Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to introduce planning reforms through primary legislation.

The Planning and Infrastructure Act received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025 and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill , which contains provisions relating to housing and strategic planning, continues its passage through the other place. Parliament will continue to be updated in the usual way in respect of the government’s planning reform agenda, including any future measures which may require primary legislation.

Communities and Local Government, what research his Department has undertaken into the reasons for sites with planning permission being (a) stalled and (b) not built out.

In May 2025, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built. It can be found on gov.uk here. The working paper drew on a range of independent research and market studies, including the Letwin Review and the Competition and Markets Authority’s October 2024 market study into housebuilding, exploring stalled sites and build out rates. Alongside the working paper, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential developments, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. That consultation can be found on gov.uk here. We are now analysing the responses to both consultations, and we will set out our next steps in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the publication ENTITLED MHCLG register of board members’ interests 2025 to 2026, updated 21 January 2026, whether any of the individuals have declared political activity.

In line with the definition of political activity in the Governance Code on Public Appointments, none of the individuals listed in the MHCLG register of board members’ interests 2025 to 2026 has declared any political activity.

Communities and Local Government, how many headcount staff in his Department work compressed hours on full pay.

At 31 January 2026 there were 760 active payroll staff who worked full‑time hours over a compressed period, meaning they received full pay. This figure includes a range of different compressed full‑time working arrangements.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the full meeting, visit and event schedule for Lord Khan's visit to Pakistan from 13 to 17 April 2025.

A summary of the former Minister’s schedule will be placed in the Library of the House.

Communities and Local Government, whether any staff in his Department work a four day week.

In response to the question of whether any staff in the Department work a four‑day week, we have interpreted this as referring to staff whose contractual hours are worked over four days per week. On this basis, 241 headcount staff work part‑time hours (less than 1.0 FTE) arranged over four days. Additionally there are 339 staff who work a five‑day week (1.0 FTE) over four extended days. These are staff on compressed hours arrangements on full pay. These figures are provided on a headcount basis for active payroll staff at 31/01/2026. Type of Worker31st Jan 2025 31st Jan 2026Full time (compressed 4 days) (1FTE)214339Part time over 4 days (less than 1FTE)285241Total499 (12.4%)580 (15.8%) Flexible working, including part‑time and compressed hours arrangements, is a positive and valuable element of the MHCLG employee offer when managed effectively and in line with business need. The Department supports flexible working where it enables delivery of business objectives while providing benefits to both the organisation and employees. Such arrangements can be particularly beneficial for staff with caring responsibilities, as well as those with health conditions. Supporting flexible working helps the Department to attract and retain a diverse and skilled workforce while enabling staff to achieve a better work‑life balance.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 103283 on New Towns: Adlington, on what evidential basis was Adlington added to the list of New Towns.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) Judges' Lodgings and (b) other workplace accommodation are within the scope of the proposed overnight visitor levy.

We have published a consultation running until 18 February, 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, including potential exemptions. The scope of the levy, which will cover short‑term overnight stays in commercially let visitor accommodation, will be set out in future legislation.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Northern Growth Strategy, January 2026, CP1485, paragraph 4 and footnotes 3 and 4, what is the evidential basis for the underlying statistics of the 2.2% productivity growth per year in the largest northern mayoral strategic authorities.

Footnotes 3 and 4 of the Northern Growth Strategy: Case for change outline how the calculation of compound average productivity growth rate in the largest northern Mayoral Strategic Authorities is based on ONS Official Statistics, using subnational estimates for Gross Value Added and hours worked.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes in council tax on the cost of living from April 2026.

Council tax levels are decided by local authorities, and the Department has not made specific assessments on the impact of council tax levels on the cost of living for households. For the vast majority of councils, the government intends to maintain a core 3% referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept. The government will set out final referendum principles as part of the local government finance settlement. Councils are required to put in place council tax support schemes to support those on low incomes.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 102770 on Waste Disposal: Birmingham, whether the meeting between the Secretary of State and Unite was minuted.

Minutes were taken and in line with normal practice, the minutes will not be published. But the Secretary of State reiterated that the waste dispute is a local issue for Unite and the Council to resolve.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason he has incorporated Planning policy for traveller sites into the National Planning Policy Framework.

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The rationale for proposing to incorporate policies relating to traveller sites, currently set out in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, within relevant chapters of the draft Framework is set out in the consultation. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to amend the Housing supply: indicators of new supply statistics to include a rolling statistic on the yearly shortfall in relation to his 1.5 million housing delivery target.

The government has no current plans to incorporate new indicators into Housing Supply: Indicators of new supply statistical releases.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Delegation of the setting of planning fees to local planning authorities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Fair Funding Review on planning fees in local authorities which have lost funding in real terms.

The Planning and Infrastructure Act provides the Secretary of State with the power to delegate the setting of planning fees to local planning authorities. The Fair Funding Review considers how resources are distributed across local government based on relative need and demand for services. It does not determine planning fee levels, which remain cost-recovery charges rather than general funding streams. The government is supporting local authorities to manage their updated funding positions by introducing changes over the multi-year Settlement and protecting councils’ income through transitional arrangements, including locally retained business rates growth.

Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of properties for rent in the private rented sector in each of the last three years.

My Department collects data on the number of dwellings in the private rented sector through the English Housing Survey, which is published annually and can be found on gov.uk here. The latest estimates for the number of private rented sector dwellings in England are as follows: 4,864,000 in 2022, 4,880,000 in 2023, and 4,910,000 in 2024.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026, to Question 104773, on Housing: Construction, what is his proposed timeline for the delivery of the 9,000 homes.

Delivery of the up to 9,000 new homes is a matter for the Mayor of London and the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation. They have published the Old Oak Masterplan Framework, which includes an Illustrative Masterplan, showing how development could be brought forward comprehensively. We will continue to work with the development corporation as it develops its proposals to ensure the best use of the public sector land to bring forward new housing and regeneration.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 105220 on MHCLG: Publicity, which suppliers his Department has used for publishing content in foreign languages in the last 12 months.

The department does not hold the information in the format requested.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question 88668, on Flags: Palestine, and further to the UK Statement at the High-Level Conference for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution of 22 September 2025, if he will publish guidance on deemed consent for the Palestine flag.

My Department has no plans to publish guidance on deemed consent for the Palestine flag.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 85176 on England: Anniversaries, and the Answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 99500 on National Identity, whether he will have discussions with the Mayor of London on erecting a permanent statue of King Athelstan on the fourth plinth of Trafalgar Square to mark the 1,100th anniversary of the foundation of England.

The Government publishes details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations on a quarterly basis.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts, Data for July to September 2025, published on 25 December 2025, for what reason ensuring that each Paper produced by a Crown body includes the most up-to-date Crown copyright statement issued by the Controller is a key performance indicator in the MHCLG Corporate Print Management Service contact with ALLIED PUBLICITY SERVICES (MANCHESTER) LIMITED.

This is included as one of several performance indicators, to ensure our supplier uses accurate, up-to-date Crown copyright statements across all government publications it produces for the department and MHCLG’s Arm’s Length Bodies, helping maintain legal compliance and public trust.