Written questions by Pinkerton.

Communities and Local Government, if he will provide a breakdown of the (a) total and (b) stranded debt levels across the local authorities proposed for inclusion in the East Surrey Unitary Authority.

Local authorities are responsible for their own borrowing and investment decisions and managing their assets. They must comply with statutory duties and guidance to ensure that their capital strategies are prudent, affordable and sustainable. In general, as with previous rounds of local government reorganisation, there is no proposal for council debt to be addressed centrally or written off as part of reorganisation. The Department does not routinely collect data on the position of authorities’ assets and liabilities, Authorities are required, however, to report their financial position in their Annual Statement of Accounts. Authorities are also required to provide financial returns to Government on a quarterly and annual basis, including information on borrowing and capital financing requirements, and these are published on gov.uk here. I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 28 October (HCWS998) where we announced our commitment to repay in-principle £500 million of Woking Borough Council’s debt in 2026-27. This is a significant and unprecedented commitment given historic capital practices at the Council. It reflects our acknowledgement that, even after the rationalisation of Woking’s historic assets, there is significant unsupported debt held by the Council that cannot be managed locally. Any support must take into account value for money for the local and national taxpayer and the Council’s continued commitment to reduce debt as far as possible within their local capacity.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to (a) safeguard the integrity of the democratic process and (b) uphold democratic accountability during the transition to unitary authorities as part of local government reorganisation in Surrey.

We will bring to the House, for approval, a Structural Changes Order, which will provide for the establishment of the two new councils, abolish the existing councils, and make the necessary electoral arrangements, including replacing the scheduled County and District elections in May 2026 with elections to the new councils. The legislation will also extend the terms of office for current councillors by 11 months, covering the interim period. This is standard practice and avoids the cost and disruption of holding elections for short-term posts in councils which are to be abolished. The existing rules in place for the conduct of local council elections will apply to the elections for the new councils, and these will include provisions designed to uphold the integrity of the electoral process, for example, the requirement for voters in polling stations to show approved ID. The simpler structures delivered through reorganisation will improve democratic accountability as residents know who to look to and it is clearer who is responsible for what.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure residents receive (a) clear and (b) accessible information about how their service charge payments are spent in Surrey Heath constituency.

On 4 July, the government published a consultation on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services. It can be found on gov.uk here. For an overview of the proposals set out in the consultation, I refer the hon. Member to the associated Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS780). The consultation closed on 26 September, and we are analysing responses.

Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to review the adequacy of legislation governing the provision of service charge accounts to leaseholders.

On 4 July, the government published a consultation on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services. It can be found on gov.uk here. For an overview of the proposals set out in the consultation, I refer the hon. Member to the associated Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS780). The consultation closed on 26 September, and we are analysing responses.

Communities and Local Government, if his Department will publish a breakdown of how business rates tax collected by Surrey Heath Borough Council is (a) allocated and (b) used by the Treasury.

The business rates retention system (BRRS) was introduced in April 2013 to give authorities a direct financial interest in business rates, recognising their role in the collection of the tax. Percentage shares of business rates income collected are allocated to the central share (to be paid to central government) and the local share (retained locally by local authorities, including Surrey Heath) in the annual Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS). The most recent version of the LGFS, for 2025-26, is published on gov.uk here. We will set out the breakdown over the 3 years of the multi-year settlement at the provisional LGFS later this year. Details of the business rates collected annually by local authorities are available on gov.uk here. This sets out the amounts retained locally and paid over to central government. Receipts collected by central government are paid into the consolidated fund and used for the purpose of funding expenditure on local government.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to improve fire service workforce resilience in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government acknowledges the vital contributions made by fire and rescue services. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed are a matter for each Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) as the employer, based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances. Fire and rescue reform priorities continue to be shaped through regular engagement with sector leaders via the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform (MAGFRR) and other key forums. Established by the Government, MAGFRR provides a strategic platform for addressing policy challenges and supporting the modernisation of fire and rescue services. The Government remains committed to working collaboratively with all sector partners to deliver meaningful change and ensure services are equipped to keep the public safe.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) local authorities and (b) schools on promoting careers in the fire and rescue service in Surrey Heath constituency.

Fire and rescue recruitment in England is managed by individual Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs). Each local service is responsible for its own recruitment processes, policies, and workforce planning, which are typically overseen by their HR or People Services teams. Surrey Fire and Rescue Service run engagement events across the county, not just in schools but for school-age groups and the wider community. These events combine fire prevention advice with information on careers in the Fire Service, ensuring a joined-up approach.

Communities and Local Government, what consultation mechanisms are in place for engagement between his Department and the Leader of Surrey County Council on devolution reform.

Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with the leader of Surrey County Council on the timetable for county council elections in Surrey.

Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.

Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to publish an update on local government reorganisation plans in Surrey.

Surrey is pursuing local government reorganisation to an accelerated timetable. A decision on which proposal to implement will be announced shortly to Parliament, now the House has returned from the conference recess, and will be shared with Surrey Council leaders at the same time.It continues to be expected, by both the government and council leaders in Surrey, that elections scheduled to take place in Surrey in May 2026, including those to the County Council, will be replaced by elections to the new unitary councils.Simplifying local government structures in Surrey will also support a strong foundation for devolution, and government will continue to work with local leaders to consider options.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of houses in multiple occupation on levels of (a) loneliness and (b) mental health issues in Surrey Heath constituency.

My Department has no plans to make such an assessment. We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending Energy Performance Certificate regulations to SMEs in the self-catering sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) considers that the impact of extending Energy Performance Certificate regulations to SMEs in the self-catering sector in the Surrey Heath constituency is low, and no different to other constituencies which fall into scope of these requirements. We expect that, if we change government policy to require short term lets to have an EPC at the point of being let that costs to businesses will be low. The cost of obtaining a domestic EPC is around £70 and they are valid for 10 years. We recently consulted on policy changes. We are considering the feedback received, and our response will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken to support residents who are unable to (a) sell or (b) remortgage their properties due to fire safety remediation works in Surrey Heath constituency.

