Written questions by Simmonds.

What guidance has been given on whether Public Space Protection Orders can be used against unauthorised traveller sites.

The Home Office does not issue specific guidance on the use of PSPOs against individual crime or ASB types, including unauthorised traveller sites.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance to local billing authorities on (a) the hierarchy of liability for the second homes council tax premium and (b) who is responsible for paying (i) council tax and (ii) the second homes council tax premium if someone is occupying a property as a second home.

The government has not published guidance on the assessment of council tax liability. Liability for council tax is determined by billing authorities who will consider the facts of each case against the hierarchy of liability set out in section 6 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2026 to Question 109265 on Local Government: Elections, which (a) people and (b) organisations submitted evidence, excluding ordinary members of the public.

A summary of the representations submitted is set out in the Explanatory Memorandum prepared at the time and can be found on gov.uk here. The government currently has no plans to publish individual representations received.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 111685, on Local Government Finance, if he will publish the underlying datasets referenced in each of the technical notes in the "Methodology for the Fair Funding Review reforms" section of the Settlement website.

The technical notes published as part of the final multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement published on 9 February 2026 include footnotes, which provide links to the underlying datasets such as the ONS’ population projections and the 2025 Indices of Multiple Deprivation. A few underlying datasets, such as the National Pupil Database, contain sensitive or proprietary information and so have restricted access.

Communities and Local Government, whether local authority Returning Officers, in the areas with cancelled council elections in May 2026 which have now been reinstated, will be financially indemnified by HM Government.

Local government elections are the responsibility of local authorities, which appoint and fund Returning Officers and meet the costs of administering local polls. Returning Officers are personally legally liable for the conduct of local elections and make their own arrangements to insure against risks arising from the discharge of their statutory duties at local and UK Parliamentary elections. This cover usually forms part of the local authority’s own insurance arrangements.Indemnities are only provided in limited and exceptional circumstances, and no such exceptional circumstances apply in relation to the May 2026 local government elections.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been of the potential impact of the Local Government Pension Scheme pooling has (a) increased and (b) reduced (i) administrative costs and (ii) fund performance.

The scale and expertise of the asset pools have delivered a step change in the expertise, capacity and resilience of the Local Government Pension Scheme. Since the inception of asset pooling, the total costs reported by LGPS asset pools is £792 million, but they have delivered net savings of £1.17 billion. The reforms currently being implemented will bring all LGPS assets under pool management, delivering scale and consolidation, and facilitating greater access to a wider range of asset classes including private markets. In the new pooling landscape, asset pools will have the ability to bring investment capacity in-house and make investments directly rather than via an intermediary, and the opportunity to negotiate lower management and performance fees. The government recognises that there are transition costs associated with implementing the reforms. These transition costs will, however, be one-off upfront costs that will shape the scheme for the coming decades and set it up for even greater success for the future. We expect that they will be recouped in the long-term through savings and improved investment performance.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2026, to Question 105396, on Eden Project: Morecambe, what assessment has his department made for the reasons to the scaling back of the Eden Project since July 2024.

Since July 2024 the Eden Project Morecambe team has continued design work. An update on potential options for the development, including their size and scale, was presented to MHCLG in March 2025. These options were subject to ongoing community conversations. In September 2025, the department launched the Local Regeneration Fund which provided certainty of funding and flexibility to Local Authorities, including Lancaster City Council as sponsors of the Eden Project Morecambe. The Eden Project Morecambe team submitted a planning application for their preferred option on the 15th of October 2025. The planning application proposal has been approved, subject to S106 approval and 6 week judicial review period.

Communities and Local Government, what is the planned implementation date for the lowering of the voting age to 16.

The government was elected on a manifesto commitment to extend the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds in all UK elections. To deliver this commitment, the Representation of the People Bill was introduced Parliament on 12 February 2026 and received its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 2 March 2026. Extending the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds represents a significant change to the electoral franchise and requires careful planning to implement effectively. Subject to Parliamentary passage of the Bill, the government intends for the franchise change to be in place in good time ahead of the next UK Parliamentary General Election.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his proposed changes to voter identification requirements, whether Bank Cards would need to have a (a) photograph and (b) full name to be accepted as identification.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 116475 answered on 9 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered updating the electoral offence of making a false statement of fact in relation to the candidate’s personal character or conduct to help tackle the dissemination of deepfake material which is designed to mislead.

