Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, what funding is being provided to support more localities to (a) produce and (b) update neighbourhood plans.

There is no requirement to update a neighbourhood plan. However, we recognise some communities may wish to update their plans in response to changes to the National Planning Policy Framework.Groups continue to receive the financial and technical support they have been awarded for both the production and updating of neighbourhood plans.We will make announcements in due course regarding the new support contract for 2025-26 and beyond, but intend to open for new applications from Summer 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24239 on Local Government: Constituencies, whether he plans to review the (a) size, (b) boundaries, (c) names and (d) number of ceremonial counties.

Ceremonial counties are an important element of local traditions which support the identity and cultures of many of our local communities, giving people a sense of belonging, pride and community spirit, and are defined by historical borders and areas that exist primarily for ceremonial purposes. There are no intentions to realign or alter these boundaries.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2025 to Question 28148, on Civil Society: Islam, what steps her Department takes to ensure there is consistency across individual teams on policy engagement; and whether policy teams share lists of organisations they have met with.

Policy teams routinely confer when making decisions on engagement. We do not maintain and share lists of organisations policy teams have met.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on the application of critical race theory by local public bodies.

No such guidance has been issued by the department since 5 July 2024.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 December to Question 20228 on Civil Society: Islam, for what reason her Department has not engaged with (a) MEND, (b) CAGE, (c) the Muslim Association of Britain and (d) the Muslim Council of Britain.

The Government will only engage with organisations when it is in the public interest.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the letter of 16 December 2024 to council leaders from the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, whether her Department has undertaken an equality impact assessment in relation to its decision to postpone local elections in certain areas undergoing local government reorganisation.

I can confirm that my Department has undertaken analysis fulfilling the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, in relation to the postponement for one year of the May 2025 elections to the councils specified in the Local Authorities (Changes of Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 26040 on Councillors and Mayors: Workplace Pensions, whether the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution has had discussions with representatives of local government on this issue since 5 July 2024.

As the Responsible Authority for the Local Government Pension Scheme, MHCLG keeps access to the scheme under regular review. As part of this regular review, the Minister for Local Government has been approached by representatives of local government about this issue.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to local government on the number of people standing for election to local councils.

Local government reorganisation, can help strengthen local leadership, improve services, save taxpayers’ money, and improve local accountability.The department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of reorganisation on the number of people standing for election in local councils. We recognise that Councillors at all levels of local government do a tremendous job in serving their communities day-in and day-out, helping deliver for their local area. All councillors are frontline councillors.We know people value the role of governance at the community scale and that can be a concern when local government is reorganised. The letter that I sent on 5 February to all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring unitaries inviting proposals for reorganisation set out that “New unitary structures should enable stronger community level governance and deliver genuine opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment”.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 7 January 2025 to Question HL3663 on Public Bodies: Translation Services, if she will take steps to remind (a) local authorities and (b) public bodies of the guidance entitled Translation into Foreign Languages, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 12 March 2013, Official Report, Column 5WS.

The Government continues to recognise the official status of certain non-English languages in the UK, including Irish in Northern Ireland and Welsh in Wales.More broadly, we continue to encourage local authorities and public bodies to balance their obligations to public service with their obligations to provide value-for-money to the taxpayer.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to increase densification of developments and housing on brownfield land in inner cities.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 broadened the definition of brownfield land, set a strengthened expectation that applications on brownfield land will be approved, and made clear that plans should promote an uplift in density in urban areas.On 22 September 2024, the government also published a ‘brownfield passport’ working paper inviting views on how we might further prioritise and fast-track building on previously used urban land. This included exploring the role of national policy in setting minimum density expectations for certain types of locations, to support intensification in the right places. The deadline for providing responses to the working paper was Friday 28 February and the government is analysing the feedback.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 27158 on Planning Permission, for what reason planning powers are being transferred to a sub-regional level.

The government intends to implement strategic planning at a sub-regional level through the production of Spatial Development Strategies to facilitate effective cross-boundary working to address development and infrastructure needs.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 12 February 2025 on Further support for social and affordable housebuilding and next steps on supported housing, HCWS447, if she will list the (a) tenure types and (b) estimated average grant subsidy per unit of the 2,800 homes.

