Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17553 on Housing: Ownership, if she will make an estimate of the number of replacement affordable housing units in each of the next five years.

As detailed in the review of the increased Right to Buy discounts introduced in 2012 published on 30 October 2024 alongside the Budget, during the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2021 the replacement target was 62,485 but only 47,864 replacements were delivered, which means there were 14,621 fewer replacements than the target.The changes this government has made to the Right to Buy, including reducing maximum cash discount levels, allowing local authorities to retain the share of receipts formerly paid to HM Treasury, and increasing the flexibilities on how councils can use their receipts, will improve the ratio of replacements to sales.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17560 on Local Government Services: Rural Areas, if she will publish that equality impact assessment.

The provisional settlement, published on 18 December, increases the total additional grant funding which will be made available to local councils in England through the settlement to over £2 billion. This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. Places with a significant rural population will on average receive around a 5% increase in their Core Spending Power next year, which is a real terms increase. No council will see a reduction – and new funding will be available to rural areas in 2025-26 through guaranteed EPR payments.The government intends to include a summary of the equalities impacts of its proposals as part of the response to the consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement 2025 to 26. This will be published alongside the final settlement, as usual.The government considered the implications of all decisions made through the provisional Settlement and is of the view that the Rural Services Delivery Grant does not properly account for need. It is important also to note that the Rural Services Delivery Grant was not paid to all local authorities delivering services in rural areas, as such it did not do as it suggested.As set out in the Environmental principles assessment guide, decisions around the spending or allocation of resources within government are exempt from the duty to give due regard to the Policy Statement on Environmental Principles.Annex A of the Rural Services Delivery Grant Determination 2024-25: (No. 31/7256), sets out allocations in 2024-25. The total allocation of Rural Services Delivery Grant 2024-25 to local authorities in England was £104,645,256.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17553 on Housing: Ownership, whether she has made an estimate of potential changes in the levels of Right to Buy sales arising from changes to Right to Buy (a) discounts and (b) eligibility.

A review of Right to Buy discounts was published alongside the Budget. In this review, our modelling suggests a reduction in Right to Buy sales under the new maximum cash discounts with a long run average of c. 1,700 sales annually.On 20 November we launched a consultation on wider reforms to the Right to Buy. The consultation seeks views on eligibility criteria and any policy changes brought forward following the consultation will be subject to appropriate assessment.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17562 on Local Government Finance, how many councils will receive that funding.

The government is taking immediate action to begin addressing the challenges facing local government by ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most in the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement. We are taking difficult decisions to repurpose a number of grants to improve the value for money and efficiency of the grant funding we provide, including through the new Recovery Grant.The grant is intended to be highly targeted, meaning that not all authorities will receive an allocation. We have published a full methodology alongside the provisional Settlement, and we are consulting until 15 January on allocations. The Recovery Grant will go to places where, weighted by population, deprivation outweighs council tax raising ability. The metrics used are based on the most recent publicly available data: the 2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation, the mid-2023 population estimate, as published by the Office for National Statistics, and 2024 council taxbase data.

Communities and Local Government, how much each eligible local authority received in Rural Services Delivery Grant in 2024-25; and how much was allocated in total.

The provisional settlement, published on 18 December, increases the total additional grant funding which will be made available to local councils in England through the settlement to over £2 billion. This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. Places with a significant rural population will on average receive around a 5% increase in their Core Spending Power next year, which is a real terms increase. No council will see a reduction – and new funding will be available to rural areas in 2025-26 through guaranteed EPR payments.The government intends to include a summary of the equalities impacts of its proposals as part of the response to the consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement 2025 to 26. This will be published alongside the final settlement, as usual.The government considered the implications of all decisions made through the provisional Settlement and is of the view that the Rural Services Delivery Grant does not properly account for need. It is important also to note that the Rural Services Delivery Grant was not paid to all local authorities delivering services in rural areas, as such it did not do as it suggested.As set out in the Environmental principles assessment guide, decisions around the spending or allocation of resources within government are exempt from the duty to give due regard to the Policy Statement on Environmental Principles.Annex A of the Rural Services Delivery Grant Determination 2024-25: (No. 31/7256), sets out allocations in 2024-25. The total allocation of Rural Services Delivery Grant 2024-25 to local authorities in England was £104,645,256.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to amend the requirement for local authority statutory notices to be published in local newspapers.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 15985 on 3 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of higher levels of immigration on (a) house prices and (b) rental costs.

