10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, further to the press release of 25 November 2025, Levy on overnight trips will help mayors invest in local growth, on what date mayors were informed of that policy.
ReplyThe government received representations from Mayors for a new visitor levy power earlier this year. Following consideration of these representations, Mayors were informed of the policy on 25 November.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, what his Department's timetable is for consulting political parties on measures to be included in the Elections Bill.
ReplyAn Elections Bill will be introduced when parliamentary time allows. The Government will continue to work in partnership with key stakeholders to help ensure that proposed changes address the priorities of the sector. We have begun engagement with political parties on the detail of the proposals and will continue to do so in advance of introduction.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 4 December 2025, HCWS1128, on Devolution Priority Programme, whether delays to scheduled combined authority mayoral elections will impact the implementation of the overnight visitors levy.
ReplyThe government will set out its legislative priorities for the second session in the King's speech. We expect that local leaders will be able to introduce a levy before the end of this Parliament. It will be for Mayors, once elected, to decide whether a visitor levy is right for their area.The government intends to establish Mayoral Strategic Authorities in all the Devolution Priority Programme areas as soon as possible, to ensure sufficient time for meaningful preparatory work and continue to build local collaboration. We will work closely with each Devolution Priority Programme area to ensure they can start delivering on key local priorities and deliver the benefits of devolution on the ground ahead of the mayors taking office.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, whether his Department has issued guidance on charging travellers for using transit sites for caravans.
ReplyThe Department has not issued guidance on charging travellers for using transit sites for caravans. This would be a decision for the local authority to make.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 29 April 2025, to Question 46110, on Waste Disposal: Birmingham, whether he plans to request further support from military personnel in relation to this strike.
ReplyCurrently, there is no build-up of waste in Birmingham and collection rates remain consistently high. A small number of office-based military personnel with logistical expertise were made available to the Council when it was dealing with a Major Incident earlier in the year but they returned to normal duties after a short period. We are in close contact with Commissioners and the Council as we continue to monitor the situation. The government’s priority is Birmingham’s residents, and we will continue to support the Council to keep streets clean during any disputes.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement on 19 November 2025, HCWS1071, on Local Government Reorganisation, by when legislation is needed to cancel local elections that were scheduled to take place in May 2026.
ReplyAs set out in my statement of 18 December, councils are in the best position to judge their local capacity and the impact of potential postponements of local elections in their area. In the spirit of devolution and trusting local leaders, this government will listen to them.We have therefore written to council leaders in the councils going through reorganisation with elections scheduled for May 2026, inviting them to set out their views by 15 January.If any legislation is required, it will be brought forward as soon as possible.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, what data his Department collates on instances of electoral fraud.
ReplyData on allegations and outcomes of electoral fraud is collected by police forces across the UK and provided to the Electoral Commission. The Electoral Commission then publishes this information annually on its website. The Government continues to work closely with the Electoral Commission, the police and other partners to safeguard the integrity of elections and maintain public confidence in the democratic process.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, whether his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) previously produced research on regulatory barriers to housing development on brownfield land.
ReplyThe government has not commissioned or previously produced a specific piece of research on regulatory barriers to housing development on brownfield land. I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 84470 on 30 October 2025.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, whether he has a policy on social tenants in high-value social housing passing on lifetime tenancies to their children.
ReplyThe assessed value of a social rent property has no bearing on tenants’ rights to pass down their tenancy to their children. Those living in high-value social rent homes will be subject to the same succession rights set out in legislation as other social housing tenants on secure tenancies.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 90710 on MHCLG: Glenigan, whether the data received included unbuilt-out planning permissions.
ReplyI refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78185 on 20 October 2025.
10 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, what data (a) his Department and (b) the Land Registry holds on the proportion of leasehold flats that have a lease less than (i) 99 and (ii) 80 years.
ReplyData on lease lengths at time of purchase are detailed on page 76 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 Impact Assessment, which can be found on gov.uk here.
5 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-2036: MHCLG policy statement to accompany guidance to bidders from Homes England and the Greater London Authority, published on 7 November 2025, if he will set out the timetable to set RDEL and CDEL figures for funding the affordable housing programme in (a) 2026-27, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.
ReplyI refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.
4 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, whether Homes England has issued guidance on (a) requiring diverse street names in new developments and (b) diversity targets on suppliers and registered providers receiving funding for developments outside London.
ReplyStreet names are a local matter and are formally determined by the local authority for the area. Homes England does not set targets for diversity from suppliers or recipients of funding but does require that all partners comply with the Equalities Act 2010 and meet the needs of people across the country. All guidance for partners of Homes England is available on gov.uk, for example the recently published Social and Affordable Homes Programme guidance here.
4 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 84646 on Housing: Greater Manchester, what types of management information have been provided by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority under Schedule 3 of the agreement since July 2024.
ReplyExamples of management information received by my Department include accountancy and financial data.
4 Dec 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, whether he discussed Departmental business at the Labour YIMBY awards on 24 November 2025.
ReplyThe Secretary of State gave a speech on the overall government approach to housing. No other departmental business was discussed at this event.
28 Nov 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, further to paragraph 2.58 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, whether there is a government estimate of the cumulative net additions between 2024-25 to 2029-30 for England as a whole.
ReplyI refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024
27 Nov 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2025 to Question 87323 on Affordable Housing: Expenditure, how much funding was allocated to the Affordable Housing Programmes in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 across his Department, Homes England, the Greater London Authority, local councils, housing associations and combined authorities.
ReplyI refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 73795 on 15 September 2025.On 5 November, Homes England published an updated summary of their total allocations from the Affordable Homes Programme for 2021 to 2026 (AHP 2021 to 2026). It can be found on gov.uk here.
27 Nov 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement of 20 November 2025, on Multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement and Fair Funding Review, of 20 November 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of higher council tax referendum thresholds on council tax receipts over the Spending Review period.
ReplyIt is for individual councils to set their own level of council tax. The government intends to maintain a core 3% referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept and will consult on this at the provisional local government finance settlement. The final set of referendum principles will be subject the approval of the House of Commons, in the usual way. Estimates of council tax that may be raised will be published at the provisional local government finance settlement.
27 Nov 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, if he will re-issue Best Value intervention notices against councils operating four day working weeks on full pay.
ReplyThis Government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities and will not micromanage their day-today running. However, the Government does not support the use of part-time work for full-time pay by local authorities.Best value notices may be considered and issued by the Government where it is deemed necessary to seek further assurance that a local authority is complying with the best value duty and taking steps to secure continuous improvement.
27 Nov 2025·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Answered
AskedCommunities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 23 October 2025, HCWS991, on Housing Delivery, and pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question HL9484 on Green Belt: Greater London, whether the Greater London Authority's designation of Metropolitan Open Land now has a status, and is recognised, in national planning policy and planning practice guidance.
ReplyMetropolitan Open Land is a local designation used by the Mayor of London in the London Plan. Policy relating to the designation is entirely a matter for the Mayor and is not set out within the National Planning Policy Framework or Planning Practice Guidance. Planning law requires that applications for planning permission be determined in accordance with the relevant development plan (which includes the London Plan) unless material considerations indicate otherwise.