Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 109623 on Local Government Finance: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, what methodology his Department used to estimate the average increase in council tax; and whether his Department held discussions with councils on this methodology.

The government believes it is right to continue to calculate Core Spending Power in line with the approach used at previous Settlements. This includes an assumption that authorities increase their Band D council tax by the maximum allowed within any council tax referendum principles set for them.To increase fairness for taxpayers, provide better value for money and enable the rebalancing of disparities in council tax levels, the government intends not to set referendum principles in 2027-28 and 2028-29 for six upper-tier authorities with the lowest council tax levels receiving 95% income protection. Removing referendum principles in these areas will enable the government to allocate over £250 million more funding for public services in places with higher need instead of subsidising very low bills for 500,000 households in these councils.To calculate their Core Spending Power, we assume City of Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead increase their council tax by 5% in 2026-27. We also assume they will increase their council tax by 5% plus £150 in 2027-28 and 2028-29, which is closer to the average council tax increase across the country.The actual level of council tax remains a local decision for individual councils, taking into consideration a range of local factors including the impact on taxpayers.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 109623 on Local Government Finance: City of Westminster and Wandsworth, what the assumed increases in Band D council tax are for the other four councils with no referendum principles.

The government believes it is right to continue to calculate Core Spending Power in line with the approach used at previous Settlements. This includes an assumption that authorities increase their Band D council tax by the maximum allowed within any council tax referendum principles set for them.To increase fairness for taxpayers, provide better value for money and enable the rebalancing of disparities in council tax levels, the government intends not to set referendum principles in 2027-28 and 2028-29 for six upper-tier authorities with the lowest council tax levels receiving 95% income protection. Removing referendum principles in these areas will enable the government to allocate over £250 million more funding for public services in places with higher need instead of subsidising very low bills for 500,000 households in these councils.To calculate their Core Spending Power, we assume City of Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, City of London, and Windsor and Maidenhead increase their council tax by 5% in 2026-27. We also assume they will increase their council tax by 5% plus £150 in 2027-28 and 2028-29, which is closer to the average council tax increase across the country.The actual level of council tax remains a local decision for individual councils, taking into consideration a range of local factors including the impact on taxpayers.

Communities and Local Government, what commissioned data was provided to the Office for Budget Responsibility for the calculation of recent business rate receipts forecasts.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for producing the business rates forecast for England only. This is primarily based on estimates of national non-domestic rates, collected and published by the department, alongside CPI inflation assumptions provided by the Office for Budget Responsibility. The latest forecast uses 2025-26 national non-domestic rates data as its baseline.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department holds information on business rate receipts from (a) Business Rate Improvement Districts levies and (b) the GLA Business Rate Supplement across (i) England and (ii) individual local authorities.

Information on receipts from the GLA Business Rate Supplement is collected and published on Revenue Outturn RS Line 793. The latest local authority and England level data from 2024 to 2025 can be found here.The Department does not hold data on Business Improvement District (BID) levy receipts.The cost of administering BID ballots are recorded on Revenue Outturn RO6 Line 428 also published here.

Communities and Local Government, which body forfeited monies for impermissible political donations will be given to.

As set out in section 60 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, sums forfeited by court order under section 58 or 59 of that Act are paid into the Consolidated Fund. We have introduced the Representation of the People Bill which brings forward a package of reforms to deliver on our manifesto commitment to tighten the rules on political donations. We are reinforcing the principle that only permissible donors may fund UK politics. Where illicit funds do enter the system via impermissible donors (e.g. individuals not on the electoral register), they will be subject to full forfeiture, providing a clear deterrent and supporting compliance by political parties and campaigners.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 5 August 2024, to Question HL394, on Legal Systems: Islam, what research has his department conducted on the operation of (a) shariah courts and (b) Muslim Arbitration Tribunals.

We have not conducted research on the operation of sharia courts and Muslim Arbitration Tribunals.In line with previous governments, the government’s position remains that individuals are free to practise their religion, including seeking religious guidance or arbitration, provided this does not conflict with UK law. Where religious practices or decisions conflict with UK law, UK law – as enacted by parliament and applied by courts – prevails.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026, to Question 104668, on council tax, if he will publish a table listing the notional Band D level for each local authority in England in 2025-26, based on the methodology outlined in that answers of 66201 and 104668.

The notional council tax level for each authority in England is published on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026, to Question 106112, on Local Government: Elections, and with reference to his letter to local authorities of 22 January 2026, on what evidential basis district councils have the capacity to organise (a) county and (b) town and parish elections but not district elections.

I refer the Rt.hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 23 February (HCWS1349). All local elections will go ahead in May 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether election pilots will be held in the local authorities which had local elections cancelled, but which are being reinstated.

The Government committed in its manifesto to encourage greater participation in democracy. To support this, the Government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors. Orders designating the pilots for May 2026 have been signed and shared with participating local authorities and the Electoral Commission. I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made yesterday, which details participating local authorities and nature of each pilot. No flexible voting pilots are due to be held in local authority areas where elections due to run in May 2026 were previously postponed.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Tougher rules on political interference to keep UK elections secure, published on 12 February 2026, in which local authorities election pilots will take place in May 2026; and what type of pilot will take place in each.

