Written questions by Cleverly.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 on (a) the instances and duration of industrial action in local authorities and (b) disorder on municipal picket lines.

In October 2024 the government published impact assessments on the relevant trade union-related measures now in the Employment Rights Act 2025. The impact assessment covering the Act’s repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 included an assessment of the expected impact on industrial action. Local Authorities are independent employers responsible for managing industrial relations and industrial action risks.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the visit by Lord Khan to Pakistan from 13 April to 17 April 2025, for what reason no meetings are listed for the four day period in the transparency document entitled MHCLG: ministerial meetings, April to June 2025.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 84924 on 20 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what is the cash terms cap for an individual hereditament on Supporting Small Business Relief in (a) 2027-28 and (b) 2028-29; and whether the £800 amount will increase by inflation.

Supporting Small Business Relief (SSBR) limits the increase in the bills of those ratepayers whose business rates liability will increase as a result of the 2026 revaluation. SSBR ensures that any increase is limited to £800 per year, or the relevant caps within Transitional Relief, whichever is higher. This is the case for all years between 2026 and the next revaluation.

Communities and Local Government, how many staff have been given permission to run for election in the (a) May 2025 and (b) May 2026 local elections.

The department does not hold a central record of all permissions granted. Request numbers are small and are considered on a case-by-case basis in line with policy.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department undertook a public sector equality duty assessment on the decision to cancel the mayoral elections.

The Government intends to establish Mayoral Strategic Authorities via secondary legislation for all the Devolution Priority Programme areas as soon as possible, subject to the councils’ consent. Devolution is strongest when it is built on strong foundations, and this extra time will allow these four areas to establish strong institutions ahead of their Mayors taking office in 2028. The decision to hold the mayoral elections at a later date does not necessitate a Public Sector Equality Duty assessment, as an assessment will be produced for the establishment legislation.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 2 January 2026 to Question 99204 on Local Government Finance ,whether the allocation of the £200 million will be delayed as a result of the delays in combined authority mayoral elections.

The six Mayoral Strategic Authorities on the Devolution Priority Programme will receive close to £200 million collectively per year for 30 years through their Investment Funds. Before Mayors are elected, and with the consent of the constituent councils the institutions are established, government will provide each area with a proportion of their investment funds to ensure they can start delivering on key local priorities and deliver the benefits of devolution on the ground.

Communities and Local Government, what the latest possible date is for him to make a decision to cancel scheduled council elections in May 2026.

The deadline for representations on the postponement of local elections in May 2026 is 15 January. After this, the Secretary of State will consider all views provided, together with any other representations received, before decisions are made. If the Secretary of State decides to postpone an election, legislation will be brought forward as soon as practicable and the House will be updated.

Communities and Local Government, whether the New Towns Taskforce has undertaken a consultation on the proposed Adlington New Town.

In developing its recommendations, the New Towns Taskforce engaged with local leaders from across the country and delivered a series of targeted engagement events. As set out in the government’s initial response to the New Towns Taskforce final report, which can be found on gov.uk here, we will publish the draft proposals and final SEA for consultation in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 2 January 2026, to Question 98813, on Travellers: Caravan Sites, whether such charging for traveller transit sites could be in potential statutory scope of local authority powers to charge the new overnight visitor levy.

On 26 November 2025, the government published a consultation on the introduction of a new overnight visitor levy power which seeks views on the design of the power. The government is proposing to exempt stays in registered Gypsy and Traveller sites where the accommodation is a primary residence. The consultation will run until 18 February 2026 and following this, the government will bring forward legislation.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance has the (a) Government and (b) Planning Inspectorate given to local planning authorities and inspectors on the implications of the Equality Act 2010 for planning policy.

My Department does not provide guidance on the implications of the Equality Act 2010 for planning policy to either local planning authorities or inspectors. The Government Equalities Office publishes guidance on the Public Sector Equality Duty for public bodies, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to build new homes for asylum seekers using public funds.

I refer the rt. Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78206 on 23 October 2025.

Pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 89453 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, on what specific date did HM Government inform Westminster City Council that the Ministerial residence was paying the wrong level of council tax.

The Government Property Agency (GPA), an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, is responsible for the administration and payment of any tax liabilities for Admiralty House. The Government Property Agency wrote to Westminster City Council in June to confirm that the former Deputy Prime Minister was residing in Admiralty House on a second home basis. Westminster City Council issued a bill applying the second home premium in July, which was paid in full the same day. The bill was paid for the full year of 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026. The Cabinet Office accepts that it was delayed in notifying Westminster City Council that the Admiralty House flat allocated to the former Deputy Prime Minister was being used on a second home basis. This was not the former Deputy Prime Minister’s error or responsibility. It is regrettable that this delay occurred. The Cabinet Office is taking steps to change its internal processes to ensure this does not happen again.

Communities and Local Government, what is the contact email and postal address for representations to the Rycroft review into foreign financial interference in UK politics.

The contact email for representations to the Rycroft review into foreign financial interference in UK politics is reviewteam@rycroftreview.independent.gov.uk. More information can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 99606 on Local Government: Essex, whether the existing Police and Crime Commissioners in the devolution priority areas will now serve their full terms until 2028; and in what year will the new combined authority mayors take up the policing powers currently undertaken by the Police and Crime Commissioners.

Home Office Ministers will announce in due course plans for the transfers of PCC functions in the Devolution Priority Programme.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with local authorities in Surrey on a directly elected mayor for Surrey.

The introduction of a mayor for Surrey would depend on there being a combined authority across the area, i.e. more than one local authority. It will be for the new councils across the Surrey footprint to set out to the Government how they wish to take forward devolution.The Government will set out next steps on new devolution agreements, including further mayoralties, in due course.The Government recognises that Mayoral Strategic Authorities are most successful when they are built on a strong history of partnership and joint delivery. We want to see devolution that is built on strong foundations, with strong unitary structures in place before areas access mayoral devolution.

Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to update his department's Plain English guide to the planning system, published in January 2015.

The government has no current plans to update the previous government’s ‘Plain English guide to the Planning System’. The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. These changes aim to ensure that national planning policy is accessible, understandable and provides clarity and certainty to all users of the system. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 14 April 2025 to Question 44226 on Pest Control: Birmingham, whether his Department holds any information on the rat numbers in Birmingham.

The requested information is not held centrally. My department engages regularly with Councils under intervention and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the waste dispute and the associated impact to the residents of the city.

Whether there will be an exemption for the council tax surcharge for dwellings occupied by a Church of England Minister of Religion.

The High Value Council Tax Surcharge (HVCTS) is a new charge on owners of residential property in England worth £2 million or more in 2026, taking effect in April 2028. Owners, not residents, will pay the surcharge. The government will consult on potential exemptions and reliefs in the spring.

Communities and Local Government, what data the Greater London Authority provides to his department on affordable housing starts and completions in London.

The Greater London Authority (GLA) publish a detailed breakdown of their affordable housing delivery by programme every quarter. It can be viewed on its website here. The GLA shares a detailed extract matching their published statistics with my Department shortly after their publication. This extract also includes the number of new social and affordable housing units funded through Right to Buy recycled receipts and the number of sales through the Right to Acquire and Social HomeBuy schemes. Additionally, the GLA provides my Department with monthly updates on their delivery towards their housing programmes.

Communities and Local Government, further to the oral evidence by the Deputy Director, Local Government Accountability and Audit, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, at the Public Accounts Committee, Oral evidence: Whole of Government Accounts 2023-24, HC 1243, 11 December 2025, Question 25, and the objective to complete reorganisation by April 2028, on what date will elections be held for the new unitary councils other than Surrey.

The Secretary of State will consider the position of each council individually, weighing up the evidence received. This means that different decisions may be taken for different councils within the same local government reorganisation invitation area that have local elections scheduled, depending on the representations received. As I set out in my Written Ministerial Statement of 18 December (HCWS1215), I remain committed to the indicative timetable that was published in July, that sees elections to new councils in May 2027 and those councils going live in April 2028.