Written questions by McMurdock.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure consistent communication between (a) developers of BESS sites and (b) local fire and rescue services during the planning and approval processes.

Planning Practice Guidance encourages developers who are promoting BESS and for local planning authorities to engage with local fire and rescue services and National Fire Chiefs Council guidance. I also refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 35249 on 12 March 2025 and Question UIN 5520 on 11 October 2024.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60731 on Elections: Essex, which local elections will take place on that day.

Elections are scheduled to elect Councillors to Basildon Borough Council, Brentwood Borough Council, Castle Point Borough Council, Colchester City Council, Epping Forest District Council, Essex County Council, Harlow District Council, Rochford District Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council.The government's consultation on Devolution Priority Programme areas closed on 13 April. We are now carefully considering the evidence collected to determine whether the statutory tests have been met in each of the areas, including Greater Essex.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60731 on Elections: Essex, which local elections will take place on that day.

Elections are scheduled to elect Councillors to Basildon Borough Council, Brentwood Borough Council, Castle Point Borough Council, Colchester City Council, Epping Forest District Council, Essex County Council, Harlow District Council, Rochford District Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council.The government's consultation on Devolution Priority Programme areas closed on 13 April. We are now carefully considering the evidence collected to determine whether the statutory tests have been met in each of the areas, including Greater Essex.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57065 on Leasehold: Ground Rent, what her planned timetable is for that proposed legislation.

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation. Further details will be announced in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of powers held by local authorities to remove travellers from unauthorised encampments on public land.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 46336 on 30 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, when local elections will take place in Essex.

Yes. Local elections in Essex will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether local elections will take place in Essex in 2026.

Yes. Local elections in Essex will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with Essex County Council on the financial sustainability of local services under the proposed devolution deal.

Combined County Authorities (CCA) do not replace the councils in the area – and services such as social care, libraries and education that are provided by the local authorities would continue to be provided by them. The finances of constituent members such as Essex County Council will remain separate from the proposed Greater Essex Combined County Authority.The CCA would instead benefit from devolution of both powers and funding in the areas of transport, housing and adult skills, as well as attracting a Mayoral Capacity Fund to assist with setting up and a thirty-year Investment Fund for both revenue and capital spending.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the ability of (a) county and (b) unitary councils to set balanced budgets for the next financial year.

We have delivered a Settlement for 2025-26 that begins to fix the foundations of local government by providing significant investment redirecting funding towards the services and places that need it most. The Settlement makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25.Councils are responsible for managing their budgets locally and setting a balanced budget. Any council that has concerns about its ability to set or maintain a balanced budget should approach the Ministry in the first instance where we will treat all discussions in confidence, with respect and determination to find a solution together.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support leaseholders who cannot (a) sell their properties and (b) re-mortgage due to ground rent charges.

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to publish financial modelling for Essex devolution proposals, in the context of projected levels of funding gaps.

Combined County Authorities (CCA) do not replace the councils in the area – and services such as social care, libraries and education that are provided by the local authorities would continue to be provided by them. The finances of constituent members such as Essex County Council will remain separate from the proposed Greater Essex Combined County Authority.The CCA would instead benefit from devolution of both powers and funding in the areas of transport, housing and adult skills, as well as attracting a Mayoral Capacity Fund to assist with setting up and a thirty-year Investment Fund for both revenue and capital spending.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to protect leaseholders from ground rent charges.

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure (a) transparency and (b) local accountability in areas where local elections have been cancelled as part of planned devolution arrangements.

Accountability for decisions in all local authorities whose elections were postponed remains with the elected members, whose terms of office were extended by one year.The government ran public consultations in the areas on the Devolution Priority Programme. We are now carefully considering the evidence collected, in order to decide whether statutory tests have been met to proceed with the legislation required to establish the proposed devolution institutions. Government will share conclusions from the consultation responses once a decision has been made.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that vacant commercial properties owned by institutional landlords do not inhibit small businesses' access to affordable premises.

This Government is committed to revitalising our high streets and tackling vacancy. To that end, we have introduced High Street Rental Auctions, new powers for local authorities to bring vacant units back into use by auctioning the lease. We anticipate this will increase cooperation between landlords and local authorities regarding vacant units and make town centre tenancies more accessible and affordable for tenants, including SMEs and local businesses.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance on the meaning of local employment in the context of public infrastructure contracts.

