Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 3 February 2025, HCWS413 on the Local Government Finance Settlement 2025-26, whether she plans to provide additional support to local authorities impacted by increases to Internal Drainage Board special levies.

Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) play a crucial role in managing water levels and flood risk. MHCLG recognises the continued increases in special levies which local authorities are having to pay over the past few years. This is why the government announced, as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by Internal Drainage Board levies. This follows the £3 million grant awarded in the previous two years. Allocations for the 2025-26 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course. MHCLG recognises the need for a long-term solution and is working with Defra to explore potential approaches.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to reform Internal Drainage Board special levies.

Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) play a crucial role in managing water levels and flood risk. MHCLG recognises the continued increases in special levies which local authorities are having to pay over the past few years. This is why the government announced, as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by Internal Drainage Board levies. This follows the £3 million grant awarded in the previous two years. Allocations for the 2025-26 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course. MHCLG recognises the need for a long-term solution and is working with Defra to explore potential approaches.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of providing additional funding to Internal Drainage Boards.

Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) play a crucial role in managing water levels and flood risk. MHCLG recognises the continued increases in special levies which local authorities are having to pay over the past few years. This is why the government announced, as part of the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement, that it will provide £5 million in funding for the local authorities most impacted by Internal Drainage Board levies. This follows the £3 million grant awarded in the previous two years. Allocations for the 2025-26 IDB levy support grant will be announced in due course. MHCLG recognises the need for a long-term solution and is working with Defra to explore potential approaches.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the resolution of Oxford City Council of 24 March 2025 to boycott and divest from Israel on community cohesion and integration in Oxfordshire.

The Government has consistently opposed both the BDS Movement and calls to boycott the State of Israel by public authorities including local authorities. It is not government’s business to monitor the number of debates or motions on any matter provided councils are compliant with the law.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 38374 on Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill, what estimate her Department has made of the number of local authorities which now have boycott or divestment policies against Israel.

The Government has consistently opposed both the BDS Movement and calls to boycott the State of Israel by public authorities including local authorities. It is not government’s business to monitor the number of debates or motions on any matter provided councils are compliant with the law.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund: prospectus, published on 2 April 2025, whether (a) Tell MAMA and (b) Faith Matters will receive any funding from her Department in 2025-26; and whether they will be required to bid for this funding.

We are committed to providing a comprehensive service to monitor Anti-Muslim Hatred and provide support for victims. Applications to the Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund are now open. With cases of anti-Muslim hatred on the rise, up-to-date and detailed information on incidents and drivers of this hatred will play a fundamental part in supporting the government to combat Islamophobia and ensure Muslim communities feel safe and supported. We welcome an application from Faith Matters. In addition to announcing the new Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund, the Government made available £500,000 for funding Tell MAMA in 2025/26 to support their work for Q1 and Q2 of 2025/26, subject to signing of a Grant Funding Agreement. This funding offer has now been rejected by Faith Matters. We are disappointed Faith Matters have chosen to decline our offer of a funding extension - but thank them for their many years of work in monitoring anti-Muslim hatred and supporting victims.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35701 on Embassies: Planning Permission, whether local authorities can enforce against planning breaches by Embassies which operate under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, embassies and their staff are protected from the jurisdiction of the host country's courts. However, embassies are still expected to respect local laws and work cooperatively with local authorities to resolve any planning issues.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Shake up of tech and AI usage across NHS and other public services to deliver plan for change, published on 21 January 2025, what changes are being made to the requirement to publish statutory notices in local newspapers.

Planning law requires local planning authorities to publicise planning applications through various means, including site notices, advertisements in local newspapers, and publishing information on their website. The government are exploring ways to enhance community engagement in the planning system, including by leveraging digital platforms.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she and her Ministers have had with Unite on the Birmingham bin strike.

The Secretary of State engaged with Unite last week to encourage them to get back around the negotiating table with Birmingham City Council. Talks between Birmingham City Council and Unite continue.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38367 on Fast Food: Planning Permission, what guidance her Department has issued on the necessary and sufficient features of a fast food outlet.

