Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, what obligations local authorities have to provide state-subsidised housing to people with refugee status; and what priority they have.

Eligibility for social housing in England is tightly controlled. If a person’s visa means that they cannot access state benefits or local authority housing assistance, they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. Among those eligible for social housing, priority is determined according to need. Refugees are not automatically granted a priority need. If an asylum seeker receives a positive decision on their claim, asylum-pathway refugees have their housing needs considered on the same basis as other eligible applicants in accordance with the local authority’s housing allocation scheme. Local authorities supporting resettled refugees who arrive in the UK via the UK Resettlement Scheme do so on a voluntary basis. The previous government consulted on changes to social housing allocation tests. This government’s response was published on 2 September and can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 27567 on Affordable Housing: Construction, how many units of affordable housing are in Homes England’s Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service.

Since Homes England's Section 106 Affordable Housing Clearing Service was launched in December 2024, 411 organisations have registered. This includes 113 housebuilders, 184 Registered Providers of social housing and 114 Local Authorities. The number of affordable homes registered currently stands at 800.The government continues to call on all developers with uncontracted Section 106 affordable homes, as well as registered providers and local planning authorities, to engage proactively with this new service.

Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms her Department plans to put in place to help detect (a) fraudulent and (b) incorrect claims for retail, hospitality and leisure business rate relief relief in the context of the (i) cash cap and (ii) minimal financial assistance limit; and whether any public body is responsible for cross-local authority checks.

The administration of business rates, including billing, enforcement and decisions on the award of relief, is the responsibility of local billing authorities. They do so having regard to the guidance published by the government As the guidance sets out, the government and billing authorities will not tolerate any business falsifying their records or providing false evidence to gain a discount on their business rates bill, including claiming support above the cash cap. Local authorities have powers to combat fraud, and any ratepayer who falsely applies for any relief, or who provides false information or makes false representation to gain relief, may be guilty of fraud under the Fraud Act 2006. The government is committed to making further progress to tackle business rates avoidance, in line with the ambitions of Transforming Business Rates.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025 to Question 27157 on Council of the Nations and Regions: National Identity, what role Ministers have in determining the size and geography of a region where local stakeholders do not consent to such a classification.

The government will consider proposals for future devolution agreements against the criteria set out in the White Paper. A vital element of successful devolution is the ability for local residents to engage with and hold their devolved institutions to account – and local identity is therefore one of these criteria.

Communities and Local Government, whether new mayors in combined county authorities will have powers to (a) revoke, (b) amend or (c) disregard the agreed local plans of local planning authorities.

Mayors in combined county authorities will not be given any new powers to revoke, amend or disregard adopted local plans. There are existing provisions set out in Schedule A1 to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, which allow the Secretary of State to invite the Mayor of London or a combined authority to prepare or revise a local plan where a local planning authority are failing to do anything that it is necessary for them to do in connection with the preparation, revision or adoption of a local plan. These powers are also extended to combined county authorities by the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023, although the relevant provisions are not yet in force.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21697 on Voting Rights: Foreign Nationals, whether she has considered amending the franchise for elections to (a) the UK Parliament, (b) Northern Ireland Assembly, (c) local government elections in England and Northern Ireland and (d) Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21697, the Government has no plans to amend the voting rights of foreign nationals for elections to the UK Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly, local government elections in England and Northern Ireland and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales. In common with most other democracies, voting rights are limited to citizens. In addition, in UK elections for which the UK Government and Parliament have responsibility (that is, not devolved elections in Scotland and Wales), Commonwealth and Irish citizens can vote, while eligible EU citizens can vote in elections which use the local government register.

Communities and Local Government, with which principal local authorities Ministers in her Department have not had meetings with since 4 July 2024.

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 26030 on Radicalism, what his planned timetable is for the publication; and when the steering group next plans to meet.

We plan to publish this information as soon as possible. We expect to meet next in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 29001 on Local Government: Elections, whether the 2027-2028 go-live dates are after a period of operation as a shadow authority; and what her preferred period of time is that a body should be in shadow status to prepare for its establishment.

We have been clear in the invitation letter that we will work with areas to move to elections to new ‘shadow’ unitary councils as soon as possible, as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation. Detailed timings will depend on the proposals submitted, but we envisage a period of operation as a shadow authority , ahead of go-live on 1 April the following year.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 28051 on Affordable Housing: Construction, what the level of sub-market rents should be in properties that are not for social rent; and whether sub-market rents are included within the affordable rent model.

Affordable or Intermediate Rent is defined as homes let at least 20% below local market rents (affordable rental properties) or let at rates set between market rents and social rents (intermediate rental properties). Social Rent is set through the National Rent Regime in England at around 50% of market rents. Affordable housing may also be targeted to address a specific need, such as specialist housing for vulnerable, older or disabled people, known as “supported housing”. Further information can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025 to Question 27157 on Council of the Nations and Regions: National Identity, whether there is a requirement of a sense of regional identity to qualify as a recognised region.

