Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kevin Hollinrake this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,461–1,480 of 1,583 · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Communities and Local Government, when she plans to respond to Question 9070 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Civil Servants, tabled by the hon. Member for Bridgwater on 14 October 2024.
A response was given to the hon Member for Bridgwater on 10 December 2024.
Communities and Local Government, how many staff will be affected by the closure of her Department's Birmingham office; and whether she plans to co-locate staff in the Government Hub in Birmingham.
As at the 30 November 2024 there were 149 employees of the department based in the Birmingham office. The department is consulting staff and Trade Unions on the decision to close the Birmingham office. This consultation will consider the impact on the individuals affected with a view to putting in place measures to mitigate that impact and enable them to continue to perform their roles effectively.
Communities and Local Government, whether trade unions were consulted on her Department plans to close its offices in (a) Birmingham, (b) Exeter, (c) Truro, (d) Sheffield, (e) Warrington and (f) Newcastle; and whether she has received any notifications of industrial action on the matter.
The department is consulting Trade Unions and staff on the decision to close six offices over the next two years. The department has not received any notification of industrial action on this matter.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 28 November 2024 on Local Government Finance, HCWS265, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Government’s programme of devolution and reorganisation on the scheduling of elections in May 2025.
The English Devolution White Paper announces a widening and deepening of devolution, and a programme of local government reorganisation. We have committed to work closely with local leaders to explore what support they might need to develop robust proposals for that reorganisation and to implement new structures, including taking decisions to postpone local elections where this will help.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has received representations from (a) trade unions and (b) local authorities other than South Cambridgeshire District Council on a potential four day week on full pay for local government since 5 July 2024.
Local authorities are independent employers, responsible for the management and organisation of their own workforces; the Department has not received representations from trade unions or any other local authority on a potential four-day week on full pay for local government since 5 July 2024.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6112 on MHCLG: Public Appointments, if she will name the four public appointees who left their posts; and whether they were asked to resign.
The four appointees were: Dame Alison Nimmo, Lord Porter, Jeff Dodds and Tom Taylor. The new administration decided to appoint new non-executive board members upon taking office.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2024 to Question 11925 on Council tax: Greater London and with reference to the Urgent Question on Council Tax of 14 November 2024, Official Report, column 907, what assumption her Department used of the (a) pound and (b) proportionate increase of the police precept in the context of the council tax receipts figure within the core spending power calculation for the 2025-26 financial year.
The Local Government Finance Policy Statement published on 28 November set out proposed referendum principles for 2025-25. This included a £14 principle for police authorities, compared to a £13 principle in 2024-25. Together with central government grant and locally retained business rates, the proposed principles provide a real-terms increase in core spending power of around 3.2% next year.
Communities and Local Government, whether she has plans to move additional staff from (a) her Department and (b) arms length bodies to office locations outside London.
The Department will continue to grow its presence outside London in order to meet its ambition of 50% of roles being outside of London. Currently 45% of staff are in the regions and nations of the United Kingdom. The Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies have their own plans for the number of roles which will be based outside London.
Communities and Local Government, how many (a) teams and (b) staff work in her Department's offices in (i) Birmingham, (ii) Exeter, (iii) Truro, (iv) Sheffield, (v) Warrington and (vi) Newcastle.
As of 30 November 2024, (a) all six of the department’s Director General led teams had some representation in the six named locations. Details are set out below, with data withheld where it might lead to the identification of individuals. However, in total on 30 November 2024, 367 staff were (b) working at these locations and engaged on the department’s payroll.(a) teams and staff (b) working from each location as of 30th Nov 2024(i) Birmingham(ii) Exeter(iii) Truro(iv) Sheffield(v) Warrington(vi) NewcastleGrand TotalCorporate Services46……7…876Local Government and Public Services28……812961Local Growth, Communities and Devolution169…11222081Regeneration, Housing and Planning37……1492188Safer and Greener Buildings17……79…43Strategy and Communications………………18Grand Total1492615515967367
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 16 October 2024 to Questions 6111 and 6401 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Civil Servants, of 17 October 2024 to Question 6147 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Civil Servants, of 18 October 2024 to Question 6124 on Department for Education: Civil Servants, and of 14 October 2024 to Question 6116 on Department for Transport: Civil Servants, if she will publish the job titles of each of the appointments made under exception 1.
