Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, what assessment her Department made of the potential impact of the divestment policy adopted by Cumberland Council in August 2025 on integration and community cohesion.

MHCLG does not conduct assessments of individual council divestment policies. The Cabinet Office has published guidance to public authorities prohibiting procurement boycotts against Israeli firms and firms which trade with Israel.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of housebuilding on the land designated as industrial at Old Oak Common.

The Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation’s Local Plan of 2022 sets out its vision for Old Oak and Park Royal and its local plan policies. The evidential framework for their Local Plan is a matter for the Development Corporation. The government is working closely with the Development Corporation in support of their ambition to regenerate the land around Old Oak Common station and deliver up to 9,000 new homes.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to provide funding for councils to support long-term empty homes being put back into use.

The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country. Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years. They can also access funding through the Affordable Homes Programme and Local Authority Housing Fund. Through the New Homes Bonus, local authorities can also receive the same level of reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one. Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here. The government outlined its intent to strengthen local authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, whether a new (a) memorandum of understanding and (b) facility agreement is being agreed between her Department and its agencies with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in relation to the (i) Affordable Housing Programme and (ii) National Housing Bank.

As committed to in the English Devolution White Paper, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will have the ability to set the strategic direction of the new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme in their area. Memorandums of Understanding and commissioning letters will be agreed with the Greater London Authority and Homes England as the organisations delivering the programme for MHCLG. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 18 June (HCWS712), MHCLG and the National Housing Bank, when established, will work with Mayors and local leaders to develop integrated packages of financial support to deliver on the housing and regeneration priorities of local areas. MHCLG and Homes England are engaging with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to agree an approach that works best for the needs of each place. We will announce further details in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, what planning (a) policies and (b) guidance her Department has issued on council farms.

My Department has not issued any policies or guidance specific to council farms.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on (a) the number of and (b) which local authorities had Local Development Orders in force on 1 September 2025.

The government does not actively monitor the uptake of Local Development Orders. However, local planning authorities are required to keep a record of Local Development Orders made in their area.

Communities and Local Government, whether the National Housing Bank will require the delivery of a specified number of (a) affordable and (b) social rent housing when agreeing loans for developers.

My Department is currently working with Homes England and HM Treasury to establish a new National Housing Bank, including setting terms and parameters for different debt interventions. As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 18 June, the Bank will have an initial allocation of £16 billion of new financial capacity – comprising of £10.5 billion of investment capital and £5.5 billion of contingent liability capacity that can used to deploy housing guarantees. The £10.5 billion investment capital package includes £2.5 billion of low-interest loans for social and affordable housing providers to further boost their capacity to invest in new developments. We are in the process of developing the loans scheme and will announce further details in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question HL6508 Road Signs and Markings, what is the evidential basis for there being no need for (a) regulations or (b) new guidance.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 63029 on the 4 July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2025 to Question 31485 on Planning Permission, what criteria her Department uses to determine whether a planning application for non-governmental projects is considered through a Special Development Order or local planning process.

Special Development Orders are a long-established part of the planning system. Each case is considered on its individual merits. The government has no plans to change this approach.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of her Department's decision to end financial payments to local authorities for getting long-term empty homes back into use through the New Homes Bonus on the number of empty homes.

The Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation, which closed in August 2025 and can be found on gov.uk here, sought views on the government’s proposal to end the New Homes Bonus in the Local Government Finance Settlement from 2026-27 and return the funding currently allocated to the Bonus to the core Settlement.The government will consider all feedback received to the consultation in the design of any future local authority housing incentive.

Communities and Local Government, what consideration she has made of introducing a council tax referendum threshold for town and parish councils with precepts above £100 on Band D.

To date, no referendum principles have been set for town and parish councils. Referendum principles are determined annually and the Government will set out its proposals for 2026-27 later in the year. In doing this the Government will take into account the levels previously set by town and parish councils.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2025 to Question 69054 on Community Cohesion and Resilience Programme: Finance, for what policy reason the funding for the Community Cohesion and Resilience Programme was discontinued.

