Every parliamentary written question tabled by James Cleverly this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 801–820 of 1,421 · this parliament
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing income tax on income from rental property on the level of private sector rents.
The independent Office for Budget Responsibility does not expect that the reform to property income tax will have a significant impact on rental prices.
Communities and Local Government, whether the Base Liability for business rate transitional relief calculations from which the transitional cap applies in 2026/27 is based on the 2025-26 bill (a) after or (b) before the 40% Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief was applied.
Support for those facing increases in business rates bills at the 2026 revaluation is provided by the Transitional Relief Scheme and the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme.Transitional Relief is calculated from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill before all other reliefs. However, the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme calculates support from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill including eligible reliefs. For the 2026 scheme, those ratepayers losing some or all of their Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief, 2025/26 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief, or 2023 Supporting Small Business Rate Relief will be eligible for the 2026 Supporting Small Business Scheme.The statutory instrument to take forward the 2026 Transitional Relief scheme was laid on 15 December 2025. The Department issued the guidance for local authorities to implement the 2026 Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme on 15 December. The Treasury has also published a factsheet, Budget 2025: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Factsheet, which includes case studies and example rates bills.
Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to publish a plain English guide to transitional relief and supporting small business relief.
Support for those facing increases in business rates bills at the 2026 revaluation is provided by the Transitional Relief Scheme and the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme.Transitional Relief is calculated from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill before all other reliefs. However, the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme calculates support from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill including eligible reliefs. For the 2026 scheme, those ratepayers losing some or all of their Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief, 2025/26 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief, or 2023 Supporting Small Business Rate Relief will be eligible for the 2026 Supporting Small Business Scheme.The statutory instrument to take forward the 2026 Transitional Relief scheme was laid on 15 December 2025. The Department issued the guidance for local authorities to implement the 2026 Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme on 15 December. The Treasury has also published a factsheet, Budget 2025: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Factsheet, which includes case studies and example rates bills.
Communities and Local Government, which local authorities have notional council tax below £2,000 on Band D in 2025-26; and what the value of the notional Band D figure is in each case including the assumptions made on the uniform split in two-tier areas.
As part of the Fair Funding Review 2.0’s reforms, the government will better enable all local authorities to provide the same level of service to their residents by equalising for local authorities’ differing abilities to raise income from council tax.This includes accounting for the tax base in a local area, not the level of council tax set by each council – this is the same approach proposed by the previous government. The strength of the tax base comes from the number of homes in an area and the 1991 value of those homes. It is not generally a function of local government decision making.As confirmed in the response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0, within the resources adjustment the government will set the notional council tax level at the national average.The response also confirmed the government will split or allocate the resource adjustment in multi-tier areas by uniformly applying the average tier split. More detail can be found in the Technical Annex on the Resources Adjustment (measure of tax base).
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 4 December 2025, HCWS1128, on Devolution Priority Programme, how much funding in each of the combined authorities in the devolution priority areas that was originally scheduled for (a) 2026-27 and (b) 2027-28 will be delayed as a consequence of the postponement of the 2026 mayoral elections.
We remain committed to the long-term funding offer announced on 4 December, confirming that once mayors are in post, 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. 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, ahead of the mayors taking office. The new mayoral strategic authorities will also be supported to build core capacity to ensure they can deliver for local people. All six areas will receive £3 million each as a minimum flat payment over the next three financial years, in addition to an initial payment of £1 million each when the statutory instruments are laid in Parliament, to help with the costs of establishing the new authorities.
What estimate she has made of the marginal increase in business rates liability for a retail, hospitality and leisure hereditament moving from £500,000 to £501,000 Rateable Value under the new 2026-27 business rate system.
In order to sustainably fund the permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000, the Government is introducing a higher tax rate for properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.At the Budget, the Valuation Office Agency announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties.While RVs have increased, the tax rates have decreased, so that all ratepayers, including those on the new high-value multiplier, will pay a lower tax rate than they do now. The Government appreciates that a lower tax rate does not necessarily mean a lower bill for everyone, which is why the Government has introduced a generous support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years to help ratepayers to transition to their new bills.As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down.The ‘Business Rates and Investment: Call for Evidence’, published at Budget, builds on the findings of the Transforming Business Rates: Discussion Paper and asks stakeholders for more detailed evidence on how the business rates system influences investment decisions, including the impact of a ‘slab’ based structure where a higher multiplier applies to the entire RV once a threshold is crossed. The government believes there may be merit in moving to a ‘slice’ system for business rates, where the RV is split into slices (or brackets, bands) and each portion is taxed at its own, different rate.
Whether the introduction of the overnight visitors levy will be a (i) material consideration and (ii) national change in circumstances in the valuation of hereditaments for business rates.
The government has published a consultation running until 18 February, so that the public, businesses, and local government can shape the design of the power to introduce an overnight visitor levy that will be devolved to local leaders. The precise design and scope of the levy is therefore still under development.The introduction of the visitor levy will not constitute a material change of circumstances. It may be taken into account when setting property values for future revaluations, however this will depend on the final design which is subject to consultation and subsequent legislation.
Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to bring Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The Government has no plans bring Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department advises councils to undertake an economic or housing market impact assessment prior to implementing (a) empty or (b) second home premiums on council tax.
The government does not prescribe any specific impact assessments that should be undertaken when councils decide to charge council tax premiums. However, we have published guidance setting out some of the steps they should take. This includes making an assessment of impacts on the local population, its communities, and the local economy. Councils are required to have regard to this guidance, which is available here.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 87 of the policy document entitled Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29, of 20 November 2025, what the maximum council tax percentage threshold is that his Department will except; and whether councils will be allowed to set a threshold above 5% over multiple years.
This week the government published the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, which restated our commitment to review requests for additional flex. This aligns with precedent set by the previous government and is in recognition of the extremely difficult financial situation that many councils are facing.We have not set out a maximum percentage threshold for each year, or set out limits on whether councils can request flexibility over multiple years. We encourage councils to provide this information when making requests to the Department, with detail on their financial position over multiple years.It is for local authorities to decide the level of council tax they wish to request and set. This will reflect the service needs of each area having taken account of their other sources of income. The government is clear that in doing so, they should put taxpayers first.Fairness for taxpayers is at the heart of this government’s decision making. We will not accept requests for additional flexibility where this would result in taxpayers paying bills above the average. For the vast majority of councils, the government intends to maintain a core referendum threshold of 3%, and a 2% adult social care precept over the multi-year Settlement.
Communities and Local Government, whether the calculation of transitional relief for business rates is based on bills before the application of transitional relief in a previous revaluation cycle.
Support for those facing increases in business rates bills at the 2026 revaluation is provided by the Transitional Relief Scheme and the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme.Transitional Relief is calculated from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill before all other reliefs. However, the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme calculates support from a base liability of the 2025/26 bill including eligible reliefs. For the 2026 scheme, those ratepayers losing some or all of their Small Business Rate Relief, Rural Rate Relief, 2025/26 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief, or 2023 Supporting Small Business Rate Relief will be eligible for the 2026 Supporting Small Business Scheme.The statutory instrument to take forward the 2026 Transitional Relief scheme was laid on 15 December 2025. The Department issued the guidance for local authorities to implement the 2026 Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme on 15 December. The Treasury has also published a factsheet, Budget 2025: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Factsheet, which includes case studies and example rates bills.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2025 to Question 85168 on Council tax, whether he holds estimates for the change in precepts not in scope of his Department’s core spending power figures.
The level of Core Spending Power attributable to council tax for each local authority is available here. Explanations on how council tax and associated referendum principles are calculated as part of core spending power is set out here.At the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement the government set out the planned approach on council tax principles for authorities, including the approach for authorities not subject to referendum principles. This is available here.
Communities and Local Government, what consultation the New Homes Taskforce has undertaken on the proposed Adlington New Town.
No such Taskforce exists.
Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions the Government has had with the EU on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Under the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK meets annually with the European Commission through the Level Playing Field Trade Specialised Committee to discuss the implementation of the Level Playing Field chapter within which Article 391 (non-regression from levels of environmental protection) sits. Last year’s meeting of the Trade Specialised Committee was held on 15 October. The Trade Partnership Committee also met on the 4 December 2025 under the EU-UK TCA. At both meetings, the UK provided an overview of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill (now Act) and both parties agreed to ongoing engagement following Royal Assent, where the focus will shift to the implementation of the measures.
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department receives and collates Infrastructure Funding Statements by local authorities.
I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 90718 on 21 November 2025.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 18 November 2025, HCWS1062, on Next phase of planning reform, whether the land near train stations would (a) have Green Belt disapplied, (b) be treated as Grey Belt and (c) be treated as brownfield land in the Green Belt.
The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out how different proposed policies would apply to land around stations, including those that are defined as well-connected and those that are within and outside of settlements. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 18 November 2025, HCWS1062, on Next phase of planning reform, what the geographical distance is around a train station that the policy would apply to; and whether the definition includes (a) Trams, (b) light-rail, (c) Metros and (d) the London Underground.
The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out how different proposed policies would apply to land around stations, including those that are defined as well-connected and those that are within and outside of settlements. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement of 11 November 2025, on the Social and Affordable Housing Programme, whether the scheme will support the provision of housing to asylum seekers.
The Social and Affordable Homes Programme will not be used to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.
Whether she has a policy on naming organisations (a) regarded as extremist and (b) subject to non-engagement.
The Home Office cannot comment on specific groups or individual cases.This Government takes the threat from extremism very seriously. As a society we must not permit those that radicalise others into violence and terrorism to act with impunity. The Government is committed to tackling those who spread views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities in our society, and that radicalise others into terrorismEach department must consider their own due diligence when choosing to engage with any organisation or individual.
Communities and Local Government, what is the timetable for the Islamophobia definition review to be published.
The group have now provided their advice to Ministers who are rightly taking the time to review and consider the advice carefully before confirming next steps in due course.