Written questions by Rosindell.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she has taken to support women from minority faith communities in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

The government recognises the central role that women play in all faith communities across the country and the Minister for Faith is committed to championing spaces for women to help foster cohesion and resilience within their communities. The government supports a variety of initiatives in this regard. This includes Near Neighbours whose work to strengthen social cohesion includes empowering women, particularly from ethnic minority backgrounds, as leaders in their local communities. Near Neighbours operates in several parts of England, including a local hub in East London. We also recognise that Muslim women face specific challenges as a result of discrimination and intolerance often being directed at them. The government has announced a new fund to provide a comprehensive service to monitor anti-Muslim hatred and support victims.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with local authorities to prevent (a) unlawful occupation of council-owned homes and (b) unlawfully attempting to purchase council-owned homes.

Housing fraud has a detrimental impact on those in genuine need of a home and is completely unacceptable.Local authorities are responsible for managing their own social housing stock and where unlawful occupation of council-owned properties occurs, the government expects local authorities to take active steps to tackle fraud and ensure social housing is used fairly – this may include taking legal action.When processing applications to purchase council homes through the Right to Buy, local authorities are required to check for unlawful and fraudulent applications. Where evidence of fraud is found, local authorities may pursue legal action.On 2 July, the government published our response to the consultation on Reforming the Right to Buy, which can be found on gov.uk here. The government is considering what further steps could be taken to more effectively prevent fraud, including in relation to third-party backed applications.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with local authorities on the adequacy of their preparedness for extreme weather conditions.

The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government regularly engages with local authorities through their participation in Local Resilience Forums (LRFs), which are the primary mechanism for assessing risk and coordinating preparedness for extreme weather events and other civil risks. These multi-agency partnerships enable local authorities to consider both potential risks and business continuity planning for extreme weather events, in a joined-up and strategic manner together with other local responder organisations. In preparation for winter, the Department conducts a comprehensive programme of seasonal readiness work, including asking LRFs to self-assess their preparedness for relevant risks. This assessment scrutinises the resilience landscape identifying actions to further support LRFs and local partners to protect local communities. In support of this, the department deploys Strategic Resilience Advisors to every LRF in England. These officials act as a critical friend, supporting planning and preparedness at the local level on behalf of the department, providing a vital link between central government and local responders. This regular engagement ensures that preparedness measures are continually reviewed and updated in line with emerging risks and best practice.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of properties owned by (a) local authorities and (b) His Majesty’s Government that contain asbestos in England.

The department does not hold this information.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of (a) urban design and (b) architecture skills in local planning authorities; and what steps she is taking to improve those skills.

Supporting local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners is crucial to ensuring they provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and that new developments are well designed and facilitate local growth. The government appreciates that planning departments across the country are experiencing challenges with recruitment, retention, and skills gaps and that in many cases these issues are having a negative impact on service delivery. At the Budget last year, the Chanceller announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026. Our manifesto committed us to appointing 300 new planning officers into LPAs. We are on track to meet that commitment through two routes, namely graduate recruitment through the Pathways to Planning scheme run by the Local Government Association and mid-career recruitment through Public Practice. On 27 February 2025, the government announced funding to support salaries and complement graduate bursaries. Further information can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 27 February 2025 (HCWS480). On 25 February 2025, the draft Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025 were agreed. These regulations increase planning fees for householder and other applications, with a view to providing much-needed additional resources for hard-pressed LPAs. More broadly, the Department’s established Planning Capacity and Capability programme is also developing a wider programme of support, working with partners across the planning sector, to ensure that LPAs have the skills and capacity they need, both now and in the future, to modernise local plans and speed up decision making, including through innovative use of digital planning data and software. Lastly, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions that will allow LPAs to set planning fees or charges at a level that reflects the individual costs to the LPA to carry out the function for which it is imposed and to ensure that the income from planning fees or charges is applied towards the delivery of the planning function.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of embedding a clear design vision within its spatial development strategies to support the delivery of high-quality development.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill allows for strategic planning authorities to include policies on design in their Spatial Development Strategies (SDS’) providing they are of strategic importance to the area. The government intends to set out expectations on the content of SDS’ through national policy and guidance.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to work with local authorities to help improve the insulation of social housing.

