Written questions by Hollinrake.

How much funding has been allocated to the (a) Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, (b) Jewish Community Protective Security Grant and (c) the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme in 2025.

In 2025/26, up to £50.9 million is available to protect faith communities. This includes £18 million through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, £29.4 million through the Protective Security for Mosques scheme and for security at Muslim faith schools, and £3.5 million for the places of worship and associated faith community centres of all other faiths.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on the use of Special Development Orders.

Special Development Orders are a long-established part of the planning system. Each case is considered on its individual merits. The government has no plans to change this arrangement.

Communities and Local Government, whether renting out a dwelling on Airbnb for ongoing short-term lets constitutes a material change of use.

In London, primary legislation identifies where there is a material change of use from dwellings to temporary sleeping accommodation.In all other cases, whether there is a material change of use is a matter of fact and degree and will depend on the circumstances of any given case.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 24 December 2024 to Question 20226 on Environmental Impact Assessment, what her planned timetable is for (a) consultation and (b) secondary legislation.

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 includes a number of duties to consult on the core elements of the new system of Environmental Outcomes Reports – including the setting of outcomes.The government will consult on draft regulations in due course following policy development and engagement with key stakeholders.While we want to realise the benefits of reform as quickly as possible, we recognise the need to manage the transition to the new system carefully. Until a new system is implemented, current legislation on environmental assessment and its supporting guidance continues to apply.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24189 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, whether representations made to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on the 2024 Chinese Embassy planning application have been transferred to the Planning Inspectorate; whether representations not resubmitted to the Planning Inspectorate by the respondent are deemed to be material planning considerations in the planning inquiry; and if she will publish such representations.

Representations made to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with regard to the 2024 Chinese Embassy planning application have been transferred to the Planning Inspectorate.These representations are deemed to be material considerations in the planning inquiry.The Planning Inspectorate does not publish such representations.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24189 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, how many submissions to the Planning Inspectorate’s inquiry were accepted after the deadline for submissions.

Representations that were made to the inquiry subsequent to the deadline for submissions can be viewed in the inquiry library here.

Communities and Local Government, what disclosures her Department has made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on special adviser meetings with external organisations.

We have not received any such requests for disclosure under the FOI Act since 5 July 2024.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of affordable housing levies on the (a) cost and (b) size of housing units in developments.

I interpret ‘affordable housing levies’ in this context to mean affordable housing policy requirements.As set out in Planning Policy Guidance on viability, which can be found on gov.uk here, policy requirements for developer contributions should be informed by evidence of infrastructure and affordable housing need, and a proportionate assessment of viability that takes into account all relevant policies, and local and national standards, including the cost implications of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and section 106. Plan makers should consider how needs and viability may differ between site typologies and may choose to set different policy requirements for different sites or types of development in their plans.The government intends to review the guidance on viability, and we are also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December includes new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. 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%.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of permitting pubs to continue to sell take-away pints without requiring a variation of their premises licence.

The previous Government explored the feasibility of creating a unified consent regime that would grant businesses a pavement licence and the ability to sell alcohol for consumption there. Unifying the two regimes did not prove workable; the then Government launched a consultation on alternative options in May 2024.This Government is carefully considering the results of the consultation and will publish the results imminently alongside next steps.The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for pavement licences. We support the use of pavement licences to encourage better use of outdoor space on our high streets, supporting businesses and revitalising spaces communities use. We have no plans to change the existing streamlined application process.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23524 on Licensing Laws, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) new and existing pavement licences continue to allow for Licensing Act 2003 consent to be included and (b) licensed premises do not need to amend or vary their premises licence to have a pavement licence with alcohol.

The previous Government explored the feasibility of creating a unified consent regime that would grant businesses a pavement licence and the ability to sell alcohol for consumption there. Unifying the two regimes did not prove workable; the then Government launched a consultation on alternative options in May 2024.This Government is carefully considering the results of the consultation and will publish the results imminently alongside next steps.The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for pavement licences. We support the use of pavement licences to encourage better use of outdoor space on our high streets, supporting businesses and revitalising spaces communities use. We have no plans to change the existing streamlined application process.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to (a) ensure the standardisation of the administration of and (b) review her Department's (i) guidance and (ii) backdating policy in relation to Council Tax (A) discounts, (B) exemptions and (C) disregards for people (1) with severe mental impairments and (2) living with people with severe mental impairments.