My Department has not published guidance on the specific features of a fast food outlet.As per my answer to Question UIN 38367 on 24 March 2025, it is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application from any of the providers named in the question, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast food outlet.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 March 2025 to Question 39802 on Regulator of Social Housing: Translation Services, whether her Department holds information on which councils do not follow the 2013 guidance on translation into foreign languages.

The Department does not collect information on which local authorities follow the guidance outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement of 12 March 2013 entitled Translation into Foreign Languages, Official Report, Column 5WS.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32222 on Homes England: Equality, whether this expenditure was signed off by the Principle Accounting Officer for Homes England.

The Whitehall Diversity & Industry Group (WIG) Diversity & Inclusion event is a conference with key note speakers, panel discussions and interactive sessions and therefore does not fall under the EDI restrictions and/or require sign off from the Principal Accounting Officer for Homes England.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 38627 on Democracy and Elections, if she will name each of the stakeholders who have been consulted to date.

The Government engages with a broad range of stakeholders including local authorities, Civil Society Organisations and electoral bodies including the Electoral Commission, the Association of Electoral Administrators, The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and the Scottish Assessors’ Association. The Government is committed to working proactively and collaboratively with those groups where the Government’s ambitious agenda for electoral reform will have the most impact and we will continue to build on these trusted relationships.

Communities and Local Government, whether environmental delivery plans will apply to all protected species within the designated area.

The scale and coverage of an Environmental Delivery Plan (EDPs) will reflect the nature of the specific environmental impact being addressed. EDPs will only be put in place where Natural England and the Secretary of State are confident that conservation measures will be sufficient to outweigh the negative effects of development. Where this is not the case, existing environmental obligations, including those arising under the Habitats Regulations, will remain in place. Where a protected species is not suitable for this more strategic approach, Natural England will not propose an EDP.

Communities and Local Government, whether the nature restoration fund levy will be subject to economic viability assessments; and whether other development levies will take in account the cost of the nature restoration fund levy in their own viability assessments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41863 on 4 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including Electoral Returning Officers on the list of public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The Government has not issued guidance on including Returning Officers or Electoral Registration Officers within the definition of local authorities for the Re-use of Public Sector Information. The Government has not made an assessment of the potential merits of including Returning Officers of Electoral Registration Officers on the list of public authorities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Electoral Commission provides guidance to Returning Officers and Electoral Registration Officers, and recommends that they disclose requested information where possible, provided the information is either already in the public domain or does not include personal data.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Nature Restoration Fund levy will be in addition to Biodiversity Net Gain.

The Nature Restoration Fund will be in addition to Biodiversity Net Gain and will run concurrently, focusing on enabling development in areas where it has stalled due to specific environmental obligations relating to impacts on protected sites or species. We will ensure that developers receive a user-friendly experience and that BNG credit and the Nature Restoration Fund revenue is deployed in a joined-up manner to maximise environmental outcomes.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to amend the Habitats Regulations.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes targeted amendments to the Habitats Regulations, with Schedule 4 including changes necessary to streamline environmental assessment as part of Environmental Delivery Plans and Schedule 6 adding Ramsar Sites to Part 6 of the Habitats Regulations so these sites are covered whilst strengthening protections.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) environmental delivery plans and (b) the nature restoration fund will replace suitable alternative natural greenspace.

Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) can be used to address the negative effects of development leading to recreational disturbance of Habitats Sites. Where appropriate, SANGs will continue to play an important role in nature restoration under both Environmental Delivery Plans (which will be funded by the Nature Restoration Fund) and the existing Habitats Regulations Assessment regime.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 31685 on Public Consultation: Young People, how the young people for the two round tables on the long term strategy for communities were selected.

Young people were invited to participate via DCMS-funded youth programmes. Participants represented a range of age groups and communities from across the country. The government continues its work to deliver for communities and is currently developing its longer-term strategy. We will set out next steps in due course.