Written questions by Hollinrake.

Communities and Local Government, which provisions of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2024 have (a) been and (b) are due to be commenced.

Following Royal Assent of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (LURA) in October 2023, a small number of provisions were commenced by the previous government, for example relating to pavement licensing, planning enforcement and certain reforms to the compulsory purchase process.Building on these measures, in September last year, a power enabling local authorities to bring forward affordable housing, national health or educational facilities through the use of compulsory purchase without paying ‘hope value’ compensation was fully commenced.We have also made clear that we intend to commence powers contained in the LURA to improve the transparency of build out rates for residential development, including the introduction of commencement notices and progress reports. This was announced alongside the government’s response to the National Planning Policy Framework consultation, published on 12 December.We do not intend to commence provisions from the LURA that would cut across our commitments to streamline the planning process and unlock development, such as the Infrastructure Levy.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides on the processes to be followed by other Government departments making representations on the potential call-in or recovery of a planning application or appeal.

There is no separate guidance provided to other government departments regarding making representations on the potential call-in or recovery of a planning application or appeal. Processes are laid out in the House of Commons Library research briefing ‘Call-in of planning applications (England)’ (2024). Advice on these matters may also be requested from this department’s Planning Casework Unit.

Communities and Local Government, which types of hereditament are eligible for the retail, hospitality and leisure business rate relief by Valuation Office Agency special category code.

The eligibility criteria for the 2024-25 retail, hospitality and leisure business rate relief are set out in guidance published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Guidance for the 2025-26 scheme will be published in due course. The criteria for this scheme do not reference Valuation Office Agency special category codes, which are used principally for the purposes of valuation.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the total value of local government procurement of (a) goods and (b) services in the most recent year for which figures are available.

MHCLG does not collect data on the procurement activities of individual local authorities. They are independent contracting authorities and accountable to their own electorates.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to employer National Insurance contributions on the cost of outsourced local government services.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 11851 on 8 November 2024.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 6 June 2016 to Question 38442 on Local Government: Public Private Partnerships, what steps her Department has taken to assess compliance with the Local Government Transparency Code since 2016.

The purpose of the Local Government Transparency Code 2015 (the Code) is to make it easier for the public to directly hold their councils to account, not as a means for central government to check up on local authorities. Therefore, the government does not monitor compliance with the Code.If there were concerns about a local authority’s compliance with the Code, a complaint could be made to the authority’s Monitoring Officer, or via their complaints procedure. It is possible to make a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman where the usual complaints procedures have been exhausted, or to make a Freedom of Information request if local authorities continue to fail in fulfilling their duties under the Code.

Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made on a devolution deal for Essex; and whether she plans to amend the date of the local elections scheduled for May 2025.

In July, the Deputy Prime Minister invited places without devolution agreements, such as Essex, to come forward with proposals for their areas. This process closed in September and we are engaging closely with local leaders and stakeholders to review proposals.The Government will shortly publish a white paper setting out an ambitious new framework for English devolution.No plans have been made to amend the date of the local elections scheduled for May 2025.

Communities and Local Government, how many dwellings were liable for council tax in (a) England and (b) Wales in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) the most recent financial year for which figures are available.

Council tax is a devolved matter. You will appreciate therefore it would only be appropriate for me to comment on council tax data for England. Data on the number of dwelling liable for council tax in 2009 is available here. Data for 2024 is available here.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 4.63 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, HC 295, whether the £1.3 billion new grant funding includes central government funding for (a) freezing of the small business rate relief multiplier, (b) retail, hospitality and leisure relief and (c) compensation for changes to employer National Insurance contributions for public bodies in 2025-26.

On 28 November we published a policy statement setting out details on the Local Government Finance Settlement for the next year for councils across England, as well as the government’s wider intentions to fix the foundations of local government over the course of this Parliament.The £1.3 billion of new grant funding, does not include grant compensation that will be paid to local government for the decisions to freeze the small business rates multiplier, and to award relief to eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in 2025-26. Compensation for these tax policy measures will be paid to local authorities during through the normal business rates retention system processes.Additional to the £1.3 billion of new grant funding, the Government has committed to provide support for public sector employers for changes to employer National Insurance Contribution costs. This applies to those directly employed by the public sector, including local government. We will set out further details at the provisional Settlement in December.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6385 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flags, if she will publish guidance on whether the flying of a flag which does not have deemed consent and is flown from the ground but visible from a public highway requires planning permission.

The relevant government guidance, Flying flags: a plain English guide, sets out the planning rules for the display of flags.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the cost of outsourced (a) goods and (b) services in local government in the last 12 months.

MHCLG does not collect data on the procurement activities of individual local authorities. They are independent contracting authorities and accountable to their own electorates.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of (a) 14 October 2024 to Question 6386 and (b) 9 September 2024 to Question 2997 on Affordable Housing, what estimate he has made of the aggregate change in the number of new units in the 2021-26 programme, in the context of her decision to prioritise social rent tenure over other tenure types.

