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| Local Government and Housing Select Committee | |
|---|---|
| Name | Local Government and Housing Select Committee |
| Legislature | Parliament of the United Kingdom |
| Established | 2018 |
| Preceding | Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee |
| Jurisdiction | House of Commons |
| Chambers | House of Commons of the United Kingdom |
| Leader title | Chair |
| Leader name | Penny Mordaunt |
| Members | 11 |
Local Government and Housing Select Committee is a departmental select committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom charged with examining the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and its associated public bodies. The committee conducts inquiries, summons witnesses from across Whitehall, and publishes reports that inform debates in the House of Commons, influence ministers in Downing Street and shape legislation scrutinised by the House of Lords. Its work intersects with local authorities such as London Borough of Hackney, housing associations like Peabody Trust and regulatory bodies including the Homes and Communities Agency.
The committee was formed in the aftermath of machinery changes to departmental oversight during the second decade of the 21st century, following precedents set by committees such as the Public Accounts Committee and the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee. Its creation was influenced by policy shifts under the Theresa May ministry and reorganisations associated with the establishment of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Early investigations touched on legacies from the Grenfell Tower fire and regulatory responses connected to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Membership and remit have evolved through successive Parliaments including the 2019 United Kingdom general election and the 2017 general election, reflecting changes in ministerial portfolios such as the appointment of the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The committee operates under the standing orders that govern select committees of the House of Commons. It has powers to send for persons, papers and records, and to take oral and written evidence from figures such as local leaders from Greater Manchester Combined Authority, chief executives of housing providers like Clarion Housing Group, and ministers in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. Its reports can prompt debates under the Parliamentary privilege framework and influence statutory instruments scrutinised by the Delegated Legislation Committee. While it cannot make law directly, the committee leverages constitutional mechanisms familiar from inquiries such as the Leveson Inquiry and collaborates with bodies including the National Audit Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to triangulate evidence.
Membership is drawn from MPs across party lines and reflects the composition of the House of Commons following the 2019 United Kingdom general election. Chairs are elected by the whole House; notable chairs have included members who served in previous administrations like the Boris Johnson ministry and the Rishi Sunak ministry. Members frequently include former local councillors from authorities such as Birmingham City Council or Manchester City Council and parliamentarians with backgrounds in housing policy, for example those previously employed by organisations like Shelter (charity) or the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The committee also engages specialist advisers and calls upon experts from universities such as London School of Economics and University of Cambridge for technical briefings.
The committee has launched high-profile inquiries into matters including building safety after the Grenfell Tower fire, the regulation of cladding and remediation paid through schemes associated with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the financing of council housing involving entities like the Public Works Loan Board. Reports have addressed issues intersecting with the Levelling Up White Paper and the implementation of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 as well as funding streams tied to the Affordable Homes Programme. Witnesses have ranged from ministers such as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to officials from the Homes England executive, chief executives of local authorities, and representatives of private developers like Persimmon plc. Published evidence has led to government responses debated in committees including the Treasury Select Committee and in plenary sessions of the House of Commons.
Through detailed reports and recommendations, the committee has influenced regulatory reform, prompted ministerial statements from offices such as No. 10 Downing Street, and contributed to amendments in secondary legislation considered by the House of Lords. Its scrutiny has shaped remediation funding mechanisms and transparency measures affecting social landlords like Clarion Housing Group and Peabody Trust, and informed cross-government initiatives such as those overseen by the Cabinet Office. The committee’s work often feeds into broader public inquiries and legal challenges brought before courts including the High Court of Justice.
The committee has faced criticism over perceived partisanship during high-profile inquiries, echoing tensions seen in other select committees such as the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and the Culture, Media and Sport Committee. Critics have argued that limited powers constrain follow-up on recommendations, similar to debates around the remit of the Public Accounts Committee. Controversies have arisen when officials declined appearances, mirroring disputes in inquiries like the Leveson Inquiry, or when industry witnesses from developers such as Taylor Wimpey were accused of offering inconsistent testimony. Allegations of politicisation have occurred during periods of intense media scrutiny involving ministers from the Conservative Party (UK) and interventions from opposition parties including the Labour Party (UK).
Category:Select Committees of the United Kingdom House of Commons