🏡 Oral Answers to Questions

• The government is supporting local councils with house building targets by investing £46 million to increase the capacity of local planning authorities. This includes hiring 300 new planners and helping with local plans and green belt reviews. Planning fees will also be adjusted so councils can recover their costs.

• Gregory Stafford raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure in his constituency to support new housing developments. The Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring infrastructure accompanies new housing, but also pointed out failures of previous government policies.

• Jayne Kirkham sought confirmation on funding for social housing in Cornwall. The Secretary of State confirmed an additional £500 million for the affordable homes program, with further details to be discussed in the spending review.

• The issue of unequal housing delivery targets across rural and urban areas was raised by Kevin Hollinrake. Angela Rayner defended the government’s mandatory housing targets as necessary to address housing needs based on affordability.

• The leasehold system is set to be reformed by the end of the current Parliament. Minister Matthew Pennycook outlined steps including tackling excessive service charges and making it easier for leaseholders to buy their freeholds.

• Concerns were raised by multiple MPs about leasehold issues, such as unaffordable service charges and the challenges of extending leases. The government plans to consult on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to address these issues.

• Tim Farron discussed the impact of second homes on local communities and suggested a new planning use class to manage them. The Minister explained the government’s ongoing considerations to give local authorities more power to address this issue.

• The UK shared prosperity fund’s potential impact on Northern Ireland was discussed. The government is committed to evaluating its effects and maintaining dialogue with local organizations to address concerns about future funding.

• High street rental auctions were highlighted as a tool to regenerate town centres by tackling vacant shops. £1.5 million has been set aside to support local authorities in using this tool.

• Angela Rayner introduced a Renters’ Rights Bill aimed at improving standards in the private rented sector, banning no-fault evictions and extending laws to protect tenants from hazards like damp and mould.

• The government’s approach to increasing affordable housing was emphasized, with an additional £500 million injection into the affordable homes program and plans to reform right-to-buy schemes.

• Local growth funding and its role in increasing economic growth were discussed. The government plans to set out a refreshed approach in the spring, focusing on long-term planning and local control.

• Social housing providers and section 106 agreements were addressed, with the government supporting a new clearing service to facilitate the purchase of affordable homes under these agreements.

• Local government reorganisation in Devon was touched upon, with plans to invite proposals from councils for potential restructuring.

• The minister announced a tripling of emergency winter pressures funding to £30 million to help prevent rough sleeping in England, despite homelessness being a devolved issue.

• The English devolution Bill was discussed in relation to local public services, with potential changes to improve local governance and service coordination.

• Planning reform was addressed, with a revised national planning policy framework released and ongoing work on a planning and infrastructure Bill.

• Concerns about restrictive covenants in planning were raised, but it was clarified that these are not usually considered material in planning terms.

• The importance of prioritizing brownfield sites for development was emphasized, responding to concerns about greenfield site usage.

• The government is focused on accelerating the remediation of buildings with dangerous cladding, urging quicker action from the Scottish Government.

• The need for high standards in social housing repairs and construction was highlighted, with a commitment to introduce a new decent homes standard.

• Environmental concerns were raised about the removal of trees by developers, with discussions on future protections.

• The government is addressing the social housing shortage and the long waiting times for families, with additional funding aimed at boosting supply and reducing homelessness.

• Political donation loopholes, such as those from unincorporated associations, were critiqued, with commitments from the government to strengthen regulations to prevent foreign interference.

• The government is considering the definition of affordable housing, with suggestions to tie affordability to local incomes rather than market prices.

• The community ownership fund, which has supported local assets like village shops, is set to end, with future funding to be determined in the upcoming spending review.

• The government aims to hold local authorities accountable in its homelessness review to ensure vulnerable individuals receive necessary support.

• New builds and their design were discussed, with concerns about letterbox heights and safety for postal workers.

• Issues with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in homes and the potential for compensation schemes were brought up, although it’s a devolved matter in Scotland.

• The impact of temporary accommodation on children was acknowledged, with the government keen to address this within its homelessness strategy.

• The government aims to include solar generation requirements in upcoming building regulations to foster sustainability in new housing.

The parliamentary session shows a level of disagreement among members, reflecting typical parliamentary debate dynamics where opposing parties express differing views on government policies and their implementations. While the debates were vigorous, they adhered to standard procedural norms without excessive interruption or escalation, thus the moderate rating.