Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been given on whether overseas broadcasts to influence elections in the United Kingdom are permitted.

Since March 2025, the Foreign Interference Offence has been a priority offence under the Online Safety Act, requiring platforms to put in place proportionate systems and processes designed to prevent users from encountering content that amounts to the Foreign Interference Offence, minimise the length of time it is on their service and remove any illegal content on user-to-user services where they become aware of it.Ofcom has published its Codes of Practice which outline guidance on how platforms can comply with these duties. Platforms have already been required to assess the risk of illegal content (including foreign interference) on their services against this guidance.Ofcom has robust enforcement powers to enforce compliance with the illegal safety duties, with providers being required to implement the safety measures set out in the Codes or use other effective measures to protect users from illegal content and activity.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2026, to Question 116488, on Absent Voting: British Nationals Abroad, what consideration has the Electoral Commission made of this issue.

The Electoral Commission operates independently of Government and addressed the experience of Overseas Electors in its report on the 2024 General Election.

Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from Lord Walney, the UK Government’s independent adviser on political violence and disruption, 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, whether a local billing authority will be centrally reimbursed by his department if they apply the 15% business rate pub relief to a pub’s Business Improvement District business rate levy, where the pub hereditament is liable for such a locally-led levy.

Business Improvement District (BID) levies are established under separate legislation from the business rates system and are payable in addition to non-domestic rates.Business rates reliefs granted under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, such as the Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief, apply only to a ratepayer’s liability for non-domestic rates and do not apply to BID levies. These reliefs therefore reduce a ratepayer’s liability to non-domestic rates only. Individual BIDs may allow for a reduction in a levy in line with their own schemes but this is a matter for individual BIDs to determine.Where a billing authority grants discretionary business rates reliefs (including reliefs under section 47 of the 1988 Act), the authority is compensated for the resulting loss of non-domestic rates income via grant paid under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003. This compensation relates solely to reductions in non-domestic rates liability and does not extend to BID levies. Accordingly, there is no provision for central reimbursement in respect of BID levy amounts.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to introduce statutory guidance to Returning Officers so there is an explicit obligation to enforce the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 in polling stations and intervene to stop the practice of so-called family voting.

I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 119522 on 18 March 2026.

With reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 38, if she will publish the organisations that the Government deems extremist and which are subject to a policy of non-engagement.

The Home Office does not comment on specific groups. As announced in the Protecting What Matters publication on the 9th March, we are currently updating and embedding the 2024 engagement principles which will assist public bodies to not confer legitimacy, funding or influence on extremist groups. Responsibility for decisions and due diligence around who departments engage with sits with those departments and the appropriate policy areas.It is for individual government departments to decide to use these principles, or their own due diligence processes around engagement. If asked, we will advise and share information to help inform their decisions. We will also be producing an annual ‘State of Extremism’ report which will also support public sector staff to tackle extremism. The first iteration of this will be published by the end of 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been given on the change of use and conversion of former school buildings to residential accommodation.

My Department has not issued specific guidance on the change of use and conversion of former school buildings to residential accommodation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 12 September 2025, to Question 75184, on Fast Food: Planning, what his Department's policy if on whether sandwich shops are classed as fast food outlets.

As per my answer to Question UIN 75184 on 12 September 2025, it is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast-food outlet.Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, sought feedback on the application of the term ‘fast-food outlets’ in planning decisions, and whether any further clarity could be provided on the types of establishments this policy should apply to.We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the Environmental Principles Assessment for the (a) December 2024 National Planning Policy Framework and (b) 2026 to 2036 Affordable Housing Programme.

I will deposit a copy of the relevant documents in the House of Commons Library. The hon. Member should note that there are some redactions to the assessment for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-2036 that fall within the exception to disclosure at regulation 12(4)(e) and 12(4)(d) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR).

With reference to page 38 of the policy paper entitled Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, published on 9 March 2026, what mechanism will be used to connect local and national networks.

The Home Office Disruptions team, which horizon scans for extremist influence and events, will be expanded with additional resource to disrupt extremist networks at a national and local level. We will be refreshing our reporting mechanisms that will allow local partners to refer their concerns directly to us.The Government’s focus is to use existing mechanisms to analyse, prevent and disrupt the spread of high-harm extremist ideologies that can lead to community division and to radicalisation into terrorism, particularly those that radicalise others but deliberately operate below CT thresholds.There are a wide range of offences and powers that can be used to counter the threat from extremism and we are working to maximise their use. These include powers to regulate charities; broadcasting and education; immigration powers; and offences such as encouragement of terrorism and public order offences.The Home Office works with a range of national and local partners to deliver this work, ensuring timely sharing of information so where there is evidence of purposeful actions that are potentially radicalising others into terrorism or violence, proportionate disruptive action can be considered.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, with reference to the Electoral Commission publication, Understanding the Representation of the People Bill, updated March 2026, whether the Electoral Commission has made an assessment of the potential impact of its proposal that a company’s profit should be used as the measure of its earnings on political parties.

The Electoral Commission has long called for reforms that ensure that only companies that make enough money in the UK can donate to political parties. It has recommended using profit as the measure that would more effectively prevent foreign money from entering the system, by providing the strongest guarantee that donations by a company can only be from money made in the UK.In developing its recommendation, the Commission considered the potential impact on the integrity and sustainability of political party funding, as well as the impact on the ability of legitimate companies to participate in the UK's democratic processes.

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

Our annual ‘State of Extremism’ report will support public sector staff to tackle extremism.This will include information on what extremism looks like today in the UK – groups, narratives and ideologies, including Islamist and Extreme Right – as well as the action this government is taking to disrupt these extremist threats.The first iteration of this will be published by the end of 2026.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2026 to Question 111129, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Pakistan, when the summary of the former Minister’s schedule will be placed in the Library of the House.

The summary has now been placed in the Library of the House.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Electoral Commission will ensure that polling stations in the May 2026 local elections display visible posters on the secrecy of the ballot and associated offences under the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023.

Electoral law prescribes which official notices must be displayed in polling stations. This includes the ‘guidance for voters’ notice which explains that voting is secret and voters should not let anyone see how they have voted. The Commission’s guidance for electoral administrators and polling station handbook explain where and how these notices must be displayed.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of council tax since July 2024 on the cost of living.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 110405 on 11 February 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what is the timetable for the creation of a strategic authority for Surrey, and whether it will have an elected mayor.

On 12 February, the government wrote to all local authorities – including in Surrey – that do not currently have a devolution agreement inviting them to come forward with proposals for a non-mayoral, Foundation Strategic Authority across a sensible geography. Delivering this over the Surrey footprint to an April 2027 timetable would ensure that functions such as transport and adult skills continue to be delivered on a Surrey footprint. We are now reviewing responses. We see Foundation Strategic Authorities as a crucial way to build local capacity and partnerships, as a stepping stone towards mayoral devolution in the future.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2026 to Question 111688 on Valuation Office Agency: Statistics, what census data is used in the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax modelling.

I refer the member to the answer given to UIN 111688 on the 17 February 2026 which advises that the VOA uses the Census geographies.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2026, to Question 116749, on Local Government: Elections, whether the Secretary of State was advised that he was pre-determined.

It is a longstanding principle that the government does not comment on or publish legal advice.

Communities and Local Government, what was the cost of the Islamophobia definition working group, including staff costs.

The Working Group members were not remunerated. A small amount of secretariat support was provided by staff in the department.

Communities and Local Government, what representations he has received from the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation 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.