Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Topical Questions

Monday 3 March 2025 · 11 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 7 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Satvir Kaur raised concerns about poor living conditions in Southampton due to permitted development rights.
  • Kevin Hollinrake questioned the scrapping of Help to Buy and the stamp duty discount, suggesting the government is making it harder for first-time buyers to purchase homes.
  • Vikki Slade inquired about the increase in rough sleeping and the criminal status under the Vagrancy Act 1824, noting the government's plans to update on repealing the act.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Satvir Kaur Lab Southampton Test
Housing
Context

The previous government's changes to permitted development rights led to over 100,000 office and retail units being converted into residential properties that were unsafe or unsuitable for living. In Southampton, some residents are still dealing with issues such as hanging office wires in their homes.

Question

In Southampton, they have left people living with office wires still hanging from the ceiling. Some have no windows, and others’ homes are no bigger than a car parking space. I welcome the Government’s excellent progress on renters’ and leaseholders’ rights, but will my right hon. Friend go further and confirm when permitted development rights will be reviewed, tighter regulations imposed and, where necessary, unsafe conversions banned?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise that issue. We acknowledge that there has been criticism of some homes delivered through permitted development rights—particularly those that enabled commercial buildings such as offices and shops to change use to residential—and the Government are committed to keeping development rights under review.

Partly answered

How: Keeping Development Rights Under Review

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Q2 Kevin Hollinrake Con Thirsk and Malton
Housing
Context

The Help to Buy scheme and stamp duty discount helped many first-time buyers. However, both have now been scrapped. The Government's manifesto promised to preserve the green belt but later introduced the grey belt policy which will result in 640 square miles of green belt being built on.

Question

Help to Buy helped 350,000 young first-time buyers and the stamp duty discount helped 640,000 first-time buyers get on the housing ladder with discounts of up to £11,000. Both are now scrapped. Is the Secretary of State pulling up the housing ladder behind her? The Government’s manifesto promised to preserve the green belt. Then grey belt came along, which was supposed to be a few garage forecourts. Now it turns out that grey belt will mean 640 square miles of green belt—the size of Surrey—are to be built on. Is this simply another broken promise?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)

It is staggering that the shadow Secretary of State says that, given that so many people now cannot get housing because his Government failed to meet their housing targets. We will have a mortgage guarantee scheme and we will build 1.5 million homes so that young people and other people can get the houses that they deserve. I will also try again. Under the Tories, the number of homes approved on greenfield land increased nearly tenfold since 2009. Labour will be strategic in grey belt release, and we will have a brownfield-first policy.

Partly answered

How: Failed Housing Targets, Grey Belt Policy

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Q3 Ian Lavery Lab Blyth and Ashington
Housing Local Government
Context

Families in new housing estates are living in poor conditions due to substandard construction by developers who have left the area. Local authorities such as Northumberland County Council are reluctant to adopt these estates, leading to unadopted roads and services.

Question

Many families in my constituency live in new housing estates where the developers have made their profits, sailed off into the sunset, and left the roads and services in an unacceptable state and unadopted. What steps might the Government be able to take to push local authorities like Northumberland county council into action to accept their responsibilities and adopt those estates?

Answer from The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

I well recognise the situation that my hon. Friend describes, but I also recognise the reluctance of local authorities to take on substandard housing estates that have been built. We have decided to consult this year on options to reduce the prevalence of private management of estates of the kind he describes. We will also, importantly, implement new consumer protections for homeowners on private estates in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.

Partly answered

How: Consulting On Options, Implementing New Consumer Protections

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Q4 Vikki Slade Lib Dem Mid Dorset and North Poole
Housing Parliamentary Procedure
Context

Homelessness statistics show a 91% increase in rough sleeping since 2021. The Vagrancy Act of 1824 still criminalises rough sleeping, despite Parliament voting to repeal it over three years ago.

Question

Homelessness stats published last week show that rough sleeping has increased for the third year in a row and is now 91% higher than in 2021, yet the Vagrancy Act 1824 has not been repealed and rough sleeping is still a criminal offence. In July 2024, the Minister was asked for a progress report and advised that consideration of relevant legislation was needed, but it is now more than three years since Parliament voted to repeal the Act. Will she now give us a date when that will come into force?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Rushanara Ali)

We are taking urgent action to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping and have announced £60 million to tackle winter pressures. We will update the House on progress in repealing the Vagrancy Act in due course.

Partly answered

How: Urgent Action, Announced Funding, Update In Due Course

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Q5 Douglas McAllister Lab West Dunbartonshire
Housing Children & Families
Context

In Scotland, there are currently 10,000 homeless children and record levels of children living in temporary accommodation. The number of social houses built by housing associations is at its lowest since Margaret Thatcher’s era.

