Written questions by Hollinrake.

What the average time is between a complaint being (a) received and (b) logged at the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber – Residential Property).

Administrative complaints uploaded into the HMCTS complaints handling system direct from the gov.uk online complaints portal are logged immediately automatically. These constitute the vast majority of administrative complaints received by the tribunal. Complaints received by other methods (e.g. phone, email, post) require manual entry and we do not hold timeliness information on the logging of these. The target for the first response to administrative complaints is ten working days.

Whether the Office for National Statistics' Higher Real Household Disposable Income per head measure takes into account changes to (a) council tax bills and (b) indirect taxation.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 9 January is attached.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with the President of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) on the Renters Rights Bill.

Officials in my department hold regular discussions with colleagues at HM Court Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and the Ministry of Justice, as well as members of the judiciary, in respect of ongoing work to ensure that the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) is prepared for the introduction of the measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill.

If she will make an assessment of the potential cumulative impact of the (a) increase in National Insurance contributions, (b) changes to the level of retail, hospitality and leisure rate business relief from 2025-26 and (c) changes to the business rate surcharge on properties above £500,000 Rateable Value from 2026-27.

To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to support public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance. The Government recognises the need to protect the smallest employers which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year. A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November 2024. Without any government intervention, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government has decided to offer a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025-26 and frozen the small business multiplier. From 2026-27 we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties on 2026-27 - those with rateable values of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but capturing the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants. The Government will confirm the rates for the new multipliers at Budget 2025. Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions. Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. The Non-Domestic Ratings Bill sets out the parameters within which the government proposes the multipliers would be set by Treasury regulations.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 3 of the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment, published in November 2024, what discussions she has had with insurers on the conclusion that tenants wanting to own a pet will incur approximately £7 in discretionary costs annually per household.

The government published its Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 22 November 2024, following scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. The Impact Assessment received a ‘green’ rating, indicating it is ‘fit for purpose’.Throughout the development of the Impact Assessment, we have used evidence from a range of sources. In relation to pets, we have drawn on information from the English Housing Survey, insurance comparison websites, a number of animal organisations and discussions with industry trade bodies. All evidence and assumption underpinning the costs and benefits are detailed in the Impact Assessment, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance on foreign donors from which donations including via (a) third parties and (b) corporate companies may be accepted by political parties.

The Government does not issue guidance on political finance matters. The Electoral Commission, as the independent body responsible for regulating political finance, has a statutory duty to provide guidance on donations.

Whether any private sector companies contracted to her Department will receive increased payments for the increase in employer National Insurance contributions.

Reviewing contractual payment provisions is dependent on the applicable terms and conditions of individual agreements. Supplier requests for such pricing reviews would be considered as part of standard contract management practice.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 3 of the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment, published in November 2024, what her Department's evidential basis is that tenants wanting to own a pet will incur approximately £7 in discretionary costs annually per household.

The government published its Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 22 November 2024, following scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. The Impact Assessment received a ‘green’ rating, indicating it is ‘fit for purpose’.Throughout the development of the Impact Assessment, we have used evidence from a range of sources. In relation to pets, we have drawn on information from the English Housing Survey, insurance comparison websites, a number of animal organisations and discussions with industry trade bodies. All evidence and assumption underpinning the costs and benefits are detailed in the Impact Assessment, which can be found on gov.uk here.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's tender note entitled Procurement of a Contractor to build new British Embassy, Beijing, published on 2 October 2024, what the (a) timetable and (b) budget is for construction of the new Embassy; what consents are required from Chinese authorities, and what the status is of each consent.

We continue to work on the details of the timetable and budget for the new British Embassy in Beijing. We have submitted our planning application for the new embassy and as with any project, this would be subject to due consideration by Chinese authorities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 16945 on Business Rates, if she will make an estimate of business rates receipts for (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 for England only.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) publish non-domestic ratings receipts data and forecasts for the financial year ahead in England. As such, projections for non-domestic rates income for 2025-26 will be published in due course by MHCLG. For 2024-25, local authorities estimate the non-domestic rating income to be £26.3 billion: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-non-domestic-rates-collected-by-councils-in-england-forecast-2024-to-2025/national-non-domestic-rates-collected-by-councils-in-england-forecast-for-2024-to-2025

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2024 to Question 20225 on Prisons: Construction, if she will list the four locations affected by the nutrient neutrality rules; on what dates mitigation measures were resolved on the three sites referenced; and whether each of those three sites have full planning permission.

The below table shows the four Rapid Deployment Cell Programme locations that have been affected by nutrient neutrality:Name of site Date Provisional Nutrient Credit Certificate received Planning Permission status Proposed number of places HMP Deerbolt16/09/2024Planning application not yet submitted60HMP Holme House16/09/2024Planning approved21HMP Kirklevington Grange16/09/2024Planning approved152HMP BureN/A - mitigation ongoingPlanning application not yet submittedc.60

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2024 to Question 20225 on Prisons: Construction, what the status of the planning permission is for each site; and how many additional prison places are proposed in each location.

The below table shows the four Rapid Deployment Cell Programme locations that have been affected by nutrient neutrality:Name of site Date Provisional Nutrient Credit Certificate received Planning Permission status Proposed number of places HMP Deerbolt16/09/2024Planning application not yet submitted60HMP Holme House16/09/2024Planning approved21HMP Kirklevington Grange16/09/2024Planning approved152HMP BureN/A - mitigation ongoingPlanning application not yet submittedc.60

What the policy is of (a) her Department and (b) HM Courts and Tribunal Service on granting legal aid to travellers for enforcement cases against unauthorised (i) development and (ii) encampments.

