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 2,041–2,060 of 2,926 · this parliament
Pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2025, to Question 29612, on Asylum: Health Services, whether independent sector providers have been commissioned by her Department to provide NHS health care services to asylum seekers in the last 12 months.
Private healthcare is not provided to asylum seekers as part of Asylum Support and Accommodation provided by the Home Office.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025, to Question 30643, on Nightclubs and Public Houses: Planning, if she will provide the gov.uk address for her Department's guidance on (a) noise and (b) statutory nuisance; and whether her Department issues specific guidance on the agent of change principle.
Planning Policy Guidance on noise with advice about how planning can manage potential noise impacts in new developments, and the ‘agent of change’ principle, can be found in the online Planning Practice Guidance on Noise here in Paragraph: 009 Reference ID: 30-009-20190722.
With reference to the Written Statement of 27 February 2025 on Consultation Results: Alcohol in licensed pavement areas, HCWS477, what the application fee is of the Licensing Act 2023 variation permit for pubs that wish to continue to sell take-away pints.
As explained in the written statement of 27 February 2025, those businesses with an on-sales only licence that have taken advantage of the Covid era easement and wish to continue off-sales after 31 March will need to obtain a licensing variation. According to recent statistics published on GOV.UK, as of October 2024, 2490 premises were taking advantage of the easement. To minimise the impact on businesses, the Government has amended statutory licensing guidance to make it easier and cheaper for businesses to apply for this variation. This guidance advises licensing authorities to initially treat applications for such amendments as a minor variation to the licence. This will minimise any transitional cost and bureaucracy for those affected by making the process quicker and much cheaper – costing £89 - than major licence variations.As we made clear in the Written Statement, the Government will monitor the decisions made around the country by local authorities on these requests for licence variations, in liaison with the beer and pub industries, and will assess any evidence that pubs where the current easements have been working successfully are being denied the opportunity to continue making off-sales beyond April 2025 without reasonable cause. In those circumstances, and notwithstanding the results of last year’s consultation exercise, we will consider what further steps may need to be taken through the licensing regime to support our local pubs.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025, to Question 29606, on Asylum: Housing, how many unaccompanied asylum seeking children are supported by local authorities broken down by per council.
Information on the number and proportion of looked after children, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, is submitted to the department on an annual basis and was last published on 14 November 2024 at local authority level in our statistical release. The statistical release is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025, to Question 30641, on Asylum: Finance, what the budget is for payments to councils under the (a) Grant 7 and (b) Grant 6 programmes across (i) England and (ii) the United Kingdom for financial years (A) 2024-25 and (B) 2025-26; and whether there are targets for the number of individuals who will be assisted.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer he received on 14 February 2025 to UIN 30641.The number of individuals assisted is based on demand and not on targets.Details of funding for the forthcoming financial year will be issued in due course.
With reference to the Written Statement of 27 February 2025 on Consultation Results: Alcohol in licensed pavement areas, HCWS477, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the expiry of easement measures on pubs.
As explained in the written statement of 27 February 2025, those businesses with an on-sales only licence that have taken advantage of the Covid era easement and wish to continue off-sales after 31 March will need to obtain a licensing variation. According to recent statistics published on GOV.UK, as of October 2024, 2490 premises were taking advantage of the easement. To minimise the impact on businesses, the Government has amended statutory licensing guidance to make it easier and cheaper for businesses to apply for this variation. This guidance advises licensing authorities to initially treat applications for such amendments as a minor variation to the licence. This will minimise any transitional cost and bureaucracy for those affected by making the process quicker and much cheaper – costing £89 - than major licence variations.As we made clear in the Written Statement, the Government will monitor the decisions made around the country by local authorities on these requests for licence variations, in liaison with the beer and pub industries, and will assess any evidence that pubs where the current easements have been working successfully are being denied the opportunity to continue making off-sales beyond April 2025 without reasonable cause. In those circumstances, and notwithstanding the results of last year’s consultation exercise, we will consider what further steps may need to be taken through the licensing regime to support our local pubs.
What estimate she has made of the number of asylum seekers accommodated in (a) hotels, (b) houses and (c) flats.
Available data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation is published quarterly on GOV.UK under the immigration statistics data tables.
With reference to the letter from the Metropolitan Police of 10 February 2025 submitted to the Planning Inspectorate's inquiry into the Chinese Embassy planning application, what discussions the Home Office has had with the Metropolitan Police on the application since July 2024.
The Metropolitan Police and other relevant stakeholders were consulted on the written representations submitted to the Planning Inspector on 14 January.
Communities and Local Government, whether there will be an election for the role of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex in 2028.
As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government’s ambition is that where mayoral geographies align with police force and fire and rescue geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authority functions. This will include where new Mayoral Combined Authorities are created.The timing of the transfer of Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner functions, and therefore plans for future elections, will be determined in due course.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025, to Question 29605, on Asylum: Housing, what is the Resource DEL budget for Asylum Support, Resettlement and Accommodation in financial year 2024-25.
