Written questions by Cleverly.

Further to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's press release entitled Levy on overnight trips will help mayors invest in local growth of 25 November 2025, what assessment she has made of the cumulative impact of (a) VAT, (b) corporation tax, (c) National Insurance for employers, (d) business rates and (e) the overnight visitor levy on (i) the economic viability of the British hospitality sector and (ii) the cost of a domestic family holiday.

The impacts of visitor levies will largely be determined by local decisions.Mayors will need to decide whether to implement a levy, and, if so, consult on specific proposals. Giving this power to local leaders who best understand their region enables them to tailor it to growing their local region.Individuals and organisations will have the opportunity to engage with Mayors on these decisions throughout the consultation period and beyond.The precise design and scope of the power for Mayors to introduce a visitor levy is still under development and the Government welcomes engagement from the hospitality sector through the consultation process. On business rates, many hospitality businesses have seen their independent valuations go up since the pandemic. For properties seeing bills go up our support package will cap most increases at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. We've also reduced tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties to rebalance the system for good. On employer National insurance contributions, in the Government published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) which set out the impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 changes. The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

Communities and Local Government, further to the press release, "Levy on overnight trips will help mayors invest in local growth", of 25 November 2025, whether the overnight visitor levy will be levied on (a) short-term lets, (b) holiday caravan pitches, (c) holiday caravan rentals, (d) YMCA hostels, (e) holiday campsites and (f) scout and girl guide campsites; and whether transit traveller sites will be exempt.

The government proposes that all types of commercially-let short-term accommodation should be within scope of a visitor levy, including short-term holiday lets as well as hotels, guesthouses etc, subject to local decisions on the scheme. Further information is set out on page 22 of the Visitor Levy Consultation published on 26 November. Consideration will be given to the types of accommodation in scope following consultation.

Whether his Department has received feedback from local authorities administering the Warm Homes Grant on the difficulties of accessing park home sites for the purpose of retrofitting those properties; and if officials have held discussions with representatives of park home sites on retrofitting park homes with the Warm Homes Grant.

Park homes are eligible for support under the Warm Home: Local Grant (WH:LG). Officials would welcome working closely with local authorities and their supply chains, who deliver the scheme, to unlock any issues and ensure support reaches eligible households. Local authorities in receipt of the Warm Homes: Local Grant are encouraged to contact the department for advice or problem-solving, either through their assigned Delivery Support Manager (DSM) or directly with the department. We remain committed to working collaboratively to ensure park home residents benefit fully from the scheme.

When he plans to reply to the correspondence from the Rt hon. Member for Braintree of 13 August 2025.

The Department for Business and Trade aims to respond to correspondence in 15 working days but in some instances it can take longer. The response to this case has now been issued and the department apologises for the length of time this has taken and are reviewing our processes to support better transfers between departments.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 28 July 2025 to Question HL9659 on Elections: Proof of Identity, whether (a) basic bank accounts and (b) prepaid cards that do not require credit checks could be used.

Bank cards will be accepted as voter ID if they are issued by a UK-regulated bank and display the elector’s name. This includes cards issued with a basic bank account and prepaid cards that meet these requirements.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has a policy on the naming of new roads in housing developments supported by (a) Homes England's and (b) his Department’s housing schemes.

Street names are a local matter and are formally determined by the local authority for the area. Geoplace, an organisation created by local authorities and the Ordnance Survey, publishes guidance on how to go about naming new roads and streets.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 86648 on Absent Voting: British Nationals Abroad, what steps his Department is taking to help support overseas electors in Australia.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to UIN 86648 on Absent Voting: British Nationals Abroad, the Government is clear that all legitimate electors should be able and encouraged to participate in democracy. This includes overseas electors, who should be able to exercise their vote without unnecessary barriers. The Electoral Commission is responsible for raising awareness to facilitate democratic participation. The EC also undertakes communication campaigns to engage with citizens and promote awareness of, for example, how to register to vote.As set out in the policy paper, Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections published on 17 July 2025, the Government will introduce a package of measures intended to improve the resilience and capacity of the postal voting system overall. These measures include moving the postal vote application deadline three working days earlier in time. The deadline for candidate nominations will also be moved earlier in time in order to allow Returning Officers more time to proof the ballot papers for printers, giving more time for the next part of the process to get underway, and in particular to enable postal ballot papers to be printed and issued to postal voters at an earlier point.These changes will benefit all administrators and voters, including those living overseas.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that the formal legal names of new (a) strategic authorities and (b) unitary councils reflect (i) local identities and (ii) long-standing associations.

The names of Strategic Authorities are decided in discussion with the constituent councils. While the Government has not asked for names of new unitary councils to be included in proposals, we have set out that councils are welcome to include names. The Government will consult on final proposals before deciding on which, if any, proposal to implement. Views on names could be provided through those consultations. The secondary legislation that establishes a new unitary council will specify various matters, including the name. Representations will be sought from councils on those matters before the secondary legislation is agreed by the Minister and laid in Parliament. Once established, new authorities will have the ability to change their name by resolution, should they wish to, using existing legislation.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the consultation outcome entitled Greater Essex devolution consultation, updated on 17 July 2025, how much funding his Department has allocated to the Mayoral Combined County Authority Investment Fund.

