Topical Questions

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If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

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The availability of affordable housing in Somerset has plummeted, demand has surged and rents have risen by six times as much as income. These challenges are highlighted in rural market towns such as Glastonbury, where hundreds of people live in vans and caravans lining the kerbsides. Many are there because they cannot afford to rent a bricks-and-mortar home. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that everyone has a decent and safe place where they can afford to live?

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One of the biggest housing challenges in many of my villages and market towns—for instance, Orford, Aldeburgh and even larger towns such as Felixstowe— is the selling off of housing stock by social housing providers who do not replace it locally. Considering how to tackle the issue is critical, and, as was stated in a recent report by the Labour rural research group, expanding the use of rural exception sites must be part of the solution. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to do that in order to deliver affordable housing?

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Last week I was in Bromsgrove, a rural constituency facing an 85% increase in its housing target. Neighbouring Labour-run Birmingham, which has significant brownfield capacity, has seen its target cut by more than 30%. Targets are increasing by 37% in Essex, but decreasing by 11% in London. House building has collapsed under this Labour Government, so why is the Secretary of State letting his Labour-run urban friends off the hook while dumping housing targets in rural Britain?

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The Secretary of State cannot answer—he does not have an answer. Perhaps he can give the answer that he failed to give in response to a written question, because he has once again refused to publish either the prospectus or the selection criteria for his election pilots. This is part of a wider pattern: cancelling elections that the Government do not think they will win, changing local government boundaries instead of giving that task to the independent Boundary Commission, and changing voter ID arrangements without consultation. When I saw this kind of behaviour overseas, I called it out for what it was: dirty, self-interested, partisan politics. Will the Secretary of State scrap this Orbán-style politics and start doing things properly?

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I welcome the action that the Government are taking to improve the reporting and transparency of political donations from unincorporated associations in the Representation of the People Bill. Since 2010, 97% of donations from such bodies have come from unknown sources under the existing rules. Will Ministers consider going further and require information to be published on who runs unincorporated associations that make political donations and what their purpose is, to ensure that we have maximum transparency?

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Just before Easter, a development of 500-plus homes in my constituency, predicated on building a brand-new Howard of Effingham school, was withdrawn after a decade of commitment to the plan. The developer is expected to proceed with a new application without a school. The community and school are understandably angry and upset. What powers does the Minister have to ensure that developers can be held to such long-term commitments, and will he meet me to discuss the issue and its implications in my constituency and more widely?

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I have previously raised the case of the Ada Belfield care centre in Belper with my hon. Friend the Minister. At the moment, it has an uncertain future, because the Reform-led Derbyshire county council may sell the home. May I ask her to take an interest in this case to make sure that we have adequate adult social care provision in Derbyshire? She might like to raise that with the council’s leadership.

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Lib Dem-run Stockport is the MJ’s council of the year. It spends £3 in every £4 on adults and children, and it includes the most deprived part of Greater Manchester, yet the Government’s funding settlement leaves the borough receiving £52 million less each year than the average across equivalent authorities. That has been made significantly worse this year. What advice would the Minister give to my constituents when they see the council having to make cuts to vital local services?

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Can the Minister outline how the new national homelessness strategy will provide additional funds to Sunderland city council to tackle rough sleeping and to support the vital work that organisations such as Oasis Community Housing, the Salvation Army and the Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen do in our city?

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The Government's connectivity tool classifies land proposed for development at Biggin Hill and Hayes Farm as equally well connected as the Greenwich peninsula. This is utterly nonsensical. Does the Minister recognise that the Government's housing targets for the London borough of Bromley are both unfair and unachievable?

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I thank the Secretary of State for outlining the reforms that will come through with the Renters' Rights Act 2025. In 18 days' time, residents will see no-fault evictions banned. The Minister knows that we need local authorities to have the resources, and he has outlined that there will be additional resources for local authorities, including the launch of the private rented sector database and the PRS ombudsman. Can the Minister give us an update on when they will be live?

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Rural areas face a wave of unauthorised developments on Travellers' sites with little action from authorities. My colleague and I, along with 30 others, are pressing for new powers for the police and local authorities. Will the Minister meet us to discuss this issue causing havoc in our countryside?

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My constituents in Blackpool South face higher council tax payments than residents with mansions in Mayfair. Due to Conservative policies, Blackpool Council had to raise council taxes to the cap merely to survive. How will the Minister help lower council tax for people in Blackpool South?

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The presumption in favour of development at transport nodes and on the so-called grey belt means that in my constituency of Esher and Walton, which is half green belt and has a disproportionately high number of stations—everybody lives within 15 minutes of a station—everywhere can be developed under the Government's proposals. What should I say to my constituents who are facing concrete everywhere?

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Last week, the Sikh community in Sandwell was rocked by a second appalling attack at Guru Nanak gurdwara. For the second time, the gurdwara faced a racist attack in which someone dropped a bag of meat on the doorstep. Given that meat is strictly banned inside the gurdwara, this was deeply offensive. As this was a repeat attack, will the Minister meet me to talk about what we can do to stop this anti-Sikh hate and make the gurdwara safe?

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At the behest of Labour-dominated Southampton city council, two thirds of my constituents are to be torn away from the New Forest and placed under the control of an urban-dominated unitary authority. Does the Minister accept that my constituents are overwhelmingly against what the Government are trying to do?

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I am concerned about the terrible incident in Derby where a car injured several people. Will you join me in thanking the emergency services and public first aid providers? Can we meet to discuss strengthening local preparedness and risk management?

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The Conservative-run East Sussex county council is harming local businesses. It recently put a large storage crate near the Dickens Tea Cottage, impacting trade. Will you urge the council to remove it and protect this local business?

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Hillingdon council discharged its homelessness duty by issuing 22 section 208 notices and placing 77 people in Hartlepool. Does the Minister agree this is unfair and places too much of a burden on our town?