Question

In Scotland, 10,000 children are currently homeless and record levels of children are in temporary accommodation. The number of social houses built by housing associations in Scotland is at its lowest level since Margaret Thatcher. Does the Minister agree that the SNP has taken Scotland in the wrong direction and that instead we need to see the bold action taken by this UK Labour Government to build more homes replicated in Scotland, with a Scottish Labour Government in 2026?

Answer from The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

I agree with my hon. Friend. Last year, as the housing emergency took hold, the SNP Government cut £200 million from the affordable housing budget. It was only as a result of Labour’s record budget settlement that they were forced to reverse those cuts, but they are still not showing the adequate ambition that we need. The SNP Government must set out a real plan to reform planning and boost house building to meet their affordable housing targets.

Partly answered

How: Cutting Budget, Forced To Reverse Cuts

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Q6 Carla Denyer Green Bristol Central
Housing Energy
Context

Landlord groups have indicated that they would pass the cost of energy efficiency works on to tenants despite it being part of basic minimum standards.

Question

In response to the minimum energy efficiency standards consultation for privately rented homes, landlord groups are saying that they would pass the cost of energy efficiency works on to tenants, despite that being the cost of bringing their properties up to basic minimum standards. Relying on council guidance that that should not happen is too weak. What additional measures will the Minister take to enforce that and ensure that it is private tenants—who are already at the greatest risk of fuel poverty—who will benefit, and not landlords?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Rushanara Ali)

I refer the hon. Member to my earlier answer to that precise question. The Renters’ Rights Bill will protect tenants from having costs passed on to them.

Partly answered

How: Renters' Rights Bill

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Q7 Tom Rutland Lab East Worthing and Shoreham
Housing
Context

Many residents face significant hikes in service charges with little to show for it, including poor maintenance and lack of transparency from their managing agent.

Question

Many of my constituents face extortionate hikes in service charges while getting little in return, with repairs not being carried out, poor service and a lack of transparency and accountability from their managing agent, FirstPort. Can the Minister outline what the Government are doing to bring an end to the scandalous fleecehold system that is ripping off leaseholders across the country?

Answer from The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

To add to the responses I gave earlier, we intend to take action to provide leaseholders with the transparency of standardised service charge invoices, so that they can better challenge unreasonable rent hikes. We also need to strengthen the regulation of managing agents, including those such as FirstPort that, as is clear from the feeling in the House, are not performing the necessary services for their residents.

Partly answered

How: Standardised Service Charge Invoices, Strengthening Regulation

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Q8 Lloyd Hatton Lab South Dorset
Education Economy Employment
Context

The Eden Portland proposal aims to boost investment and create well-paid jobs in the community, similar to other successful projects like the Eden Project in Cornwall.

Question

Eden Portland is an exciting proposal for my community. It would be a hub for education and ecology and could boost investment and create well-paid jobs. Will Ministers meet me and colleagues from DCMS and the council to discuss how we can deliver this project?

Answer from Alex Norris

I welcome the exciting Eden Portland proposals. I enjoyed meeting my hon. Friend to hear further from him. Colleagues at DCMS are working closely with the proposers and with officials in my Department, but I would be happy to involve myself in whatever way is useful.

Answered
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Q9 Rosena Allin-Khan Lab Tooting
Housing
Context

Many renters face substandard housing conditions and high rent prices, despite the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Question

Far too many renters get a terrible deal. They live in cold, mouldy homes and pay extortionate rents. While legislation is welcome, what steps are being taken to make renting affordable again?

Answer from Matthew Pennycook

I assure my hon. Friend of that fact, and we are also succeeding where the previous Government failed in abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions. The Renters’ Rights Bill will empower tenants to challenge unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases, and we need to boost supply by building 1.5 million safe and decent homes this Parliament.

Answered
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Q10 Phil Brickell Lab Bolton West
Housing
Context

Residents are experiencing long delays for repairs, high costs, poor transparency, and lack of communication from leasehold managing agents.

Question

I have received complaints about poorly performing leasehold managing agents. There are unacceptably long delays for repairs at Greenmount Court in Smithills despite spiralling fees and poor transparency. What steps is the Minister taking to deliver a fairer deal for existing leaseholders?

Answer from Matthew Pennycook

We need to balance speed with care, ensuring we do not make the mistake of passing flawed legislation like the previous Government. We will introduce provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to allow transparency around service charges for leaseholders to challenge unreasonable increases, and strengthen regulation of managing agents.

Answered
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Q11 Uma Kumaran Lab Stratford and Bow
Context

Leaseholders are facing disrepair, high service charges, and lack of accountability from management agents.

Question

At my advice surgeries, leaseholders report poor conditions and high service charges with no accountability from managing agents. While I am pleased about today’s announcement on new builds, what concrete action will be taken for existing leaseholders?

Answer from Matthew Pennycook

The publication of the “Commonhold White Paper” marks the beginning of the end of the feudal leasehold system. We will bring that system to an end and provide immediate relief for leaseholders suffering from unreasonable charges at present.

Answered
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