Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, whether he intends to consult on the implementation of Automatic Voter Registration.

The Government has included powers in the Representation of the People Bill to enable the testing and introduction of new methods of registration. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will continue to consult with a range of relevant stakeholders to ensure that any changes to the registration process are based on robust evidence, user research and thorough testing. During the development of this work, the Government has worked closely with the Electoral Commission, the Association of Electoral Administrators, local authorities, devolved governments and civil society organisations. We will also continue to offer engagement with political parties.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Weekend voting and shopping centre polling stations to be trialled, updated 9 March 2026, for what reason are election pilots being piloted in North Hertfordshire in May 2026 in the absence of county or district elections that month.

The government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors. These pilots are part of the government’s commitment to encourage greater participation in our democracy and to modernise the voting process, this commitment extends to town and parish council elections, such as those being held in North Hertfordshire in May.The government did not receive any requests or expressions of interest that were rejected. Several local authorities expressed interest but did not make a formal application.There have been no prospectus documents, calls for evidence, bidding documents, consultations or pilot invitations published in the last twelve months on matters other than the flexible voting pilots.The flexible voting pilots are being funded by the Department.Regarding the government’s engagement with stakeholders for the flexible voting pilots, I refer the Rt Hon. Member to Question UIN 87029 on 12 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the New Towns Draft Programme of 23 March 2026, whether councils with new towns will have their (a) local housing need and (b) local housing targets uprated as a result of the new town designation.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the New Towns Draft Programme consultation launched on 23 March which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Local Outcomes Framework of 9 February 2026, what consideration was given to having metrics on the level of local government (a) taxation and (b) fees and charges.

Metrics on local taxation, fees and charges were not included in the Local outcomes Framework, as these do not relate to outcomes - which are the focus of the Framework. The Local Outcomes Framework enables outcomes-based performance measurement against key national priorities delivered locally and driven by councils as leaders of place. Metrics within the Framework were selected from publicly available data that meets clear quality standards, following engagement with local government and other interested parties.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of deprivation weighting in the Index of Deprivation is linked to measures of welfare or benefit take-up.

Within the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) measure, three domains from seven incorporate measures of welfare or benefit take-up. The Income Deprivation Domain carries a weight of 22.5% and the Employment Deprivation Domain carries a weight of 22.5%. The Comparative Illness and Disability Ratio, which is drawn from similar sources, has a weighting of 0.294 in the overall Health Deprivation and Disability Domain, which contributes 13.5% to the IMD.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026, to Question 110416, on Government Departments: Publicity, whether there are any plans for HM Land Registry to remove the HM reference in its public branding.

The government has no plans to remove the HM reference in HM Land Registry’s public branding.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 118900, on Polling Stations: Religious Buildings, and with reference to the departmental press release of 2 March 2026 entitled Weekend voting and shopping centre polling stations to be trialled, whether mobile polling stations will be piloted in the May 2027 local elections; and whether they would visit places of worship.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 119518 on 18 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to Question 117734, on Local Government: Elections, where there are any other (a) prospectus documents, (b) calls for evidence, (c) bidding documents, (d) consultations or (e) pilot invitations send to local authorities, on matters other than flexible voting pilots, that have not been published on gov.uk, in the last 12 months.

The government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors. These pilots are part of the government’s commitment to encourage greater participation in our democracy and to modernise the voting process, this commitment extends to town and parish council elections, such as those being held in North Hertfordshire in May.The government did not receive any requests or expressions of interest that were rejected. Several local authorities expressed interest but did not make a formal application.There have been no prospectus documents, calls for evidence, bidding documents, consultations or pilot invitations published in the last twelve months on matters other than the flexible voting pilots.The flexible voting pilots are being funded by the Department.Regarding the government’s engagement with stakeholders for the flexible voting pilots, I refer the Rt Hon. Member to Question UIN 87029 on 12 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the UK Statistics Authority letter, Letter from Penny Young to Cllr Simon Hogg – Council Tax increases, of 23 March 2026, what steps his Department is taking to address misleading local government publicity on changes to the social care precept on council tax.

The government does not comment on individual cases or the work of the UK statistics authority. Councils are responsible for administering council tax in line with the legislation. It is the government’s expectation that the information councils provide is clear and accurate for taxpayers.

Communities and Local Government, further to the Written Statement of 17 March 2026, HCWS1410, on Local Government Best Value, what assessment has been made of whether Tower Hamlets council is complying with the Local Government Publicity Code.

Local authorities are required to have regard to the Recommended Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity when making decisions about publicity. Responsibility for compliance with the Code rests with individual authorities. Where the Secretary of State considers that an authority is not complying with the Code, he has powers under section 4 of the Local Government Act 1986 to issue a direction requiring the authority to comply.Any concerns regarding compliance should in the first instance be directed to the authority concerned. If the Rt Hon Member has specific concerns about Tower Hamlets Council, he may wish to write to the Department setting out the relevant evidence.