The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 is providing £1.29 billion of grant funding to improve the energy performance of social housing, including through improvements to insulation. Additional funding will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan, to be published in October.The government is also consulting on introducing a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard at EPC C or equivalent by 2030, with the proposed approach prioritising fabric improvements to properties, such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and double glazing. The consultation is open until 10 September 2025 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of 7 July 2025, Official Report, column 1125, which (a) representatives of the insurance sector and (b) other stakeholders her Department held discussions with prior to the introduction of the amendments.

The government has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders during the passage of the Renters’ Rights Bill, including the Association of British Insurers and the British Insurance Brokers Association.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on protected nature sites located within England’s National Parks.

When it comes to development and the environment, we know we can do better than the status quo, which too often sees both sustainable housebuilding and nature recovery stall. Instead of environmental protections being seen as barriers to growth, we want to unlock a win-win for the economy and for nature. Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduces a new Nature Restoration Fund that will unlock and accelerate development while going beyond neutrality to unlock the positive impact development can have in driving nature recovery. Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), as proposed in Part 3 of the Bill, will address any potential negative effects of development on protected sites and species, whether located in National Parks, National Landscapes or elsewhere. EDPs can only be put in place where the Secretary of State is satisfied the delivery of conservation measures are likely to outweigh the negative effects of development. Where this is not the case, existing environmental obligations, including those arising under the Habitats Regulations, will remain in place.  In addition, EDPs and the conservation measures they propose must be evidence-based and properly scrutinised before being put in place. EDPs may include back-up measures that can be deployed if monitoring shows the environmental outcomes are not being achieved. Policy safeguards relating to the protection of National Parks and National Landscapes, including those set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant National Policy Statements, remain in place.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on National Parks and National Landscapes.

When it comes to development and the environment, we know we can do better than the status quo, which too often sees both sustainable housebuilding and nature recovery stall. Instead of environmental protections being seen as barriers to growth, we want to unlock a win-win for the economy and for nature. Part 3 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill introduces a new Nature Restoration Fund that will unlock and accelerate development while going beyond neutrality to unlock the positive impact development can have in driving nature recovery. Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), as proposed in Part 3 of the Bill, will address any potential negative effects of development on protected sites and species, whether located in National Parks, National Landscapes or elsewhere. EDPs can only be put in place where the Secretary of State is satisfied the delivery of conservation measures are likely to outweigh the negative effects of development. Where this is not the case, existing environmental obligations, including those arising under the Habitats Regulations, will remain in place.  In addition, EDPs and the conservation measures they propose must be evidence-based and properly scrutinised before being put in place. EDPs may include back-up measures that can be deployed if monitoring shows the environmental outcomes are not being achieved. Policy safeguards relating to the protection of National Parks and National Landscapes, including those set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and relevant National Policy Statements, remain in place.

Communities and Local Government, how many applications were rejected by the Building Safety Regulator in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 44 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of building control approval applications rejected by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications received by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications withdrawn at the applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025 Year / monthRejectionWithdrawnTotal Received20233669October0310November0124December323520241751241525January41167February4783March910102April913115May178135June198141July1517136August215113September2511148October2324174November125150December17516120253011615January155146February93174March41178April22117Total2081412209

Communities and Local Government, how many building control applications were received by the Building Safety Regulator in each month between October 2023 and April 2025.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of building control approval applications rejected by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications received by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications withdrawn at the applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025 Year / monthRejectionWithdrawnTotal Received20233669October0310November0124December323520241751241525January41167February4783March910102April913115May178135June198141July1517136August215113September2511148October2324174November125150December17516120253011615January155146February93174March41178April22117Total2081412209

Communities and Local Government, how many building control applications were rejected by the Building Safety Regulator in each month between October 2023 and April 2025.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of building control approval applications rejected by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications received by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications withdrawn at the applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025 Year / monthRejectionWithdrawnTotal Received20233669October0310November0124December323520241751241525January41167February4783March910102April913115May178135June198141July1517136August215113September2511148October2324174November125150December17516120253011615January155146February93174March41178April22117Total2081412209