The Government committed in its manifesto to encourage greater participation in democracy. To support this, the Government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors. Orders designating the pilots for May 2026 have been signed and shared with participating local authorities and the Electoral Commission. I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made yesterday, which details participating local authorities and nature of each pilot. No flexible voting pilots are due to be held in local authority areas where elections due to run in May 2026 were previously postponed.

Communities and Local Government, how many (a) legal challenges and (b) judicial reviews his Department has (i) lost in court and (ii) conceded prior to the court hearing since July 2024.

The Department deals with a large variety of legal cases including judicial reviews, statutory challenges in planning cases, Information Tribunal cases and private law litigation. The number and outcome of legal challenges and judicial reviews since July 2024 is not held centrally in the format requested.

Communities and Local Government, further to the statistics, Local authority Council Taxbase in England 2025 (revised), 21 January 2026, what assessment he has made of the figure of 71% of local authorities charging a second homes council tax premium, in light of the original policy intent of the policy.

The second homes council tax premium provides local leaders with additional flexibility to address the impacts of second homes and improve the sustainability of local services. It is for individual councils to decide whether it is appropriate to apply the premium in their area. In doing so, councils will consider a range of factors, including local circumstances and the government’s guidance.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Plan for Neighbourhoods: governance and boundary guidance, published on 12 March 2025, what role will community leaders who are not elected representatives or council staff have in the allocation of funding.

Neighbourhood Boards are responsible for making decisions about how £20 million Pride in Place funding will be invested in their area over the next decade. Led by an Independent Chair, Neighbourhood Boards will bring together local people, including residents and community, faith and business leaders, along with the local MP and ward councillor. Further information on Neighbourhood Boards and funding arrangements is set out in our prospectus and supporting guidance.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026, to Question 106115, on Business Rates: Luton, what is his department's estimate of the amount of retained business rate income that Luton Borough Council will receive in 2026-27, and whether this amount is affected by the uplift in business rates from the 2026 revaluation of Luton Airport, and introduction of the high value surcharge for hereditaments.

Luton Borough Council reported their estimate of retained business rates for 2026-27 to the department here in the document ‘National non-domestic rates collected in England 2026 to 2027: local authority data’, in the ‘Part 1' tab and on line 14. I refer the Rt.hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 107993 on 28 January 2026, regarding the interaction of the 2026 Revaluation with local authority income. It is long-standing government policy intention that as far as is practicable, local authorities’ income should not be affected by changes to the underlying business rates tax, such as the introduction of the three additional multipliers from 1st April 2026. The government intends to neutralise the impact of new multipliers on local government income from retained business rates from introduction of the three new multipliers from 1st April 2026. More information on how it will do so was published in a policy paper in November which can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, whether guidance has been provided to local authorities on entitlement to council tax reduction for people who receive Universal Credit.

I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer provided on 4 February 2026 to UIN 109028.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026, to Question 106138, on Local Government Finance, whether his department holds data on the proportion of the £4.3 billion that was subject to the flexible use of capital receipts provisions; and which individual local authorities utilised the flexible use.

The Flexible Use of Capital Receipts general direction was introduced in 2016 by the previous government and remains substantively unchanged. This government has not changed the rules on use of capital receipts; not all capital receipts are eligible for use under the general flexibility. For example, under the direction, eligible capital receipts must be genuine disposals outside of the local authorities’ group structure. Nor does the flexibility override any statutory restrictions that may exist on certain types of assets. The government does not collect specific data on eligible capital receipts held by local authorities.Use of the flexibility is at the discretion of local authorities but must be compliant with the conditions of the general flexibility and their wider statutory duties. The government is clear that its use should represent value for money and be in the best interests of local residents. Use of the flexibility is reported annually. The data for 2024/25 can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of antisemitism in the City of Bristol.

Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, which is why we’re taking a strong lead in tackling it in all its forms, wherever it manifests. We work closely with partners to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities throughout the UK. This includes working together with the Jewish community to monitor levels of religiously motivated hatred. We continue to closely observe rates of antisemitism across the country and will make the necessary interventions to combat antisemitism in all corners of our society.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104771 on MHCLG: Remote Working, if he will publish the recorded workplace attendance data for the last quarter, for each of the individual offices outside London.

MHCLG publishes quarterly HQ Occupancy Statistics for its headquarters at 2 Marsham Street, London (not proportional attendance). We do not intend to publish regional information or numeric staff attendances.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an estimate of the time taken for businesses to amend computer billing systems to implement the new pub relief.

As is usual the government has worked closely with local authorities and their software providers to ensure that billing systems can be updated to take into account the Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief business rates relief ahead of issuing bills for the 2026/27 financial year. The government will undertake a new burdens assessment and fund the associated new burdens including the administrative and software costs of implementation.

Communities and Local Government, further to Housing supply: indicators of new supply, England: July to September 2025, published on 15 January 2026, paragraph 2.1, what estimate his Department has made of the number of homes that need to delivered each quarter in order to achieve the 1.5 million housebuilding target in this Parliament.

I refer the Rt.hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.