Every parliamentary written question tabled by James Cleverly this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 321–340 of 1,703 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, which organisations responded to the Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/ Islamophobia Definition call for evidence.
The Working Group launched a Call for Evidence which closed on Sunday 20 July. It was open to the public and any individual or organisation was able to submit evidence. The government does not routinely publish the details of individual respondents to calls for evidence.
Communities and Local Government, further to his oral statement of 23 February 2026, Official Report, Col.80, on Local Government Reorganisation, on how many occasions since July 2024 have Ministers in his Department made a re-consideration of a Ministerial decision following legal advice or a legal challenge; and in how many cases was the decision made by a different Minister.
It is a longstanding principle that government does not comment on or publish legal advice.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department will put forward proposals for increasing local government transparency under the next round of the UK National Action Plan for Open Government.
The Department keeps this issue under review. A wide range of mechanisms exist to ensure transparency and accountability of local authorities. The Local Government Transparency Code 2015 requires authorities to publish a range of information about their activities including spending, procurement and assets. Authorities are also required to produce annual accounts which are independently assured by an external auditor. The Ministry is working to improve transparency through reforms to the local audit system which will establish the Local Audit Office to oversee the system. The Local Outcomes Framework will provide outcomes based performance measurement against key national priorities delivered at the local level.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2026, to Question 104169, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, why the Darlington office has a 40% office attendance rate requirement rather than the Civil Service expectation of 60%.
The office attendance expectation for the Darlington office is set at 40% due to building capacity constraints. This has been determined by assessing the number of staff based at the site against the desks available, while ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements.
Communities and Local Government, whether local authorities considering the Government’s letter on putting evidence to cancel local elections were (a) offering additional funding or (b) advised they may lose funding, by his Department, if the local authority (i) did or (ii) did not, make a request respectively.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Communities and Local Government, whether special advisers have met or corresponded with (a) Criterion Capital or (b) Asif Aziz since July 2024.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Further to the oral statement on China and security of 4 March 2026, if HM Government will now make it their policy to add China to the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
As set out in the National Security Act 2023, the Secretary of State may make a specification under the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) where they consider it is reasonably necessary to do so to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom. As I set out in the House of Commons on 4 March 2026, FIRS is a relatively new tool, and this Government is seeking to ensure that we can derive the maximum operational capability from it. We look very carefully at which countries should be on the enhanced tier of the scheme, factoring in a broad range of considerations. We have not made any final decisions as to whether we will place other countries on the enhanced tier, but we keep that under very close review. Any changes to the countries listed will be brought to Parliament in the usual way.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2026, to Question 108220, on Affordable Housing: Greater London, whether affordable housing starts in London are tracked from start on site to competition, to ascertain that they are (a) actually delivered and (b) not stalled.
The Affordable Housing Supply statistical release that my Department publishes is produced using a number of different sources. These include data from local authorities, Homes England and the Greater London Authority (GLA).The GLA and Homes England provide information in respect of individual developments, but this is only at the point they start or complete. As such, the data my Department publishes does not distinguish between developments where construction has started and is ongoing and developments where construction has started but has stalled or been abandoned.The GLA expect all schemes will continue to proceed. In instances where that does not prove possible, they will ensure that all grant is recouped and reinvested in social and affordable housing.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 23 March 2026, to Question 120664, on Travellers: Caravan sites, how the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework on traveller sites are a material consideration in the application for a possession order in relation to land that the travellers do not own but are residing on without the landowner’s permission.
Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals to incorporate policies relating to traveller sites, currently set out in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, within relevant chapters of the draft NPPF. The consultation also included a proposed policy on retrospective planning applications and unauthorised development which sets out that if it is concluded, based on evidence, that the unauthorised development was intentional, that fact should be given substantial weight in considering whether to grant planning permission. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122202 on Public Houses: Business Rates, whether a reimbursement applies to the Greater London Authority Crossrail business rate supplement, should a billing authority consider whether to apply the 15% pub relief to the business rate supplement.