The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration.Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.The Renters’ Rights Bill will empower private rented sector tenants to challenge unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has contributed to the extremism review.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 15694 on 2 December 2024. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has supported the rapid review ordered by the Home Secretary, and the government will set out its approach to countering extremism in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17562 on Local Government Finance, what deprivation data her Department will use.

The government is taking immediate action to begin addressing the challenges facing local government by ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most in the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement. We are taking difficult decisions to repurpose a number of grants to improve the value for money and efficiency of the grant funding we provide, including through the new Recovery Grant.The grant is intended to be highly targeted, meaning that not all authorities will receive an allocation. We have published a full methodology alongside the provisional Settlement, and we are consulting until 15 January on allocations. The Recovery Grant will go to places where, weighted by population, deprivation outweighs council tax raising ability. The metrics used are based on the most recent publicly available data: the 2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation, the mid-2023 population estimate, as published by the Office for National Statistics, and 2024 council taxbase data.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to implement the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.

The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities.This government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector and will announce its plans for the new Code in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has an annual house building target for England.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17559 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Secondment, which organisations second staff to her Department.

Organisations provided are for secondments active on 30/11/2024 within the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government. OrganisationUniversity of CambridgeAylesbury Vale District CouncilNewcastle City CouncilHomes EnglandLocal Government AssociationSandwell CouncilNatural EnglandGreater Manchester Combined Authority

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 15005 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Buildings, if she will list the address of every departmental office in the United Kingdom which is (a) remaining open and (b) closing by how many staff are assigned to each of those offices.

The address of every departmental office and the number of staff assigned to each of those offices is set out below, together with confirmation of which offices will remain open and which will close. Office LocationAddressStatusStaff assignedBelfastErskine House 20-32 Chichester Street Belfast BT1 4GFRemaining open21BirkenheadRosebrae Court Woodside Ferry Approach Birkenhead Merseyside CH41 6DURemaining open87BristolTemple Quay House Redcliffe Bristol BS1 6HARemaining open169CambridgeFirst Floor Eastbrook Shaftesbury Road Cambridge CB2 8DURemaining open53CardiffTy William Morgan 6 Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1XSRemaining open45DarlingtonFeethams House Feethams Darlington DL1 5BFRemaining open127EdinburghQueen Elizabeth House Sibbald Walk Edinburgh EH8 8FTRemaining open52Hastings1 Priory Square Hastings TN34 1EARemaining open27Hemel HempsteadThe Forum Hemel Hempstead HP1 1DNRemaining open57Leeds7 Wellington Place Leeds LS1 4APRemaining open168LondonFry Building 2 Marsham Street Westminster London SW1P 4DFRemaining open2,222ManchesterPiccadilly Gate Store Street Manchester M1 2WDRemaining open199NorwichRosebery Court Norwich NR7 0HSRemaining open12NottinghamApex Court City Link Nottingham NG2 4LARemaining open70PlymouthSeaton Court 2 William Prance Road Plymouth PL6 5WSRemaining open23Wolverhamptoni9 Building Railway Drive Wolverhampton WV1 1LHRemaining open278Birmingham23 Stephenson Street Birmingham B2 4BHClosing149ExeterThe Senate Southernhay Gardens Exeter EX1 1UGClosing26NewcastleCitygate Gallowgate Newcastle NE1 4WHClosing67Sheffield2 St Paul’s Place 125 Norfolk Street Sheffield S1 2FJClosing51TruroLemon Quay House Lemon Quay Truro Cornwall TR1 2PUClosing15WarringtonRenaissance House 1220 Centre Park Square Warrington WA1 1RUClosing59Grand Total 3,977

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 16934 on Devolution: Essex, whether the May 2025 local elections will take place as scheduled.

