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I have received a response from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government following my correspondence of 4th February 2026 regarding the petition presented in Parliament on 27 January 2026.

The Minister, Samantha Dixon MBE MP, has confirmed that MHCLG will take both the petition and the wider context I have set out into full consideration as it prepares its formal observations for publication in Hansard.

I welcome this confirmation and look forward to the Government’s formal response in due course.

A Petition Now Under Consideration

The petition presented in the House of Commons by Brian Leishman MP focuses on the impact of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) on homeowners across the UK.

A key element of the petition is its proposal to restore First Time Buyer status for homeowners affected by RAAC.

Clarifying the Wider Context

The “wider context” referred to in the Minister’s response relates specifically to an important distinction in scope.

The original petition I submitted sought to extend the restoration of First Time Buyer status not only to RAAC-affected homeowners, but more broadly to all homeowners who have lost their property through no fault of their own due to serious structural or latent defects.

This broader framing reflects a wider policy concern: that homeowners who are displaced as a result of systemic building failures should not be treated differently depending on the specific defect affecting their property.

A Constructive Step Forward

The Government has confirmed in a letter that it will take this wider context into account when preparing its formal observations. This is a welcome and constructive development.

It ensures that the Department is aware of both the specific RAAC-related issues raised in the presented petition, and the broader principle originally intended — namely fair treatment for all homeowners affected by catastrophic building defects outside of their control.

Looking Ahead

I look forward to the Government’s formal response and the observations that will be published in Hansard.

This remains an important opportunity to consider how policy can better support homeowners who find themselves displaced through no fault of their own, and to ensure that fairness is applied consistently across all categories of structural defect.