Written questions by Griffiths.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of signage requirements for private parking operators, including where free parking is conditional on visiting specific premises.

Parking on private land is managed under contract law. The signage on a site sets out the terms and conditions of the contract, including any conditions attached to free parking, and these are often reflective of the landowner’s requirements. When a motorist parks on the land, they are held to have accepted the contract created through the signage. The Sector Single Code states signage must be designed, applied and maintained to be visible, legible and unambiguous to drivers.In response to motorist concerns and in accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, the government intends to lay a Code setting out standards for signage in autumn 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the number of private parking charge notices issued annually in England; and what assessment he has made of trends in those figures over the last five years.

The government uses publicly available DVLA Keeper at Data of Event Enquiry (KADOE) data as a proxy for the number of private parking charges issued annually. The following requests were made for car park management purposes. YearKADOE Requests (M)2018/196,905,3592019/208,557,0852020/214,507,3082021/228,564,7622022/2311,052,9862023/2412,772,3392024/2514,381,119

Communities and Local Government, what powers are available to local authorities to intervene where private parking arrangements are having a demonstrable negative impact on local businesses, including through compulsory purchase or other mechanisms.

No direct assessment has been made of the potential impact of private parking enforcement practices on footfall and consumer confidence in local high streets. However, the government is aware of motorist frustrations, and in accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, intends to publish a Code which raises standard across the industry and better protects and supports motorists in autumn 2026. Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities must ensure that their parking policies are proportionate and support town centre prosperity. Local authorities have the power to compulsorily purchase land for provision of parking spaces under section 40 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Local authorities also have compulsory purchase powers under the Town and County Planning Act 1990 to acquire land used for private parking to facilitate development or improvements in their areas.Compulsory purchase powers may be used where efforts to acquire the land by negotiations have failed and there is a compelling case in the public interest. More generally, local authorities have limited direct powers to intervene in private parking arrangements, and do not have powers to regulate private parking enforcement practices or charges. Private operators are self-regulated through membership of the accredited trade associations (the British Parking Associations or the International Parking Community).

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of private parking enforcement practices on footfall and consumer confidence in local high streets.

No direct assessment has been made of the potential impact of private parking enforcement practices on footfall and consumer confidence in local high streets. However, the government is aware of motorist frustrations, and in accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019, intends to publish a Code which raises standard across the industry and better protects and supports motorists in autumn 2026. Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities must ensure that their parking policies are proportionate and support town centre prosperity. Local authorities have the power to compulsorily purchase land for provision of parking spaces under section 40 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Local authorities also have compulsory purchase powers under the Town and County Planning Act 1990 to acquire land used for private parking to facilitate development or improvements in their areas.Compulsory purchase powers may be used where efforts to acquire the land by negotiations have failed and there is a compelling case in the public interest. More generally, local authorities have limited direct powers to intervene in private parking arrangements, and do not have powers to regulate private parking enforcement practices or charges. Private operators are self-regulated through membership of the accredited trade associations (the British Parking Associations or the International Parking Community).

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of the use of surveillance and enforcement practices by private parking operators to issue charges based on motorists’ movements beyond car parks.

The government has not made an assessment of trends in the use of surveillance to issue charges based on motorists’ movements beyond car parks.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to issue guidance to billing authorities on the publication of aggregate and recipient-level information on discretionary business rates relief awarded to premises used wholly or mainly for community sport.

Billing authorities report on the value of discretionary relief provided to Community Amateur Sports Clubs and a snapshot of the number of hereditaments in receipt of this discretionary relief via the Department’s national non-domestic rates forms. Guidance to help complete the forms is provided to billing authorities. The latest published information on the value of the relief in 2026-27 can be found at table 2 here. The latest published data on the number of hereditaments in receipt of discretionary relief as at 31 December 2024 can be found in Table 4 here. Data on hereditaments as at 31 December 2025 will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the administrative burden placed on volunteer-led sports clubs and community sports facilities by annual reapplication requirements for discretionary business rates relief.

The administration of business rates, including billing, enforcement and decisions on the award of relief is the responsibility of local government, having regard to the relevant legislation or, where applicable, guidance published by central government. Local authorities are responsible for deciding any application process for the locally funded discretionary rate relief schemes they administer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of local authority budget pressures on decisions to award discretionary business rates relief to sports clubs and community sports facilities.

The administration of business rates, including billing, enforcement and decisions on the award of relief is the responsibility of local government, having regard to the relevant legislation or, where applicable, guidance published by central government. Local authorities are responsible for deciding any application process for the locally funded discretionary rate relief schemes they administer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of delays in determining discretionary business rates relief applications on the financial sustainability of grassroots sports clubs in England.

The administration of business rates, including billing, enforcement and decisions on the award of relief is the responsibility of local government, having regard to the relevant legislation or, where applicable, guidance published by central government. Local authorities are responsible for deciding any application process for the locally funded discretionary rate relief schemes they administer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on non-mayoral visitor economies, including Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, of limiting powers to introduce an overnight visitor levy in England to Mayoral Strategic Authorities and any future Foundation Strategic Authorities.

West Sussex is a constituent member of the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority, which was formally established on 25 March 2026. Consequently, the towns of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton will benefit from a Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) for the region with the power to introduce an Overnight Visitor Levy (OVL). As set out in the Visitor Levy consultation document, the Government believes this power best sits with MSAs as Mayors hold the levers to drive local growth and have the mandate to make strategic decisions over a large geography. Evidence from other countries suggests that modest levies have a limited impact on visitor numbers and displacement. In February, the Government invited all local authorities that do not currently have a devolution agreement to come forward with proposals for a Foundation Strategic Authority (FSA) across a sensible geography to ensure everywhere has access to the benefits of devolution. As you note, the Government has also consulted on whether to give the Visitor Levy power to FSAs, given they also hold levers to drive local growth and have strategic roles in economic development over a significant geographic area. The Government will publish the response to the consultation which ended on 18 February shortly

Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of hereditaments used wholly or mainly for community sport in England that will see an increase in their (a) rateable value and (b) business rates liability from 1 April 2026; and what transitional arrangements will apply to those hereditaments.