It is usual for the government to take account of requests for reorganisation, and to decide on the appropriateness of elections taking place to local authorities which are planned to be replaced, usually postponing to allow elections to the new shadow authorities soon after.I will consider any requests I receive to postpone the May 2025 local authority elections in Devon, Essex or elsewhere only where this will help the areas to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe – either through the Devolution Priority Programme or where reorganisation is necessary to unlock devolution or open up new devolution options. As I set out in my letter of 16 December to those councils, I will need a clear commitment to these aims, including a request from the council(s) whose election is to be postponed, on or before Friday 10 January.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17552 on Local Government: Employers’ Contributions, what representations her Department has received on the cost of local government procurement of (a) goods and (b) services in the context of the planned increase in employer National Insurance contributions.

The department regularly engages with a wide range of councils and representative bodies. Alongside the provisional Settlement, the government launched a consultation that seeks views, in particular from representatives of local government, on proposals for the local government finance settlement for 2025-26.We propose to allocate £515 million of additional funding to support local government manage the impact of changes to employer NICs between local authorities in England based on their shares of total relevant net current expenditure. We have published a methodology note to assist councils with their financial planning and will provide final allocations to individual local authorities by the final Local Government Finance Settlement in early 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government response to the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system consultation, published on 12 December 2024, if she will publish the substantive responses to the consultation not sent by individuals.

The Department does not routinely publish responses received to public consultations. Many organisations, including councils, choose to publish their responses on their websites.

Communities and Local Government, how many staff in her Department work on integration and community cohesion.

Staff in the department often work across a range of policy areas other than their primary role so it is not possible to specify exact numbers.Cohesion & Integration is a core thread of policy that cuts across many aspects of the departments work.Details of staffing are published in departmental organograms, which are updated periodically.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17560 on Local Government Services: Rural Areas, whether her Department has carried out an environmental principles assessment on repurposing the Rural Services Delivery Grant.

The provisional settlement, published on 18 December, increases the total additional grant funding which will be made available to local councils in England through the settlement to over £2 billion. This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. Places with a significant rural population will on average receive around a 5% increase in their Core Spending Power next year, which is a real terms increase. No council will see a reduction – and new funding will be available to rural areas in 2025-26 through guaranteed EPR payments.The government intends to include a summary of the equalities impacts of its proposals as part of the response to the consultation on the provisional local government finance settlement 2025 to 26. This will be published alongside the final settlement, as usual.The government considered the implications of all decisions made through the provisional Settlement and is of the view that the Rural Services Delivery Grant does not properly account for need. It is important also to note that the Rural Services Delivery Grant was not paid to all local authorities delivering services in rural areas, as such it did not do as it suggested.As set out in the Environmental principles assessment guide, decisions around the spending or allocation of resources within government are exempt from the duty to give due regard to the Policy Statement on Environmental Principles.Annex A of the Rural Services Delivery Grant Determination 2024-25: (No. 31/7256), sets out allocations in 2024-25. The total allocation of Rural Services Delivery Grant 2024-25 to local authorities in England was £104,645,256.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17562 on Local Government Finance, how the Recovery Grant will be funded.

The government is taking immediate action to begin addressing the challenges facing local government by ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most in the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement. We are taking difficult decisions to repurpose a number of grants to improve the value for money and efficiency of the grant funding we provide, including through the new Recovery Grant.The grant is intended to be highly targeted, meaning that not all authorities will receive an allocation. We have published a full methodology alongside the provisional Settlement, and we are consulting until 15 January on allocations. The Recovery Grant will go to places where, weighted by population, deprivation outweighs council tax raising ability. The metrics used are based on the most recent publicly available data: the 2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation, the mid-2023 population estimate, as published by the Office for National Statistics, and 2024 council taxbase data.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has an affordable housing target for this Parliament.

The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. With regard to grant funded affordable housing, the government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent. In addition, the provision of affordable homes will be supported by our ‘Golden Rules’ for Green Belt development. 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%.