Select Committee on Housing, Communities and Local Government

Select Committee on Housing, Communities and Local Government is a parliamentary committee in the House of Commons tasked with examining matters within the remit of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, local authorities, and related public bodies. It conducts inquiries, scrutinises legislation, and publishes reports that influence debates in the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and among devolved institutions such as the Scottish Parliament, Senedd Cymru, and Northern Ireland Assembly. The committee's work intersects with high-profile events and legislation involving parliamentary actors and national crises.

Background and remit

Formed following departmental reorganisation during the premiership of Theresa May and the ministerial tenure of Sajid Javid, the committee succeeded predecessors linked to the Department for Communities and Local Government and was re-established amid wider changes also associated with Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. Its remit covers housing supply and affordability related to urban centres such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds; local government finance matters involving Chancellor of the Exchequer decisions and the Local Government Association; and community resilience responses tied to incidents like the Grenfell Tower fire and flooding events in Somerset Levels. The committee engages with statutory instruments, Orders in Council, and provisions in primary legislation such as the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and debates around the Localism Act 2011.

Membership and chairmanship

Membership comprises Members of Parliament drawn from parties represented in the Commons, including figures from the Conservative Party (UK), Labour Party (UK), Liberal Democrats (UK), and smaller parties like Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru. Chairs have included MPs who have gone on to hold ministerial office or shadow portfolios associated with Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities responsibilities. The committee operates under chair election procedures influenced by precedents set during the speakerships of John Bercow and Lindsay Hoyle, and its membership changes reflect outcomes from general elections such as those in 2017 United Kingdom general election and 2019 United Kingdom general election. Its witnesses often include officials from bodies like Homes England, the National Audit Office, the Chartered Institute of Housing, and local leaders including council leaders from Manchester City Council and Birmingham City Council.

Inquiries and reports

The committee has undertaken inquiries into topics linked to major incidents and policy debates, calling evidence from survivors, officials, and experts associated with Grenfell Tower fire, the Hackitt Review, and fire safety regimes connected to the Building Regulations 2010. Reports have addressed planning frameworks such as the National Planning Policy Framework, housing supply targets linked to Office for National Statistics population projections, and social housing issues involving organisations like Peabody Trust and Shelter (charity). Its reports frequently cite contributions from think tanks and campaign groups including Resolution Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and Policy Exchange, while prompting responses from ministers such as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and departments like the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Impact on policy and legislation

Findings from the committee have influenced amendments to bills debated in Westminster, interventions in delegated legislation, and ministerial statements during sessions led by figures like Michael Gove and James Brokenshire. Recommendations have informed policy adjustments to building safety regimes following the Grenfell Tower fire and contributed to scrutiny of affordable housing commitments in local plans prepared under the National Planning Policy Framework. Through engagement with agencies such as Homes England and funding mechanisms discussed with the Treasury, the committee has shaped discourse on council housing investment, right-to-buy reforms tied to the Right to Buy scheme, and devolution discussions involving Greater London Authority and combined authorities led by mayors like Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham.

Criticisms and controversies

The committee's work has attracted scrutiny over perceived politicisation during periods of intense partisan debate involving leaders such as Theresa May and Boris Johnson, with critics arguing some inquiries intersect with issues debated in select committees like the Public Accounts Committee and the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (2010–2015). Controversies have arisen around witness selection in inquiries connected to the Grenfell Tower fire and about the pace of implementation of recommendations involving the Hackitt Review and the Building Safety Bill. Tensions with devolved administrations such as the Scottish Government and Welsh Government have emerged when reports touch on intergovernmental funding or planning powers, while media outlets including the BBC and The Guardian have debated the committee's influence relative to ministerial action.

Category:Committees of the United Kingdom Parliament