As specified in the English Devolution White Paper, the 30-year investment fund remains a core part of the offer to Devolution Priority Programme areas, who will receive this funding on their creation. An announcement on funding for Greater Essex and the other Devolution Priority Programme areas will be made in due course. New Strategic Authorities will also continue to receive Mayoral Capacity Funding to kickstart their organisations. As stated in the White Paper, we intend on standardising funding for new institutions to increase transparency and fairness.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of unauthorised traveller sites undertaking development on (a) weekends and (b) bank holidays to avoid Temporary Stop Notices; and if he will allow those notices to be (i) issued and (ii) enforced after that development.

It is for local planning authorities to determine whether to enforce against unauthorised development and to keep records of their enforcement activities. The government does not collect granular data on unauthorised development by type. We have published guidance on various planning enforcement matters, including Temporary Stop Notices, and this is available on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85786 on Community Development: Finance, how much funding he plans to provide to each council.

The funding of councils through the Community Cohesion Resilience Programme is set out in my response to UIN 87321.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 84594 on Community Infrastructure Levy, if he will make it his policy to collate data on unspent (a) Section 106 and (b) Community Infrastructure Levy funds.

My Department is exploring proportionate and efficient ways of collecting and analysing data from Infrastructure Funding Statements, alongside other relevant sources of evidence. I also refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 54059 on 6 June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason the Right to Shared Ownership has been disapplied to rented homes funded by the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026 to 2036.

The Right to Shared Ownership, uptake of which has been very low, has been removed as a contractual condition of funding from the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-36 to protect much needed social and affordable housing stock and to increase certainty for social landlords in respect of long-term rental income.At their discretion, landlords will still be able to offer tenants the opportunity to purchase their home via Shared Ownership.This change does not impact tenants already living in homes funded by the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, who will still be able to access the Right to Shared Ownership in their current properties.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 86231 on Local Government: Reorganisation, what his Department’s policy is on engaging with lobbying firms hired by local authorities to make representations on local government restructuring.

The Government and the Department policy is that any contact between civil servants and lobbyists should be conducted in accordance with the Civil Service Code and the principles of public life set out by the Nolan Committee.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the trends in the number of unauthorised developments on land (a) owned by travellers and (b) not owned by travellers since July 2024.

It is for local planning authorities to determine whether to enforce against unauthorised development and to keep records of their enforcement activities. The government does not collect granular data on unauthorised development by type. We have published guidance on various planning enforcement matters, including Temporary Stop Notices, and this is available on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department holds information on the number of employees in the Local Government Pension Scheme who make use of salary sacrifice arrangements.

The Local Government Pension Scheme is locally administered and the Department does not hold this data.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85794 on Shops: Planning Permission, whether powers to block unwanted shops would apply to shops that are not otherwise long-term empty.

The Government is introducing a number of powers to block unwanted shops that are not otherwise long-term empty. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will provide powers for ministers to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products to support legitimate businesses. The scheme will be subject to consultation by the Department of Health and Social Care before regulations are introduced. Furthermore, we will introduce Cumulative Impact Assessments in gambling licensing, when parliamentary time allows. This will give councils greater control over the number of gambling outlets in their areas, helping to ensure a healthy mix of premises on their high streets. Wider powers, such as streamlined compulsory purchase orders and community right to buy, will support local control and curation of high streets.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85795 on MHCLG: Glenigan, what planning metrics are provided to his Department by Glenigan.

Glenigan provide data on residential development sites and planning applications. Data fields include site dimensions, date application submitted, date application decided, decision outcome, number of proposed units, application type, site location, and planning authority, among other details. My Department also receive a calculated metric on the number of homes granted planning permission at detailed and reserved matters stage each quarter. This is published in My Department’s quarterly planning applications statistics release.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85784 on Local Government Finance, which local authorities have submitted disposal flexibility requests and had them approved since 4 July 2024.

The Flexible Use of Capital Receipts general direction was introduced in 2016 by the previous government and remains substantively unchanged. As set out in the general direction and guidance, local authorities intending to use the discretionary freedoms must provide the government with details of their planned use of the flexibility. This is to make sure that the government is adequately sighted on the use of the flexibility and can monitor how it is used. Government does not, however, approve the plans or any specific use of the flexibility. Local authorities remain responsible for appropriately complying with the direction and guidance, and ensuring their decisions are in the best interests of local residents. Government does not publish details of the plans submitted by local authorities, but authorities should, in accordance with the guidance that accompanies the direction, make their strategies publicly available, and use of the flexibility should be reported in the annual statement of accounts. The table below illustrates the total number of local authorities who submitted their strategies under the direction for the last three financial years: 2023-242024-252025-26738960

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 85948 on Immigration: English Language, whether the English language requirements would apply to asylum seekers.

The English language requirements will not apply to asylum seekers. As a signatory to the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), we are legally obliged to consider all asylum claims admitted to the UK asylum system and to consider people’s human rights in all circumstances where a person would be removed from the UK. This is irrespective of a person’s ability to speak English, and it ensures that we do not remove anyone to their own or any other country where they would face persecution or serious harm. Every asylum claim admitted to the UK asylum system is carefully considered on its individual merits. Protection is normally granted where a claimant has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention, or a claimant faces a real risk of serious harm. Those found not to need protection are refused. Once appeal rights are exhausted, they are expected to leave the UK. Otherwise, they will be liable for enforcement action and removal. English language proficiency is a requirement across a range of other immigration routes. Full details, including the list of routes and acceptable evidence, is available in the official guidance on Assessing the English Language requirement (accessible version) - GOV.UK.