Written questions by Shelbrooke.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of council tax exemption and discount rules for families required to live away from their homes for extended periods due to a child undergoing prolonged hospital treatment.

Councils are responsible for administering the council tax system, including considering the circumstances applying to a household and its eligibility for a discount or exemption. As well as the mandatory 25% discount where a household only has one adult occupant, councils have discretion over the level of discount provided in respect of unoccupied or second homes, which may be relevant where a family or family member is temporarily absent for medical reasons. Councils are able to design their working age council tax reduction schemes to ensure that households continue to receive support during periods of absence. In addition, councils have discretionary powers to provide a discount to taxpayer for any reason where they consider this appropriate. The government recently consulted on modernising and improving the administration council tax. This included seeking views on any other groups which should be considered for council tax disregard/discounts. The consultation has now closed, and we are currently reviewing all responses. The government will publish its response to this consultation in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to reinstate funding for local Neighbourhood Development Plans.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on 19 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to replace the Community Ownership Fund.

On 23 December 2024, we announced that the Community Ownership Fund (COF) is closed and that there will be no further application windows. Whilst we have closed the COF programme, this Government remains committed to the communities sector and to community empowerment. As part of the Spending Review, we announced communities funding for up to 350 places, which will serve as the cornerstone of this Government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 75 Plan for Neighbourhoods areas announced in March. Through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, we will also introduce a new Community Right to Buy to give local people stronger powers to acquire valued community spaces. This new measure will give community groups the first option to purchase registered assets when they are put up for sale and a longer timeframe to raise funding to purchase the asset. The Bill will also expand the definition of an Asset of Community Value (ACV) to help protect a wider range of assets, including those that support the economy of a community and those that were historically of importance to the community. This will empower local people to bring community spaces back into community ownership and help to end the blight of empty properties on our high streets.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make fire and rescue authorities statutory consultees for planning applications for battery energy storage systems.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 5520 on 11 October 2024.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 12061 on Agriculture: Land Use and with reference to the approval of the solar farm development at Honiley Road solar farm by the Minster of State, dated 23 July 2024, what the evidential basis is for the report that that solar farm has delivered 135% Biodiversity Net Increase.

The full reasons for the decision to grant the permission in question are set out in the published decision letter and Inspector’s Report. The Inspector’s Report provides a complete list of the evidence which was before the Inquiry. Having issued this decision, the Secretary of State has no further jurisdiction in the matter, and it would not be appropriate to comment further.