Ten major banks and building societies have signed up to the industry statement on cladding. In doing so, they have committed to consider mortgage applications, even if a property has building safety issues, provided either the building has funding for works from government or the developer, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, and the leaseholder has completed a ‘Leaseholder Deed of Certificate’ to evidence it. Officials engage regularly with these lenders to make sure they fulfil their commitment to lending as set out in the statement. If the Hon Gentleman is aware of cases in the Surrey Heath constituency where there is evidence that this is not happening, I would encourage him to contact my Department and my officials can follow this up.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in promoting community cohesion in Surrey Heath constituency.

MHCLG's Community Cohesion Unit works to support and promote cohesion across England, through working closely with local authorities, voluntary and community sector and faith organisations, and other government departments. The Government's new £2.87m Common Ground Resilience Fund is supporting community connection and cohesion by funding locally led interventions to build community resilience. As part of this, the Common Ground Award is investing capital funding into VCSE sector organisations that are bringing people together from different backgrounds, supporting the cost of constructing or renovating facilities, or the purchasing of equipment to deliver services. Furthermore, MHCLG is co-ordinating cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with local government, communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to consult the voluntary sector on proposals for local government reorganisation in Surrey.

The government’s consultation on the two unitary proposals in Surrey closed on 5 August 2025. A named consultee contacted to respond was the Surrey VCSE Alliance, and the government encouraged councils in Surrey to promote the consultation and welcomed views from the voluntary and community sector. The statutory guidance given to councils invited to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in February 2025 set out an expectation that while developing their proposals, councils should engage with relevant bodies in their area, including voluntary and third sector organisations, and that engagement undertaken should inform the development of robust proposals. Officials from MHCLG have been engaging with councils in Surrey and will continue to do so as we move through transition into implementation phase.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Surrey County Council on the potential implications of local government reorganisation on the voluntary sector in Surrey.

The government’s consultation on the two unitary proposals in Surrey closed on 5 August 2025. A named consultee contacted to respond was the Surrey VCSE Alliance, and the government encouraged councils in Surrey to promote the consultation and welcomed views from the voluntary and community sector. The statutory guidance given to councils invited to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in February 2025 set out an expectation that while developing their proposals, councils should engage with relevant bodies in their area, including voluntary and third sector organisations, and that engagement undertaken should inform the development of robust proposals. Officials from MHCLG have been engaging with councils in Surrey and will continue to do so as we move through transition into implementation phase.

Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing to small voluntary sector organisations during local government reorganisation in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government’s consultation on the two unitary proposals in Surrey closed on 5 August 2025. A named consultee contacted to respond was the Surrey VCSE Alliance, and the government encouraged councils in Surrey to promote the consultation and welcomed views from the voluntary and community sector. The statutory guidance given to councils invited to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in February 2025 set out an expectation that while developing their proposals, councils should engage with relevant bodies in their area, including voluntary and third sector organisations, and that engagement undertaken should inform the development of robust proposals. Officials from MHCLG have been engaging with councils in Surrey and will continue to do so as we move through transition into implementation phase.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the capacity of sewage treatment sites to accommodate (a) current housing and (b) new housing developments in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government recognises the importance of water and wastewater provision on new developments. As set out in Paragraph 7 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Sustainable development should be pursued both through the preparation and implementation of local development plans, and the application of policies in the framework. The government is clear that housing must come with appropriate infrastructure, including appropriate water infrastructure. We believe that strategic issues such as water capacity are best dealt with at a strategic level through the plan-making process, rather than through individual planning applications. A key function of local development plans is to guide development to the most suitable and sustainable locations and to ensure that the associated infrastructure requirements are addressed. Effective co-operation early in the plan-making process is essential to ensuring not only that housing and infrastructure need is appropriately planned for, but that they are aligned with each other. The NPPF makes it clear that local planning authorities should collaborate with each other and with other public bodies, including infrastructure providers, to identify relevant strategic matters to be addressed, including providing for sustainable water supplies. Water companies are under a statutory duty to provide new water and sewerage connections to residential properties, as well as planning to meet the needs of growth as part of water resource management plans, and drainage and wastewater management plans. The water resources planning guideline published by the Environment Agency and Ofwat, sets out how those companies should forecast demand for water based on existing customers and planned levels of household and non-household growth, with the number of planned developments being based on published local plans. Relevant planning practice guidance sets out that good design and mitigation measures should be secured during development, both through site-specific and non-site-specific policies on water infrastructure. The revised NPPF published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that developments of all sizes should use sustainable drainage techniques when the development could have drainage impacts and should have appropriate maintenance arrangements in place. We continue to explore whether more needs to be done to ensure sustainable drainage technologies are taken up more widely in new development, either through planning policy or by commencing schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and a decision on the best way forward will be made in the coming months. Ensuring that we take a strategic spatial planning approach to the management of water, including tackling pollution and managing pressures on the water environment at a catchment, regional and national scale, was a core objective of the independent review into the regulatory system of the water sector. The government’s full response to the Independent Water Commission’s recommendations will be published through a White Paper published for consultation this Autumn. This will include responses to recommendations which intend to unlock growth by ensuring water infrastructure investment is aligned with regional and national economic priorities and remove long-standing barriers to development.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including parking provision in the licensing criteria for Houses in Multiple Occupation.

My Department has made no such assessment. Section 67 of the Housing Act 2004 allows local authorities to impose conditions on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making water companies statutory consultees for new sizeable housing developments in Surrey.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60676 on 23 June 2025.