Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2026, to Question 111143, on Public Houses: Business Rates, whether the current GLA Business Rate Supplement is subject to, and discounted by, the 2025-26 40% Retail Hospitality and Leisure Rate Relief; and whether other BID levies are subject to the RHL relief.

As explained in my answer on 12 February, where business rate reliefs are implemented under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, 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. The 2025/26 40% Retail Hospitality and Leisure Relief was such a relief implemented under section 47.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 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure 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.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 120066, on Electoral Register: EU Nationals, whether he has an estimate of the number of qualifying EU citizens in (a) England and (b) Northern Irelan who are eligible to register to vote, following the implementation of the Elections Act 2022, who are not otherwise entitled to be on the franchise by virtue of being Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizens.

The Government does not hold data on the number of qualifying EU citizens who are eligible to register to vote in England or Northern Ireland following the implementation of the Elections Act 2022. As set out in the answer to Question UIN 120066 on 18 March 2026, the Office for National Statistics has not produced updated estimates of EU citizens eligible to vote following the changes to voting rights implemented through the Elections Act 2022.

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, how will councils be expected to finance the remaining 10% cumulative Dedicated Schools Grant SEND deficit.

The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Statutory Override will remain in place until the end of 2027-28. While it remains in effect, all DSG deficits including any proportion of the historic deficit up to 2025-26 not covered by grant (“the residual deficit”) will remain in the associated statutory reserve (“the unusable reserve”) and will not affect local authorities’ wider financial positions. The DSG Statutory Override will end on 31 March 2028. Therefore, local authorities will need to plan to be able to meet the cost of the residual deficit from their own resources in 2028-29, including setting aside appropriate reserves in the preceding years.The Government recognises that some local authorities will continue to have concerns about the pressures of their DSG deficits and the sufficiency of a 90% grant. The Government committed as part of the publication of the Final Local Government Finance Settlement that it would work with local authorities with these challenges, as part of supporting the development of Local SEND Reform Plans.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 120063, on Electoral Register: Commonwealth, whether he has an estimate of the number of qualifying Commonwealth citizens in (a) England and (b) the UK who are eligible to register to vote.

There are no official statistics on the number of qualifying Commonwealth citizens living in the UK who are eligible to register to vote, either in England or across the United Kingdom.As set out in the answer to Question UIN 120063 on 18 March 2026, the Electoral Commission has previously estimated that around 66% of qualifying Commonwealth citizens may be registered to vote (as at 2023). The Commission’s estimate is based on their survey data and provides an indication of the proportion registered; however no corresponding estimate exists for the total number eligible to register.

With reference to the command paper, Protecting What Matters, CP 1540, 9 March 2026, page 24, and the plans to include Religious Education in the National Curriculum, what is her definition of the sector and who will determine if there is a consensus.

In this context, the ‘sector’ refers to a broad range of relevant voices and views from faith and secular representatives. The sector-led Task and Finish Group was established independently of the government, and its membership, governance and working arrangements were matters for the Group itself.Any consensus reached would therefore be sector‑led and informed by wide engagement across faith and secular stakeholders. As previously set out, if the Group reaches consensus on a draft religious education curriculum, the government would consult on whether to add it to the national curriculum.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Land value estimates for policy appraisal 2023, published on 16 March 2026, why the values are only up to date to 2023.

The land value estimates in question are expressed in October 2023 prices to provide a consistent and comparable base. However, the data used to produce the estimates is more recent. For example, while the estimates of non-residential land produced by the Valuation Office Agency draw on data up to August 2024, the estimates of residential land produced by my Department draw on data up to September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if he will list the (a) Key Performance Indicators and (b) social value requirements for Vistry Group’s contracts under the Affordable Housing Programmes.

Grant agreements with strategic partners under the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) are tracked by Homes England against delivery plans that incorporate particular milestones such as acquisitions, starts, and completions.All delivery is required to be compliant with the terms of the grant agreement and capital funding guide and completed homes are checked for value for money in line with the agreed grant allocation parameters. The capital funding guide can be found on gov.uk here and example Homes England grant agreements for the 2021-26 AHP can be accessed here.Delivery is also checked against the Programme's wider strategic objectives, including the use of Modern Methods of Construction, use of SME contractors, and improvement of the energy efficiency and sustainability of new affordable housing.

What assessment has been made of the effect of the Employment Rights Act on the (a) costs of providing adult social care and (b) associated effect on local authority finances and council tax.

The impacts of the Employment Rights Act have been assessed through a comprehensive package of published analysis, including the Impact Assessment ‘Establish a Fair Pay Agreements process in the Adult Social Care sector’. This is available here: http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. The government has taken a major step in boosting the wages and working conditions of adult social care workers across England, having announced a £500 million investment into the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in the sector. This £500m forms part of an increase of over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29, compared to 2025-26.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the New Towns Draft Programme of 23 March 2026, whether all the seven proposed locations for new towns are currently supported by their local planning authority.

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 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 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, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026, to Question HL15191, on Absent Voting, whether the Electoral Commission tracks or monitors the level of postal vote renewals, or the number and proportion of postal vote applications that were renewed or expired, over any period.

The Electoral Commission operates independently of government and addressed the volume of postal vote applications in its report on the 2024 General Election.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's factsheet entitled Political Donations Overview: existing rules and what is changing, published on 2 March 2026, whether the new provisions on (a) crypto-currency, (b) overseas, (c) company and (d) due diligence donations will apply to donations to hon. Members.

Existing controls on political donations apply to Members of Parliament. The reforms we are making to political donation rules through the Representation of the People Bill will also apply to Members of Parliament.

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, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to Question 118195, on Public Houses: Business Rates, if he will place the full analysis used to create that statistic of business rates in the Library.

The full analysis used to create the business rates statistic referred to in Question UIN 118195 uses hereditament level data that is subject to a Data Usage Agreement preventing onward disclosure.

Communities and Local Government, what the timetable is for the next Parliamentary boundary review; and in what month and year the snapshot of the electoral register will be taken on which to base the review.

As set out in legislation, the next Parliamentary Boundary Review must be completed and reported by 1 October 2031. The review will be based on the electoral registers as they stand on 1 December 2028.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 10 of his Department's guidance entitled Business rates: Pubs and live music venues relief - local authority guidance, published on 18 February 2026, whether wine bars which operate by table service are eligible for the pub relief.

Local authorities are responsible for the administration of business rates, including decisions on the awarding of and eligibility for 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.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to Question 118193, on Data Centres: Planning Permission, whether he intends to amend planning legislation on the use classes of data centres to provide greater clarity.

My Department has no such plans.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance has been given to local authorities on (a) public and (b) statutory petitions for triggering governance referendums, including what how petition signatures may be accepted and verified.

Provision relating to the validity of petitions seeking to trigger a governance referendum is set out in Part 2 of the Local Authorities (Referendums)(Petitions)(England) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/ 2914).