Speeches by Pennycook.

“We have not stated a specific timeline in terms of the roll-out of Awaab’s law to the private rented sector. Unless I am mistaken—the Chair can tell me—I think the Committee estimates or thinks it is appropriate that the roll-out happens in 2028-29. That would be a reasonable estimate. Certainly there is no reason why …”

“I am sure you do. We had developed in opposition a very well thought-through, detailed and comprehensive plan with respect to housing and planning legislation and policy. I would argue we have ruthlessly executed that over the past two years. If I recount all the things we have done, they include overhauling the planni…”

“Again this is where lots of the issues you are touching on are cross-departmental in important ways. The fuel poverty standard responsibility rests with DESNZ rather than MHCLG. We agree that it is right to retain the current fuel poverty measure. It reflects some structural drivers of fuel poverty, such as building qu…”

“We can certainly review the evidence session. As you know, there is a live conversation about the regulation of property agents more widely.”

“That is a tough question. I hear bandied about fairly often that as a Government we came into office without a plan.”

“We have not announced a timeline for the completion of that technical review.”

“I will be absolutely honest with the Committee.”

“This is a really important question. I see it in my own postbag and advice surgeries on a weekly basis, as I am sure Committee members do. Again, it comes back to the role of the Department in the regulatory framework that has been established. We monitor overcrowding at a building level to the extent that the HHSRS mo…”

“That is the type of issue we are trying to get more evidence on, and why we have had to go out for a further technical consultation to try to get more, so that we have a basis to make a rational decision on.”

“In a quid pro quo lease?”

“At that point I thought it would be published shortly. I am afraid I cannot give you a date. One reason why I brought this document, and many other things, is that I want—”

“I will chase a reply on that, Chair.”

“It is a plan for social and affordable housing delivery. I wanted to emphasise that we have complementary strategies in various areas that we are taking forward. I have pressed individual Members on this, and I genuinely would love to know what the Committee thinks the long-term housing strategy can address that existi…”

“I feel like I am dominating. Let me bring in Emma or Jo to talk through some of the challenges. It goes to the size of some providers.”

“You can encourage in that manner. I will pass it on to the Building Safety Minister and Andy Roe at the BSR.”

“I will come back to you with a final comment. You can hold us to the theoretical 100% standard that the previous Government committed to and had no plan to deliver, or you can hold us to the very significant uptick that we are seeking through this 40% minimum and discretion, given that lots of local areas are planning …”

“Just to supplement that, the bar for an exemption has to be extremely compelling in my mind. Let us see the evidence as to whether or not this type of lease meets that bar.”

“I would not say it is fair to characterise what we have done as prioritising quid pro quo leases. As I said, we need further evidence and have launched the technical consultation. We are hoping to publish the consultation on valuation rates imminently. As Committee members will know, that sits within the context that w…”

“Again, I will bring in Jo and Emma to add some detail. We are very confident they will be able to comply. We have given them the time to comply and are providing lots of detailed guidance to help them to roll it out. Again the regulator has a role in terms of SRS, MEES and those consumer standards coming through. We ar…”

“Maybe we can share that question, and I will do the resourcing first. We are relying on local authorities to enforce and are giving them significant amounts of money to help them do so. We provided £18.2 million in 2025-26 and £41.1 million in 2026-27 to support the new enforcement responsibilities that local authoriti…”