Written questions by Hollinrake.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 14343 on Litter, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the compliance of (a) local authorities and (b) outsourced companies with the provisions of the non-statutory Code of Practice on issuing fines to receive greater (i) revenue and (ii) profits.

Local authorities remain responsible for the whole enforcement process. Authorities that outsource any area of enforcement to private companies should ensure that the contractor fulfils all the requirements set down for the authority itself. This position is set down in existing advisory guidance on enforcement of environmental offences available here.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 18960 on Council of the Nations and Regions: National Identity, if she will make it her policy to champion (a) the English national identity and (b) pride in England as a constituent nation of the United Kingdom.

We want to see all of England access devolved power by establishing Strategic Authorities that can make key decisions to drive economic growth, preferably with a Mayor. This will ensure that all parts of England have the powerful voice they need in national policymaking through attending the Council of Nations and Regions and the Mayoral Council for England’s Mayors.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to recommendation 3 of the report entitled Report on the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election and the May 2024 elections, published by the Electoral Commission, if she will make it her policy that postal voting should be the default option for all overseas voters when they register for elections.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 17831 on 12 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question HL3240 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, which (a) local authorities and (b) public bodies have submitted representations to the planning inquiry.

Representations have been submitted to the planning inquiry by The London Borough of Tower Hamlets. No representations have been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate by public bodies. Some public bodies have submitted representations direct to the Local Planning Authority. Representations can be viewed in the inquiry library which can be found here.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department has issued on how the proposed Community Right to Buy will (a) operate and (b) differ from the community rights provisions of the Localism Act 2011.

Community Right to Buy will be introduced in the English Devolution Bill, providing stronger powers for local people who wish to purchase valued community spaces. We are considering what changes need to be made to the Localism Act 2011 to better support community ownership, while respecting the rights of asset owners. We will provide more details on the planned measures in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 6 January 2025, HCWS353, on Community Ownership Fund Round 4, how will the funds previously allocated to the Fund be utilised elsewhere.

The Community Ownership Fund has awarded a total of over £135 million to 409 projects across the United Kingdom. A further £8.5 million has been used to provide pre and post application support to projects via our development support provider, to allocate small revenue grants to projects ahead of applying to support them to procure professional services, to fund the evaluation of the effectiveness of the fund and on other administrative costs.The £6.5 million in unallocated funding and any funding returned by projects that have had to withdraw will be used to fund other key government priorities.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 16 December 2024, Official Report, HCWS316, on the Devolution White Paper, whether devolution by default will include the devolution of local taxation powers by default.

We have published a new, enhanced devolution framework, expanding and deepening the powers available to Mayors and Strategic Authorities. Mayors of Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will, for the first time, have a right to request further devolution of specific functions and powers which the government will have to respond to. The government keeps all taxes under review and is focused on standardising existing tax powers which are currently uneven across Mayoral areas.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 16954 on New Towns, what discussions she has had with local authorities on participation in the New Towns programme.

As per its Terms of Reference which can be found on gov.uk here, in developing recommendations to ministers, the New Towns Taskforce will engage with local stakeholders, including local authorities. The Taskforce will report in the summer.

Communities and Local Government, if she will list the programmes launched since 5 July 2024 requiring local authorities to bid for funding.

The government is committed to pursuing a comprehensive set of reforms for public services to return the local government sector to a sustainable position. This will be done in partnership with local government. We are inviting views on our objectives and principles for local government funding reform via a consultation that is open until the 12 February.In regard to Local Growth funding, this Government was elected on a manifesto that stressed a partnership approach with local authorities and an intention to stabilise the funding system by providing multi-year funding settlements and ending competitive bidding which was the requirement for funds such as Future High Streets Fund, Town Deals and the Levelling Up Fund.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2024 to Question 18959 on Planning Authorities: Staff, whether she plans to provide funding for the ongoing salary costs of the 300 new planning officers in the 2026-27 financial year.

The government is committed to supporting local planning authorities. Any budgets and associated salary costs beyond 2025-2026 will be determined in the forthcoming Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17829 on Combined Authorities, what guidance her Department has issued on whether a two-tier area currently with a county council and district councils will (a) form a combined authority for that county area or (b) be merged with another county area to form a combined authority.

The English Devolution White Papper states that for areas with two tiers of local government, before moving to a single tier, the government will establish Combined County Authorities but not Combined Authorities. Also, that we will legislate to ensure that Strategic Authorities can change structure should local government reorganisation take place, for example, changing from a Combined County Authority to a Combined Authority when a two-tier area becomes single-tier.

Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to support energy efficiency in domestic dwellings through the replacement of single glazed windows with double or triple glazing; and in what circumstances is planning permission required for such replacements.