On 12 February 2025, the government announced the allocation of a further £300 million to the Affordable Homes Programme. This will support the near-term delivery of more social and affordable housing, delivering up to 2,800 new homes with more than half being Social Rent homes. As set out in my answer to Question UIN 16935 on 16 December 2024, the government will continue to work with Homes England and the Greater London Authority (GLA) to support them to deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and home-ownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent. While this funding remains open to bidding the average grant rates per home are commercially sensitive. The final grant rate and mix of tenure types will also depend on the bids received, and assessment of them, by Homes England and the GLA, including assessing deliverability and value for money.

Communities and Local Government, how much Homes England has spent on consultants since 5 July 2024.

Since 5 July 2024 to present Homes England has spent £2,240,319.90 (excluding VAT) on consultants to provide external advice and support on a number of key projects to improve the operations of the agency.For transparency, all Agency consultancy spend over £250 is published on Homes England’s website.

Communities and Local Government, how much her private office has spent through departmental Government Procurement Cards since 4 July 2024.

MHCLG publishes details of spending using an electronic purchasing card solution (ePCS) on a monthly basis, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24189 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, whether representations made to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on the 2024 Chinese Embassy planning application have been transferred to the Planning Inspectorate; whether representations not resubmitted to the Planning Inspectorate by the respondent are deemed to be material planning considerations in the planning inquiry; and if she will publish such representations.

Representations made to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with regard to the 2024 Chinese Embassy planning application have been transferred to the Planning Inspectorate.These representations are deemed to be material considerations in the planning inquiry.The Planning Inspectorate does not publish such representations.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23355 on Housing: Windows, what the (a) local exceptions and (b) other consents are that require a planning application to replace single glazed windows.

Replacement windows usually benefit from permitted development rights and a planning application is therefore not required.However, local planning authorities have planning powers to make an ‘Article 4 direction’ to remove a permitted development right where they consider doing so to be appropriate.Replacement windows in listed buildings may require listed building consent if they affect the special historic or architectural interest of the building.

Communities and Local Government, what the average Band D council tax is for England (a) excluding and (b) including parish precepts in 2025-26.

Council tax levels are decided by local authorities, taking account of their local circumstances. The Government will publish data on the council tax levels set by all authorities and the average Band D bill for 2025-26, in England, in March. The Government maintains a referendum threshold so that voters can have the final say over excessive increases.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2024 to Question 24506, on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, what guidance (a) her Department and (b) the Planning Inspectorate has issued to planning inspectors on deciding how much weight to give to representations that are believed have been submitted as a result of foreign interference.

Section 1.8 of the Planning Inspectorate’s ‘Called-in planning applications: procedural guide’ explains the role of the Inspector at the inquiry and what they will take into account. The weight to be given to any representation received is a matter for Inspectors based on the specific circumstances of the case, and the information and evidence before them, which includes written representations and those representations given verbally at an event.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23867 on Local Government Finance, what core spending power excluding council tax was in each local authority in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

Core Spending Power measures the core revenue funding available for local authority services through the local government finance settlement. Core Spending Power has been the government’s chosen measure of resources because it gives a consistent measure of resources available to any local authority across revenue grant funding made available through the settlement, locally retained business rates and council tax. The new government has continued this approach. Further information about each local authority’s core spending power can be accessed using the following links: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/key-information-table-for-local-authorities-final-local-government-finance-settlement-2025-to-2026 and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/core-spending-power-table-final-local-government-finance-settlement-2025-to-2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of affordable housing levies on the (a) cost and (b) size of housing units in developments.

I interpret ‘affordable housing levies’ in this context to mean affordable housing policy requirements.As set out in Planning Policy Guidance on viability, which can be found on gov.uk here, policy requirements for developer contributions should be informed by evidence of infrastructure and affordable housing need, and a proportionate assessment of viability that takes into account all relevant policies, and local and national standards, including the cost implications of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and section 106. Plan makers should consider how needs and viability may differ between site typologies and may choose to set different policy requirements for different sites or types of development in their plans.The government intends to review the guidance on viability, and we are also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December includes new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%.