MHCLG made 47 appointments by exception to fair, open and merit-based recruitment principles from 1 July to 31 September 2024. 40 of those appointments were made under Exception 1 to the recruitment principles on a temporary basis. We are unable to provide a more detailed breakdown without individuals potentially being identifiable.The Department publishes a senior and junior organogram biannually setting out job titles and salaries – Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries - data.gov.uk
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2024 to Question 13412 on Local Government Finance, whether she plans to reduce funding for councils not in areas of high deprivation.
The Autumn Budget announced over £4 billion in additional funding for local government services, £1.3 billion of which will go through the Settlement.We will guarantee that no local authority sees a reduction in their Core Spending Power in 2025-26 after taking account of any increase in council tax levels by applying a funding floor. This will provide the protections required for authorities to sustain their services between years, whilst recognising that we must begin the process of redirecting as much funding as possible towards the services and places that need it most.
Communities and Local Government, whether the planned merger of Local Government Pension Scheme funds will require legislation; and on what (a) geography or (b) criteria the new merged funds will be based.
The Government is currently consulting on proposals relating to asset pooling in the Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS) England and Wales. The consultation text can be found at the following link: Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales): Fit for the future - GOV.UK. The proposals would require LGPS asset pools to meet minimum standards, and all LGPS assets to be managed by LGPS asset pools.The Government is not proposing to require mergers of LGPS funds. The Government notes that a number of LGPS funds have successfully merged on a voluntary basis and encourages administering authorities to consider whether there would be benefit in merging with another fund.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 15 November 2024, to Question 12952, on Devolution: Suffolk, whether combined county authorities should contain (a) one county council or (b) more than one county council.
This government believes that the benefits of devolution are best achieved through the establishment of combined authorities or combined county authorities over sensible economic geographies and supported by a mayor. Both of these institutions require more than one upper-tier local authority as constituent members.
Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the average ranking for local authorities in (a) urban, (b) suburban and (c) rural areas on the Index of Multiple Deprivation in the latest year for which data is available.
The deprivation rank and score for all local authorities in England are published at: English indices of deprivation 2019 - GOV.UK.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2024 to Question 10991, on Civil Service: Zero Hours Contracts, how many departmental (a) staff and (b) contractors are on zero hour contracts.
There are no departmental or contractor staff employed by MHCLG on zero hour contracts.
Communities and Local Government, on how many occasions she has visited the QEII Centre since the general election; and if she will visit the GB News studio in the centre.
The Deputy Prime Minister has not visited the GB News Centre in the QEII Centre. As with all media interviews, availability and logistics for interview location are subject to busy ministerial diaries. Other MHCLG Ministers have been interviewed at the GB News studios in QEII where timing and logistics have allowed.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Modern leasehold: restricting ground rent for existing leases, updated on 8 December 2023, when she plans to respond to that consultation.
I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations on electoral (a) law and (b) administration in the Report on the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election and the May 2024 elections, published by the Electoral Commission in November 2024.
The Government is currently considering the recommendations of the Commission and will be providing a full response to both the Commission’s Report on Voter Identification, and its Full Report on the General election, in the coming months.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Report on the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election and the May 2024 elections, published by the Electoral Commission in November 2024. what plans she has to increase participation by overseas electors in future general elections.
The Government is currently considering the recommendations of the Commission and will be providing a full response to both the Commission’s Report on Voter Identification, and its Full Report on the General election, in the coming months.
Communities and Local Government, what proportion of Local Plans have been withdrawn by local authorities in 2024 following advice from the Planning Inspectorate; and what assessment she has made of the financial cost incurred on those local authorities to commence a second Regulation 19 hearing in accordance with the Town & Country (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
As of the end of November 2024, 2 (4.4%) of the 45 plans that have been examined by the Planning Inspectorate this year have been withdrawn following advice from the Planning Inspectorate. A third plan was recommended for withdrawal but the authority declined asking instead for a final report which found the plan unsound thus ending the examination.An assessment of the financial costs of withdrawal has not been made, the cost to a local authority bringing forward a new plan after withdrawal will depend on their individual circumstances.Local Plans must be fit for purpose as the primary basis for identifying what development is needed in an area. It is the responsibility of local authorities to prepare and submit a plan that is capable of being found sound at examination.