Every parliamentary written question tabled by Blake Stephenson this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 311 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, who will adjudicate if neighbouring authorities cannot reach agreements on unmet housing need in the context of planning reforms.
Planning inspectors will examine new Spatial Development Strategies and will continue to examine plans in line with the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework.
Communities and Local Government, if his Department will ask the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to vary local authorities' boundaries where they would be spanned by a new town.
I refer the hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled More homes and improved high streets for new mayoral areas through 30-year funding package, published on 4 December 2025, whether additional funding will be available for new mayoral areas outside the Devolution Priority Programme.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97367 on 11 December 2025. Decisions on future devolution areas beyond those in the Devolution Priority Programme, including Bedfordshire, have not yet been taken, but the Department will continue to engage with local authorities about possible future devolution agreements. All future funding decisions, including the 30-year investment fund, will form part of conversations with local areas. The government is committed to ensuring that all new Strategic Authorities are built on strong foundations and set up to succeed.
Communities and Local Government, how many houses are planned to be built in the next five years in England.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.
Communities and Local Government, if he will direct Integrated Care Boards to fund GP provision in new towns in the context of the work of the New Towns Taskforce.
I refer the hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have up-to-date Local Plans.
The latest available figures show that only 27% of local planning authorities have adopted a plan in the last five years. In order to deliver the homes and growth the country needs, we expect all local planning authorities to make every effort to get up-to-date local plans in place as soon as possible. As a government, we have made a clear commitment to achieving universal local plan coverage. To that end, we have been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible. The government is committed to taking tough action to ensure local authorities have up-to-date local plans in place. The law provides intervention powers for the government to take action to ensure that plans are progressed. Any decisions taken in relation to intervention in plan-making are considered on a case-by-case basis and take into account local circumstances.
Communities and Local Government, whether he has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of service times at HM Land Registry.
Improving speed of service remains a top priority for HM Land Registry (HMLR). Plans to achieve this are set out in the Agency’s Strategy 2025+ which was published on 5 November 2025 and can be found on gov.uk here. As its sponsor department, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government holds HMLR to account for its performance and operational delivery and is in regular communication with HMLR about their processing times. HMLR has been making improvements in this area through hiring and training more staff and by improving the efficiency of the services its customers use. The introduction of new pre-submission validation checks will speed up processes and reduce staff time spent on dealing with errors or mistakes. The age of outstanding post-completion applications is now under 12 months across all service lines, from a peak of 20 months in February 2023. HMLR processing times are publicly available on gov.uk here. Anyone who is concerned that a delay to their application may cause financial, legal, or personal problems or put a property sale at risk, can apply to have their application expedited free of charge. HMLR processes nearly 1,400 expedited applications every day, with more than 95% actioned within 10 working days.
Communities and Local Government, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the work of the New Towns Taskforce.
I refer the hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department will produce guidance on reducing long term flood risk in new towns.
I refer the hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has conducted a lessons learned review of new settlements commenced since 2000 in the context of his plans for New Towns.
I refer the hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, whether stewardship models involving ongoing service charges for residents will be considered for new towns.
I refer the hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release Families to save hundreds of pounds in major homebuying overhaul, published on 5 October 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that policy on the number of houses available for sale.
On 6 October, my Department published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. They can be found on gov.uk here and here. Final policy decisions as well as a refined analysis of the impact of the proposals in question are subject to a review of the information received through the consultation process.
Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered the potential implications for his policies of the County Councils Network report entitled Local Government Reorganisation: Analysing the impact on people services.
In our invitation on 5 February 2025, we set out guidance to support councils as they develop reorganisation proposals that are in the best interests of their areas. This includes guidance on issues of size, sensible geographies, efficiencies and financial sustainability. The criteria we will assess proposals against includes the ability to achieve financial efficiencies. It is for councils to develop and submit robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. Once a proposal has been submitted it will be for the Government, whilst having due regard to the criteria and the available relevant evidence, to decide on which proposal, if any, to take forward.
Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered the potential implications for his policies of the CCN report entitled Local Government Re-Organisation: Evaluating the financial impact of population thresholds.
In our invitation on 5 February 2025, we set out guidance to support councils as they develop reorganisation proposals that are in the best interests of their areas. This includes guidance on issues of size, sensible geographies, efficiencies and financial sustainability. The criteria we will assess proposals against includes the ability to achieve financial efficiencies. It is for councils to develop and submit robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. Once a proposal has been submitted it will be for the Government, whilst having due regard to the criteria and the available relevant evidence, to decide on which proposal, if any, to take forward.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to revalue council tax bands F, G and H.
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a duty to maintain an accurate list of council tax bands. As part of the High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS), announced at budget, the VOA will conduct a targeted valuation exercise to identify properties in scope of the surcharge. This will be conducted without reference to existing council tax bands. A consultation on the HVCTS will be published in due course. Properties will not be revalued for the purposes of council tax as part of the HVCTS. The Government is committed to ensuring the council tax system is fair for taxpayers and local authorities and will continue to keep council tax under review.
Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of trends in the level of reserves held by local authorities over the last decade.
The government considers reserves to be an important part of the resources available to local authorities.We encourage local authorities to consider how they can use their reserves to maintain services in the face of pressures, taking account, of course, of the need to maintain appropriate levels of reserves to support their financial sustainability and future investment.Local authority revenue expenditure and financing data, which includes data on the level of local authority reserves held over the last decade, is published on gov.uk at the following link.Further information about an individual local authority's reserves can be found in the financial accounts published by that authority. The government will continue to monitor the level of local authority reserves.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled £500 million for first ever fair pay agreement for care workers, published on 30 September 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of that policy on local government finances.
The £500 million funding for the Fair Pay Agreement is part of an increase of around £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29, compared to 2025-26, and is part of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement published on 17 December 2025. The Government has published an impact assessment of the Fair Pay Agreement, which outlines our best current summary of the evidence on potential impacts, costs and benefits, including on local government finances. The Impact Assessment can be found here.
Communities and Local Government, how many visas a) HM Land Registry and b) the Architects Registration Board have sponsored since 4 July 2024.
The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 66, paragraph 3.50 of the Budget 2025, for what reason his Department has chosen Tempsford, Leeds South Bank and Crews Hill as its preferred locations for new towns.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 13 October 2025 (HCWS948).
Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce a tourism tax.
The Government has announced powers for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy on short-term overnight accommodation in their region, to drive economic growth including through support for the local visitor economy. We have published a consultation running until 18 February 2026, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders.The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector in developing this power through the consultation process.