Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
LabourMP for Greenwich and Woolwich
“It is essential that local planning authorities (LPAs) have the resources and skilled planners they need to provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and support housing delivery, economic growth and the provisio…”
“The leasehold system is blighting millions of lives. The leasehold system is a barrier to a fair and efficient modern residential property market. The leasehold system is an anachronism in the twenty-first century. That is why this governme…”
“Every social housing tenant has the right to live in a safe and decent home, receive services that meet their needs, and have their complaints promptly addressed. Yet far too many still live in social homes that are not well maintained or m…”
“Minister Pennycook thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Can I start by declaring an interest? My wife is the joint chief executive of the Law Commission, whose work I will cite in the course of my remarks. It is a pleasure to respond to this vi…”
“I start by congratulating my honourable Friend the Member for South Shields (Emma Lewell) on securing this important debate, and I thanking my honourable Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Daniel Francis) and the honourable Mem…”
“Madam Deputy Speaker, please accept my sincere apologies for being slightly late to the Chamber.…”
“My Noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government (Baroness Taylor of Stevenage) has today made the following statement:…”
“The Government continue to implement those leasehold reforms that are already in statute and to progress the wider set of reforms necessary to end the feudal leasehold system for good. In respect of the latter, the King’s Speech confirmed o…”
“Today I am updating the House on the government’s decision to establish a centrally‑led development corporation, to be known as the “Greater Cambridge Development Corporation”, to promote ambitious, high quality, sustainable growth and unlo…”
“Everyone deserves to live in a decent, safe, secure and affordable home. Yet far too many families in need of a social rented home are languishing on local authority waiting lists, forced to struggle in the private rented sector or in expen…”
“I congratulate my honourable Friend the Member for Hitchin (Alistair Strathern) on securing this important debate. He is an incredibly hard-working and effective advocate for the interests of his constituency, and he has long championed act…”
“I congratulate the honourable Member for Ashfield (Lee Anderson) on securing this important debate. I also thank those other honourable Members who have made contributions. I appreciate fully the concerns that the honourable Member for Ashf…”
“Alongside our commitment to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable house building in a generation, the Government are determined to drive a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing. T…”
“Planning is principally a local activity, and the government recognise the vital role that planning committees play in ensuring that decisions about what to build and where are shaped by local communities and reflect the views of local resi…”
“The 1946 New Towns Act was a response to the urgent need to alleviate housing shortages and urban overcrowding in a war-ravaged Britain. The acute and entrenched housing crisis that afflicts England today has far different causes, but the n…”
“Over the past 20 months, this government has taken a series of bold and decisive steps to lay the grounds for high and sustainable rates of housebuilding and improved infrastructure delivery in the years ahead. Today, I am announcing a seri…”
“I am today setting out further steps that the government is taking to expedite ambitious growth in Greater Oxford as part of our ongoing efforts to realise the full potential of the Oxford-Cambridge corridor.…”
“In the 13 months since we announced plans to supercharge growth in Oxford-Cambridge corridor, significant progress has been made, including through updated proposals on East West Rail, the establishment of an Oxford growth commission and ta…”
“The government was clear in its manifesto that housing need in England cannot be met without planning for growth on a larger than local scale. That is why we committed to introducing effective new mechanisms for cross-boundary strategic pla…”
“I am today setting out the next steps the government is taking to unleash ambitious and high-quality sustainable growth in Greater Cambridge as part of our plans to supercharge growth in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor.…”
“The government has a manifesto commitment to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and to strengthen planning obligations to ensure new developments provide more affordable homes.…”
“On 2 July 2025, we published a five-step plan to kickstart a decade of social and affordable housing renewal and set out this plan to the House in a Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS771).…”
“As a government, we made a clear and unambiguous commitment in our manifesto to act where previous governments had failed and finally bring the feudal leasehold system to an end. We did so on the basis of a firm conviction that it is only b…”
“My Department always strives to ensure that the House is updated at the earliest possible opportunity. I note and appreciate fully the points you have made, Mr Speaker, and will ensure that they are passed on to my ministerial colleagues. W…”
“It is a pleasure to close this debate for the Government. I congratulate my honourable Friend the Member for Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch (Katrina Murray) and thank her for securing the debate, and I thank the Backbench Business Committee …”
“This question relates to the proposals for a new Chinese embassy at Royal Mint Court. It is a decision to be taken by Planning Ministers, independent of the rest of Government. As I have said before in the House, this Government are committ…”
“Leasehold and commonhold reform are key priorities for this Government, and we remain absolutely determined to honour the commitments made in our manifesto and finally bring the feudal leasehold system to an end in this Parliament. We have …”
“For too many homeowners, the experience of living on a newly developed housing estate has been tainted by the hidden and enduring consequences of unadopted infrastructure. Roads, sewers, drains, green spaces, and other amenities that histor…”
“England remains in the grip of a housing crisis that is both acute and entrenched. The detrimental consequences of this disastrous state of affairs are now all pervasive: a generation locked out of homeownership; 1.3 million people languish…”
“Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. It sounds like there was an error made by the Department, and for that I sincerely apologise. I will discuss this with Ministers and officials to make sure that it does not happen again.…”
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