As per my response to Question UIN 2997 on 9 September 2024, in July we confirmed that the previous government had agreed, but had chosen not to publish, a reduction in the 2021-26 programme's delivery targets from “up to 180,000 homes should economic conditions allow” to between 110,000-130,000. Those revised targets included a goal to achieve at least 40,000 social rent homes.At that time, we asked Homes England and the Greater London Authority to prioritise the very limited remaining programme funding towards homes for social rent.We have also asked that the £500 million additional funding announced at Budget is prioritised on social rent homes, and we will keep Parliament updated on delivery.

Communities and Local Government, whether the provision of new housing through New Towns counts towards housing targets in Local Plans.

The government established the New Towns Taskforce in September 2024, tasking this independent expert advisory panel with making recommendations to ministers within 12 months on the location and delivery of new large-scale new communities in England.As detailed in the Taskforce’s full terms of reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the panel will advise on a ‘New Towns Prospectus’ – standards that developers must meet in these new settlements (covering social and affordable homes, design, transport links to towns and city centres, public transport, green spaces), as well as what the government ‘offer’ is in return.We have been clear that the next generation of new towns will deliver over and above local housing need assessed through the new standard method. We intend to keep under review the interaction between new towns and local housing need figures, taking into account the Taskforce’s final report once submitted in July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Written Statement of 28 November 2024 on Local Government Finance, HCWS265, and to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question 15204, if he will publish the council tax referendum principles for (a) the Greater London Authority and (b) Transport for London for the financial year 2025-26.

The local government finance policy statement 2025 to 2026 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-finance-policy-statement-2025-to-2026/local-government-finance-policy-statement-2025-to-2026), set out a proposed referendum principle of 3% for the Greater London Authority’s non police precept and a £14 flexibility for the police element. There is no separate council tax precept charged by Transport for London.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answers of 8 October 2024 to Questions 5762 and 5607 on Devolution: Norfolk and Devolution: Suffolk, what the evidential basis is for the Government's policy that a single local authority model of devolution would risk the optimal delivery of services.

This government strongly 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 directly elected mayor. These institutions and mayors, with their regional economic competencies and status as members of the Council of Nations and Regions add the capacity and focus required to get the best from new devolved powers and funding. We have therefore decided that mayoral devolution will only be available to areas that come together to establish such institutions over a wider geography.The Government is committed to bringing meaningful devolution to Norfolk and Suffolk and stands ready to work with partners across the region on progressing a more ambitious devolution settlement, in a way that delivers the best outcomes possible the people of Norfolk and Suffolk, and which sees the right powers in the right places. We are pleased that discussions remain positive and look forward to making progress on devolution.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2820 on Private Education: Business Rates, whether business rates will be levied on (a) nurseries and (b) pre-school premises affiliated with an independent school.

The Non Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill will remove the eligibility for charitable rate relief from private schools that are charities in England. Standalone private nursery schools with their own rates bills are outside of the scope of the Bill and, where charities, will retain their relief. Private schools that provide education for pupils of compulsory school age but also have nursery classes within the school will lose their rate relief entirely unless the nursery classes are on separate premises with their own rates bill.

Communities and Local Government, what the average grant subsidy per unit to build an average affordable dwelling under the (a) social rent, (b) affordable rent and (c) affordable home ownership tenures was in the 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government delegates delivery of the government’s Affordable Homes Programme to Homes England (outside London) and to the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London.The government agrees budgets and targets with both agencies to deliver the programme’s overall targets for additional homes and specific types of tenure.In awarding contracts under the programme Homes England and the GLA assess the need for grant on a site-by-site basis.In agreeing how much grant a project requires they will take into account the costs for building out the site with how much grant is needed to make that project viable, and the overall value for money for the programme.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6395 MHCLG: departmental responsibilities, what work the Deputy Prime Minister's Policy and Strategy Unit does for her remit as Deputy Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister's Policy and Strategy Unit supports delivery of priorities across both her remit as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Deputy Prime Minister. The policy and strategy unit performs a similar role to equivalent units established under previous administrations.The Policy and Strategy Unit is comprised of two Deputy Directors, supported by policy advisors (at grade HEO/SEO) and senior policy advisors (at grade 7/6). The approach to recruitment and staffing levels is in line with the approach taken for these central functions under the previous administration.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5412 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Consultation, if she will list the consultation documents that closed between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024 that have not yet received a formal response.

This government is committed to using consultations and other forms of public engagement to support effective decision-making and delivery. We will respond to all consultations in a timely manner, in line with agreed deadlines.Within MHCLG, responsibility for managing consultations primarily sits with the relevant individual policy team. No staff are therefore specifically employed to work on consultations.Information relating to consultations under the previous administration cannot be provided, as it is not held centrally and collating it would result in a disproportionate cost to the department.

Communities and Local Government, what the (a) substantive information requested and (b) decision was for each (i) Freedom of Information Act and (ii) Environmental Information Regulation request received by her Department since the general election; and what exemption was used to (A) refuse and (B) part-refuse each request.

The Cabinet Office has responsibility for Freedom of Information policy in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and publishes information on the handling of requests at this link: Freedom of Information statistics - GOV.UK.Statistics for the period requested are attached. We have annexed the information you requested to this response.