Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether she intends to lay regulations to commence the substantive provisions in section 113 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 on Power to decline to determine applications in cases of earlier non-implementation etc.

On 25 May, the government launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development, which includes proposals to implement provisions in section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a copy of the Section 106 agreement that was submitted to the planning inquiry for the proposed Chinese Embassy in London.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 45663 on 29 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's correspondence on the appointment of the Oxford Growth Commission Chair, published on 12 May 2025, whether the Chair is remunerated; and if she will require him to publish a declaration of (a) interests and (b) political activity.

I can confirm that the Chair of the newly formed Oxford Growth Commission (OGC) has been appointed as a direct ministerial appointment and will be remunerated.Direct ministerial appointments such as the Chair of the OGC are not regulated public appointments and do not fall within the remit of the Governance Code on Public Appointments. However, the usual public law principles applicable to all ministerial decision-making still apply. The Department has carried out appropriate due diligence checks and is satisfied these principles are met.

Communities and Local Government, what county flags have been flown from her Department's headquarters in Marsham Street since 4 July 2024.

No historic county flags have been flown over the Department’s headquarters in Marsham Street since 4 July 2024. The decision was taken to give English counties more prominence and status by moving from the department offices to the Houses of Parliament, where they will be seen by more people, and closer to MPs, Lords, and visitors wishing to celebrate their own specific county day. We are pleased to say that individual historic county days are now managed by the Speaker's Office, with flags flown in New Palace Yard. It is expected that the flying of flags in New Palace Yard will increase visibility and engagement, and reflects the importance the government places on historic county days. We will continue the celebration of Historic County Flag Day around the 23 July this year by the flying of all registered historic county flags and the Union flag in Parliament Square, and encourage all MPs to celebrate the rich history of our counties.

Communities and Local Government, whether interested parties will be able to submit written representations on the proposed Chinese Embassy to the Secretary of State after the planning inspector’s report has been finalised.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 51399 on 19 May 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether the scheduled local council elections in Essex in 2026 will be (a) postponed and (b) cancelled.

There are no plans to postpone local elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38621 on Combined Authorities, if she will make it her departmental policy to ask for sex not gender in future consultations.

We will be guided by the revised EHRC Code of Practice when it becomes available.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the accredited official statistics entitled Local authority green belt statistics for England: 2023 to 2024, published on 5 December 2024, whether these statistics include metropolitan open land.

The local authority green belt statistics publication issued by my Department does not include figures for metropolitan open land.

Communities and Local Government, whether proposed (a) combined authority and (b) county combined authority mayors will take on the roles and duties of Police and Crime Commissioners where the boundaries of those police forces align with those of the combined authority.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government’s ambition is that where mayoral geographies align with police force geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner functions. This will include where new Mayoral Combined Authorities are created.We will explore, in time for the English Devolution Bill, the possibility of a single Mayor taking on Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities across two or more Police Force boundaries where boundaries align, as would be the case in Suffolk and Norfolk. Legislation currently allows for an incumbent Police and Crime Commissioner to stand for Mayor where they do not hold Police and Crime functions, provided the elections do not run concurrently. We will issue guidance on future mayoral eligibility criteria in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance to local billing authorities on whether a second homes council tax premium can be applied where a person claims a job-related second homes council tax discount.

The government has published guidance on the implementation of council tax premiums and exceptions. This guidance sets out there is a mandatory exception from the second home premium for dwellings which are job-related, or where the person concerned is living in another dwelling with is job-related. Where a discount applies due to a dwelling’s job-related status, the premium also would not apply.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on whether incumbent Police and Crime Commissioners can stand for election to be (a) combined authority and (b) county combined authority mayors where those mayors do not have policing powers; and vice versa.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government’s ambition is that where mayoral geographies align with police force geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner functions. This will include where new Mayoral Combined Authorities are created.We will explore, in time for the English Devolution Bill, the possibility of a single Mayor taking on Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities across two or more Police Force boundaries where boundaries align, as would be the case in Suffolk and Norfolk. Legislation currently allows for an incumbent Police and Crime Commissioner to stand for Mayor where they do not hold Police and Crime functions, provided the elections do not run concurrently. We will issue guidance on future mayoral eligibility criteria in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution has policy responsibilities to help tackle grooming gangs.