The Community Cohesion and Resilience Programme was a 2024/25 funding stream, ending as scheduled in March 2025, after providing £3.6m of funding to build stronger, more integrated communities and reduce harmful division in 44 places. The UK Government continues to work closely with community groups, charities, and public sector partners to strengthen communities. This includes our recent announcement at Spending Review, that we are investing in up to 350 deprived communities across the UK, to fund interventions including community cohesion, regeneration and improving the public realm. Future funding for communities will be announced in due course, to ensure places receive the support and resources they need to thrive.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of meetings between the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition and (a) external organisations and (b) other individuals since 28 February 2025.

The independent Working Group on Anti-Muslim-Hatred/Islamophobia has undertaken extensive engagement with stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives to ensure its proposed definition accounts for the variety of backgrounds and experiences across the United Kingdom. This work has been supported by a small secretariat function based within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.As set out in the published Terms of Reference for the Working Group, the independent advice provided to government by the Working Group will be private.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2025 to Question 65978 on Islamophobia, whether the True Vision reporting portal will use the Government's definition of Islamophobia.

The Government has established the independent working group to advise government on a definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, and how to best understand, quantify and define prejudice, discrimination, and hate crime targeted against Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.The advice the group produces will be private initially and once government has had time to review the advice it will consider the next steps.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to amend (a) planning policy and (b) permitted development rights in relation to asylum accommodation.

This government is committed to ending the use of asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament, but we are clear this must be done in a controlled and orderly manner.We continue to keep our approach, including in respect of planning and permitted development rights, under review.

Communities and Local Government, how much was spent on the Affordable Housing Programme (a) 2015-2018 and (b) (2016-2021) in each year of operation; and how much has (i) been spent and (b) is forecast to be spent for the Affordable Housing Programme 2021-26 in each year of its operation, including funding allocated to London and mayoral combined authorities.

The government’s affordable homes programmes are delivered by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London and by Homes England in the rest of England. Homes England’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2024/25, which can be found on gov.uk here, make clear that by the end of that financial year Homes England had invested £6.08 billion of its £8 billion budget for the 2021-26 programme and the full £4.9bn budget for the 2016-21 programme. The GLA does not publish details of its capital spending for individual programmes. The Affordable Housing Programme for 2015-2018 was extended to 2020 at the Autumn Statement 2014. However, the programme was interrupted at the 2015 Spending Review and the remaining programme budget was consolidated into the Affordable Homes Programme for 2016-2023. Delivery data for the 2015-18 programme is set out in the National Audit Office (NAO) Report: The Affordable Homes Programme since 2015. The report can be found on the NAO website here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority's Annual Report 2024–25, published on 11 August 2025, for what reason no evaluation was completed for the Grenfell site and programme.

The government is committed to supporting the community affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy for the long term.The programme is extremely sensitive and involves direct working with bereaved families, survivors, and residents in the immediate community. It includes carefully taking down the Grenfell Tower, and design and delivery of a community-led Grenfell Tower Memorial.Given this context, the Department has agreed with the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority that a formal, departmental led evaluation of outcomes would not be appropriate.The Programme has regular assurance reviews from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, with suppliers reporting monthly against agreed performance indicators and progress monitored through appropriate governance channels. There is an ongoing offer to the Grenfell community to engage and hear views to shape the programme.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has (a) commissioned or (b) procured third-party providers to (i) assess, (ii) index or (iii) identify (A) extremism and (B) disinformation.

The Government takes the threat of extremism very seriously and will continue to work with partners to tackle extremism in all its forms. The Government is also alarmed by the unprecedented rate at which threats to information integrity are growing. My department has not specifically commissioned or procured third party-providers on the matter in question. We fund the National Community Tensions Team which send the department regular reports on hate crime and community tensions. Additionally, the Government’s Independent Antisemitism Adviser, Lord Mann sent the department reports on hate crime and community tensions. DSIT and MHCLG have supported the Local Government Association to deliver training aimed at supporting frontline local authority practitioners to respond to acute information incidents.