Written questions by Cleverly.

Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable if for the commencement of (a) section 48 and (b) Schedule 10 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.

The government intend to implement Section 48 and Schedule 10 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 as soon as possible after we have made necessary changes in primary legislation to fix the small number of specific but serious flaws that the Act contains.For details of those flaws I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 25972 on 6 February 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has a target to reduce the number of empty homes.

The government does not have a numerical target for reducing the number of empty homes.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of mortgage in possession clauses in planning applications on (a) housebuilding and (b) other development.

My Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact of mortgage in possession clauses in planning applications. It is for local planning authorities to consider whether otherwise unacceptable development could be made acceptable through the use of conditions or planning obligations. Such obligations may include mortgage in possession clauses.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2025 to Question 83815 on Permitted Development Rights: Multiple Occupation, what information his Department holds on whether any local authorities have submitted an Article 4 direction to remove permitted development rights for houses in multiple occupation that are occupied by asylum seekers.

My Department does not hold the data in question.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has commissioned post-implementation evaluation research on (a) the interaction of the Renters Rights Act 2025 with other regulatory changes to the private rented sector and (b) other aspects of the Renters Rights Act 2025.

My Department routinely monitors trends across the private rented sector, including levels of rent; the number of dwellings for private rent; and the number of private sector landlords.To do this, we make use of data from existing surveys such as the English Housing Survey, the English Private Landlord Survey, and data from the Office for National Statistics and Hometrack. We have also commissioned Verian to carry out a longitudinal survey of private renters to help baseline and monitor the private rented sector reforms.The government is committed to a robust evaluation of the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. This evaluation will include extensive data collection through interviews, surveys and focus groups and will involve engagement with a range of stakeholders including tenants, landlords, letting agents, third sector organisations, delivery partners, and government officials.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question HL10584 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, whether there has been a reference back in relation to the (a) security statement and (b) blast assessment.

I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 70585 on 15 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 83788 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, for what reason the reference back is ongoing; and what documents he is awaiting for from interested parties.

I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 70585 on 15 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's website entitled Make things right, published in October 2025, what was the cost to the public purse of the translation into six languages; and on what basis were those languages chosen.

The cost of translations for the Make Things Right campaign website was £1,081.20. Translations were made of the languages social housing tenants who have English as a second language are most likely to speak.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2025 to Question 76268 on MHCLG: Travel, how much was spent in each of the last six months.

Spend on ministerial travel in taxis and private hire vehicles between June and November 2025 is listed below:June 2025 £4,443.03July 2025 £3,610.92August 2025 £1,885.79September 2025 £1,861.51October 2025 £114.44November 2025 £746.16

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2025 to Question 61182 on Litter: Codes of Practice, whether guidance has been given to local authorities on issuing fines under the Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for pouring liquids down a municipal drain.

Guidance to councils on the use of their fixed penalty powers for littering and related offences is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse. The Government recently published a Pride in Place Strategy in which we committed to putting this guidance on a statutory footing and bringing forward equivalent enforcement guidance for fly-tipping. Fly-tipping is an offence under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2025 to Question 61182 on Litter: Codes of Practice, and with reference to paragraphs 78 and 79 of the Pride in Place strategy, published on 25 September 2025, whether her Department intends to respond to the consultation; and whether the proposed measures in the previous consultation to stop the abuse of litter fines for profit will now be implemented.

The consultation on statutory littering enforcement guidance was carried out under the previous Government. In the Pride in Place strategy, we have committed to publishing such guidance and intend do so early next year. Councils will remain responsible for their enforcement activity but will have a duty to have regard to the guidance once it comes into force.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 84636 on Eden Project: Morecombe, if he will publish the Memorandum of Understanding; and what proportion of the £50 million of funding is conditional on matched funding.

We have no plans to publish the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 19th November 2024 as the project information is published by the local authority responsible for the project. Available on gov.uk here.The grant funding provided to the project is not conditional on match funding; however, the Local Authority is responsible for securing the additional funds required to deliver the benefits for which the funding was granted.

Communities and Local Government, which types of asylum seekers accommodation provided under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are subject to (a) council tax and (b) business rates; and what exemptions exist.

All properties are generally liable for either council tax or business rates. Whether a property is assessed for council tax or business rates will depend on whether it is assessed being primarily domestic (council tax) or non-domestic (business rates). There is no mandatory exemption in the council tax system for dwellings which are used for asylum purposes. To the extent that any asylum seekers accommodation is in a non-domestic use, no specific exemption is provided from business rates for such purposes.

Communities and Local Government, what are the internal areas within the proposed Chinese Embassy that would be exempt from UK inspection and verification.

All material planning considerations, including national and international law, will be taken into account in reaching a decision on this case. The full reasons for the decision will be set out in the final decision letter.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 84643 on Infrastructure: Planning Permission, if he will publish a list of planning applications that have been submitted in this Parliament but not yet had a decision by (a) name of the project, (b) local authority, (c) application date and (d) target date for a decision.

Data on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, including details such as project name, location, application date, and target decision date, is published and regularly updated on the Planning Inspectorate’s website here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78283 on Councillors: Misconduct, and with reference to the Cabinet Office consultation principles, for what reason the Government has not yet published its response to the December 2024 consultation.

The Government response to the Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England consultation was published on 11 November.

Communities and Local Government, what is his Department’s policy on commissioning publicity material in foreign languages aimed at individuals who permanently reside in the UK.

The department does not have a specific policy on commissioning publicity material in foreign languages. The department provides published content in additional languages where appropriate and on a case-by-case basis.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the incidence of unauthorised travellers frustrating Temporary Stop Notices by subdividing land into multiple plots.

My Department has not made a specific estimate of the incidence of unauthorised travellers frustrating Temporary Stop Notices by subdividing land into multiple plots.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 84635 on English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, if he will list each organisation that the Government discussed the Supplementary Vote with prior to the introduction of the Bill.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government engaged with a wide range of local stakeholders during the development of all the measures in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. We engaged with local stakeholders on all the measures in the Bill ahead of the Bill’s introduction, including the Supplementary Vote change.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the submission for a May 2026 election pilot from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets; and whether the Best Value Envoys were consulted on or have reviewed that application.

We are currently reviewing applications from local authorities wishing to pilot at the May 2026 elections and we will share further details in due course. An application from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets is not being considered.