I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer he received on 11 February 2025 to UIN 29605.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 23916 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Legal Costs, whether her policy on naming organisations or groups as extremist affects her policy on not engaging with extremist organisations.
The community engagement principles were a policy launched by the previous administration – they provided a set of standards and guidance on how Government should consider which partners to engage with. Guidance was published in March 2024, but the principles were never implemented by the last government. The naming of extremist groups was also part of the Counter-Extremism policy by the previous administration. The responsibility for decisions around who departments engage with sits with those departments and the appropriate policy areas.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 26476 to Community Development: Radicalism, whether her Department’s policy of non-engagement applies to (a) representations received on planning applications and appeals, (b) Freedom of Information Act requests, (c) Subject Access requests and (d) consultation responses.
Statutory requests for information, under laws like the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR), or the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UKGDPR) allow anyone to request information held by the Department, as long as they meet the requirements set out in the relevant legislation. The responsibility for decisions around who departments engage with sits with those departments and the appropriate policy areas.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, CP 1218, published on 16 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposal to increase the number of town and parish councils on administration costs.
What happens under new local government arrangements will depend on the proposals we receive from these areas. Plans to establish new parish councils in response to local government reorganisation should show how this will contribute to the goal of creating simpler structures that deliver high quality and efficient public services. Local authorities should ensure that new arrangements guarantee strong value for money for local taxpayers and precept payers alike. Central government is not involved in the establishment of new parish councils, as this is devolved to principal local authorities through the community governance review process.
Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, CP 1218, published on 16 December 2024, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the abolition of district councils on (a) the size of town and parish councils and (b) parish precepts on council tax.
What happens under new local government arrangements will depend on the proposals we receive from these areas. Plans to establish new parish councils in response to local government reorganisation should show how this will contribute to the goal of creating simpler structures that deliver high quality and efficient public services. Local authorities should ensure that new arrangements guarantee strong value for money for local taxpayers and precept payers alike. Central government is not involved in the establishment of new parish councils, as this is devolved to principal local authorities through the community governance review process.
Communities and Local Government, for what reason the consultations on establishing mayoral combined authorities, published on 17 February 2025, ask respondents for gender.
Collecting demographic information in the consultation helps us to understand whether the responses we receive are representative of those who live and work in the areas involved in the consultations. This will also help MHCLG conduct an equality impact assessment to ensure compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty. We are not asking for information that identifies individuals in consultation responses, and the demographic information provided is anonymous.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 30629 on Unitary Councils, whether there will be an allowed (a) minimum and (b) maximum variance of the proposed 500,000 population size for the new unitaries; and whether there is an absolute population size that should not be exceeded.
On 5 February, I wrote to all councils in two-tier areas and nearby smaller unitaries, inviting them to put forward proposals for reorganisation. This communication included guidance from the Secretary of State, highlighting that new councils should be appropriately sized to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity, and remain resilient to financial challenges. Ideally, new councils should aim for a population of 500,000 or more. However, it is recognised that there may be specific situations where this target may not apply, particularly in relation to devolution, and any such reasons should be clearly explained in each proposal. There are no set minimum or maximum population size requirements specified, and we expect a variety of proposals will follow.
Communities and Local Government, whether (a) initial and (b) final proposals on local government restructuring should be agreed by consensus between local authorities within the two-tier area; and what steps she plans to take if proposals differ.
We expect local leaders to engage their MPs and to ensure there is wide engagement with local partners and stakeholders, residents and businesses. This engagement should both inform the development of robust proposals and build a shared understanding of the improvements they expect to deliver through reorganisation. However, we understand that there will be some cases when it is not possible for all councils to jointly develop and submit a proposal, and this will not be a barrier to progress. Government will consider any suitable proposals submitted by the relevant local authorities. My department will continue to work closely with the Local Government Association (LGA), the District Councils Network, the County Councils Network and other local government partners to plan how best to support councils through this process.
Communities and Local Government, what processes and procedures apply to town and parish councils who are unable to set a balanced budget; and what guidance has been issued on town and parish council finances.
Town and parish councils are legally required to set a balanced budget each year. To do so, they charge a precept equalling the difference between their expected annual expenditure and income. All smaller authorities must undergo an annual external audit in the form of a limited assurance review to ensure transparency and compliance with the relevant procedures.The National Association of Local Councils and its county associations support their members by publishing guidance and providing advice on effective financial management in town and parish councils.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 29001 on Local Government: Elections, whether the unitary local government elections will take place on the same day as the May 2026 combined authority mayors.
There are no plans to cancel district council elections in 2026. The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification. The date of any unitary council elections will depend on the nature of proposals for local government reorganisation and progress on development of those proposals. Members could review the numerous examples of reorganisations which took place under the previous government to better understand the practical steps taken as the programme progresses.
Communities and Local Government, for what reason the invitation to restructure letter to Surrey has a deadline of May.
Given the urgency of creating sustainable unitary local government for Surrey, the decision was taken to work with local leaders in Surrey to facilitate reorganisation to the most ambitious timeframe possible. This will also enable Surrey to benefit from devolution as quickly as possible once new unitary local government is in place.