Communities and Local Government, how many building control applications were rejected by the Building Safety Regulator in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 15 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of building control approval applications rejected by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications received by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications withdrawn at the applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025 Year / monthRejectionWithdrawnTotal Received20233669October0310November0124December323520241751241525January41167February4783March910102April913115May178135June198141July1517136August215113September2511148October2324174November125150December17516120253011615January155146February93174March41178April22117Total2081412209

Communities and Local Government, how many building control applications received by the Building Safety Regulator were withdrawn at the applicant’s request in each month between October 2023 and April 2025.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of building control approval applications rejected by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications received by the Building Safety Regulator between October 2023 and April 2025Number of building control approval applications withdrawn at the applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025 Year / monthRejectionWithdrawnTotal Received20233669October0310November0124December323520241751241525January41167February4783March910102April913115May178135June198141July1517136August215113September2511148October2324174November125150December17516120253011615January155146February93174March41178April22117Total2081412209

Communities and Local Government, how many building control applications were received by the Building Safety Regulator (a) within and (b) after the statutory timeframe of 12 weeks in each month between October 2023 and April 2025.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, the BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.Table 1 shows:Number of approvals of building control approval applications received by the Building Safety Regulator (a) within the and (b) after the 8-week statutory timeframe for refurbishment applications between October 2024 and April 2025Table 2 shows:Number of building control applications received by the Building Safety Regulator (a) within and (b) after the statutory 12-week timeframe for new build applications between October 2024 and April 2025Table 1 Approval Within 8 weeks SLAYear / MonthNoYesTotal Approvals202328331October606November819December14216202430149350January23528February30838March35641April22527May34438June30333July30636August32537September30535October14216November10010December110112025808January606February202March000April000Total33752389 Table 2- Approval within 12 weeks SLAYear / MonthNoYesTotal approvals2023000October000November000December000202414115January101February000March000April101May707June314July000August202September000October000November000December0002025013January011February002March000April000Total14218

Communities and Local Government, how many regularisation of unauthorised building work applications the Building Safety Regulator rejected in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 47 paragraph 5 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator rejected between October 2024 and April 2025Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator withdrawn at applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator received between October 2024 and April 2025Year / MonthRejectionWithdrawnTotal received2023001October000November000December0012024101081January003February102March118April326May001June124July2011August003September2313October026November0014December001020250018January009February003March003April003Total1010100

Communities and Local Government, how many regularisation of unauthorised building work applications the Building Safety Regulator received in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 47 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator rejected between October 2024 and April 2025Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator withdrawn at applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator received between October 2024 and April 2025Year / MonthRejectionWithdrawnTotal received2023001October000November000December0012024101081January003February102March118April326May001June124July2011August003September2313October026November0014December001020250018January009February003March003April003Total1010100

Communities and Local Government, how many building control applications were received by the Building Safety Regulator (a) within and (b) after the statutory timeframe of eight weeks in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 15 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, the BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.Table 1 shows:Number of approvals of building control approval applications received by the Building Safety Regulator (a) within the and (b) after the 8-week statutory timeframe for refurbishment applications between October 2024 and April 2025Table 2 shows:Number of building control applications received by the Building Safety Regulator (a) within and (b) after the statutory 12-week timeframe for new build applications between October 2024 and April 2025Table 1 Approval Within 8 weeks SLAYear / MonthNoYesTotal Approvals202328331October606November819December14216202430149350January23528February30838March35641April22527May34438June30333July30636August32537September30535October14216November10010December110112025808January606February202March000April000Total33752389 Table 2- Approval within 12 weeks SLAYear / MonthNoYesTotal approvals2023000October000November000December000202414115January101February000March000April101May707June314July000August202September000October000November000December0002025013January011February002March000April000Total14218

Communities and Local Government, how many regularisation of unauthorised building work applications the Building Safety Regulator approved in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 47 paragraph 7 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.

The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. From this quarter, BSR will be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.The table below shows:Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator rejected between October 2024 and April 2025Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator withdrawn at applicants request between October 2024 and April 2025Number of regularisation applications for unauthorised building work received by the Building Safety Regulator received between October 2024 and April 2025Year / MonthRejectionWithdrawnTotal received2023001October000November000December0012024101081January003February102March118April326May001June124July2011August003September2313October026November0014December001020250018January009February003March003April003Total1010100