Written questions by Simmonds.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 5.149 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295 published on 30 October 2024, what the new Right to Buy discount rates are; and if she will make a comparative assessment of the adequacy of these rates compared to the previous regime.

As announced in the Autumn Budget and in accordance with our manifesto commitment, the Government reviewed the increased Right to Buy discounts introduced in 2012 and determined to reduce the maximum cash discounts to between £16,000 and £38,000. The level of discount available will depend on where a tenant lives. The review of Right to Buy discounts was published alongside the Budget and can be found on gov.uk here. Secondary legislation to reduce the maximum cash discounts was laid in Parliament on 30 October and is intended to come into force on 21 November.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.98 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, which new funding streams will be placed into the single pots for (a) Greater Manchester and (b) the West Midlands Combined Authorities.

Delivering integrated settlements in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will provide meaningful control over funding and improve the fragmented funding landscape for Mayoral Combined Authorities with a flexible single pot.The funds in scope, formulae and final allocations for the West Midlands and Greater Manchester will be published in due course and commence at the start of the 2025-26 financial year.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.98 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what her policy is on whether local authorities will (a) be selected by her Department or (b) volunteer to work with her Department to create simpler organisational structures.

The Government has now been clear on its long term vision for simpler local government structures so councils are the right size and shape to deliver citizen-focused services for their communities. We have heard from councils that unitarisation can be a positive way to increase sustainability and resilience of local government and want to work in partnership with local leaders to support them to achieve these objectives. Further detail will follow in the English Devolution White Paper, to be published shortly.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues on use of single notional invoices for Representation of the People Act 1983 candidate returns where multiple elections are contested concurrently.

The Government does not issue guidance on political finance matters. The Electoral Commission, as the independent body responsible for regulating political finance, has a statutory duty to provide guidance for political parties, candidates and other campaigners.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has plans for legislation changes on (a) enfranchisement rights, (b) ground rents, (c) default tenure and (d) cladding remediation liability for (i) leasehold and (ii) commonhold ownership.

The Government intend to act quickly to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. We will set out details in due course about the extensive programme of secondary legislation need to bring the Act into force.Over the course of this Parliament, the Government will further reform the leasehold system. We will enact remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to enfranchisement and the Right to Manage, tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, reinvigorate commonhold through a comprehensive new legal framework, and ban the sale of new leasehold flats so commonhold becomes the default tenure.The Government has made clear it intends to publish draft legislation on leasehold and commonhold reform in this session so that it may be subject to broad consultation and additional parliamentary scrutiny. We will announce further details in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 September 2024 to Question 2675 on Council Housing: Finance, whether his Department’s wider review of Right to Buy will set out potential changes in (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation.

The government has made clear that it intends to bring forward a consultation in the Autumn seeking views on how the Right to Buy should be reformed. Among other things, the consultation will ask for views on eligibility criteria and protections for new homes. Implementing any changes to eligibility requirements would require primary legislation.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department’s guidance entitled New Homes Accelerator programme, published on 29 August 2024, whether her Department has a planned timetable on when 300,000 new homes could be delivered.

The New Homes Accelerator was first announced by the Chancellor on 8 July 2024 and is a key component of the government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament. We are already working on sites in Liverpool Central Docks, Worcestershire Parkway, Northstowe, Langley Sutton Coldfield, Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community, Stretton Hall, and Biggleswade Garden Community, representing more than 28,000 homes.A call for additional sites, launched on 29 August and closing on 31 October 2024, invites developers, local authorities and landowners to identify large-scale housing developments that are delayed or stuck so that we can better understand the scale of the challenge and evaluate what support might be provided.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question 5232 on Local Government: Elections, if she will publish the (a) council and (b) mayoral elections that are (i) scheduled and (ii) expected to take place subject to the passage of the necessary secondary legislation in May (A) 2025 and (B) 2026.

The department publishes our understanding of the years in which each council’s elections will be held. That list can be found here.In accordance with legislation, councils are required to post notice of any election or by-election taking place which they administer, and this can be found on council websites.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Outdoor advertisements and signs: a guide for advertisers, published on 18 June 2007, what guidance her Department issues on advertisements displayed inside a courtyard but visible from a public highway; and whether such advertisements would be categorised as an outdoor advertisement.

