Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, whether the (a) water and waste, (b) airport and (c) national networks National Policy Statements will be updated by summer 2025.

On 8 July 2024, the Chancellor committed to updating relevant National Policy Statements within 12-months.The government recently launched a consultation on proposed amendments to the Energy National Policy Statements (NPSs) 1, 3 and 5 and intends to consult shortly on other draft amended National Policy Statements.These draft amended NPSs will be laid in Parliament for consideration as prescribed by the Planning Act 2008. Completion of the update processes is subject to the outcome and timings of those consultation and Parliamentary timings.The National Networks NPS is not included in this as it was designated in May 2024. The government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports NPS, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent. Further to this, we are introducing legislation through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to make at least five-yearly reviews of all NPSs a legal requirement. This would include a transitional period in which NPSs that are currently out of date (i.e. more than 5 years old at the time of Royal Assent) will have two years from the bill being enacted to update their NPSs in line with the legislation. All other NPSs will be required to be updated within 5 years of their designation of latest update.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41458 on Admiralty House, what the nature was of the logistical support provided by civil servants.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41458 on 3 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, how much her Department has spent on consultancy services from McKinsey since 4 July 2024.

As part of a wider suite of support arrangements MHCLG has a zero commitment call off contract with McKinsey, which started on 6 January 2025. There have been neither any commissions nor spend to date.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Biggest building boom in a generation through planning reforms, published on 11 March 2025, what steps she plans to take to help ensure that proposed requirements for Environmental Delivery Plans do not increase the cost of developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 39021 on 18 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) amended and (b) new planning practice guidance requires a (i) public sector equality duty and (ii) environmental principles assessment.

The Secretary of State keeps her duties under the Environment Act 2021 and Equality Act 2010 under consideration regarding any guidance updates. Relevant assessments are undertaken as required.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41460 on MHCLG: Equality, what was included within the Inclusion Allies training.

Expenditure of £4,184 was approved by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 29 October 2024 in line with Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance. This training equipped 26 staff within the Department to provide support for marginalised or vulnerable colleagues. The training consisted of webinars, group learning, and hands-on exercises. Materials associated with this training are the intellectual property of the provider, and cannot be published by the Department for contractual reasons.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department engages with Client Earth.

The responsibility for decisions around who officials within MHCLG engage with sits with those policy teams.

Communities and Local Government, how many gender neutral toilets there are in her Department's offices in (a) Marsham Street, (b) Wolverhampton and (c) Darlington Economic Campus.

MHCLG occupies five floors of Fry Building at Marsham Street. There are no gender-neutral toilets in Fry Building. There are no toilets designated as gender-neutral at either the Darlington or Wolverhampton offices. At Darlington, however, there are five single-person toilet rooms and Wolverhampton four single-person toilet rooms. MHCLG is a minor tenant in all the buildings it occupies. It is for the landlord or lead tenant to decide on which toilets are provided.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the National Planning Framework, published in December 2024, to require people planning to use houses for (a) second homes and (b) short-term lets to seek planning permission.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. We remain committed to introducing a registration scheme for short-term lets and removing the furnished holiday lets rules to ensure all income from property will be treated the same for tax purposes. We also recognise that more needs to be done and are considering what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by short term lets.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her oral Answer of 7 April 2025, Official Report, column 577, on what evidential basis she said that the number of homes approved on green belt land increased tenfold since 2009.

Figures published by CPRE: the Countryside Charity in Table 1 of the State of the Green Belt 2023, which can be found here, show that the number of homes approved on greenfield land within the Green Belt in 2021-22 was almost ten times the number approved in 2009-10.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the size of London boroughs on their effectiveness at delivering public services.

There are no current plans to assess the potential impact of the size of London boroughs on their effectiveness at delivering public services.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41057 on Homes England: Consultants, what the organisational change was that Deloitte and Touche provided external advice and support for.