The government will consider proposals for future devolution agreements against the criteria set out in the White Paper. A vital element of successful devolution is the ability for local residents to engage with and hold their devolved institutions to account – and local identity is therefore one of these criteria.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2025, to Question 29928, on Proof of Identity: Children, whether an external researcher has been commissioned.

Officials are currently exploring the research options for a robust sample and the procurement routes to achieve this. No decision has been made at this time.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her proposals for local government reorganisation on the division of costs for public services between principal and town and parish councils (a) during and (b) after the restructuring process.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, we will want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level. We will also rewire the relationship between town and parish councils and principal Local Authorities, strengthening expectations on engagement and community voice. It will be for local councils to consider the delivery of public services as they develop their proposals for reorganisation. In our invitation we have set out guidance to support councils as they develop proposals that are in the best interests of their areas. This includes guidance on issues of size, sensible geographies, efficiencies and financial sustainability, public service delivery, community engagement and devolution.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025 to Question HL4406 on Local Government: Reorganisation, how many individual Ministerial direction powers she plans to legislate for across the (a) English Devolution Bill and (b) the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

All Ministerial direction powers legislated across the English Devolution Bill and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will be set out during introduction and passage of each Bill through Parliament.

Communities and Local Government, if she will published (a) the process and (b) her Department's timetable for determining how the new unitary councils will be awarded local business rates for retention.

Under the Business Rates Retention System, a share of business rates is retained by local government. The distribution of business rates income between local authorities is determined by the relationship between each authority’s funding need compared with its ability to collect business rates locally. Figures known as Baseline Funding Levels and the Business Rates Baselines were set for all authorities at the outset of the system.When reorganisation takes place, these baselines need to be recalculated for any new authorities as part of a range of changes necessary to take account of new structures within the local government finance system. The Department will engage with reorganising authorities to determine the basis for these changes.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) empty home premiums on council tax, (b) second home premiums on council tax and (c) planning conditions against the use of new build homes as secondary residences on (i) house prices and (ii) housing markets in (A) England and (B) Wales.

The use of council tax premiums is at local authorities’ discretion. The government does collect data on the use of premiums and number of empty and second homes, which is published in the government’s council taxbase statistics. However, it does not make housing market assessments based on premiums. The government does not monitor the number of planning permissions granted that are subject to conditions that restrict the use of a property. It is for local planning authorities to consider what planning conditions are appropriate for a development on a case-by-case basis.These are devolved policy areas, and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on policy for Wales.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26697 on Local Government: Reorganisation, when she expects the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to become involved in reviewing electoral arrangements of the proposed new unitary councils; whether the role of the Commission will be (a) formal or (b) advisory; whether there will be public consultation on the electoral arrangements for the new councils; and whether the Commission will be involved in determining the (i) number of and (ii) external boundaries for the unitary councils.

The Local Government Boundary Commission England (LGBCE) is responsible for electoral reviews for local government, reviewing wards, and setting the council size in terms of number of councillors. When a full electoral review of a newly established authority is carried out, the LGBCE will follow its guidance (which is available on its website), and the electoral review process includes a local consultation. In terms of the number of and external boundaries of new unitary councils, the process set out in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 is that following the receipt of proposals for a single tier of local government the Secretary of State may request the LGBCE to advise on any matter that relates to the proposal. The Secretary of State may by order implement the proposal, with or without modification; if she has received an alternative proposal from the LGBCE, by order implement that alternative proposal with or without modification; or decide to take no action.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has appointed a foreign affairs adviser.

As set out on gov.uk, the Deputy Prime Minister’s role includes acting in support of the government's international agenda.While the Deputy Prime Minister does not have a specific foreign affairs adviser, officials in the department are working closely with officials in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Cabinet Office to ensure she has the necessary support to carry out that role.

Communities and Local Government, what the level of debt is of each local authority in England (a) in absolute terms and (b) as a percentage of annual budget.

The Ministry of Housing of Communities and Local Government collects data returns from local authorities. These returns are collated and published by MHCLG on the .gov website. Budget data is located in the Revenue Outturn reports which can be located here - Local authority revenue expenditure and financing - GOV.UK There are various metrics by which debt can be measured. Links to relevant information along with a summary what is available in each are set out below: Borrowing and investment live tables - Live tables on local government finance - GOV.UKThis dataset shows all UK local authorities’ borrowing and investment on a quarterly basis. The data is split by each authority dating back to 2014. There is also an annual summary table which shows the cumulative balances on an annual basis. Capital expenditure, receipts and financing - Local authority capital expenditure, receipts and financing - GOV.UK This dataset is an annual return collected from English authorities only and dates back to 2000. These returns explain in more detail the expenditure of each authority and how these are financed, including each authority’s year end debt position, individually and in aggregate.

Communities and Local Government, on what date she expects the Planning Inspectorate to submit its report on the Chinese Embassy planning inquiry.

The Inspector’s report and recommendation on the Chinese Embassy planning inquiry is currently expected to be submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in June. The Planning Inspectorate will inform the application parties when the report has been submitted.