Where business rate reliefs are implemented under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, such as the Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief Scheme, Business Rates Supplements are adjusted to reflect the percentage relief provided by those schemes in line with the requirements of section 13(7) of the Business Rates Supplement Act 2009. It is for the 33 London billing authorities and the Greater London Authority to ensure that the required determinations and resulting adjustments are made to ratepayer bills in respect of BRS liabilities. The Greater London Authority is not reimbursed for the lost revenue arising from government funded discretionary reliefs awarded under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, such as the 15% pub relief, when this relief is applied to a Business Rates Supplement (BRS). While these reliefs are applied on a parallel basis to reliefs on Non-Domestic Rates, the Greater London Authority bears the entire cost in respect of the resulting reduction in BRS revenues.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the guidance, A Definition of Anti-Muslim Hostility, section 6, of 9 March 2026, which body or authority will determine or interpret the public interest test.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 117731, on Housing: Asylum, what are the pilots for LA-led asylum accommodation referenced in the Home Office guidance, entitled Funding Instruction for Local Authorities: Asylum Grant 2025 - 2026, updated 23 April 2025; and how this relates to the proposed MHCLG fund.
We have committed to closing every asylum hotel, and work is well underway, with more suitable sites, including military bases, being brought forward to ease pressure on communities. The Home Office are working with MHCLG to explore a model of asylum accommodation that achieves value for money and supports asylum system reform and further detail will be provided in due course.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 118190, on Local Government Finance, what proportion of the £740 million of funding was comprised of unallocated MHCLG budgets for the Spending Review period; and what is the allocation over each year of SR2025.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2026 to Question 110793 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, what are the typical working hours that a full-time staff member on compressed hours is expected to work during their four day week; and how does this compare with the expected working hours of a full-time staff member during a five day working week.
Staff who work full-time, have the following conditioned hours per week:36 hours net – if their normal place of work is in London and if appointed before 1 June 201337 hours net – if their normal place of work is elsewhereIf they were appointed to the Civil Service within the department on or after 1 June 2013:37 hours net – in all locations (including London) Net hours do not include meal breaks. Staff working a compressed four-day week have the flexibility to agree their daily working pattern to reach the required conditioned hours per week.
Communities and Local Government, if he will provide a breakdown of the £63 million of funding to support local elections; which local authorities will receive it; what is the methodology; and whether the funding is being taken from any other programme at 2025-26 year end.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026, to Question 120055, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, whether time taken for lunch counts towards the 37 hour limit; and whether a full-time civil servant would be permitted to work from 9am to 6.15pm from Monday to Thursday under a compressed four day week.
Staff who work full-time, have the following conditioned hours per week:36 hours net – if their normal place of work is in London and if appointed before 1 June 201337 hours net – if their normal place of work is elsewhereIf they were appointed to the Civil Service within the department on or after 1 June 2013:37 hours net – in all locations (including London) Net hours do not include meal breaks. Staff working a compressed four-day week have the flexibility to agree their daily working pattern to reach the required conditioned hours per week. As provided, the example hours would not be suitable owing to the reasons given.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 107992, on Lichfields, whether their work was awarded by open competition, or via direct award.
The contract in question was awarded directly following failed competitions. This information was published within the contract award notice which can be found on gov.uk here.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the letter sent by the Secretary of State to HM Opposition of 21 March 2026, on MHCLG spending commitments, if he will provide a breakdown of the £62 billion of spending commitments, and the profile across each year and each programme.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Innovation and Technology, whether there is a unified Unique Address Reference Number (UARN) or Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) for residential dwellings in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) are in place for residential (and other forms) of properties in England and Wales. Unique Address Reference Numbers (UARNs), as supplied by HMRC, are linked to Ordnance Survey address data products. The data is made available under license through the OS Data Hub, including free at the point of use data to public sector users through the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA).
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question HL15625 on Islamophobia, if he will place a copy of the Equalities Impact Assessment on the definition of anti-Muslim hostility in the Library.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.