Written questions by Cleverly.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 103891 on Business Rates: Tax Allowances, what is the evidential basis for the statement that the temporary Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief has been winding down since Covid.

The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief on business rates has been reduced over time since 2020/21, when it was set at 100%. In 2021/22, this relief was lowered to 75%, in 2022/23 it was 50%, in 2023/24 and 2024/25 it was 75%, and in 2025/26 the relief was lowered to 40%. At Budget, the Government announced it was extending the Supporting Small Business Relief scheme to those businesses who are currently receiving RHL Relief. This scheme caps the increases in bills they can face in each of the next 3 years, calculated from a baseline that includes the effect of the RHL relief. This means that many of those currently getting RHL relief will benefit from SSB relief next year.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes in council tax on the cost of living from April 2026.

Council tax levels are decided by local authorities, and the Department has not made specific assessments on the impact of council tax levels on the cost of living for households. For the vast majority of councils, the government intends to maintain a core 3% referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept. The government will set out final referendum principles as part of the local government finance settlement. Councils are required to put in place council tax support schemes to support those on low incomes.

What guidance he issues to Departments on whether they may decline to publish or signpost information which has otherwise been released to members of the public under Freedom of Information laws.

The Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), published by my office, sets out the government's position regarding the relationship between the treatment of requests for information through parliamentary questions and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. Paragraph 221 states that “if information would be released under FOI, it would also be released in response to a WPQ”.I have written to all Members of Cabinet and spoken with Departmental Parliamentary Clerks and Permanent Secretaries to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and helpful responses to WPQs.In addition, the House of Commons Procedure Committee recently launched an inquiry into WPQs which is considering the interaction between WPQs and FOIs. I look forward to working with the Committee as this work progresses.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026, to Question 104773, on Housing: Construction, what is his proposed timeline for the delivery of the 9,000 homes.

Delivery of the up to 9,000 new homes is a matter for the Mayor of London and the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation. They have published the Old Oak Masterplan Framework, which includes an Illustrative Masterplan, showing how development could be brought forward comprehensively. We will continue to work with the development corporation as it develops its proposals to ensure the best use of the public sector land to bring forward new housing and regeneration.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 103283 on New Towns: Adlington, on what evidential basis was Adlington added to the list of New Towns.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) Judges' Lodgings and (b) other workplace accommodation are within the scope of the proposed overnight visitor levy.

We have published a consultation running until 18 February, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce a levy that will be devolved to local leaders, including potential exemptions. The scope of the levy, which will cover short‑term overnight stays in commercially let visitor accommodation, will be set out in future legislation.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Northern Growth Strategy, January 2026, CP1485, paragraph 4 and footnotes 3 and 4, what is the evidential basis for the underlying statistics of the 2.2% productivity growth per year in the largest northern mayoral strategic authorities.

Footnotes 3 and 4 of the Northern Growth Strategy: Case for change outline how the calculation of compound average productivity growth rate in the largest northern Mayoral Strategic Authorities is based on ONS Official Statistics, using subnational estimates for Gross Value Added and hours worked.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026, to Question 105789, on Ministers and Public Consultation: Evidence, whether the Muslim Council of Britain is on the list of organisations subject to the policy of non-engagement.

The Home Office does not comment on specific groups.It is up to each department to carry out due diligence when choosing to engage with any organisation or individual and, if asked, we will advise and share information to help others inform their decisions.

Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of properties for rent in the private rented sector in each of the last three years.

My Department collects data on the number of dwellings in the private rented sector through the English Housing Survey, which is published annually and can be found on gov.uk here. The latest estimates for the number of private rented sector dwellings in England are as follows: 4,864,000 in 2022, 4,880,000 in 2023, and 4,910,000 in 2024.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Delegation of the setting of planning fees to local planning authorities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Fair Funding Review on planning fees in local authorities which have lost funding in real terms.

The Planning and Infrastructure Act provides the Secretary of State with the power to delegate the setting of planning fees to local planning authorities. The Fair Funding Review considers how resources are distributed across local government based on relative need and demand for services. It does not determine planning fee levels, which remain cost-recovery charges rather than general funding streams. The government is supporting local authorities to manage their updated funding positions by introducing changes over the multi-year Settlement and protecting councils’ income through transitional arrangements, including locally retained business rates growth.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason he has incorporated Planning policy for traveller sites into the National Planning Policy Framework.

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The rationale for proposing to incorporate policies relating to traveller sites, currently set out in Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, within relevant chapters of the draft Framework is set out in the consultation. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 102770 on Waste Disposal: Birmingham, whether the meeting between the Secretary of State and Unite was minuted.

Minutes were taken and in line with normal practice, the minutes will not be published. But the Secretary of State reiterated that the waste dispute is a local issue for Unite and the Council to resolve.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2025, to Question 95394, on Housing: Construction, what estimate has ONS made of per capita housebuilding rate in each constituent nation of the UK over the last 12 months.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Rt Hon. gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 3rd February is attached.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his policy to amend the Housing supply: indicators of new supply statistics to include a rolling statistic on the yearly shortfall in relation to his 1.5 million housing delivery target.

The government has no current plans to incorporate new indicators into Housing Supply: Indicators of new supply statistical releases.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026, to Question 104987, on Strategic Migration Partnership: Finance, whether her Department has determined the funding envelope for the 2025-26 funding; and on what dates was the 2024-25 funding given to the partnerships.

The Home Office does not currently publish funding levels to Strategic Migration Partnerships, previous years funding can be found here Government Grants Data and Statistics Government grants data and statistics - GOV.UK

What her policy is on whether current Police and Crime Commissioners in (a) England and (b) Wales will serve their full term in office before the positions are discontinued, where (i) there is a combined authority mayor for that police force and (ii) where there is no such mayor.

It is the Government’s intention that the role of Police and Crime Commissioner will continue until May 2028.At that point, subject to legislation, it is the Government’s intention to transfer policing functions to Strategic Authority Mayors wherever possible, or to elected council leaders through Policing and Crime Boards where it is not.The exception is in Cumbria where, subject to their Statutory Instrument being made and the Combined Authority established, it is anticipated that the newly created Mayor will be responsible for the governance of policing when they are elected in May 2027. This is part of the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government’s Devolution Priority Programme.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026, to Question 105789, on Ministers and Public Consultation: Evidence, whether the Government accepts evidence in written consultations from organisations subject to the policy of non-engagement.

I refer the Rt. Honourable Member to the answer on 21 January 2026, PQ 105789.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 103186, on Asylum: Council Housing, which local authorities are participating in the asylum accommodation pilots.

MHCLG and HO are exploring options for a new, more sustainable accommodation model, developed in consultation with local authorities. No final decisions have been taken by Ministers.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 105220 on MHCLG: Publicity, which suppliers his Department has used for publishing content in foreign languages in the last 12 months.

The department does not hold the information in the format requested.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question 88668, on Flags: Palestine, and further to the UK Statement at the High-Level Conference for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution of 22 September 2025, if he will publish guidance on deemed consent for the Palestine flag.

My Department has no plans to publish guidance on deemed consent for the Palestine flag.