Written questions by Hollinrake.

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, 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.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has commissioned research on the level of (a) water usage and (b) waste water produced in water company areas.

Water companies report on water use in water resources management plans (WRMPs) annual reviews. The Environment Agency published this data on 7 October 2024. The Government requires water companies to forecast water usage in their 25-year WRMPs. The Environment Agency published a summary of these on 20 December 2024. As of September 2024, the Government commenced a duty on sewerage undertakers to plan for wastewater capacity need in their 25-year drainage and wastewater management plans (DWMPs). DWMPs are expected to be published in 2027/8 and reviewed annually.

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, 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.

If she will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of implementing the decision of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) of 28 January 2025 with reference: UI-2024-005295 & Ors.

It is longstanding government policy that we do not routinely comment on individual cases.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the potential impact of lowering the voting age on the administration of elections.

The Electoral Commission is engaging with the Government as it brings forward proposals to implement the manifesto commitment to give 16 and 17 year-olds the right to vote. The Commission is providing paractical advice on how any changes to the franchise can be implemented, as it has done for similar changes in Scotland and Wales.Once the change is made, the Commission will update its guidance for administrators to assist them to understand and deliver the new registration eligibility. Electoral Registration Officers would then work locally to support the registration and participation of this new group of voters.The Commission has said that changes to the franchise need to be implemented in a way that carefully manages the pressures on election teams, and that any changes to electoral legislation should be clear at least six months before they are due to be implemented or complied with by voters and electoral administrators.The Commission will also undertake public awareness work to ensure all newly enfranchised voters know how to register, and have the information and confidence to take part. It is already working to ensure that young people hace access to impartial education about democracy and elections, and is partnering with a range of organisations to support under-registered groups.

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, 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 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, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23909 on Council tax, whether Band D council tax set by the local authority will be taken into account in the assumed council tax metric; and how the taxbase will be calculated for precepting bodies which are not a local billing authority.

We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation on funding reform which ran from 18 December 2024 – 12 February 2025 and sought views on how we will account for differences in locally raised resources. A response has not yet been published, but the consultation does not propose that the Band D level set by a local authority will be accounted for in the assumed council tax metric. It is standard practice to calculate the taxbase of precepting authorities using the taxbases of the billing authorities in its area, and the consultation did not propose to change this.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the empty homes council tax premium on the number of dwellings categorised by local authorities as being empty.

Councils have the discretionary power to charge a council tax premium of up to 100% on homes left empty for one or more years, a change from the prior two years. It is for councils to decide whether to introduce the empty homes premium, and at what level, based on local circumstances. I have included a table showing the change in the number of dwellings classed as empty homes in the last five years (excluding those which are exempt). This is taken from the 2024 council taxbase data. 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total number of dwellings classed as empty479,336468,070478,928480,845502,263Number of dwellings classed as empty charged a premium69,20171,63072,34175,803119,606

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to monitor municipal borrowing by (a) combined authorities and (b) combined county authorities.

We will create in law the concept of a Strategic Authority, with three levels. Foundation Strategic Authorities, Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities. A Strategic Authority will typically be a combined authority, combined county authority or, in London, the Greater London Authority. The powers and funding areas receive will depend on which level of Strategic Authority it is, not whether it is a combined authority or a combined county authority. Local authorities, including combined authorities, are responsible for their own borrowing and investment decisions but must do so within the framework of legislation and guidance designed to support borrowing that is prudent, affordable and sustainable. The government has responsibility for the framework and uses information and data from a range of sources to monitor sector behaviour, including levels of borrowing and debt, to determine if changes to the framework are needed to better constrain risk. Where excessive risk from borrowing practices is identified in an individual authority, the government will take direct action if necessary.

Communities and Local Government, whether (a) Russian and (b) Chinese citizens on the Scottish electoral register but not on the UK Parliamentary register are able to donate to UK (a) politicians and (b) political parties.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the Question UIN 25690 on 30 January 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether (a) combined authorities and (b) combined county authorities will have different (i) funding and (ii) powers.

We will create in law the concept of a Strategic Authority, with three levels. Foundation Strategic Authorities, Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities. A Strategic Authority will typically be a combined authority, combined county authority or, in London, the Greater London Authority. The powers and funding areas receive will depend on which level of Strategic Authority it is, not whether it is a combined authority or a combined county authority. Local authorities, including combined authorities, are responsible for their own borrowing and investment decisions but must do so within the framework of legislation and guidance designed to support borrowing that is prudent, affordable and sustainable. The government has responsibility for the framework and uses information and data from a range of sources to monitor sector behaviour, including levels of borrowing and debt, to determine if changes to the framework are needed to better constrain risk. Where excessive risk from borrowing practices is identified in an individual authority, the government will take direct action if necessary.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question HL4075 on Royal Mint: Buildings, what steps the Planning Inspectorate is taking to ensure that it receives advice on national security matters as part of its inquiry on the Chinese Embassy application; and whether such advice must be shared with the applicant.

When dealing with evidence relating to national security, or any other matters, the Inspector will exercise impartial judgment and must not be subject to any improper influence, nor appear to be subject to such influence.There should be no evidence before the Inspector, which is not also available to the parties, and it will be solely for the Inspector to decide what weight to attribute to any evidence when writing their report to the Secretary of State.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 1 August 2024 to Question 1517 on Wind Power: Planning Permission, and with reference to the Environmental Information Regulations request with reference EIR2024/17924, for what reason the requested information was released under the EIR regime; and if she will now publish that substantive disclosure.

Environmental principles assessments are not routinely published. However, the information in question was released following a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.