Every parliamentary written question tabled by James McMurdock this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 241–260 of 534 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, when the requirement for estate managers to produce an annual report containing financial and non‑financial information will come into force.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has assessed the PropTech Innovation Fund pilots, including the Southampton City Council programme.
Through my Department’s PropTech Innovation Fund, the government is funding local planning authorities to use digital citizen engagement tools, including interactive maps and 3D models, alongside leveraging AI to summarise consultation responses. Our case studies on Local Digital (see here) and gov.uk (see here) demonstrate how these can increase the quantity and quality of community engagement in respect of local plans and new developments, including reaching younger residents. My Department plans to launch a sixth round of the PropTech Innovation Fund in early 2026. The Fund is evaluated as a part of the Digital Planning Programme. Local planning authorities take a hybrid approach to public consultation, combining digital tools with traditional methods like in-person engagement, to ensure consultations are accessible and inclusively incorporate the views of those unable to participate in digital consultations. We have published guidance on gov.uk (see here) and a Digital Citizen Engagement toolkit (see here) to support authorities to adopt and use digital tools. Our Planning Capacity and Capability programme continues to develop its means of supporting authorities to ensure they have the skills they need both now and in the future. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement. We will publish further guidance and provide further support to help local planning authorities engage with communities effectively under the new system.
Communities and Local Government, what the scope and timetable are for the Law Commission’s project on the management of housing estates, and how homeowners will be consulted.
The government expect the Law Commission to report on this project in 2028. Further information about the project, including its terms of reference, can be found on the Law Commission's website here.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of deferring local elections on the long-term level of turnout.
We have not made such an assessment. It is only right that we listen to councils who are expressing concerns about their capacity to deliver a smooth and safe transition to new councils, alongside running resource-intensive elections to councils who may be shortly abolished. The Secretary of State has asked councils to set out their views on the postponement of their local elections and is minded to only make an Order to postpone elections for one year for those councils who raise capacity concerns. Previous governments have postponed local elections in areas contemplating and undergoing local government reorganisation to allow councils to focus their time and energy on the process.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to improve data collection on the operation, costs, and performance of private estate management companies.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Housing Sec pledges to 'go further than ever before' to hit 1.5 million homes, published on 16 December 2025, whether housebuilding targets for Thurrock will be impacted.
The government has no plans to amend the Standard Method for assessing housing needs introduced in December 2024.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, whether his Department has conducted analysis on the potential for increased housebuilding in Greater Essex.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a new Standard Method for assessing housing needs that is aligned to our Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England by the end of this Parliament The standard method is used by local authorities to inform the preparation of their local plans. Once local housing need has been assessed, authorities should then make an assessment of the number of new homes that can be provided in their area. This should be justified by evidence on land availability, constraints on development, such as National Landscapes and areas at risk of flooding, and any other relevant matters. The approach taken is then be tested by the Planning Inspector during the examination of the Local Plan. We expect local authorities to assess and plan how to meet their local housing needs over the plan period by maximising brownfield land, working with neighbouring authorities, and, where necessary, reviewing Green Belt.The
Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the amount of public money recovered through Rent Repayment Orders for which the latest data is available.
No such estimate can currently be made. My Department is in the process of implementing a new mandatory collection of private rented sector enforcement data from local housing authorities, which will include the number of Rent Repayment Orders (RROs) applied for by the council, the value of Universal Credit/Housing Benefit recovered following a rent repayment order, and the number of tenants supported in making an application. My Department has made no specific assessment of the potential impact of Rent Repayment Orders on housing conditions in the private rented sector.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Health and Safety Executive's correspondence entitled Potential risks from transfer slabs in buildings, published on 19 December 2025, when he expects the independent research commissioned by the Building Safety Regulator to be completed and published.
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is working with industry experts and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to better understand the extent of the risk, and how the risk can be identified and managed proportionately in existing buildings.BSR is currently working with sector partners to establish what further guidance is needed to help building owners manage this risk. We will be providing further advice to building owners on this.BSR commissioned independent research in late 2024 relating to transfer slabs. This research is ongoing, and we will publish the outcomes of this research in due course. We will provide further updates via regular BSR bulletins and BSR campaign websites.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Housing Sec pledges to 'go further than ever before' to hit 1.5 million homes, published on 16 December 2025, whether his reforms will support council house construction in (a) Thurrock and (b) Basildon.
The government is taking action to support all local authorities, including those in Thurrock and Basildon, to increase their levels of council housing construction.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to reduce private estate management arrangements on new housing developments.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to make it mandatory for local authorities to adopt certain shared facilities on new housing estates.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support councils in delivering hybrid consultation models combining digital tools with in‑person engagement.
Through my Department’s PropTech Innovation Fund, the government is funding local planning authorities to use digital citizen engagement tools, including interactive maps and 3D models, alongside leveraging AI to summarise consultation responses. Our case studies on Local Digital (see here) and gov.uk (see here) demonstrate how these can increase the quantity and quality of community engagement in respect of local plans and new developments, including reaching younger residents. My Department plans to launch a sixth round of the PropTech Innovation Fund in early 2026. The Fund is evaluated as a part of the Digital Planning Programme. Local planning authorities take a hybrid approach to public consultation, combining digital tools with traditional methods like in-person engagement, to ensure consultations are accessible and inclusively incorporate the views of those unable to participate in digital consultations. We have published guidance on gov.uk (see here) and a Digital Citizen Engagement toolkit (see here) to support authorities to adopt and use digital tools. Our Planning Capacity and Capability programme continues to develop its means of supporting authorities to ensure they have the skills they need both now and in the future. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement. We will publish further guidance and provide further support to help local planning authorities engage with communities effectively under the new system.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Housing Sec pledges to 'go further than ever before' to hit 1.5 million homes, published on 16 December 2025, whether housebuilding targets for Basildon will be impacted.
The government has no plans to amend the Standard Method for assessing housing needs introduced in December 2024.
Communities and Local Government, when he plans to introduce standardised information requirements for estate management charges.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to make resident‑controlled management the default model for new freehold estates.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, what plans the Government has to strengthen dispute resolution mechanisms for homeowners challenging estate management charges.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, what criteria he will use to determine when substitute managers may be appointed in cases of serious failure by estate management companies.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department will publish the new assessment of the financial impact of estate management charges on homeowners, and when this assessment is expected to be completed.
I refer the hon. Members to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Housing Sec pledges to 'go further than ever before' to hit 1.5 million homes, published on 16 December 2025, whether he plans to bring forward measures ensuring that local people get the opportunity to buy homes first.
As set out in the government’s manifesto, we are committed to working with local authorities to give younger buyers the first chance to buy homes in their area. My Department will set out further details in due course.