The Department only collects aggregate data on the rateable values and reliefs and does not collect data broken down by type of business. Forecast data for 2025-26 is published on gov.uk here. Support for ratepayers facing increases in their business rates bills at the 2026 revaluation is provided by the Transitional Relief Scheme and the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme. Transitional Relief caps the bill increases of all ratepayers and is calculated from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill before all other reliefs. Supporting Small Business Relief calculates support from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill including eligible reliefs. For the 2026 scheme, those ratepayers losing some or all of their Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief, 2025/26 Retail, Hospitality and leisure Relief, or 2023 Supporting Small Business Rate Relief will be eligible for the 2026 Supporting Small Business Scheme. Further information on business rates reliefs can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of sports clubs and community sport facilities in England that will qualify for the retail, hospitality and leisure business rates multipliers from 1 April 2026.

The Department only collects aggregate data on the rateable values and reliefs and does not collect data broken down by type of business. Forecast data for 2025-26 is published on gov.uk here. Support for ratepayers facing increases in their business rates bills at the 2026 revaluation is provided by the Transitional Relief Scheme and the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme. Transitional Relief caps the bill increases of all ratepayers and is calculated from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill before all other reliefs. Supporting Small Business Relief calculates support from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill including eligible reliefs. For the 2026 scheme, those ratepayers losing some or all of their Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief, 2025/26 Retail, Hospitality and leisure Relief, or 2023 Supporting Small Business Rate Relief will be eligible for the 2026 Supporting Small Business Scheme. Further information on business rates reliefs can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of hereditaments in England used wholly or mainly for community sport that receive (a) mandatory charitable rate relief, (b) mandatory Community Amateur Sports Club rate relief and (c) discretionary rate relief from local authorities; and what estimate he has made of the total value of relief awarded in each category in 2025-26.

The Department only collects aggregate data on the rateable values and reliefs and does not collect data broken down by type of business. Forecast data for 2025-26 is published on gov.uk here. Support for ratepayers facing increases in their business rates bills at the 2026 revaluation is provided by the Transitional Relief Scheme and the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme. Transitional Relief caps the bill increases of all ratepayers and is calculated from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill before all other reliefs. Supporting Small Business Relief calculates support from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill including eligible reliefs. For the 2026 scheme, those ratepayers losing some or all of their Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief, 2025/26 Retail, Hospitality and leisure Relief, or 2023 Supporting Small Business Rate Relief will be eligible for the 2026 Supporting Small Business Scheme. Further information on business rates reliefs can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what support his Department provides to local authorities responding to maritime incidents that result in environmental contamination or significant shoreline clean-up operations.

MHCLG is not responsible for maritime or environmental clean-up operations. The Lead Government Department responsibility for these sits with the Department for Transport and the Environment Agency, which are responsible for guidance to local authorities on these issues. I would also refer the hon Lady to the Answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security gave to the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) on 29 April 2025 UIN 46848.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance exists on public communication and safety messaging by local authorities during environmental incidents affecting coastal communities.

MHCLG is not responsible for maritime or environmental clean-up operations. The Lead Government Department responsibility for these sits with the Department for Transport and the Environment Agency, which are responsible for guidance to local authorities on these issues. I would also refer the hon Lady to the Answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security gave to the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) on 29 April 2025 UIN 46848.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance is issued to local authorities on recording and recovering costs incurred during environmental clean-up operations following maritime incidents; and whether such guidance allows for costs incurred by organised charity, conservation, or wildlife groups supporting those clean-up efforts to be included within claims made against responsible commercial parties.

MHCLG is not responsible for maritime or environmental clean-up operations. The Lead Government Department responsibility for these sits with the Department for Transport and the Environment Agency, which are responsible for guidance to local authorities on these issues. I would also refer the hon Lady to the Answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security gave to the Member for North West Norfolk (James Wild) on 29 April 2025 UIN 46848.

Communities and Local Government, how many titles on the Land Register were purchased by overseas people or entities in each month in the last five years; and what their total purchase price value was.

HM Land Registry (HMLR) registers legal ownership, interests and mortgages against land and property in England and Wales. The Register of Title held by HMLR does not record the nationality of individuals who own land or property.HMLR publishes a dataset about non-UK companies or corporate bodies that own land in England and Wales. This is publicly available via gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, how many titles on the Land Register are owned by overseas individuals or entities; and what the combined purchase price of such titles was in each of the last five years.

HM Land Registry (HMLR) registers legal ownership, interests and mortgages against land and property in England and Wales. The Register of Title held by HMLR does not record the nationality of individuals who own land or property.HMLR publishes a dataset about non-UK companies or corporate bodies that own land in England and Wales. This is publicly available via gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department offers protection to staff from unfair dismissal from their first working day.

All dismissals are handled in line with current legislation and appropriate Codes of Practice.Where an employee feels they may have been unfairly dismissed, appropriate internal appeal routes may be instigated. Where an employee is unable to solve a problem internally they may be able to go to an employment tribunal to claim unfair dismissal, as set out in legislation.This position will be reviewed when unfair dismissal rights are updated in line with proposals in the Employment Rights Bill.