I refer the hon Member to the National Procurement Policy Statement published by the Cabinet Office on 13 February 2025, which states that in carrying out a procurement covered by the Procurement Act 2023, a contracting authority must have regard to the importance of maximising public benefit. Applying social and economic value requirements in procurement can have a significantly positive impact by broadening the public benefits that are delivered through the life of the contract.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that infrastructure projects commissioned by public bodies prioritise local (a) employment and (b) contractors.

I refer the hon Member to the National Procurement Policy Statement published by the Cabinet Office on 13 February 2025, which states that in carrying out a procurement covered by the Procurement Act 2023, a contracting authority must have regard to the importance of maximising public benefit. Applying social and economic value requirements in procurement can have a significantly positive impact by broadening the public benefits that are delivered through the life of the contract.

Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on leasehold reform.

The government outlined its approach to leasehold and commonhold reform in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).We took swift action in the early months of the Parliament to implement provisions in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 relating to rent charge arrears, building safety legal costs and the work of professional insolvency practitioners.On 31 October 2024, the government commenced further building safety measures.On 31 January 2025, provisions to remove the two-year qualifying rule in relation to enfranchisement and lease extensions came into force.On 3 March 2025, the right to manage provisions (expanding access, reforming its costs, and voting rights) came into force and we published the Commonhold White Paper, which is a crucial first step in ensuring commonhold becomes the default tenure for flats.An ambitious draft Leasehold and Commonhold reform Bill will be published later this year.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of foreign investment on housing affordability in the UK.

Data on property ownership by overseas companies in England and Wales is published by HM Land Registry and is publicly available on gov.uk. My Department has not conducted a specific assessment of the potential impact of foreign investment on housing affordability in the UK. We recognise concerns about the impact of overseas investment on housing affordability, particularly for first-time buyers. In response, and as part of our commitment to supporting first-time buyers, including giving them the first chance to buy homes, we have introduced fiscal measures to level the playing field. Non-UK residents already pay a 2% surcharge on top of the residential rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when purchasing a dwelling in England or Northern Ireland. In addition, at the Autumn Budget 2024, the government increased the higher rates of SDLT by two percentage points from 3% to 5%. The higher rates are also paid by non-UK residents purchasing additional property. Increasing the higher rates of SDLT helps to ensure that those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, have a greater advantage over second home buyers, landlords and companies purchasing residential property.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure transparency in the acquisition of domestic housing by foreign investors.

Data on property ownership by overseas companies in England and Wales is published by HM Land Registry and is publicly available on gov.uk. My Department has not conducted a specific assessment of the potential impact of foreign investment on housing affordability in the UK. We recognise concerns about the impact of overseas investment on housing affordability, particularly for first-time buyers. In response, and as part of our commitment to supporting first-time buyers, including giving them the first chance to buy homes, we have introduced fiscal measures to level the playing field. Non-UK residents already pay a 2% surcharge on top of the residential rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when purchasing a dwelling in England or Northern Ireland. In addition, at the Autumn Budget 2024, the government increased the higher rates of SDLT by two percentage points from 3% to 5%. The higher rates are also paid by non-UK residents purchasing additional property. Increasing the higher rates of SDLT helps to ensure that those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, have a greater advantage over second home buyers, landlords and companies purchasing residential property.

Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the proportion of domestic housing stock in England owned by foreign investors.

Data on property ownership by overseas companies in England and Wales is published by HM Land Registry and is publicly available on gov.uk. My Department has not conducted a specific assessment of the potential impact of foreign investment on housing affordability in the UK. We recognise concerns about the impact of overseas investment on housing affordability, particularly for first-time buyers. In response, and as part of our commitment to supporting first-time buyers, including giving them the first chance to buy homes, we have introduced fiscal measures to level the playing field. Non-UK residents already pay a 2% surcharge on top of the residential rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when purchasing a dwelling in England or Northern Ireland. In addition, at the Autumn Budget 2024, the government increased the higher rates of SDLT by two percentage points from 3% to 5%. The higher rates are also paid by non-UK residents purchasing additional property. Increasing the higher rates of SDLT helps to ensure that those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, have a greater advantage over second home buyers, landlords and companies purchasing residential property.