Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, if he will commission an assessment of the impact of council tax levels on the cost of living for average households.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to my answer provided on 11 February to Question UIN 110405. Final council tax referendum principles were published as part of the final settlement and are available here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026 to Questions 107021 on Housing: Asylum, if he will publish any prospectus and bidding document given to local authorities in relation to the new asylum accommodation programmes and associated pilots.

Details of the MHCLG asylum accommodation programme have not yet been finalised and no prospectus has been provided to local authorities. The MHCLG fund is distinct from Home Office-led reforms to the asylum estate.

Communities and Local Government, whether the council tax referendum policy decision for the six councils with no thresholds was subject to an equality impact assessment.

We have considered the equalities impacts of the proposals and decisions in the multi-year Settlement across the period 2026-27 to 2028-29, including the council tax referendum policy decision for the six councils with no thresholds. Councils are responsible for deciding the level of their council tax and considering the inequalities impacts that may arise, including from additional flexibilities in referendum policy. Council tax increases may enable local authorities to provide better services, but may have a negative impact on any taxpayer struggling to pay their bill. Councils have tools to mitigate the impact, including in relation to equalities, for example, through a council tax support scheme.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 105228 on Community Infrastructure Levy, whether he plans to amend (a) planning practice guidance and (b) legislation in response to the High Court decision; and whether local planning authorities still have discretion to waive CIL payments to householders.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026. Any announcements will be made to Parliament in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 26030 on Radicalism, when he plans to publish the minutes of the steering group.

The terms of reference for the Communities and Recovery Steering Group (Ministerial) were published on GOV.UK in March 2025. As referenced in the answer given to Question UIN 33045 on 10 March 2025, in keeping with general practice, we do not currently intend to place minutes in the Library.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 104964 on Elections, whether there are any other (a) prospectus documents, (b) calls for evidence, (c) bidding documents, (d) consultations and (e) pilot invitations sent to local authorities that have not been published on in the last 6 months.

There are no such documents relating to the flexible voting pilots that have not been published in the last six 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 and the pilots are a part of this wider work. The Electoral Commission is responsible for carrying out an independent, statutory evaluation of the pilot schemes and will publish its findings.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 104668 on council tax, what the monetary amount is of that national average Band D rate in 2025-26.

As set out in the response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0, the level of notional council tax is calculated based on the England average rather than the Band D average. The average band D council tax level in England, including parishes in 2025-26 is £2,280. This is available to view here Council Tax levels set by local authorities in England 2025 to 2026 (revised) - GOV.UK. The notional council tax values are set out in the Fair Funding share calculator.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108091 on MHCLG: Repairs and Maintenance, on what date the PFI contract for 2 Marsham Street expires; and which organisation will own the building on expiry.

The PFI expiry date is 2nd April 2031. It is anticipated an option will be called to allow the property to revert to His Majesty’s Government ownership from that date.

For what reason the council tax surcharge and the ordinary council tax charge for new builds will be based on different antecedent valuation dates from April 2028.

Council Tax bands are based on the price a property could have sold for on a fixed date set in law. The High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) is in addition to Council Tax. This will be a new charge on owners of residential property in England worth £2 million or more in 2026, taking effect in 2028. The precise antecedent valuation date for HVCTS has not yet been set in legislation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 107987 on Planning Permission, whether his Department holds a list of (a) councils with Article 4 directions in force and (b) types of development Article 4 directions apply to.

While Local Planning Authorities are required to send a copy of all Article 4 directions to the Secretary of State when made, my Department does not hold a record of those currently in force. A full list of permitted development rights is set out in Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

Whether organisations subject to a policy of non-engagement are barred from (a) applying for and (b) receiving government funding.

Organisations who do not meet due diligence checks will not be eligible for government funding. It is up to each department to carry out due diligence when choosing to engage with, or fund, any organisation or individual and, if asked, we will advise and share information to help others inform their decisions.As announced in the Protecting What Matters publication last week, 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.

Communities and Local Government, whether local billing authorities will be compensated for the cost of the new 15% pub relief if they grant the pub relief to the (a) business rate supplements levied by the Mayor of London and (b) business improvement district levies on business rates over and above the main business rate liability.

The department will publish the cost of compensating local authorities for the relief as part of the 2026-27 NNDR3 outturn data reconciliation, following the end of the 2026-27 financial year. Local authorities will be fully compensated for the loss of income associated with granting the pubs and live music venues relief they award against the main business rates liability. 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% Pubs and Live Music Venues 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. 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, whether he discussed Departmental business at the Labour YIMBY dinner on 28 October 2025.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt. Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the Planning Inspectorate to deal with (a) national planning policy framework changes and (b) measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 112059 on 24 February 2026.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026 to Question 107021 on Housing: Asylum, how the basic accommodation will differ from council housing; and whether the asylum accommodation will be council owned.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103182 on 13 January 2026. Asylum seekers are not eligible for social housing.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026 to Questions 107021 on Housing: Asylum, whether the derelict buildings to be converted into asylum accommodation will be (a) residential, (b) commercial, (c) communal and (d) industrial.

Details of the fund are yet to be finalised. Once these details have been finalised, we will communicatethis to the local government sector and Parliament in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Chinese Embassy development at the Royal Mint will be subject to the oversight of the Building Safety Regulator.

Full reasons for the decision in question are set out in the Secretary of State’s decision letter which can be found on gov.uk here. The letter and associated Inspector’s Report must be read in their entirety. Fire safety matters are addressed at paragraphs 100-102.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of restrictions on ground rents on levels of service charges for leaseholders.

Ground rent is a payment set out in a lease with no clear service provided in return. It is legally distinct from service charges. Service charges are financial contributions made by leaseholders towards the costs of the management and maintenance of their buildings. Where they relate to a service, they must be reasonable. Leaseholders who wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges can make an application to the First-tier Tribunal.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of the 1.5 million homes to be delivered in this Parliament will be flats.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 33286 on 3 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 109262, whether pubs which have (a) rooms and (b) conference and wedding facilities for private hire will be able to receive the full amount of the new pub relief on their full Rateable Value; and whether local authorities may (i) refuse the pub relief from being applied and (ii) only apply it in part.

It is for local authorities to determine whether properties are eligible for the Pub and Live Music Venues Relief as per the definitions provided by government in the guidance for local authorities published on 18 February. This can be found on gov.uk at here. A local authority may refuse the relief if in its view the property in question does not meet the definitions as per the guidance. The relief cannot be applied to only part of the property.