To respond to ministerial ambitions for the Agency of embedding a place-based approach to the delivery of housing, Homes England has been developing a new operating structure, responding to the priorities set out in the letter to the Chair sent in September 2024. To ensure that the Agency can deliver effectively on the government’s Plan for Growth Homes England’s new operating structure will support the development of a flexible and responsible organisation able to respond to future policy and strategic challenges, including deepened engagement with Mayors across the country.

Communities and Local Government, what the total cost to her Department was for her visit to Doncaster Airport on 10 April 2025.

The DPM was undertaking official and political business from multiple locations on 10 April and was accompanied by her security detail with costs accrued in the usual way. Costs of the DPM's protection arrangements are not disclosed for security reasons.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department engages with the European Islamic Centre.

The department does not engage with the European Islamic Centre. The responsibility for decisions around who departments engage sits with the respective departments and the appropriate policy areas. We also refer the hon. member to the response provided by the Minister for Security during Oral Parliamentary Questions on 31st March 2025. Debate: Oral Answers to Questions - 31st Mar 2025 - Nick Timothy extracts.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 40908 on New Towns: Planning Permission, whether she plans to allow housing development on Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that development on land within or outside a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and which is likely to have an adverse effect on it (either individually or in combination with other developments), should not normally be permitted. The only exception is where the benefits of the development in the location proposed clearly outweigh both its likely impact on the features of the site that make it of special scientific interest, and any broader impacts on the national network of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on trade union facility time since 1 March 2013.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has not issued guidance to local authorities on trade union facility time since 1 March 2013. However, the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 sets out publication requirements on trade union facility time for local authorities. The Cabinet Office published guidance for public bodies on reporting trade union facility time data on 21 May 2019. This guidance was most recently updated on 22 May 2024. The Ministry has also previously written to the sector periodically to remind authorities of their obligations regarding publishing trade union facility time.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38622 on Council tax, whether there is a (a) minimum and (b) maximum level of average Band D council tax in England that the she plans to achieve in this Parliament.

The government does not set council tax levels. The government sets referendum principles to give residents the final say over excessive increases. Decisions on council tax referendum principles are taken annually.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to freeze council tax.

Council tax levels are decided by individual local authorities. The government sets referendum principles to give residents the final say over excessive increases. Decisions on council tax referendum principles are taken annually. The government will set out its proposed principles for 2026-27 as part of the local government finance settlement in the usual way later this year.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the statutory guidance entitled Guidance on the flexible use of capital receipts, updated on 26 March 2025, whether the sale of a local authority school playing field would qualify as a capital receipt.

Under the general direction on “Flexible Use of Capital Receipts” (FUCR), authorities may use the proceeds from qualifying asset sales (capital receipts) to fund the revenue costs of projects designed to generate ongoing savings or reduce the costs of service delivery. This is to help councils deliver transformation and invest-to-save projects they might not otherwise be able to afford from their budgets. When applying the direction, the Authorities are required to have regard to the Guidance on Flexible Use of Capital Receipts issued by the Secretary of State under section 15(1)(a) of the Act. This sets out best practice in using the flexibility. For the purposes of this direction, authorities may use the proceeds from any qualifying asset disposal made while the direction is in force, provided the use is not otherwise restricted. For example, receipts from the sale of Right to Buy assets are excluded. Disposals must also be genuine: the flexibility does not apply to sales made to companies owned or controlled by the authority or in which it has a financial interest. It is for local authorities to determine how best to use this flexibility, including decisions on which assets to sell. However, the Government expects all decisions to demonstrate value for money and to be in the best interests of local residents.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, published on 17 March 2025, what steps her Department is taking to review the compliance costs related to planning regulations.

My Department is progressing a bold set of reforms to the planning system to support the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure. These reforms will streamline planning procedures and reduce the cost of planning for developers, local planning authorities and others engaged in the planning system. Key measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill include a faster and more certain Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime, a new strategic approach to nature recovery for development, and the modernisation of planning committees. We are also reviewing the role of statutory consultees. All reforms to planning law and regulations which affect businesses are subject to Impact Assessments to identify the costs and benefits of those reforms.