Forthcoming changes to the energy performance model underpinning Energy Performance Certificates will ensure that fabric improvements made by consumers, such as installing double or triple glazing, are suitably recognised and rewarded by the model.In most cases the replacement of windows of similar appearance can be undertaken without the need for a planning application. However, there may be some local exceptions, and other consents such as listed building consent may be required.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Regulator of Social Housing has provided guidance to registered providers of social housing on translation of guidance into foreign languages.

All registered providers of social housing are required to deliver the outcomes of the regulatory standards set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing. In particular, under the Transparency, Influence and Accountability standard, all registered providers must ensure that communication with and information for tenants is clear, accessible and appropriate to the diverse needs of their tenants.The regulator’s consumer standards Code of Practice states that providers should make tenants aware of the different ways in which services are tailored to meet their needs. It provides examples of ways in which providers could achieve this, including by informing tenants that information can be supplied in different languages on request.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14950 on Council tax and with reference to the Provisional local government finance settlement: England, 2025 to 2026, published on 18 December 2024, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) increase in council tax receipts between 2024-25 and 2025-26 on which the core spending power estimates in the draft Settlement are based and (b) the proportion of the increase in council tax receipts that are expected to be derived from (i) increases in the level of council tax in (A) Band D and (B) and other bands and (ii) changes in net housing supply in 2025-26.

Growth in council tax revenue is calculated using two factors, growth in the size of the tax base, and levels of taxation. Council tax levels are assumed to increase in line with the principles set out at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement. More detail on the methodology including assumptions about the growth in the size of the tax base is available here.The methodology used to calculate the expected increase in average Band D council tax in England is available in the Explanatory Note on Core Spending Power for the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2025-26.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 19363 on INTERREG Programme, whether any of the Interreg programmes are still operational.

All projects funded by 2014-20 INTERREG programmes had to complete delivery by December 2023. The ongoing work by MHCLG officials covered in the answer to Question 19363 is focused on closure of these programmes. The INTERREG PEACEPLUS programme continues to operate between communities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but MHCLG does not have a role in this programme.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17835 on Local Government Pension Scheme, and with reference to the consultation paper entitled Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales): Fit for the future, published on 14 November 2024, on what (a) geographical areas or (b) local government tiers will the new asset pools be based.

The Government has asked the existing Local Government Pension Scheme asset pools to submit proposals as to how they will meet the minimum requirements set out in the consultation. The Government is not proposing to require changes to the areas covered by the pools in order to align with regions, strategic authorities or other geographic or local government areas.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 15001 on Local Government Finance and with reference to the Provisional local government finance settlement: England, 2025 to 2026, published on 18 December 2024, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) value of locally retained business rates in 2025-26 and (b) the proportion of core spending power comprised by those rates.

Local authorities have not yet submitted their estimates of business rates income for 2025-26. The Department will publish local authority estimates of locally retained business rates for 2025-26 on 19th February.Core Spending Power, published alongside the settlement, includes Settlement Funding Assessment which is comprised of Revenue Support Grant and a component linked to business rates - Baseline Funding Levels. Baseline Funding Levels represent an authority’s need that is funded via business rates and will increase to £16.1 billion for 2025-26. In addition, Core Spending Power includes an adjustment for compensation for under-indexing the business rates multipliers of £2.7 billion. In total, business rates elements make up £18.8 billion, or 27% of core spending power.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 18950 on Planning Permission: Air Pollution, if he will make an estimate of the average additional cost resulting from that interim guidance for a new building dwelling in areas with poor air quality.

The interim planning guidance applies to developments which would normally require an air quality assessment, regardless of location and is expected to have minimal impact on the cost of new developments. As this is interim guidance an assessment of cost is not required.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Provisional local government finance settlement: England, 2025 to 2026, published on 18 December 2024, what estimate she has made of the expected increase in average Band D council tax in England in (a) cash and (b) percentage terms between 2024-25 and 2025-26 when calculating the core spending power increase.

Growth in council tax revenue is calculated using two factors, growth in the size of the tax base, and levels of taxation. Council tax levels are assumed to increase in line with the principles set out at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement. More detail on the methodology including assumptions about the growth in the size of the tax base is available here.The methodology used to calculate the expected increase in average Band D council tax in England is available in the Explanatory Note on Core Spending Power for the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2025-26.

Communities and Local Government, how the allowances of combined authority mayors will be determined.

Decisions on allowances for Combined Authority mayors is a matter for each individual Combined Authority. The process to follow is set out in regulation 20 of the of the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003. This requires them to consider a report from an independent remuneration panel established by the Combined Authority or by one or more of their constituent councils.