Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance entitled Business rates: Pubs and live music venues relief - local authority guidance, 18 February 2026, paragraph 11, whether (a) restaurants and (b) hotels with pub-style bars are eligible for the new pub relief on the full Rateable Value of the hereditament.

Local authorities are responsible for the administration of business rates, including decisions on the awarding of various reliefs. Guidance for local authorities on the administration of the pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027 was published on 18 February 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here. It is for local authorities to determine whether individual properties meet the definitions contained within the guidance to be eligible for the Pubs and Live Music Venues relief.

Whether (a) combined authorities and (b) the Mayor of London are participating in asylum accommodation pilots; and what role they have in asylum accommodation under proposed reforms.

Responsibility for the provision of asylum support and accommodation remains with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and any pilot models have been designed to be delivered through local authorities. Strategic authorities, including combined authorities and the Mayor of London, may support local coordination where appropriate but have no formal delivery role.

With reference to the Home Office guidance, Funding Instruction for Local Authorities: Asylum Grant 2025 - 2026, updated 23 April 2025, how many councils are participating in the LA-led asylum accommodation pilots.

The Asylum Grant supports local authorities with a contribution to the costs and pressures of accommodating asylum seekers across all eligible accommodation types through a baseline payment of £1,200 per occupied bedspace and quarterly growth payments of £100 per net growth in newly occupied bedspaces. This grant started in 2021/22 and has been renewed yearly with the approval of HM Treasury. There is no unique link between this and local authority-led asylum accommodation pilots. No decisions have yet been made on which local authorities will participate in asylum accommodation pilots.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2026 to Question 110800 on MHCLG: Pakistan, for what the document has yet to be placed in the Library.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to Question UIN 121724 answered on 25 March 2026. There was an administrative error that resulted in a delay in placing the summary in the House Library alongside the commitment to deposit made on 27 February 2026. The summary was sent to the Library on 19 March 2026 and is now in the House Library.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 117748, on council tax, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the £150 + 5% council tax increases in each of the two years in those six local authorities, on the cost of living and financial sustainability of local taxpayers who are not eligible for local council tax support.

Council tax levels are decided by local authorities, and as such the Department has not made a specific assessment on the impact of council tax levels on the cost of living for households who are not eligible for council tax support. The actual level of council tax remains a local decision for individual councils, who should take into consideration a range of local factors including the impact on taxpayers. The government encourages taxpayers experiencing difficulty with their council tax bill to discuss their circumstances with their council.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on MHCLG: Flexible Working, what is the reason for the number of staff on a 4 day week on compressed hours rising from 214 in January 2025 to 339 in January 2026.

Staff have a statutory right to apply for flexible working at any point during their employment.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has received representations from Jonathan Hall KC on the new anti-Muslim hostility definition.

As is standard practice in government policy making, officials undertook limited and focused informal engagement with selected stakeholders as the government considered the advice submitted by the Working Group.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116477 on Local government: elections, what his timetable is for establishing the claimant’s reasonable legal costs.

An initial payment has been made, and the remaining costs will be determined in line with the usual processes.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 117308, on Local Government Finance, what amount of the £200 million of funding in 2026-28 has been reallocated to other priorities.

As set out in my response on 11 March, each of the 6 areas on the Devolution Priority Programme will receive a proportion of their investment fund 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. Per the standard procedures for government Departments, the funding originally earmarked for the full programme will be re-allocated, in this case for other local growth priorities.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 16, what steps he is taking to promote Englishness and a national sense of identity in England.

A great strength of our national identity is its pluralism. Whether we are from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland; whatever our religion or belief; whether we were born here or abroad; or whatever the colour of our skin, we can all embrace our shared identity, celebrate what we have in common, and be proud of our country’s long history and heritage.As set out in Protecting What Matters, we will set clear national integration expectations for communities across the country, focused on stronger social connections, shared identity, English language proficiency, and participation in work. We will also strengthen the national curriculum and qualifications in England to ensure high quality teaching of our nation’s history.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116476 on Political Parties: Finances, whether (a) hon. Members and (b) peers will have to undertake due diligence checks on political donations made directly to them.

The Know Your Donor regime will introduce new risk-based due diligence checks on significant political donations. These rules will apply across the electoral regime, which includes members of the House of Commons and holders of relevant elected office as set out in Schedule 7 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 116756, on Independent Review into Civil Unrest in Leicester, what is the timetable for publishing the report that was received by his Department on 1 July 2025.

The government is taking the time to review the Panel’s report to ensure that its response is in the best interest of communities in Leicester and beyond. We will respond in due course. Our ‘Protecting What Matters’ Action Plan, published on 9 March, considered learnings from the events of Leicester in 2022 and has set out measures we are taking to build social cohesion and protect our communities from harm, such as establishing an Advisory Board to support local authorities when tensions arise, and tackling harmful content in online spaces.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has met with representatives of the (a) Dar Alhekma Trust, (b) Islamic Centre of England, (c) Abrar Islamic Foundation, and (d) Centre for Media Monitoring, since July 2024.

The Department has not met with representatives of the (a) Dar Alhekma Trust, (b) Islamic Centre of England, (c) Abrar Islamic Foundation, or (d) Centre for Media Monitoring.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 29, whether requirements to learn English for new arrivals will apply to asylum seekers as a condition of receiving (a) asylum and (b) settled status.

The ability to use and understand our shared language is a fundamental basis for participating in society and an expectation of all who wish to call the UK home. English language proficiency is a key facilitator of cohesive communities, and proficiency provides opportunity for individuals, including improved social connections, participation, access to employment and access to essential services. A decision to grant asylum is based on whether an individual is at risk of persecution in their home country. In compliance with our international obligations, this does not take into account whether or not they can speak English. As outlined in Protecting What Matters, this government has already strengthened English language requirements for people subject to immigration control, including those applying for settlement. We will also review English language provision to identify best practice, and explore how innovation, including digital delivery, can increase the numbers able to speak English, with conclusions published in Autumn 2026.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 28, what issues the consultation paper on national integration will include.

This government recognises that integration is a two-way street: we all share a role in providing opportunities for people to participate free from fear of discrimination or bigotry, while newcomers have a responsibility to engage with and embrace what it means to be British.As set out in Protecting What Matters, we will set clear national integration expectations - focused on stronger social connections, shared identity, English language proficiency, and participation in work. To ensure these expectation are grounded in evidence and lived experience, we will launch a national consultation later this year.

Whether the definition of anti-Muslim hatred will be taught as part of the religious education national curriculum.

Religious education is a mandatory subject but not part of the national curriculum.

With reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 38, when the first State of Extremism report will be published.

We will seek to publish the first report later this year. It will set out the threat picture, and will include information around specific ideologies including Islamism, the Extreme Right and Extreme Left. It will provide an overview of extremist groups as well as the action taken by government and partners to counter extremism.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish all substantive communications made to the court by the Government in the context of the legal challenge on the cancellation of the May 2026 local elections.

Correspondence with the court has been routine and administrative; there are therefore no substantive communications to publish.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the status is of her Department’s review of the definitions of irreplaceable habitats.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included a proposal for an updated definition of irreplaceable habitat. MHCLG is currently analysing the feedback received and will publish a response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his statement of 9 March 2026, Official Report, Column 80, on Social Cohesion Action Plan, if he will publish the full report from the independent working group.

As stated in their terms of reference, the advice submitted by the anti-Muslim hatred/ Islamophobia definition Working Group was private advice for Ministers' internal consideration.