Written questions by Simmonds.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the core spending power budget line in table B.2 of HM Treasury's document entitled, Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what is the estimated total revenue from council tax in each year from 2024-25 to 2028-29 in England.

Projected overall local government Core Spending Power within Resource Departmental Expenditure Limits is set out at table B.2 of the Spending Review document. This includes estimated funding from council tax. However, this remains subject to final decisions on the referendum principles set by government with the approval of the House of Commons, and the council tax levels set by individual authorities. Referendum principles will be set out as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, CP 1336, whether the £39 billion for a new 10‑year Affordable Homes Programme is (a) in cash terms and (b) takes into account inflation.

As under the existing Affordable Homes Programme, registered providers will need to bid for the grant funding announced at the Spending Review. The government will confirm further details, including the timing and process for bids to the new fund, in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.39 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, if she will set out the methodology used to select the 350 deprived communities for intervention funding.

The government has announced communities funding for up to 350 places, including the 75 places named in the Plan for Neighbourhoods in March 2025 and the 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods that will receive up to £20 million over the next decade. We will share further details on the methodology for how places were selected in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, CP1336, of 11 June 2025, Table 5.17, what the assumed increase is in the Greater London Authority precept over the spending review period.

Projected overall local government spending from additional income is set out at table 5.17 of the Spending Review document. This includes estimated funding from council tax. However, this remains subject to final decisions on the referendum principles set by government with the approval of the House of Commons, and the council tax levels set by individual authorities. In the case of the GLA the council tax charge includes an additional element for the Metropolitan Police which will have its own principle. Referendum principles will be set out as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, CP1336, of 11 June 2025, Table 5.17, what the average annual (a) cash and (b) real terms increase is in the central government grant to local government across the spending review period.

This Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. This includes £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29. The £3.4 billion, when taken together with a 3% core council tax referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept, results in an average overall real terms increase in local authority core spending power of 2.6% per year over the next multi-year settlement (2026-27 to 2028-29). The additional £3.4billion on Local Government Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) budget means the estimated average annual real terms increase in grant funding between 2023-24 and 2028-29 will be 5.2%. Between 2025-26 and 2028-29, it will be 1.1% in real terms. This is set out in Table 5.17 of CP1336.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.39 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what her planned timetable is for completing the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund; and whether the new local growth fund will be devolved in full or partially.

UKSPF was committed for a further transition year in 2025-26. From 2026-27, the government is providing targeted, long-term local growth funding to support growth across the UK, completing the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This includes establishing a new local growth fund, including a 10-year capital settlement from 2026-27 to 2035-36 for specific mayoral city regions in the North and Midlands with the highest productivity catch-up and agglomeration potential. Further detail on the fund and how it will operate will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.59 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025: departmental efficiency delivery plans, published on 11 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of insourcing services on levels of efficiency in her Department.

The department is committed to improving efficiency by reducing reliance on external suppliers and consultants, having already achieved a 50% reduction in consultancy use since 2023/24. Consultants are only engaged for time-limited, specific needs where internal expertise is not available, ensuring that costs remain tightly controlled. As part of our ongoing invest-to-save initiative, we are actively replacing contractors and professional services with permanent civil servants. This approach has already delivered substantial savings and is expected to generate further annual efficiencies. By building in-house capability, the department is not only reducing costs but also enhancing the skills and sustainability of the civil service workforce, which in turn supports more effective and efficient delivery of our objectives.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Government announces 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods to receive long-term investment - details, published on 11 June 2025, what the evidential basis was for the selection of the trailblazer areas.

We have announced 25 trailblazer areas that will benefit from funding. These 25 areas were selected through a robust metric-based methodology which assessed the most in need communities across the UK, further details will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on the Affordable Housing Programme funding the purchase by social housing providers of affordable homes already obligated by developers under Section 106 during the Spending Review period.

The Affordable Homes Programme supports the delivery of social and affordable homes additional to those that developers have committed to delivering through Section 106 agreement. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.19 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, what her Department's target is for the (a) total number and (b) proportion by tenure type of additional new build homes funded by the Affordable Housing Programme.

The new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme that was announced at the Spending Review will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent. We will confirm further details in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to table B.3 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025, published on 12 June 2025, whether her Department's average annual real growth in capital expenditure during 2025-26 to 2029-30 includes the Affordable Housing Programme.

The calculations showing MHCLG’s average annual real growth in capital expenditure during 2025-26 to 2029-30 in table B.3 of the HM Treasury’s Spending Review 2025 publication includes the funding allocated to the Affordable Housing Programme.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, CP1336, of 11 June 2025, how much (a) capital and (b) revenue funding is being allocated to the Affordable Housing Programme, in each of the 10 years of that programme.

The Spending Review 2025 policy paper (which can be found on gov.uk here) makes clear that spending on the Social and Affordable Homes Programme will reach £4 billion per year in 2029-30 and rise in line with inflation subsequently.Government does not usually publish year-by-year spend on specific programmes in advance.We have announced the overall funding commitment for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme and will continue to publish departmental capital spend figures on an annual basis.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) her Department and (b) local government improvement bodies financed through departmental funding centrally (i) collate and (ii) monitor the practice or frequency of local authorities operating four day weeks on full pay.

Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces. While it is not government policy to support a four-day working week in local authorities, the government will not be micromanaging them on this and does not collect data on this working practice.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to articles 35 and 40 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, whether (a) the Chinese government and (b) its agents have submitted sensitive information on the Chinese Embassy planning application that has been kept separate from the main register.

All Inquiry documents for this case are publicly available on Tower Hamlets website here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 53568 on Land: Greater London, what the planning status is of Metropolitan Open Land designated by the Mayor of London in the London Plan; and whether it has the status of Green Belt for the purposes of the references in the Framework.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 53920 on 6 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of previous local government restructuring on costs from pension strain in the Local Government Pension Scheme.

We have made no such assessment. As I stated in my answer to UIN 52862, local government reorganisation will have impacts on the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). We expect councils to work with relevant administering authorities on any implications of restructuring on the LGPS. The cost of any restructuring, including pensions, will depend on locally made decisions and the demographics and pension service of any staff leaving post.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has provided guidance to (a) elected representatives, (b) political parties and (c) community groups on obtaining a (i) street trading and (ii) highways licence for a street stall in a public place.

The provision and administration of street trading and highways licences are the responsibility of Local Authorities under either the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 or the London Local Authorities Act 1990, depending on their location. The Government has not issued guidance on how to apply. However, signposting to local authority guidance is provided via gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, whether Mo Baines disclosed membership to the (a) Chair, (b) Chief Executive and (c) her Department of any significant political activity in her application for the non-executive director role.

Mo Baines provided a full declaration of interests to MHCLG prior to her appointment as Interim Lead Non-Executive Director. This was shared with the Department in line with the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies.

Communities and Local Government, whether she attended her Ministerial offices in Marsham Street in person on (a) 22, (b) 23, (c) 24 and (d) 25 April 2025.

The DPM works across multiple locations each week, including 2 Marsham Street and 70 Whitehall. The details of ministerial routines are not shared for security reasons.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is funding the Tell MAMA service in Q1 and Q2 of 2025-26.

We thank Tell MAMA for their many years of work in monitoring anti-Muslim hatred and supporting victims. We offered Tell MAMA funding for Q1 and Q2 of 2025-26 – and are disappointed that they have declined this offer.