Communities and Local Government, further to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) action plan: 2025 to 2028, published on 24 March 2026, whether his Department will be publishing an SME Action Plan.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published its Small and Medium sized Enterprises Action Plan 2025 to 2028 on 24 March 2026, the same day as the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury published their cross government Small and Medium sized Enterprises Action Plan.The Action Plan is publicly available on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report by the Electoral Commission on voter ID at the 2024 General Election, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of allowing vouching or attestation in polling stations on levels of (a) family voting and (b) impersonation.

The government has not made a specific assessment of the impact that allowing vouching or attestation at polling stations would have on levels of family voting or personation and has no plans to introduce such measures as alternatives to the requirement for voters to show identification.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 March 2026, to Question 119517, on North Hertfordshire District Council: Elections, why the council was selected as a flexible voting pilot when it is not holding principal council elections in May 2026.

The government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors. These pilots are part of the government’s commitment to encourage greater participation in our democracy and to modernise the voting process, this commitment extends to town and parish council elections, such as those being held in North Hertfordshire in May.The government did not receive any requests or expressions of interest that were rejected. Several local authorities expressed interest but did not make a formal application.There have been no prospectus documents, calls for evidence, bidding documents, consultations or pilot invitations published in the last twelve months on matters other than the flexible voting pilots.The flexible voting pilots are being funded by the Department.Regarding the government’s engagement with stakeholders for the flexible voting pilots, I refer the Rt Hon. Member to Question UIN 87029 on 12 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment has been made of whether the Government is on track to deliver the 302,000 net completions target in 2026 set out in Table A2, page 70, of the Final stage impact assessment: Future Homes Standard published on 24 March 2026.

The housing supply estimates published in the Future Homes Standard Impact Assessment are for the purposes of appraisal only and do not represent an official forecast of housing supply.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release of 22 March 2026 entitled Seven new towns proposed to kickstart housebuilding push, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of dwellings that will be (a) started and (b) completed in new towns during this Parliament; and in which of the new towns of the seven proposals will building starts be initiated.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the New Towns Draft Programme consultation launched on 23 March which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Written Statement of 18 November 2025, HCWS1062, on Next phase of planning reform, what the status and timetable is for the (a) new Consultation Direction and a change to legislation and (b) revised call-in and recovery policy.

A new Consultation Direction was published on 31 March 2026, following the legislative change made by the Town and Country (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/595). The Direction can be found on gov.uk here.A revised call-in and recovery policy will follow in due course. Until then, I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the policy set out in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 October 2012, which continues to apply and can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 120065, on Best Value: Surrey, and with reference to the Woking Borough Council: Commissioners’ sixth report, published 24 March 2026, para 11, what the most recent estimate is of the remaining amount of debt that Woking Borough Council holds; what amount is borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board; what amount of debt will be left after the capital receipts referred to in paragraph 11, and what amount of the total debt is deemed to be unrecoverable.

Local authorities provide the Government with data on their borrowing, including source of borrowing. The data can be found at Live tables on local government finance - GOV.UK. The Government recognises that Woking Council cannot manage the entirety of its debt locally and has made an unprecedented commitment to repay in-principle £500m of the Council’s debt in 2026-27. This is a first tranche of support, and we will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point. Further, we remain committed to providing interim financial support to the new unitary council until a final decision is made on further support. It is crucial that any debt support must take into account value for money for local and national taxpayers, and the Council’s continued commitment to reduce debt as far as possible within their local capacity including via an ongoing asset disposal programme.

Communities and Local Government, further to the "Changing Futures Lived Experience Support Grant: prospectus", of 26 March 2026, what his Department's definition of lived experience is.

The definition of lived experience in reference to the Changing Futures programme is direct, personal experience of multiple disadvantage which includes combinations of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill health, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 Match 2026 to Question 116487 on Local Plans and Planning Permission, what (a) advice and (b) guidance has been issued to Ministers on predetermination in called-in planning applications, and recovered planning appeals and Special Development Orders; and whether predetermination applies to decisions to use the call-in and recovery process prior to any substantive decision on the application.

Published guidance on propriety in respect of planning casework decisions can be found here. The principles set out in the guidance apply to decisions to use the call-in and recovery process as well as to substantive decisions.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his correspondence entitled Rycroft Review: Letter to parliamentary party representatives, dated 25 March 2026, what steps his Department is taking to prevent overseas funding being channelled through the Republic of Ireland.

Following publication of the independent Rycroft Review on 25 March 2026, the Government set out steps to strengthen the UK’s political finance framework to address the risk of foreign financial interference, including through the Representation of the People Bill, which will introduce a cap on donations from overseas electors and a moratorium on donations via cryptoassets, and will strengthen donation rules across the regime, including for donations linked to Ireland, which remain subject to strict permissibility, transparency and enforcement requirements to ensure the true source of funds is identifiable and lawful.