Mr Lee Dillon

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Parliament's party history for this member: Liberal Democrat (4 Jul 2024 – present).

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1. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I rise to speak to new clause 59, which, in a similar spirit to the official Opposition’s new clauses 36 and 54, asks that the Secretary of State carry out a review. My new clause asks that the review takes place 12 months after Royal Assent. We come at this with a different aspiration: I feel the Opposition amendments have been tabled to catch the Government out, whereas we support the objectives of the Bill. However, although we support the changes to right to buy and the tightening of stock disposal, it is only right that the House be able to see, via a review by the Secretary of State within 12 months, whether those objectives have indeed been met or whether we need to legislate further to continue to protect social housing stock, on which we are in full agreement with the Government.

   Hansard source
2. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   I rise to speak in support of my new clause 61, which is a probing amendment. As the new clause outlines, a home and place standard would be a design and place-making framework for an organisation to enable the measurement of housing quality, to guide strategic investment and to shape resident wellbeing. The core pillars of such a standard should focus on customers, on homes and on the place. It should also make sure that social housing providers are part of a sustainable future. Although it may not be appropriate to mandate in the Bill a standard on to private registered providers, I would be keen to hear from the Minister how his Department is shaping the future standards for the sector and encouraging those PRPs to go further: to think beyond just their bricks and mortar, and about where their homes are situated, about the role they play on an estate, about the role that they can play in a town, about encouraging sustainable transport into new developments and about having a holistic approach to what makes social housing so important and making it even more successful.

   Hansard source
3. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time. As members of the Committee know, I worked in social housing for 14 years before entering this place. One of the more challenging elements of my role was ensuring the safety of our residents, particularly with annual gas safety checks. We had to make three attempts to carry out the check before going to court and seeking an injunction to access the property, not only resulting in legal costs for the social provider, but extending the time that a tenant was residing in a property without the boiler having its approved checks done. The same problem can also extend to five-year electrical safety checks. Only yesterday, I hosted a roundtable with the British Pest Control Association, where we spoke about <span id="199" class="column-number" data-column-number="199"></span>how delays to access in such instances are causing further damage through pest infestation. Bedbugs, for example, often move within a block of flats, so quick access to all dwellings in that instance is key to stopping the spread and its impact. The new clause has come from experience of working in the sector. I have never known a judge not to grant an injunction when a social landlord has been able to prove that it has made those three attempts. Although article 8 and the right to a private life may come up, that is of course a qualified right. As long as the access is in accordance with the law, necessary or proportionate, or pursuing a legitimate aim, article 8 considerations can be laid aside.

   Hansard source
4. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   I thank the Minister for his reply and for his Department’s understanding of the wider impact. I welcome the consultation being launched. I agree that the balance between a landlord’s rights and a tenant’s rights needs a lot of thought. When I was drafting new clause 60, I did not include pests as a hazard; I appreciate that that should have been included as well. I look forward to seeing the Government’s progress. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion. <em>Clause, by leave, withdrawn.</em> New Clause 62 Ability of tenants to request an electric vehicle charging point “(1) Within six months of the passing of this Act, the Secretary of State must, by regulations made by statutory instrument, make provision to enable tenants to request and install a domestic Electric Vehicle Charger.<span id="200" class="column-number" data-column-number="200"></span> (2) Regulations made under subsection (1) made under this subsection must include— (a) the grounds on which a request can be declined including— (i) electrical standards, (ii) planning requirements, and (iii) cost; and (b) a requirement for social housing providers to respond to the request within one month. (3) A statutory instrument containing regulations under this section may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.”—<em>(Mr Dillon.)</em> <em>Brought up, and read the First </em><em>time</em><em>.</em>

   Hansard source
5. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

   Hansard source
6. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   These are simple new clauses and we hope that Members on both sides of the Committee will support them. In effect, new clause 62 would allow social tenants the opportunity to have an electric charging point on existing stock, and new clause 63 seeks the same for new builds.

   Hansard source
7. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   I happily accept the Minister’s considered view about the consultation. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion. <em>Clause, by leave, </em><em>withdrawn</em><em>.</em> New Clause 66 Review of the use of empty homes as social housing “(1) The Secretary of State must, within six months of the passing of this Act, publish and lay before Parliament a review on the use of empty homes as social homes. (2) A review under this section must include information on— (a) the number of empty homes in England and Wales that could be used for social housing, (b) the potential merits of a scheme to bring empty homes into use as social housing, and (c) any challenges involved in establishing such a scheme.”—<em>(Gideon Amos.)</em> <em>Brought up, and read the First time.</em>

   Hansard source
8. 3 Nov 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (Fifth sitting)

   The Minister has outlined a number of funding packages and processes that are already set up to tackle empty homes. Can he say how well they are working, and whether the Government need to go further? A national strategy, with a regional breakdown or local levers within it, could help tackle the problem.

   Hansard source
9. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

   Social Housing Bill (First sitting)

   It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I rise to speak to my own amendment 104, as well as amendment 9, which was tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for St Ives (Andrew George). I agree with the Opposition that amendment 104 is about seeking clarity from the Government around how a rural area would be designated. I welcome the Government amendments tabled since the publication of the Bill that hand more power to local authorities to determine the designation. Amendment 104 would provide some certainty regarding what classification could be used in that determination. What decision-making process would the Minister use to arrive at a designation whereby he has the power to make regulations for a rural area? On amendment 9, as a party we believe that social housing is a crucial element of a settled society and protecting that stock is a must. That is why we support the overall objectives of the Bill, but we seek to go further than what the Government have currently legislated for by ensuring that community-led housing is included in the prohibition on losing stock to the private market. That is why my hon. Friend the Member for St Ives, who represents west Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, has tabled amendment 9.

   Hansard source
10. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Mr Lee Dillon

    Social Housing Bill (First sitting)

    No, it wasn’t.

    Hansard source

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