Written questions by Simmonds.

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, 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 2.81of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, what the assumptions are on the increase in the percentage Band D level of the (a) social care, (b) police, (c) fire and (d) Greater London Authority precepts in 2025-26 as part of the estimate of the increase in local government core spending power.

Local government core spending power (CSP) is £64,786m in 2024-25, and is forecast to be £68,459m in 2025-26.These figures for CSP are estimates and subject to data changes. Final figures will be published as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS). Components of CSP will be confirmed in the 2025-26 LGFS, including council tax referendum principles.

With reference to paragraph 2.81 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what the assumed local government core spending power in cash figures is in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26: and what the assumed respective cash figures within that are for (i) council tax, (ii) business rates and (iii) central government grants in each year.

Local government core spending power (CSP) is £64,786m in 2024-25, and is forecast to be £68,459m in 2025-26. These figures for CSP are estimates and subject to data changes. Final figures will be published as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS). Components of CSP will be confirmed in the 2025-26 LGFS.

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.

With reference to paragraph 2.8 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, if she will publish the methodology used to forecast the delivery of savings of (a) £2.2 billion and (b) £4 billion on asylum in those years.

This government has already ended the Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership and is reforming the asylum system by streamlining capacity to process asylum seekers and returning those that do not have the right to stay in the UK. This will start the process if ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers and deliver over £4 billion in savings in the next two years. This is based on Home Office modelling projecting the costs of the asylum support system following the measures taken since July. The savings are generated against the Home Office’s forecasts of the costs of the asylum support system under the previous Government’s policies.

Communities and Local Government, what obligations local authorities have to house (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees not covered by Government funded accommodation.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 10286 on 29 October 2024.Individuals granted refugee status are eligible for assistance from their local authority in finding accommodation, if homeless, as well as temporary accommodation if they have a priority need. The Homelessness Code of Guidance sets out the framework which local authorities must follow when carrying out their homelessness duties. See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities.

With reference to paragraph 4.20 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, how much funding will be provided to police forces to help increase the number of neighbourhood officers and Police Community Support Officers; and in which financial years will this funding be made available.

The Autumn Budget confirmed that the core government grant for police forces will increase. Further details and force level allocations will be set out at the provisional settlement in December.

With reference to her Department's discussion paper entitled Transforming Business Rates, published on 30 October 2024, what the estimated yearly decrease is in business rate receipts from the lower multiplier for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure hereditaments from 2026-27.

To protect the high street, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and the government intends to introduce a Large Business Multiplier from 2026-27, which will apply a higher rate on the most valuable properties (with rateable values of £500,000 and above). The rates for new multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the government can factor into its decision-making the next revaluation outcomes and the broader economic and fiscal context.

With reference to her Department's discussion paper entitled Transforming Business Rates, published on 30 October 2024, what the estimated yearly increase is in business rate receipts from the higher multiplier on hereditaments with a Rateable Value of above £50,000 from 2026-27.

To protect the high street, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and the government intends to introduce a Large Business Multiplier from 2026-27, which will apply a higher rate on the most valuable properties (with rateable values of £500,000 and above). The rates for new multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the government can factor into its decision-making the next revaluation outcomes and the broader economic and fiscal context.

With reference to paragraph 5.69 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, what estimate her Department has made of the yearly change in business rates receipts from private schools in each of the next five financial years; and whether (a) her Department and (b) the Valuation Office Agency has made an estimate of the number of hereditaments that are expected to become liable to pay higher business rates.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government reconfirmed that it will remove private schools’ eligibility for charitable rates relief under business rates in England from April 2025. This intervention will raise around £140 million per year. Business rates retention means that local authorities retain a proportion of all business rates revenue. As such, the increase in rates receipts due to the reduction in charitable rates relief for private schools will be shared between central and local government. There are approximately 2,440 private schools in England, of which around 1,140 are charities. The business rates system already provides an exemption for certain properties being used for disabled people. Additionally, the government will legislate to ensure that private schools providing “wholly or mainly” for pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will retain their relief. Taken together, the Government expects that around 1,040 private schools will lose their charitable rate relief.

What data the Valuation Office Agency holds on the rateable value of (a) farms and (b) farmland.

Farms and farmland, if used by the occupier for agricultural purposes, are exempt from non-domestic rating under Schedule 5 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988. Consequently, agricultural land and buildings are not included in rating lists and no rateable values are shown, so the Valuation Office Agency does not hold any relevant information.