The government recognises the threat that deepfakes and misleading material pose to elections and the importance of ensuring that electoral law is fit for a modern electoral environment. The government continually assesses the effectiveness of electoral law. Where the law is found to be ineffective or outdated, we will take appropriate action.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Local Outcomes Framework of 9 February 2026, what consideration was given to having a metric on the frequency of household bin collections.

The Local Outcomes Framework sets out 16 national priority outcomes delivered at the local level and driven by councils as local leaders of place. Metrics in the Local Outcomes Framework were chosen from publicly available data adhering to clear quality standards, and after engaging widely with local government and interested parties. The Framework’s Environment, Circular Economy and Climate Change outcome includes three waste outcome metrics that cover a key area of statutory responsibility for local authorities and are further supported by the fly tipping metric in the Neighbourhoods outcome. Local authorities remain responsible for deciding how often to collect residual (non‑recyclable) waste and dry recycling, based on local needs. A metric on this is therefore not included in the Outcomes Framework.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2026, to Question 109808, on England: Anniversaries, if he will hold discussions with (a) the Mayor of London and (b) any other local authority on potential events to celebrate the 1,100th anniversary of the foundation of the Kingdom of England.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 85176 on 24 November 2025, which confirmed that MHCLG currently is not responsible for anniversaries of this type. If the hon. Member is keen to raise this with the Mayor of London himself, his office can be contacted via Contact us form | London City Hall.

Further to 3/2026: Pubs and Live Music Venue Relief local authority guidance, whether race courses are still designated as retail, hospitality and leisure for the purposes of the RHL multiplier.

I refer the member to the answer given to UIN 97815 on the 8 December 2025

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of HC6 in the new draft National Planning Policy Framework on the last public house in a locality.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105500 on 20 January 2026.We are currently analysing the feedback received to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.

Whether Public Digital staff are currently seconded to the UK Government to work on the Test, Learn and Grow Programme.

Public Digital are a commercial partner to the Test, Learn and Grow programme, led by the Cabinet Office, and their staff are now secondees.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement of 2 March 2026, HCWS1375, on Flexible Voting Pilots, how much additional central government funding will be provided to each council to assist with the pilots in 2026.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84647 on 29 October 2025, UIN 118656 on 16 March 2026, and UIN 116760 on 25 March 2026. The government have worked closely with the Electoral Commission in the design of the pilots, and will continue to work with them on their evaluation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Written Statement of 2 March 2026 on Flexible Voting Pilots, HCWS1375, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending such measures nationwide.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84647 on 29 October 2025, UIN 118656 on 16 March 2026, and UIN 116760 on 25 March 2026. The government have worked closely with the Electoral Commission in the design of the pilots, and will continue to work with them on their evaluation.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Electoral Commission was consulted by his department prior to the publication of the prospectus on local election pilots in May 2026.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84647 on 29 October 2025, UIN 118656 on 16 March 2026, and UIN 116760 on 25 March 2026. The government have worked closely with the Electoral Commission in the design of the pilots, and will continue to work with them on their evaluation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement of 2 March 2026, HCWS1375, on Flexible Voting Pilots, how many and which councils applied to be pilots; and what were the criteria used to select those which were chosen.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 84647 on 29 October 2025, UIN 118656 on 16 March 2026, and UIN 116760 on 25 March 2026. The government have worked closely with the Electoral Commission in the design of the pilots, and will continue to work with them on their evaluation.

Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to split the funding of New Towns into separate waves.

On 23 March 2026, the government launched a public consultation on the proposed New Towns Programme and its environmental implications. This can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation makes clear that the seven locations we propose to take forward as part of the Programme are at different stages of maturity and require different types of intervention and support – including blends of public and private capital – to achieve their potential. Following the consultation and completion of the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulation Assessments, the government intends to publish final proposals and confirm the new towns locations later in the Summer. We will publish a full government response to the recommendations of the New Towns Taskforce, including more detail on how our confirmed locations will be delivered in line with our ambition for the programme.