decisions.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes a regulation-making power to issue statutory guidance on a national scheme of delegation.On 28 May 2025, my Department published a technical consultation on proposals for reform of planning committees. It can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of new homes are (a) under construction and (b) have been completed since 4 July 2025.
The 4 July 2025 is tomorrow.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the risks of historic local authority accounts that auditors disclaim and have not fully checked.
This government has implemented a number of measures to improve auditing arrangements for local bodies, including the introduction of statutory backstop dates for the publication of audited accounts. Two of these dates have now passed. As a result, the vast majority of local bodies have published audited accounts for financial years up to and including 2023/24. Where disclaimed opinions are issued as a result of backstops, auditors’ statutory duties – including value for money reporting, making statutory recommendations, and issuing public interest reports – remain a high priority. The government recently announced £49 million in funding to support bodies impacted by the backstop measures. In December 2024, the government set out its strategy to overhaul local audit. The strategy set out proposals to simplify and streamline the system including a clear purpose for local audit and its users, the establishment of the Local Audit Office, proposals for simplified and proportionate financial reporting, improvements to the system’s capacity and capability, and ways to build strong relationships between local bodies and auditors. The government also published a response to its consultation in April 2025, which outlined 16 further commitments to reform the system including simplifying financial reporting requirements and increasing capacity to avoid reliance on a small number of auditors.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to improve future auditing arrangements for local authorities.
This government has implemented a number of measures to improve auditing arrangements for local bodies, including the introduction of statutory backstop dates for the publication of audited accounts. Two of these dates have now passed. As a result, the vast majority of local bodies have published audited accounts for financial years up to and including 2023/24. Where disclaimed opinions are issued as a result of backstops, auditors’ statutory duties – including value for money reporting, making statutory recommendations, and issuing public interest reports – remain a high priority. The government recently announced £49 million in funding to support bodies impacted by the backstop measures. In December 2024, the government set out its strategy to overhaul local audit. The strategy set out proposals to simplify and streamline the system including a clear purpose for local audit and its users, the establishment of the Local Audit Office, proposals for simplified and proportionate financial reporting, improvements to the system’s capacity and capability, and ways to build strong relationships between local bodies and auditors. The government also published a response to its consultation in April 2025, which outlined 16 further commitments to reform the system including simplifying financial reporting requirements and increasing capacity to avoid reliance on a small number of auditors.