Determinations about whether an individual qualifies for legal aid are made by the Director of Legal Aid Casework or Legal Aid Agency staff authorised by the Director to make determinations. The statutory role of Director of Legal Aid Casework was created under section 4 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). In making individual determinations, the Director must act independently of Ministers, applying the relevant statutory framework. The Lord Chancellor may not issue directions or guidance in relation to an individual case.There is no specific policy relating to granting legal aid to travellers regarding any form of enforcement activity. All applications for legal aid are considered on a case-by-case basis against the statutory framework and any applicable general guidance issued by the Lord Chancellor. Legal aid will be granted in all cases where the appropriate eligibility criteria are met.The relevant eligibility criteria will depend on the nature of the case and in particular if it is a civil or criminal case and whether it is in scope of civil services as described under Schedule 1, Part 1 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 or outside of scope in which case it would be considered against the criteria for exceptional case funding (ECF). Although the specific criteria will differ depending on the type of applications, the individual will need to demonstrate that they are financially eligible for the legal aid services sought and that their case meets the applicable merits criteria. Additionally, for ECF the individual will need to demonstrate that failure to grant legal aid would breach, or risk breaching, the individual's Convention rights (within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998), or any rights of the individual to the provision of legal services that are assimilated enforceable rights. Full details of the eligibility criteria for legal aid including links to the relevant legislation can be accessed via the LAA’s website here for civil legal aid, criminal legal aid and ECF.HM Courts and Tribunal Service does not have powers to grant legal aid save for in very narrow circumstances as set out in the Criminal Legal Aid (Determinations by a Court and Choice of Representatives) Regulations 2013, none of which apply to enforcement cases against unauthorised development and encampments.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18378 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Public Appointments, what assessment she made of the potential impact of changing the non-executive board members on the effectiveness of that board.

It is standard practice across government for non-executive board membership to be periodically reviewed, to ensure that the expertise and advice provided is a suitable fit for performance and delivery priorities. We have full confidence in our ongoing governance arrangements and will be announcing the remaining appointments to the Board in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters' Rights Bill on levels of inflation in (a) the next six months and (b) the six months following the commencement of the Bill's provisions.

The government published a Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment on 22 November 2024, which indicated that a landlords’ ability to increase rents is highly variable and depends on supply and demand as well as wider market conditions, including the quality of their property compared to others in the local area. The evidence also shows that landlords value good tenants – and are therefore less likely to raise rents for sitting tenants. In addition, for landlords that already provide decent homes and a prompt repair service to their tenants, the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually – only 0.2% of mean annual rents. We have set out how we are developing our monitoring and evaluation approach for the reforms in the Renters’ Rights Bill Impact Assessment. We will continue to monitor trends across the private rented sector to understand how it is responding to our reforms.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 2316 on Equality, whether the socio-economic duty will apply to local education authority decisions on (a) parents with children joining the state system from independent schools and (b) other school admissions.

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage. Public bodies specified by the duty include county and district councils, the Greater London Authority, and London Borough councils. We will support public bodies to ensure that they have clarity as to how to meet the duty in readiness for commencement.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of boycotts of Israeli participation in (a) sporting and (b) cultural events on levels of community cohesion in the UK.

Sports, arts, and culture are powerful ways to bring communities together. As such, we do not support sports or cultural boycotts in principle, including in relation to Israel.Any disruption or threat to community cohesion is of concern. DCMS therefore works closely with sport and cultural stakeholders to identify issues and to minimise any negative impact on community cohesion. The Secretary of State recently met with a delegation led by the Board of Deputies of British Jews to discuss their experiences of working in the arts and cultural sector at a time of increased tension in the Middle East. She was very concerned by the scale and extent of their experiences and made clear her own view, and that of the government, that antisemitism is as unacceptable in the arts as it is anywhere else in society.

Communities and Local Government, whether nutrient neutrality mitigation levy measures will be subject to economic viability assessments; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the additional mitigation levy measures on the amount that can be levied through (a) the Community Infrastructure Levy and (b) Section 106 agreements.

The government committed in our manifesto to unlock development affected by nutrient neutrality. Our proposals will deliver economies of scale and efficiency improvements for existing environmental obligations, streamlining the planning process and reducing costly delays and uncertainty for developers. This will result in a smoother and more efficient way for developers to discharge their existing environmental obligations, as opposed to creating new ones. The government is committed to tackling impacts at source, also reducing the cost burden on development.These proposals will be considered as part of the wider Impact Assessment as part of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We published a working paper and will develop the detail of how the levy will operate taking into account the responses to it.

Whether free schools will be affected by changes to charitable business rate relief for schools.

The Government is legislating to remove the eligibility of private schools in England to business rates charitable rate relief. The Government has defined a “private school” as a school at which full time education is provided for pupils of compulsory school age, where fees or other consideration are payable for that provision of full-time education. Legally, free schools are academies so do not charge fees for education. Therefore, they will not be impacted by the removal of charitable rate relief from private schools.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish any (a) electronic and (b) written communication from Downing Street to his Department on the Chinese Embassy before the decision was made to call in the planning application.

The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and she will make this decision independent from the rest of Government corresponding to her quasi-judicial role. Other Government departments have separately worked through considerations of the application. We have no plans to publish information relating to these conversations due to their sensitive nature.