The Home Office are leading the Government’s work to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation. The Minister for Local Government and English Devolution does not have specific responsibilities in this regard, but is responsible for local government finance and policy. The Department has robust arrangements in place to avoid any crossover with constituency interests.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 49921 on Elections: Surrey, whether the scheduled local council elections in Sussex in 2026 will be (a) postponed and (b) cancelled.

There are no plans to postpone local elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the number of social housing tenants in (a) England, (b) London and (c) each local authority in England who were born outside the United Kingdom.

People are generally eligible for social housing if they have leave to remain in the UK and have recourse to public funds. The Home Office decides whether persons from abroad have leave to remain in the UK and whether they have recourse to public funds.Only individuals that are eligible can join housing registers and be given a social housing tenancy. For those who are eligible, housing needs will be considered on an equal basis in accordance with the relevant local authority’s housing allocation scheme.According to the relevant 2021 Census extract, there were 796,000 households living in the social rented sector in England in March 2021 that were headed by someone who was not born in the UK. It is important to note that such households may contain UK nationals as well as non-UK national lead tenants.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 49921 on Elections: Surrey, whether the scheduled local council elections in (a) Norfolk and (b) Suffolk in 2026 will be (i) postponed and (ii) cancelled.

There are no plans to postpone local elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed combined authority mayor for Suffolk and Norfolk will have policing powers.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government’s ambition is that where mayoral geographies align with police force geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner functions. This will include where new Mayoral Combined Authorities are created.We will explore, in time for the English Devolution Bill, the possibility of a single Mayor taking on Police and Crime Commissioner responsibilities across two or more Police Force boundaries where boundaries align, as would be the case in Suffolk and Norfolk. Legislation currently allows for an incumbent Police and Crime Commissioner to stand for Mayor where they do not hold Police and Crime functions, provided the elections do not run concurrently. We will issue guidance on future mayoral eligibility criteria in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 49921 on Elections: Surrey, whether the scheduled local council elections in Hampshire in 2026 will be (a) postponed and (b) cancelled.

There are no plans to postpone local elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification.

Communities and Local Government, how many hectares of metropolitan open land there are in each local authority in Greater London; and whether there is an (a) electronic and (b) hard copy map of metropolitan open land.

Metropolitan Open Land is a local designation used by the Mayor of London in his London Plan. Policy relating to the designation, as well as the current extent of Metropolitan Open Land, is entirely a matter for the Mayor. The Department does not hold data or produce maps on the amount of Metropolitan Open Land in London. Figures for the amount of Green Belt in Greater London as at 31 March 2024 are published within the ‘Area by LA’ accompanying table here. The Department does not hold figures broken down by electoral ward or division.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her comments to the Convention of the North in Preston on 28 February 2025, on what evidential basis she said that the whole of the North will have elected mayors by May 2026.

Earlier this month, inaugural mayoral elections were held in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull & East Yorkshire. They now join the rest of Yorkshire, the North East, Tees Valley, Liverpool City and Greater Manchester as mayoral combined authorities. Continuing our ambition to see the benefits of devolution extended across the North, the Deputy Prime Minister announced six places on the Devolution Priority Programme with a fast-track ticket to drive real change in their area – including Cumbria, and Cheshire and Warrington – which are receiving the full backing of government. Finally, we are continuing to work with Lancashire Combined County Authority to deepen their existing devolution agreement and, dependant on their ongoing governance review, we will explore a path towards mayoral devolution for the region. Clearly it is for local leaders to organise and secure consensus in each of these areas, but as has always been the case, the government stands ready to work as partners in achieving this.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Valuation Tribunal Service has produced guidance on the (a) council tax premium on empty homes and (b) definition of an empty dwelling.

The government has published comprehensive guidance on the implementation of council tax premiums, including how empty homes are defined for council tax purposes. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 48979 on 7 May 2025.The Valuation Tribunal Service has not published specific guidance on council tax premiums on empty homes but has issued a general council tax guidance manual for taxpayers.