With reference to paragraph 2.99 of Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, which public bodies can apply for funding from the new Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund; whether public bodies will bid for those funds competitively; and if she will publish the terms of reference for that Fund.

The Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund allocates £165 million to a range of projects in 2025-26, including support for foster care, delivering apprenticeships and planning reforms. In addition, the Budget allocates a further £100 million over the next three years to trial new and innovative projects, partnering with Mayors and local leaders, and focused on developing new approaches to public services with a focus on experimenting and learning. We will announce more details on this in due course.

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.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) adult and (b) paediatric brain tumour patients with a terminal diagnosis to find and participate in clinical trials.

The Department is committed to ensuring that innovative, lifesaving treatments are accessible to National Health Service patients, including those with brain tumours, and to implementing the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, making sure that the United Kingdom leads the world in clinical trials.The Department funds research and research infrastructure, which supports brain tumour patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).In September 2024, the NIHR announced a new approach to transform the outcomes for patients and their families who are living with brain tumours, ultimately reducing the lives lost to cancer, with a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium, a new research funding call, and a new Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professional research fellowship.

What discussions he has had with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry on access to clinical trials for brain tumour patients.

The Department is committed to working with the pharmaceutical industry to implement the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, maximising our potential to be a world leader in clinical trials.The current programme governance groups overseeing the delivery on the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review, including improving access to clinical trials across the United Kingdom, includes representatives from the pharmaceutical industry and across the clinical research sector.Through this programme, the Department is committed to working with the pharmaceutical industry to develop a more efficient, more competitive, and more accessible clinical research system in the UK, ensuring that all patients, including those with brain tumours, have access to cutting-edge clinical research and innovative, lifesaving treatments.

How much funding his Department has allocated to (a) public bodies and (b) agencies to run campaigns aimed at encouraging brain tumour patients to participate in clinical trials.

The Department awards funding to encourage participation of brain tumour patients in clinical trials through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department’s research delivery arm. Funding is awarded through open competition, and researchers are expected to include a robust plan for patient and public involvement as part of their application.Between 2018/19 and 2022/2, the NIHR has invested £11.3 million directly in brain tumour research, as well as investing £31.5 million in research infrastructure, including facilities, services, and the research workforce, allowing research funding to be leveraged from other donors and organisations. This funding has allowed 227 brain cancer research studies to be carried out and enabled 8,500 people to participate in potentially life-changing research into brain cancer within the National Health Service.In addition, the NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them, such as brain cancer.In September 2024, the NIHR announced a new approach to transform the outcomes for patients who are living with brain tumours and their families, ultimately reducing the lives lost to cancer, with a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium, a new research funding call, and a new Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professional research fellowship.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing brain tumour patients access to clinical trials.

The Department is committed to ensuring that innovative, lifesaving treatments are accessible to National Health Service patients, including those with brain tumours, and to implementing the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, making sure that the United Kingdom leads the world in clinical trials.The Department funds research and research infrastructure, which supports brain tumour patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR).In September 2024, the NIHR announced a new approach to transform the outcomes for patients and their families who are living with brain tumours, ultimately reducing the lives lost to cancer, with a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium, a new research funding call, and a new Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professional research fellowship.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 7591 on Brain: Tumours, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government funding into brain tumour research.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department spends £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is the largest area of spend, at over £121.8 million in 2022/23, and with the NIHR spending more on cancer than any other disease group, reflecting its high priority.Over the last five years, the NIHR has directly invested £11.3 million on brain tumour research. In addition, our wider investments in NIHR research infrastructure, facilities, services, and the research workforce, allows us to leverage research funding from other donors and organisations. These investments are estimated to be £31.5 million, between 2018/19 and 2022/23, and have enabled 227 brain cancer research studies to take place in the same period. In total, NIHR investments have enabled 8,500 people to participate in potentially life-changing research in the National Health Service over this time. These investments are complemented by efforts led by UK Research and Innovation and the Medical Research Council.Brain cancer remains one of the hardest to treat cancers in both adults and children and we urgently need more research to inform our efforts, which is why the NIHR announced new research funding opportunities for brain cancer research last month, spanning both adult and paediatric populations. This includes a national NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients, and a new funding call to generate high quality evidence in brain tumour care, support, and rehabilitation. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/new-funding-opportunities-novel-brain-tumour-research-launchedBrain cancer and children's cancer research will continue to be a priority into the future, and the Department, through the NIHR, will continue to fund high-quality science to expand lifesaving and life-improving research.

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.