The department has not issued any further guidance on advertisements displayed inside a courtyard but visible from a public highway beyond that contained in the Outdoor advertisements and signs: a guide for advertisers. General guidance on the advertisement control regime can be found at Advertisements - GOV.UK.The control of advertisements is governed by the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Class 6 of Schedule 3 to the Regulations grants deemed consent subject to certain conditions and limitations for advertisements on the forecourt of business premises. It is for local planning authorities to decide whether a particular advertisement requires consent or not having regard to the Regulations.

Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the maximum Right to Buy discount (a) in London and (b) outside London in each year since 1997.

Financial information on Right to Buy sales in England was not collected prior to 1998-99. Average discounts from 1998-99 onwards at England level are available in Live Table 682 at the following link.Figures for numbers of sales and total discounts given are available from 2011-12 onwards by local authority at the following link.Prior to 2011-12, reliable financial data that is consistent with the numbers of sales is not held at regional or local authority level, so for these years it is not possible to provide a geographic breakdown of average discounts beyond the England level available at the above link.The maximum Right to Buy discounts for the various regions since the inception of the scheme are published in the technical notes of the department’s Right to Buy sales and replacements statistical release at the following link, under section 4.4 “Discounts”.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 4069 on Local Government: Hampshire, whether she plans to introduce multi-year Local Government Finance Settlements.

This Government is committed to resetting the relationship between local and central government and working in partnership in the interests of working people. A key part of this is our commitment to moving towards multi-year Local Government Finance Settlements.

Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the average Right to Buy discount (a) in London and (b) outside London in each year since 1997.

Financial information on Right to Buy sales in England was not collected prior to 1998-99. Average discounts from 1998-99 onwards at England level are available in Live Table 682 at the following link.Figures for numbers of sales and total discounts given are available from 2011-12 onwards by local authority at the following link.Prior to 2011-12, reliable financial data that is consistent with the numbers of sales is not held at regional or local authority level, so for these years it is not possible to provide a geographic breakdown of average discounts beyond the England level available at the above link.The maximum Right to Buy discounts for the various regions since the inception of the scheme are published in the technical notes of the department’s Right to Buy sales and replacements statistical release at the following link, under section 4.4 “Discounts”.

Communities and Local Government, whether her target to build 1.5 million homes in this Parliament applies only to England.

The Government’s target of delivering 1.5 million new homes in this parliament applies to England only as housing is a devolved matter. We will update Parliament on our progress in the usual manner.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on allowing (a) social housing providers to increase social rents above inflation and (b) backdated rent increases to offset below-inflation rents set under the previous administration.

We will set out plans at the next fiscal event to give councils and housing associations the rent stability they need to be able to borrow and invest in both new and existing homes, while also ensuring that there are appropriate protections for both existing and future social housing tenants.

Communities and Local Government, what the status is of the best value intervention in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets; and what discussions she has had with local hon. Members on that intervention since 4 July 2024.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 3610 on 9 September 2024. The Secretary of State has received the independent Best Value inspection team’s report, this is being considered carefully and any next steps will be set out in due course. The Report will be sent to local hon. Members together with the government's response at the appropriate time.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has received representations on abolishing the Right to Buy from (a) the Mayor of London, (b) London Boroughs, (c) the London Councils organisation and (d) the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has not, as far as it is aware, received any direct representations on abolishing the Right to Buy from the Mayor of London, London Boroughs, the London Councils organisation, or the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues on the use of Empty Dwelling Management Orders by local authorities.

Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order when a property has been empty for more than two years. This is subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for the proposal.Local authorities publish local guidance on how they use them. Similarly, local authorities can use Compulsory Purchase Orders to acquire empty properties, provided they can demonstrate the acquisition is in the public interest.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on (a) irregular migrants and (b) asylum seekers applying for social housing.

If a person's immigration status does not allow them recourse to public funds then they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. This includes irregular migrants and asylum seekers.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues on (a) smoking and non-smoking provisions in the model conditions and (b) other aspects of pavement licences.

Publicly available pavement licensing guidance provides details on the duration, application, determination, and enforcement of pavement licences granted under the Business and Planning Act 2020. It can be found on gov.uk here.Section 4.2 of the said guidance sets out what is reasonable provision for seating where smoking is not permitted and suggests ways business can meet these conditions.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3252 on Housing: Construction, whether her target to build 1.5 million homes in this Parliament will be measured by housing completions.

The Government’s target of delivering 1.5 million new homes in this parliament applies to England only as housing is a devolved matter. We will update Parliament on our progress in the usual manner.