Local councils are responsible for the administration of council tax discounts, disregards and exemptions, including those relating to people with a severe mental impairment. The government understands the importance of these provisions and keeps all council tax policies and relevant guidance under review.

Communities and Local Government, what responsibilities Strategic Authorities will have for setting (a) locations and (b) targets for new traveller pitches in the spatial areas for which they have planning oversight.

The English Devolution White Paper, Power and Partnership: Foundations for Growth, sets out that all strategic authorities will have a duty to produce a Spatial Development Strategy.Spatial Development Strategies will guide development for the local planning authorities in any given area, and their local plans will need to be in general conformity with them. Further detail will be set out in legislation in due course.It is too early at this stage to make a firm commitment as to their role in relation to authorised traveller pitches.

Communities and Local Government, whether it is her Department's target to build 1.5 million houses by July 2029.

The government’s Plan for Change includes an ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament. Progress will be measured through the number of net additional dwellings, and we will continue to update Parliament in the usual manner.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24422 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if she will publish the correspondence between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and her Department on the notification of the Chinese Embassy planning application.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 23149 on 27 January 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025, to Question 23815, on Housing: Construction, what steps her Department is taking to continuously review the Party Wall Act 1996.

The Party Wall Act is an important piece of legislation which safeguards the interests of individuals and organisations where building work takes place adjacent to, or bridges, neighbouring properties.While no date or decision has been made to review the party wall act, my officials are tasked with keeping the Act under continuous review by noting, recording and considering how issues concerning the Party Wall Act raised by members of the public and parliamentarians relate to wider government policies on housing, building safety and the built environment.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 23792 on Social Rented Housing: Construction, and with reference to page 45, note 4, of the National Audit Office report entitled The Affordable Homes Programme since 2015, what the average grant funding was per social rent home by region, under the Affordable Homes Programme 2021–2026 strategic bidding round, which occurred in 2021.

Allocations data for 2016-2023 and 2021-2026 published by Homes England can be found on gov.uk here.The Greater London Authority (GLA) publish all approvals for grant under the affordable housing programmes in their delegated approvals log on the GLA website. The latest quarterly published figures are available on gov.uk here.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. The most recent publication, with data reflecting grant allocations by tenure and region, to the end of March 2023, can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2024 to Question 25392 on Local Government: Devolution, whether her Department plans to undertake a Regulatory Impact Assessment in relation to its proposals on local government reorganisation.

The potential impact of local government reorganisation on individual areas will be a matter for local councils to consider as they develop their proposals for reorganisation. As set out in the published criteria for proposals, unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens; proposals should show how new structures will improve local government and service delivery and should avoid unnecessary fragmentation of services.Following submission, I will consider any and all proposals carefully before taking decisions on how to proceed.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's consultation entitled Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England published on 18 December 2024, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her proposals on standards in local government on free speech.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 30628 on 19 February 2025, which noted that the results of the ongoing consultation on a range of proposals to strengthen the local government standards regime will help to inform any policy or legislative change.The Government will take into account the full range of views and considerations raised by consultation respondents, including local authorities, council members and officers, sector representative bodies, and members of the public, when developing and finalising its proposals for local government standards reform.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure the continued operation of late-night venues in central London in relation to (a) business rates, (b) planning, (c) licensing; and what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of trends in the number of closures of (i) late-night venues and (ii) late-night venues for LGBT customers.

The night-time industry plays an important role in high streets and town centres across the country. To help high street businesses, as set out at Autumn Budget 2024, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27.We recognise planning and licensing decisions can impact the continued operation of late-night venues. The Licensing Act 2003 aims to strike the right balance between providing safeguards to prevent nuisance, crime and disorder, while recognising the contribution licensed premises make to thriving night-time economies. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that existing businesses and facilities should not have unreasonable restrictions placed on them as a result of development permitted after they were established.Research has indicated a decline in the number of night-time economy venues in the UK between 2018 and 2023. We are working with the Hospitality Sector Council to improve the resilience of hospitality businesses, including those operating in the night time economy.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 20653 on Planning: Reform, whether her Department has a policy on the publishing of lists of respondents to consultations.

The policy in question is set out in Chapter 15 of the consultation document which can be found on gov.uk here.